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Bruins Defense in Their Own Zone Needs to Improve Quickly

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The Bruins have been a bit of a roller-coaster as of late. From losing four games in a row, then winning two out of three games on their California road trip. They have been hit hard by injuries all over the roster but no position has taken a bigger hit then the center position. Bergeron, Backes, Spooner, and Krejci have all missed time at one point or another this season. Along with the rotating players on the back end with McQuaid out for a long stretch, and Krug now is missing time. The defense in their own zone has been sub-par to say the least. But even with the Bruins beginning to get players back from injuries the team defense continues to be repulsive at times.

Youth

This is the easiest route to go down considering that the Bruins have been throwing out an AHL lineup the past month.  But being young does not provide an excuse for frankly being lazy at points. The Bruins’ young defense man have been lackadaisical at times this year, allowing easy tip-ins or one timers from the slot/high slot on a simple man coverage scheme. Cassidy has not instituted a complex defensive system at all. Most of it is a simple zone keeping the puck rotating along the boards and out of the danger areas, or a man to man coverage. Yet somehow the Bruins’ defensemen continue to lose track of their responsibility and have allowed some retched goals through the first quarter of this season.

When the Bruins’ youth has been able to execute the scheme properly, they are still getting beat to the spot and allowing wide open shots on net. Maybe it’s because they played against AHL talent only a couple weeks ago, or that they lack the physical talent to deal with big talented NHL forwards. Either way The lack of grit on the back-end has been a problem all year and continues to haunt the Bruins in tight games. While the last two games have shown improvement, the Bruins the youth on the back-end to develop some grit real quick. After all the first quarter of the NHL season is the easiest, as the games begin to rack up all the sudden the hits come harder and your feet feel heavier. Let’s see if the youth on this team is ready to handle that.

Veterans

Defensive errors have been to common on this Bruins team. It seems like every game a player is making a wild pass through the center of the ice, or a bad timed pinch up the board that have led to breakaways and odd man rushes going the other way. Even the inability to clear the puck when the Bruins have plenty of open ice in front of them, rather they get overwhelmed in their own zones way to often making for grinding shifts on the players, and a lot of high quality scoring chances for the opponent. The inability to make the simple plays that NHL teams should do in their sleep fall on the veterans.

Chara mainly on the back-end should be telling the young kids make the simple play and get back on defense. Someone needs to take control of the game and slow it down, and Chara needs to be that guy. Do not let the veteran forwards off the hook either. They need to realize that when you have a bunch of young kids on defense do not get caught behind the net. Too many times in the past month the Bruins’ forwards had a tendency to migrate toward the puck rather than playing zones. While it makes for a less entertaining game playing conservative is what the Bruins need to learn to do and quick.

Now with Thanksgiving right around the corner it’s go time. This is when the playoff teams separate themselves. Let’s see what the Bruins got.

Marquis Flowers is Blooming into Patriots’ Injured Linebacker Corps

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The Patriots have a history of nurturing young seeds into full bloom. Bill Belichick handles his crops with such care that once playoff harvesting season comes around they will win him the big blue ribbon at the county fair. Belichick has done just that with linebacker Marquis Flowers in the past week.

All gardening puns aside, the Patriots defense in the past few weeks have substantially improved. This has come as a surprise to fans as defensive starters like Dont’a Hightower, Malcolm Brown, and Eric Rowe have been riddled with injuries. Since their second loss of the season against the Panthers, the Patriots’ defense has improved substantially each week. From Weeks 1 to 4 the defense let up 128 points. Ever since they have allowed only 75, not letting their opponent surpass 20 points in the past six games. Rocket scientist Matt Patricia has found the perfect playbook for his defense, and it all revolves around help defense.

One area of the defense that has struggled for the majority of the season have been the linebacker corps. The depth has been thin to start the season and has continued to diminish after Dont’a Hightower, Harvey Langi, and Shea McClellin were placed on injury reserve. Elandon Roberts has been tasked with filling the hole in the defense that Hightower’s absence has created. He has done a significant job thus far but was inactive against the Raiders due to injury. Kyle Van Noy has been a constant as of late in a system of changing parts.

Flowers are Blooming in November

This weekend fans saw third year linebacker Marquis Flowers play alongside Van Noy. The Patriots acquired Flowers from the Bengals back in August in exchange for a 2018 seventh round draft pick. He started 35 of 50 games at the University of Arizona, logging 272 career tackles, 7½ sacks, five interceptions, and five forced fumbles. In the NFL he has bounced from the Panthers in 2014 to the Bengals until this offseason.

Flowers served a role on special teams at the beginning of the season and became a reserve linebacker up until this weekend. Against the Raiders he shared reps are the starting linebacker along Van Noy, racking up four tackles and a forced fumble that kept the Raiders out of the end zone in the first half. The fumble came deep in the red zone where Raiders receiver Seth Roberts almost cut the Patriot lead in half. Roberts held the ball away from his body as Jonathan Jones kept him in place. Marquis Flowers saw the opportunity and punched the ball out of Roberts’s hand, keeping the Raiders from converting any points in their one scoring position in the first half.

“Huge play,” Marquis Flowers reflected to reporters.

“A lot of times when a guy is trying to break a tackle, their ball security, they’re just trying to make a play and, not intentionally, but the ball is usually loose, especially the skill players,” Flowers explained. “When I went over there to go grab a tackle I thought I saw him re-grab the ball. I thought he almost dropped it the first time. So just basically tried to wrap my arms around where his hands were, and the ball came out.”

A New Chance in New England

With Elandon Roberts nursing an ankle injury, it is possible that Flowers could earn more snaps soon. In the Belichick system, more preparation and practice translates to more playing time Flowers has done just that this season. Last weekend Flowers played 19 snaps against the Broncos. This weekend he was a regular on the defense’s third down unit.

“I’m thankful that I went to an organization that allows you to compete, and when you are doing something well they allow you to play to your abilities,” Flowers said.

It’s no surprise to fans now that the Patriots have utilized yet another player acquired in the offseason. This is one of many instances this season alone where this has happened. Johnson Bademosi, traded from the Lions in August, has earned a significant increase in snaps after shutting down Julio Jones in Stephon Gilmore’s absence earlier this season. Cassius Marsh, a defensive end traded from the Seahawks in the preseason, also has been able to add depth to a once ailing left side of defensive line after Rob Ninkovich retired. Flowers is the newest addition to the role players that have come up big for the Patriots this season alone. The Patriots thrive upon bringing in players that were insignificant on one team and exploiting their strengths.

It just comes to show that one man’s trash is another man’s treasure. Coach Belichick can convert just about any player to look like a star for the Patriots.

Anton Khudobin Is Carrying the Boston Bruins

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Finally it seems like Bruce Cassidy had the guts to make the move Bruins fans have been begging for. Khudobin may have saved the Bruins season from completely going down the drain. Riding a four game losing streak on the second night of a back-to-back against a team with the second best record in the Western Conference. The Bruins were underdogs to say the least. But like he has done since March of last year Khudobin stepped up and delivered in a way Rask has not. Khudobin made 27 saves on 28 shots, with a brilliant .964 save percentage. He then followed that up with an even better performance against the San Jose Sharks stopping 36 out of 37 shots leading the Bruins to back to back wins, and 4 out of 6 points on their California road swing.

Goaltending Change

After the Bruins improbable win against the Kings, Bruce Cassidy came out after the game and stated the Khudobin would be the starter for the time being. Granted Cassidy made no long term commitments after the San Jose game, but it’s expected that Khudobin will continue to get the call in goal over Tuukka Rask. Tuukka also spoke about the decision giving credit to Khudobin and publicly agreeing with Cassidy’s decision. Cassidy really had no other choice at this point. Tuukka has been retched this season, and Khudobin just cannot seem to lose.

Khudobin’s Numbers

The stat that shows the impact that Khudobin has had on this team the best is the team’s record in games that he has gotten the start in net. In games Khudobin started this season the Bruins have not lost a game in regulation. Khudobin secured points in all of his starts on the way to a 5-0-2 record. Currently Khudobin has a .935 save percentage, and 2.17 goals allowed on average. On top of that he has won games the Bruins had no business winning. His .935 save percentage is third best in the NHL and he is also tied for sixth in the NHL in GAA.

Long Term

Is Khudobin going to continue this production? Most likely not, considering Anton has spent the majority of his career as a back up and never started more than 36 games in a season. But Cassidy and the Bruins need to ride the hot hand of Khudobin if they care about this season. However, the Bruins cannot get too comfortable with him in net. As quickly as he became a top ten goalie in the NHL he could fall off a cliff. That’s what backups do: they can get insanely hot for as much as an entire season. However in the end they usually average out. So for Cassidy the long term solution is still getting Rask back at the top of his game. Maybe benching him for a month will be the kick in the ass he needs.

One thing is for certain Anton Khudobin has been the MVP for the Bruins this season. With the non-stop injuries ravishing the NHL roster Khudobin has been a calming force for the young kids. Especially with players getting closer to a return to the lineup, namely Marchand and Spooner. The Bruins are going to continue to lean heavily on Khudobin to carry this team throughout. Now let’s see if the feel good story of an overachieving backup can last.

Red Sox Greatest Third Basemen of All-Time

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Making the way around the infield, my next installment in the series comes at the hot corner. Making the top five there will be a couple mainstays, a couple players from a century ago, and one I think you all will remember watching play. There were a couple options for the last spot, guys who weren’t with the team a real long time but made a big impact. But that’s what the honorable mention section is for at the end.

Wade Boggs

Wade Boggs is by far the greatest third baseman in franchise history. He leads the team at the position in almost every offensive category. Wade burst onto the scene in 1982 by batting .349. Over the next six seasons he only batted below .357 once, leading the league in hitting five times. Over his first seven seasons Boggs batted .356 while averaging 220 hits and 103 walks per 162 games played. He was the best hitter in baseball during the 80’s, seemingly able to foul off pitch after pitch until he got the one he wanted.

Boggs set a Major League record while with the Red Sox by collecting 200 hits in seven consecutive seasons. Not only that, they were the first seven full seasons of his career. Even with all the base hits, Boggs managed to walk over 100 times each season from 1986-89. Over the course of his Red Sox career, Boggs walked 1004 times, more than twice as often as he struck out. They just don’t make them like they used to.

Year Tm AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO BA OBP SLG OPS
1982 BOS 338 51 118 14 1 5 44 35 21 .349 .406 .441 .847
1983 BOS 582 100 210 44 7 5 74 92 36 .361 .444 .486 .931
1984 BOS 625 109 203 31 4 6 55 89 44 .325 .407 .416 .823
1985 BOS 653 107 240 42 3 8 78 96 61 .368 .450 .478 .928
1986 BOS 580 107 207 47 2 8 71 105 44 .357 .453 .486 .939
1987 BOS 551 108 200 40 6 24 89 105 48 .363 .461 .588 1.049
1988 BOS 584 128 214 45 6 5 58 125 34 .366 .476 .490 .965
1989 BOS 621 113 205 51 7 3 54 107 51 .330 .430 .449 .879
1990 BOS 619 89 187 44 5 6 63 87 68 .302 .386 .418 .804
1991 BOS 546 93 181 42 2 8 51 89 32 .332 .421 .460 .881
1992 BOS 514 62 133 22 4 7 50 74 31 .259 .353 .358 .711
BOS BOS 6213 1067 2098 422 47 85 687 1004 470 .338 .428 .462 .890

Frank Malzone

Malzone spent almost his whole career with the Red Sox, going to California for his final season in 1966. He batted .276 while picking up 1454 base hits. His 131 home runs and 716 runs batted in are tops at the position for the Red Sox. His heyday lasted eight seasons, from 1957-64. During those years he batted .281 with an average of 16 home runs and 84 RBI. He made eight all-star teams during those seasons, thanks to two All-Star Games in 1959 and 1960.

Malzone was also an excellent fielder, winning the first three Gold Gloves ever awarded to third basemen. In 1957, he led the league in errors made, but also in putouts, assists and double plays turned. He would lead the league in double plays for five consecutive seasons.

After his playing days were over Malzone came back to the organization. He would spend over three decades as a Red Sox scout. After scouting for years he would serve as a player development consultant for the team. Frank Malzone meant a lot to the Boston Red Sox organization.

Frank Malzone shown at batting practice before game with Cleveland at Fenway Park in Boston, July 28, 1957. (AP Photo/Frank C. Curtin)

Jimmy Collins

Collins was already well regarded before joining the Boston Americans in 1901. The franchise was known as the Americans during his entire stint with the team, not becoming named the Red Sox until 1908. Collins’ play remained well above average after switching leagues and he was often regarded as the best third baseman in baseball. On top of that, Collins was also the manager until part way through 1906. He led the team to the first ever World Series Championship in 1903. The following season he led them to a second consecutive pennant, but the Giants refused to play the World Series.

Collins batted .296 while picking up 881 base hits during his time with the organization. He was also a great defender, redefining the position. Before Collins, shortstops were the ones to field bunts. Collins became known for his ability to field bunts and the job eventually shifted to the third baseman. He is still second all-time at the position for putouts recorded. Collins was part of the seventh Hall of Fame class ever with his induction in 1945.

Larry Gardner

Gardner is the other one on the list who played a century ago. He first appeared with the team in 1908 and was the main third baseman from 1910-1917. During that time he collected 1106 base hits while batting .282. His 30.5 WAR is second only to Wade Boggs at the position.

During his stay in Boston, Gardner won three World Series championships. Despite only hitting 16 home runs over eight seasons, Gardner hit three home runs in 18 World Series games with the Red Sox. Despite a low batting average in series play, he made his presence felt.

William Larry Gardner of the Boston Red Sox swinging a bat in 1916. (Photo by Sporting News and Rogers Photo Archive)

Mike Lowell

Mike Lowell was acquired from the Marlins in a deal where Josh Beckett was the headliner. Lowell made his impact in Boston though, putting up fine offensive numbers, playing a rock solid third base and winning the 2007 World Series. That 2007 season was possibly the best of Lowell’s career, batting a career high .324 with 21 home runs and 120 runs batted in. Then in the postseason he batted .353 and drove in 15 runners. His .400 batting average in the World Series helped to net him the MVP Award for the series.

Before a hip problem slowed him in 2010, Lowell averaged a season of .295 19 87 over his first four seasons with the team. He made the All-Star Game in 2007 and finished fifth in the MVP vote. His .814 OPS with the team is 2nd among the guys included in the top five. In the field, Lowell only made six errors during his first season with the team. He is 2nd all-time at the position in career fielding percentage. A well liked player, it will be nice to have him back in the organization for this coming season.

Honorable Mentions:

Bill Mueller, Jim Tabor, Tim Naehring, John Valentin, Johnny Pesky, Rico Petrocelli, Butch Hobson

 

Greatest Starting Right Handed Pitchers

Greatest Starting Left Handed Pitchers

Greatest Relief Pitchers

Greatest Catchers

Greatest First Basemen

Greatest Second Basemen

 

Red Sox Greatest Second Basemen

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Red Sox Greatest Second Basemen

The keystone position is next on the agenda for my series of Red Sox articles. Unfortunately, the top player has just passed away. At the age of 99, Bobby Doerr passed away on Tuesday. He was the oldest living Hall of Famer. Doerr played against Lou Gehrig, and faced A’s teams managed by Connie Mack, who was born in 1862. RIP to the great Bobby Doerr.

Bobby Doerr

Doerr spent 14 seasons with the Red Sox, which spanned his entire career. He missed the 1945 season, while serving his country in the war. He then was forced into an early retirement at the age of 33, due to a bad back. Even still, Doerr managed to collect over 2000 base hits, and swat 223 home runs. His 1247 runs batted in are far and away the tops at the position. About the only category he doesn’t lead in is stolen bases. He was a career .288 hitter, and posted an .823 OPS.

Doerr was just as good in the field as he was at the plate. In 1948, he set a record for second basemen, by handling 414 consecutive chances without making an error. This record lasted for nearly 60 years, until it was broken in 2007. He also turned more double plays than any second baseman in Major League history, until 1963. His .980 fielding percentage came at a time when gloves were rudimentary. His fielding percentage only dipped below .980 once over the final eight seasons of his career.

Bobby Doerr was also known as a clutch hitter, driving in over 100 runs, in six different seasons. He accomplished this feat in three straight seasons, before his final season. Doerr also batted .409 during the 1946 World Series. It’s unfortunate he had to retire when he did, Doerr was still a very good ballplayer. In fact, he had been improving. Over his final four seasons, Doerr batted .294, while averaging 21 home runs, and 103 RBI per season. Doerr made nine All-Star Games during his career.

Bobby Doerr’s glove, which he managed to post a .980 career fielding % with and set records which stood for decades.

Dustin Pedroia

Pedroia has been aiming for Doerr’s mantle, but isn’t there yet. If he can put together a couple more good seasons, maybe. Pedroia is a career .300 hitter, banging out 1802 base hits at this point in his career. Over a 162 game schedule, Pedroia has averaged 15 home runs, 15 stolen bases and 42 doubles during his career.

Pedroia, of course, is an excellent fielder as well. He is routinely going all out in the field, making diving stops, and throwing out the runner. This has helped him net four Gold Glove Awards thus far. His .991 fielding percentage shows how steady he is in the field, but you’d have to watch him to know how much he flashes his leather around.

Pedroia started off his career by winning the Rookie of the Year Award in 2007. He followed that up by leading the league in hits (213), doubles (54) and winning the MVP Award in 2008. He used to be sneaky on the base paths too, stealing 20 bags that year while only being caught once. Pedroia might not steal many bags anymore, but this was the first of four seasons in which he stole 20 bases. Pedroia has made four All-Star Games, in addition to his previously mentioned accolades.

Pete Runnels

Pete Runnels wasn’t with the Red Sox nearly as long as the guys above him on this list, but he sure made an impact while in Boston. Runnels spent five seasons with the team, and batted over .300 in all five. He had a cumulative batting average of .320, and an on-base percentage of .408. He didn’t hit for power, only totaling 29 home runs over those five seasons. But with a .320 average, who cares? Second basemen were rarely power hitters in those days.

Runnels did play primarily first base his final two years with the Red Sox, but he played more games at second during his tenure with the Sox. According to Baseball Reference, Runnels had a 20.3 WAR over his five seasons in Boston. In his first season with the Red Sox, in 1958, he finished runner up for the batting title, losing to teammate Ted Williams. After finishing third in 1959, Runnels won his first batting title in 1960. He would go on to win his second batting title in his final season with the team in 1962. Runnels also made three all-star teams while with the Red Sox.

Billy Goodman

Goodman was a valuable utility man for the Red Sox. He had some years he played exclusively at second, some entirely at first, and others where he played all over the diamond. That versatility made him even more valuable than just his numbers. He played second more than anywhere though, and was usually at the keystone position over the final five seasons he was with the team.

Goodman didn’t have power, topping out with a career high of four home runs, but he was a fine hitter. Goodman batted over .300 five times, and never finished below .293 during a full season (he had a combined 27 at-bats between his first and last seasons). His .354 batting average in 1950 led the Major Leagues, and he finished runner-up for the MVP Award. A player mostly forgotten by time, Goodman deserves to be remembered with all of these accomplishments. He could easily be ahead of Runnels for third on this list. Goodman made two All-Star Games.

September 1950: Boston Red Sox player Billy Goodman watching the action of a game from the dugout. (Photo by Francis Miller/The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images)

Jody Reed

Standing at a listed height of 5’9″, Jody Reed was well liked for his scrappy, all out style of play. Despite his small stature, Jody Reed was a doubles machine in Boston. He was very adept at using the Green Monster to his advantage, and averaged 41 doubles per 162 games played with the Red Sox. His lifetime average of .280 as a Red Sox is good, but is a little misleading since he only batted below that number once. Reed was a career .288 hitter, before falling off at the plate in 1992.

Reed came up with the Red Sox as a shortstop, replacing Spike Owen at the position when Joe Morgan took the helm in 1988. He was one of the new guys inserted into the lineup by Morgan that led to their magical run in the second half of the season. By the next season, Reed was splitting his time between the middle infield positions, and eventually became the starting second baseman. He was a fine defender at the position too, though he did get better at it after leaving Boston. It was a tough call for the fifth place Second Basemen position, between Reed and Marty Barrett, but I gave Reed the nod due to his better ratios.

Hey, I think this guy used to deliver Schwan’s ice cream to my house.

Honorable Mentions:

Marty Barrett, Jerry Remy, Mike Andrews, Jeff Frye

 

Should The Boston Bruins Trade Zdeno Chara?

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Zdeno Chara had been the heart and soul of the Boston Bruins for the past dozen years and one of the leagues best defenseman since joining the Bruins for the 2006-2007 season. This makes moving on from him all the more difficult. Chara has been a popular trade candidate when talking about who the Bruins could potentially look to deal to accumulate some more assets. While it may be hard to cope with the proposition of moving on from the captain of the Boston Bruins, it may be critical to rebuild the team.

A case for the trade

For starters, the Bruins are not that good.  Granted, injuries have derailed their season. But even with their full lineup, the ceiling for this team may be a wild card spot. The captain has been the Bruins best overall defenseman through the first part of the season. But at the age of forty, he is being wasted on a middle of the pack team. Chara is currently playing out the last year of his contract. While rumors surfaced earlier in the season about a possible extension, no move has been made. Perhaps a sign that Sweeny sees the end of the line for Chara, at least in Boston.

The Bruins can cash in on Chara and his resume, the six-time all star, Norris trophy winner, and Stanley Cup Champion would be the perfect asset for a contending team. Chara could make an immediate impact on any team. Imagine having him in a shut-down role on the second pairing simply to hit the teams top line all night long. This makes him extremely valuable, especially on the upcoming west coast trip.

The kings would be a perfect fit with Doughty leading the team as the clear number one defenseman. Chara would take some of the pressure off of Doughty, and allow the Kings to balance the minutes through the playoffs. It’s not unreasonable for the Bruins to expect at least a first-round pick and a prospect in return, so the Bruins should make the deal sooner then later.  Having Chara for an extra two months could be the difference between a top prospect and a mediocre one.

Just Say No

For starters, if the Bruins view themselves as legit contenders, trading Chara would be foolish. But luckily no one believes that.  But the Bruins do think they can make the postseason, and the Bruins love the revenue from those home playoff games. For those who thinks that’s a non-factor you have not payed attention to the Jacobs history as owners.

On the ice,  Chara provides invaluable experience for the young players, and also the leadership and accountability on and off the ice. McCavoy and Carlo have benefited from Chara’s presence.   He is a pro’s pro. Shows up, grinds it out and keeps his focus on hockey. For a team with so many young players, having a steady leadership core is critical.

Verdict

The Bruins won’t be a good team this year, so keeping a forty year old is a waste. Cash in on the asset and give Chara one last chance at another Cup.

Red Sox Greatest First Basemen Ever

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Continuing on with my series of articles, I make my way to the five greatest first basemen in the history of the franchise. After delving into the statistics, I found that picking the top five was not very difficult. The only arguments to be made, would be the order of the five, and the honorable mentions.

Jimmie Foxx

Foxx was a beast, hence his nickname, “Beast.” One of the most powerful right-handed bats of all-time, Foxx hit his 500th career home run by the age of 32. A decline in eyesight, drinking problems and a broken rib, aided in a quick decline from there. All that matters for this article, however, is his time spent with the Red Sox. Foxx batted .320, with 222 home runs and a 1.034 OPS, during his time with Boston. His 50 home runs in 1938, remained a single-season franchise record, until Big Papi broke it in 2006.

Jimmie Foxx spent six full seasons with the team, making the all-star team all six years. He led the league in batting average, home runs and RBI once each while leading in OPS twice. He won the MVP in 1938, when he hit .349, with 50 homers and 175 RBI. The next season he batted .360, and led the league with 35 home runs, finishing 2nd in the MVP vote.

Year Tm AB H HR RBI BA OBP SLG OPS OPS+ Awards
1936 BOS 585 198 41 143 .338 .440 .631 1.071 155 AS,MVP-11
1937 BOS 569 162 36 127 .285 .392 .538 .929 127 AS
1938 BOS 565 197 50 175 .349 .462 .704 1.166 182 AS,MVP-1
1939 BOS 467 168 35 105 .360 .464 .694 1.158 188 AS,MVP-2
1940 BOS 515 153 36 119 .297 .412 .581 .993 150 AS,MVP-6
1941 BOS 487 146 19 105 .300 .412 .505 .917 139 AS
AB H HR RBI BA OBP SLG OPS OPS+ Awards
BOS BOS 3288 1051 222 788 .320 .429 .605 1.034 156

Mo Vaughn

Big Mo, “The Hit Dog,” isn’t too far behind Foxx when talking about what they did for the Red Sox. Mo was the team leader in the 90’s, both at the plate, and in the clubhouse. A big power prospect, Mo Vaughn struggled for a couple years, before breaking out in 1993. He would go on to win the MVP Award in 1995, and place in the top five in two other MVP votes. His swing and hitting style were tailor-made for Fenway Park and the Green Monster. He never should have left.

Mo batted .304 during his time in Boston, while bashing 230 home runs. He had a stellar slash line of .394/.542/.936. From 1993 to 1998, when he left as a free agent, Mo Vaughn had an average season of .315, with 36 home runs, 110 RBI and a .974 OPS. He batted .300 with 39 home runs during his MVP season of 1995, but was arguably better during each of the next three seasons. 1996 was likely his best, batting .326 with 44 home runs and driving in 143 runners. His impressive hitting, combined with his presence, made Big Mo a fan favorite.

Kevin Youkilis

“The Greek God of Walks” comes in at third for me, in a tight race amongst the next three. Youkilis originally came up as a third baseman, but was shifted to first base by 2006, his first full season. He spent the next five seasons as their primary first baseman, before the team acquired Adrian Gonzalez for 2011. Coincidentally, Youkilis’ move back to third for 2011 coincided with his offensive decline.

From 2006-2010, as the Red Sox first baseman, Kevin Youkilis batted .297, while averaging 21 home runs per season. Youkilis also had a .396 on base percentage, and .507 slugging percentage during this time. Youkilis battled teammate Dustin Pedroia for the 2008 MVP Award, finishing third in the vote. He followed that up with a sixth place finish in 2009.

Youkilis was also a very good fielding first baseman. He set a Major League record for most consecutive errorless games, while manning the position. He didn’t make a single error in 2007, and won the Gold Glove Award. His career fielding percentage at first base was .997.

Kevin Youkilis celebrates as he rounds third base after teammate J.D. Drew hit a grand slam off pitcher Fausto Carmona of the Cleveland Indians in Game Six of the ALCS. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

George Scott

“Boomer” had some power, while flashing some Gold Glove leather at first base. Spending parts of nine seasons with the Red Sox, Scott batted .257, while hitting 154 homers. His offense was a little hit or miss, hitting over .290 twice, but under .250 three times. He even batted .171, with 3 home runs, in 1968. After spending five seasons with Milwaukee, Scott returned to the Red Sox, and hit 33 home runs in 1977. Boomer made two All-Star Games, and won three Gold Gloves with the Red Sox.

George Scott of the Boston Red Sox connects for a two run homer in the bottom of the night inning of All-Star Game at Yankee Stadium, July 20, 1977. (AP Photo)

Carl Yastrzemski

Yaz is the little wrinkle thrown in at first base. Better known for his time in left, Yaz would be tops on this list if it were just for what they did in their Red Sox career. However, this is an article just on first base. As a first baseman, Carl Yastrzemski was definitely a top five first baseman in franchise history, but most of his stats came in left field. Yaz could still arguably be up a spot or two higher, but he slots in fifth on my list.

Yastrzemski was the Red Sox main first baseman in 1970, and again from 1973-76. He played 50 or more games at first base in seven different seasons. During his time playing first, Yastrzemski batted .277, and hit 101 of his 452 career home runs. His 752 base hits actually do place fifth all-time at the position, after the players I have above him. He had a nice .373 on base percentage, which helped him to an .813 OPS while playing first base.

Honorable Mentions:

Brian Daubach, Kevin Millar, Mike Stanley, Dick Stuart

Best Right-Handed Pitchers

Best Left-Handed Pitchers

Best Relief Pitchers

Best Catchers

 

What Bennett’s Rotator Cuff Injury Means for the Patriots

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If you are an NFL fan then you likely have heard that Martellus Bennett is back in New England. The big, fun loving tight end was picked up by the Patriots on November 9th after being released by the Packers. The reason why Bennett was released is that he has a confirmed torn rotator cuff. Before you all say “oh great another broken player”, let’s look at this for what it is. I will tell you how I feel that Bennett will play through this injury and help the Patriots win.

in the AFC Championship Game at Gillette Stadium on January 22, 2017 in Foxboro, Massachusetts.

WHAT CAN MARTY GIVE THE PATRIOTS ?

I sincerely do feel that Martellus Bennett, who could be called one of the world’s largest cheerleaders, is going to play through his rotator cuff injury. The reason why I feel that Marty can do this is fairly simple. The tear that Bennett is experiencing is located where the tendon that holds the muscles of your shoulder stable. Does this sound sore? Oh yes it does and speaking from experience it is. He can play through this injury because of the fact that he does not have to throw. The rotator cuff is more for stability of the shoulder muscles when using a throwing motion.

Now that the Patriots have two QBs I do not think Bennett will be needed. Also, the Patriots have Rob Gronkowski, Dwayne Allen, and Jacob Hollister which could easily allow Bennett to manage his snaps. Bennett would not have to do a huge amount of blocking and could be used only as desired by the offense.

A few of the movements that Bennett would be using will be painful. Catching passes over his head and lifting his arms out to full extension will be painful but definitely not anything he could not play through. I do believe that blocking would be the roughest as the muscles would be pushed hard and not be as stable as usual. This would be something that Bennett would be able to manage and handle I believe.

IF THERE IS SUCH A THING AS A MANAGEABLE INJURY, THIS IS IT.

The rotator cuff injury, as I have said, is somewhat manageable so I say that he plays. If the Patriots and Bennett manage his snaps and allow him to play in the “safest” situation possible, then he can play. The other positive about this, if there is such a thing with an injury, is that Bennett should not be able to hurt this any worse by playing. As long as he gets the proper attention before, during, and after games then I think the “Imagination Agency” is back open for business in New England.

Bringing a player into the fold at this point of the season is normally very difficult. In this situation, you are bringing back a player who was there just last year. Picking up the plays won’t be that hard for Bennett. Definitely one of the hardest parts will be finding out how good Bennett’s snaps can be managed. Bennett’s pain tolerance is also going to be tested as well. Like I said before, I had this injury and played varsity rugby for an entire season. Yes it was painful, but so is the game in general.

Bennett will likely receive a dose of “Dr. Feelgood” before games to help him manage the pain. The whole concoction is not as sinister as it sounds. Players can often receive a pregame injection of a drug called Toradol (ketorolac) mixed with lidocaine. Ketorolac is the strongest non-narcotic pain reliever available, and also legal. Toradol can often be mixed with lidocaine which is a local anesthetic in the same family as Novocaine (that your dentist uses) to deaden pain also. This injection works almost immediately and should last for the entire game.

WHY WE REALLY NEED BENNETT BACK !!

The main reason the Patriots could use Bennett back is to help with our red-zone TD conversions. The Patriots have been settling for too many field goals and keeping games closer then they should be. The Patriots need another tall big target in the red-zone will also take pressure off of Gronk and should also help open up some other plays.

Bennett is also a helluva lot of fun to have around. He is not a dull player to have on your roster and can bring a refreshing air of lighthearted fun. Patriot fans have seen that Bennett can be a very serious player but also can be a “riot” depending on what is needed. Let us just hope that the second semester of the “Imagination Academy” ends as good as the first one did.

Best Catchers in Red Sox History

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Best Catchers in Red Sox History

This article covers the five greatest catchers in Red Sox history. With the Red Sox all-time pitching staff completed, it is time to move on to the positional players. Quite frankly, there is a steep drop-off after the first few, so there could be some debate as to who makes the top five. There is no debate on the top two.

Carlton Fisk

Carlton Fisk is the greatest catcher in Red Sox history. His Red Sox career was shorter than it should have been, the Red Sox missed the deadline to tender him a contract in 1980. Nonetheless, Fisk spent over 9 seasons in Boston, and was their most productive catcher to date. In addition to his well known postseason heroics, Fisk batted .284 and hit 162 home runs, while with the Red Sox.

Fisk battled injuries, between 1974 and 1975, he had about one full season worth of at bats (2 excellent seasons I might add). He easily has the highest slugging percentage and OPS (on-base + slugging) of anyone on this list. For those new age stat lovers, his 39.5 WAR with the Sox also easily tops the list.

When it comes to awards, Fisk started his career with an all-star appearance, a Rookie of the Year Award, a Gold Glove and a top 5 MVP finish during the 1972 season. He made six more all-star teams, before heading to Chicago.

Carlton Fisk stands with Jason Varitek as Tek is presented with the Gold Glove Award.

Jason Varitek

Varitek holds the franchise record for many statistics at the catching position, spending 14+ seasons with the team. He collected 1307 base hits, while hitting .256, with 193 home runs during his career. His triple slash was a very solid .341/.435/.776, and he averaged 20 home runs per 162 games played. There is little doubt a 25 man all-time roster would include his name.

Just talking about numbers does Varitek’s career no justice. This is a man who was a leader on the Red Sox for years, and on two separate World Series winning teams. The 2004 season can never be topped, and Tek was an essential core piece of that team. There’s a reason why he was given the big “C” on his chest, the first Red Sox player since Jim Rice in 1989 to receive the honor. Varitek is one of the most beloved Red Sox in franchise history, and rightfully so.

Varitek made 3 all-star teams during his career, which was spent entirely in Boston. He won a Silver Slugger Award and a Gold Glove. I’m not sure how he only was given one Gold Glove, but then again, Derek Jeter won five, so don’t read too much into it. Tek was a master behind the dish, catching a record 4 no-hitters.

Who doesn’t love this picture?

Rick Ferrell

Ferrell spent parts of five seasons with the Sox, equating to roughly four full years. His brother Wes pitched for them as well, sharing the field with him from 1934-37. Rick had less power than his brother, despite being the position player of the two. He was a fine contact hitter though, who drew a lot of walks. Rick Ferrell batted .302 during his time in Boston, while posting an impressive .394 on base percentage. His best offensive season came in 1936, when he batted .312, with 8 home runs and an .867 OPS.

Ferrell was also regarded as a strong defender. If Gold Gloves had been invented, he may have won a couple. He threw out a league high 60% of runners in 1935, with the Red Sox. Ferrell also made the All-Star Game in each season he spent with the Red Sox.

Sammy White

White spent the first 8+ seasons of his career catching for the Boston Red Sox. From 1952-55, he was one of the better catchers in the league. During that time, he batted .273, and received MVP votes in two different seasons. This was the 1950s, catchers weren’t expected to hit much. White accumulated 881 hits during his time in Boston, third most among catchers in team history. White made one all-star team.

Sammy White reaching into grandstands for foul ball, during game with Chicago White Sox. (Photo by Francis Miller/The LIFE Picture Collection)

Rich Gedman

Gedman had an uneven career. After a few years of performing well in a part-time role, Gedman got his chance to start in 1984, and bashed 24 homers. He made back-to-back All-Star Games the following two seasons. Feeling underpaid, Gedman held out in 1987, and seemingly forgot to hit. He batted .205, with a measly .528 OPS that season. He never regained his form, hitting .231 in 1988, and .212 in 1989, before being shipped out the following season.

In total, Gedman’s 83 home runs place third amongst Red Sox catchers, and his 741 base hits place fourth. He did have that three year peak when he averaged a season of .275, with 19 home runs and 72 RBI during the mid-80s. All of this is enough to place him among the top five catchers in Red Sox history.

Honorable Mentions

I received quite a few comments after my last article saying certain players deserved to be mentioned. I hadn’t planned on doing honorable mentions, out of fear of rambling, but since I received so many comments about it, I have decided to add a spot. The pitching articles would have had some very worthy players listed under honorable mention. Unfortunately, the catcher position has been a little thin in the history of the Red Sox,

Honorable Mentions: Birdie Tebbetts, Bill Carrigan, Jarrod Saltalamacchia, Scott Hatteberg.

https://bostonsportsextra.com/boston-red-sox/2017/10/best-starting-pitchers-red-sox-history-right-handed

https://bostonsportsextra.com/boston-red-sox/2017/11/best-starting-pitchers-red-sox-history-left-handed

https://bostonsportsextra.com/boston-red-sox/2017/11/best-relief-pitchers-red-sox-history

 

Bruce Cassidy Keeping Bruins Season Afloat

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The start to the NHL season has been anything but expected for the Bruins. Despite the team being ravished by injuries, the team has maintained a winning record. The Bruins are currently sitting at 6-5-3 after the first 14 games. While Boston fans criticize the Bruins for losing, the fact that the Bruins have been able to hover around .500 is outstanding.

It Could Be Worse


It feels like every other game another big time player is going down with an injury. As a result, the Bruins have had to put young kids in the lineup sooner than they would have hoped. Most critics expected the team to collapse and spiral down the drain. However, the kids have not only met expectations; they have gone above and beyond them. Patrice Bergeron deserves a ton of credit. While young players cycle through the lineup, Bergeron is a consistent veteran voice in the locker room. While the kids may have the talent, Bergeron has the smarts to guide them through the season.

With the new wave of youth in the lineup the Bruins have played uptempo hockey, setting the pace for most games. The Bruins have also been able to grind out tough physical games against  more experienced teams. As a result Boston has taken 5 out of 10 possible points over the past five games. For a team with so many injuries this is more than impressive.

Bruce Cassidy’s Impact


How can a team with so many major injuries still be playing such inspired hockey? The answer is the coach. Bruce Cassidy has been driving the bus from behind the bench all year long. Cassidy was promoted from bench coach to head coach last year and has done nothing but impress since. He has faced numerous injuries to the stars of the team, a goalie controversy, and multiple on-ice issues. But Cassidy has held it together and has somehow kept this team in contention two weeks away from Thanksgiving.

Cassidy, who was previously the head coach of the Providence Bruins, has been able to get more than anyone could have asked for from these young kids. Many of these young guys played multiple seasons under Cassidy in Providence and now get the comfort of their old head coach at the NHL level. Only a little over a month into the season the Bruins have called Tim Schaller, Frank Vatrano, Sean Kuraly, Anders Bjork, Danton Heinen, and Jake Debrusk’s numbers. Not just in third line minutes, but in key situations late in games. For the most part they have thrived, mainly due to Cassidy’s guidance and coaching skills.

Cassidy has kept the car running while all the parts seem to be breaking around him. The Bruins are getting the future of their team some much needed experience in real games. No one wants to see injuries, but they have shown us a lot about Bruce Cassidy as a coach, and a lot about the future stars of this team.