Tag Archives: #BostonSportsExtra

The Red Sox Bullpen Is a Major Early Flaw

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The 2018 Red Sox started off with a crushing loss on Opening Day. Ever since, however, they have now won eight straight. Even with the best start in franchise history, this team still has some flaws. And the guys over in the bullpen are a big one.

The bullpen wasted no time to blow their first game of the year. They blew a three run lead in the 8th inning against the Rays. Joe Kelly walked three guys, and Carson Smith would give up a two out, three RBI triple to Denard Span. Not good. What’s even worse is the fact that the pen hasn’t looked too much better ever since.

It was good for the most part in the rest of the series in Tampa. But in the Miami series, it was shaky to say the least. The problem about this Red Sox bullpen right now is the fact that there is really nobody to trust. With a 7-2 lead against the Marlins on Monday, Marcus Walden came in. He struggled to the point where Craig Kimbrel had to start warming up.

The following night, the Sox took a lead in the top of the 11th with a Benintendi base hit to right, scoring Nunez. The game was over, right? Nope. After Matt Barnes got the first two Marlins out of the bottom half of the inning, he walked the next 2. Not a good idea. He then gave up a line shot over Andrew Benintendi’s head in left. Barnes ultimately got bailed out by Justin Bour being slow, and a nice relay to gun down the winning run at the plate. The Red Sox ended up winning that game.

In the Home Opener on Thursday, David Price pitched seven scoreless innings. Carson Smith took over in the 8th, and what would he do? Allow a two-run homer to Matt Duffy of the Rays. Craig Kimbrel even struggled, as he loaded the bases in the 10th before getting out of his own jam. The Sox ended up rallying to win that game as well.

Now, there aren’t only negatives from these relievers so far. Heath Hembree and Joe Kelly did a great job on Tuesday. Also, the new lefty Bobby Poyner threw two shutout innings in the Home Opener, extra inning win.

The problem here is nobody right now besides Kimbrel, who has even had struggles of his own, is someone you can trust to come in late in a game and hold the other team off. Even with Tyler Thornburg making his Red Sox debut soon, this very well might be something Dave Dombrowski will have to address at the deadline. But as of right now, we can only work with who we have. So that means the guys in this pen will have to start being more reliable, and more consistent.

 

Cover image courtesy of Chowdaheadz Blog.

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The Patriots’ Future is Lined up in the Draft

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This upcoming draft is going to say a lot about the New England Patriots’ plans. Trading Brandin Cooks for the 23rd overall pick has opened many doors. They can select the quarterback of the future, bring in an elite WR, or stay put and address needs within the roster.

Draft the Heir

There are multiple reports saying that the Patriots have interest in drafting a quarterback early. As reported by Benjamin Allbright, the Patriots have interest in Josh Rosen. Another report by Jason LaCanfora says the Patriots are eyeing Sooners standout Baker Mayfield in the draft. Apparently, the Patriots have an “affinity” for Mayfield, and are strongly considering moving up to draft the quarterback. Drafting a promising young quarterback now would allow them to learn from Tom Brady. If the Patriots go this route, they will be giving up a lot of assets that would help them win now. However, as much as I do not want to admit it, the Patriots and football will go on once Tom Brady retires. It is crucial that the Patriots have a ready and able quarterback when that time comes.

Staying Put

The Patriots have a need at left tackle, linebacker, and cornerback, which they can address at picks 23 and 31. At pick 23, the Patriots can either fill the need at left tackle or linebacker. They have a shot at landing either Rashaan Evans (who they just met with), or Leighton Vander Esch. Evans will bring much-needed athleticism to the Patriots’ front seven. Vander Esch is another big athletic linebacker who would help the Patriots out tremendously. However, if the Patriots choose to solidify Brady’s blind side they could select Kolton Miller. Miller protected Josh Rosen and earned Second Team All Pac 12 honors. At 31, the Patriots can address their need at corner. A name that comes to mind is Mike Hughes. Hughes was awarded first-team All-American Athletic Conference honors, and was a key cog in UCF’s undefeated season. The Patriots would be able to restock their offensive line or fill holes in the defense with these two selections.

All In

The asking price of Odell Beckham Jr. is two first round picks. The New England Patriots have two first round picks. Trading for OBJ means the Patriots are all in with Tom Brady and winning a sixth ring. Brady and Odell have been flirting with each other all year on Instagram, and it would be a match made in football heaven. Mathematically, Odell’s contract would perfectly replace Cooks. They are both on the fifth year option of their rookie deals. Odell wants it to happen, Brady wants it to happen, most Patriots fans want it to happen. The only thing Bill needs to do is make the phone call.

Balls in Bill’s Court

Coach Belichick has the opportunity to set the Patriots up for success after both he and Tom Brady call it quits. It is going to be up to him to decide if he wants to go all in for the next two years (or maybe one) or set up the empire for a continued run of dominance. The ball and the Patriots future is in his court.

 

The Curious Case of Colin Kaepernick

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“I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color. To me, this is bigger than football, and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way.” –  Former 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, on his decision to sit during the national anthem in 2016

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Kap’s Stance

In today’s society, breathing the wrong way could get you arrested. Or shot. Or even killed. It’s crazy, right? Back in 2016, Colin Kaepernick blew the house down. By refusing to stand for the National Anthem and waving of the flag, he set the sports world on fire. Because to him, as an African-American athlete, the flag had recently represent what was wrong with the country.

All around the United States, minority shootings have increased ten-fold. Today, there are statistically more news stories now surrounding the mistreatment of minorities, mainly shootings. This is from a place where we’re all chasing the American Dream. Is that truly the case, though? Was is dreamt that racism and over-use of police force would take the place of peace and equality? Probably not. Athletes, celebrities, and politicians have all come to the support of Kap. In fact, they range from different demographics and skin tone. The issue that was the basis of his stance, is truly much bigger than a game of pigskin and a flag. It’s about the treatment and lack of support given to those who are “minority”, or anybody for that matter. How that’s been difficult to miss is hard to understand.

The American Dream?

The only thing Kap did wrong… was nothing. He wasn’t belligerent, he wasn’t even aggressive towards his stance. He was able to professionally explain and stand by what he believed in. Isn’t THAT the American dream? Hardly, I guess. It’s troubling that in a time where we live with such heightened sensitivity, that there are still those out there who base their opinion on Colin Kaepernick SOLELY on their perception that he “disrespected the flag”, missing the more prominent issue. He shined a glaring light on something that so, so wrong with this country.

Not only all of that, but he’s been the face and the example for other athletes and celebrities who have done, and are doing the same thing today. Upsetting high-profile figures so much, that they leave football stadiums (VP Pence). Consequently, it opened up platforms for other like-minded individuals to share their thoughts and opinions. It’s an easy out for the close-minded to make an argument to blame the person who started it, rather than take responsibility for being part of the problem.

Leave the guy alone, who cares if he never plays football again. He’s done so much more. Kaepernick has made so much of a wave that he’s created a world-wide debate. Wrong, right, doesn’t matter. Colin Kaepernick has made himself into a pioneer. No golden enshrinement in Canton will ever highlight what he’s done.

Land of the free, home of the brave, eh?

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Cover image courtesy of Medium.

The Rise and Fall of Colin Kaepernick

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The rise and fall of Colin Kaepernick: From underdog to unsigned

Colin Kaepernick, where do I begin? Coming out of Nevada and being drafted as a relatively unknown QB, I was pulling for you as an underdog. A small fish in a big pond, if you will. Now you’re out of the league and, in a way, it is your own fault.

It seems like in today’s day and age we turned the clock back 50-60 years, and let racism show its ugly head. With the recent incidents in the news involving police and the treatment of the African-American community, I can understand what Colin Kaepernick is fighting for, and commend him for that. With that said, this post isn’t about race, and I wont let it be about race. I am simply writing about why Kap continues to go unsigned day in and day out.

I am not heartless and completely understand Kap’s reasoning for protesting. But to disrespect the nation’s flag, which many men and women of different colors, races, creeds, and religion have fought for is not something I recommend doing. Especially in a job where all eyes are on you every weekend.

Let’s not forget that Colin chose to take that knee (which is his right), but he also knew it would turn off fans, coaches, owners, and even other players. If I was an NFL owner or coach then no, I would not want Kap on my team due to the whirlwind effect that comes with him.

By the NUMBERS

When it comes to ability, talent, and numbers, we can all agree Kap has the tools to make it in this league. Just take a look at his accolades, which include going to the Super Bowl just a few years ago. The guy has 12,271 career passing yards, along with 72 touchdowns and just 30 career interceptions. He also has 2,300 career rushing yards (33.3yds per game), and 13 career rushing touchdowns. Basically he is a multi-threat QB who has been consistent and can help a team win.

Credit: Thearon W. Henderson

Final Thoughts

Lastly, why the Baltimore Ravens are being questioned in the, “Kap collusion grievance” case is beyond me. The Ravens made a business decision to not hire a potential employee. Also, Colin Kaepernick should not be able to attempt to sue teams for not signing him when the decision to disrespect the country’s flag was his.

In closing the question remains, should Colin Kaepernick be in the NFL? The answer is YES, but Colin needs to do his protesting off the field. One idea the NFL should toss around is allowing teams to stay in the locker room to avoid issues like this in the future.

PREDICTION – The Oakland Raiders sign Kap during this coming NFL season

GOD BLESS AMERICA!

Credit: CHRISTOF STACHE

Cover image courtesy of Matt Winkelmeyer.

Sox Sweep Marlins

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Going In

The Red Sox started the series 3-1 while the Marlins were 2-2. The first game saw Trevor Richards face off against Brian Johnson. The second and final game saw Chris Sale square off José Ureña. The Red Sox’ bats came in quiet, only scoring ten runs in the first four games. The pitching staff has been great, as the starters gave up two runs in 24 innings. Miami was inconsistent in their opening series, with scores ranging from 10-6 to 2-1. On paper, the Red Sox should have had no trouble sweeping the rebuilding Marlins. The Red Sox swept the series, and here’s how that happened:

Improved Hitting and Consistent Pitching

The Sox scored seven runs in game one, the most so far this season. They got twelve hits, and home runs by Mookie Betts and Hanley Ramirez put the game away in the seventh. In the second game, they only got four runs, but the hitting was timely. Andrew Benintendi gave the Sox a 2-1 lead in the 11th with a single that knocked in Eduardo Nunez. After the Marlins, Hanley Ramirez hit a go-ahead double in the 13th that made it 4-2. The Red Sox hung on to win by the score of 4-2.

The pitching staff has been amazing through the first six games of the season. In the first game, Brian Johnson tossed six innings of one-run ball. Johnson has been a 4-A player for a few years now. He is out of options, so he will be in the major leagues for a long time if he can keep this up. In the second game, Chris Sale threw five innings of one-run ball. This is mediocre for Chris Sale standards, but good enough to give the Sox a chance. The bullpen threw eight innings, only giving up one run to get the win. Heath Hembree ended up with the save, making him the third Sox pitcher to get a save this season.

This staff has been great and should get even better. Drew Pomeranz, Eduardo Rodriguez, Steven Wright, and Tyler Thornburg should help the rotation when they return from their respective injuries. Drew Pomeranz has been good ever since he was traded to the Sox, and was great last year posting a 17-6 record. Eduardo Rodriguez has tons of potential, but his various injuries have shunned that potential. If he can live up to said potential, he will be a very good starter. Steven Wright had a great first half of 2016, and the knuckleballer could be a help if he can get his 2016 magic back. Tyler Thornburg has not pitched in 18 months because of injuries, but he could be a great late inning reliever when he comes back.

Other Notes

Andrew Benintendi is hitting .158, and JD Martinez is hitting .200. No need to overreact six games into the season, but they are two key guys in the lineup.

Gabe Kapler is the biggest idiot on the planet. Aaron Boone is a close second.

Alex Cora has been conservative with his starters as he said he was going to. Sale could have gone more than five innings, but no need to wear him out.

@Prime_Kyrie2

Red Sox Finish Road Trip with a Huge Win

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The Road Back to Boston

The Red Sox first road trip of the year is over, and boy did it end well. Chris Sale took the ball and clearly wasn’t at his best. He had some control issues and worked up a high pitch count early. But nonetheless, Sale threw five innings of one run ball. Not your usual Chris Sale start, but he did enough.

The relievers began coming in by the 6th, starting with Bobby Poyner, who went 1.2 scoreless innings. Carson Smith followed him to get one out, and left the game tied at one apiece. Joe Kelly  pitched a scoreless 8th and 9th and send the game to extras. After that, Kimbrel threw a shutout in the 10th to keep the game going.

Things Get Crazy

With one out in the top of the 11th, Eduardo Nunez was at second base with Andrew Benintendi at the plate. Benintendi, who’s been struggling thus far, came through and singled to right field to break the tie and give the Sox the lead. The only problem was, Kimbrel had already pitched. So who were they going to put in to try and get the save? Matt Barnes. Buckle up.

Barnes got the first two hitters out quickly, and everything was going smooth until he decided to walk two Marlins hitters. Not a good idea. But what was about to transpire is what I will applaud the most about this game. With two outs and runners on first and second, Cameron Maybin hit a rocket over Andrew Benintendi’s head to tie the game. Justin Bour racing around would be sent home, the Marlins were about to win the game. But nobody panicked.

Benintendi picked the ball up and made a perfect throw to the cutoff. Bogaerts, The X Man, threw a perfect one hopper to Vasquez to nail Bour at the plate, and continue the ballgame. They didn’t panic, executed the play perfectly, and got the job done.

Hanley Game Winner

Fast forward to the 13th, Hanley came on with two outs and Mookie Betts standing at second, Benintendi over at first. Hanley, who has been seeing the ball well all Miami series, took a breaking ball from Tayron Guerrero and drove it into left field, over Derek Dietrich’s head to drive in two runs. Clutch.

Heath Hembree, who pitched a scoreless 12th, came back out for the 13th to try and close the game. He worked around a one out base hit and closed the game out to give the Sox the 4-2 win and their fifth straight win.

What we saw in this game was heart. Every time time the Marlins did something well, Boston came back with something even better. You have to tip your cap to the bullpen (except Matt Barnes, of course) for doing what they did. Hanley coming through in a big moment like that was huge. Everything about the win was huge.

The Red Sox will end their road trip successful taking three from Tampa, and two from Miami, finishing with a record of 5-1. Up next is to Fenway for the home opener on Thursday at 2 PM.

 

Cover image courtesy of NBC Sports.

Can We Move on from Malcolm Butler?

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Move on from Malcolm Butler

FOXBORO, MA – DECEMBER 24: Cornerback Malcolm Butler #21 of the New England Patriots has an Interception against the New York Jets at Gillette Stadium on December 24, 2016 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. (Photo by Al Pereira/Getty Images)

The Super Bowl was two months ago, and people are still on the Malcolm Butler benching. Yes, he should’ve played in the second half. However, there’s a reason he didn’t. That reason is very simple: he never traveled with the team. Instead of seeing a doctor before the team left, he saw one on the day of the team was leaving.

All this talk about Malcolm Butler being benched is really annoying. He was benched because he missed the team plane. By the time he got to the Super Bowl the Patriots already had their game plan in place. The plan was Malcolm would have a limited role. However, Butler didn’t have a good week in practice, so he never played in the game.

Belichick Will Go Around the Answer Because It’s “the Patriot Way”

New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick stands on the field before an NFL football game against the Houston Texans Thursday, Sept. 22, 2016, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)Bill Belichick always has his way of doing things. Butler should’ve went to the doctor before he left. The plane is huge. He could’ve gone to the doctor and sat by himself on the team plane. They gave him a chance with a limited role when he got there. However, he wasn’t into the plan and didn’t play in the game at all.

Butler should’ve played in the game because it’s the Super Bowl, but Bill was trying to prove a point. Now you can argue that wasn’t a time or place to have a teachable moment. But if we know Belichick, he doesn’t care what game it is. If he’s trying to prove a point he will. The reason has already been out about Butler. You just have to read in between the lines.

Reason number one: Butler didn’t travel with the team. Reason number two: he didn’t have a good week in practice, and was then benched for the entire game. Butler has moved on, or so we thought, since he likes to keep talking about it. The Patriots sure have moved on, and maybe somebody else will as well soon. Stay tuned.

Bruins Do Not Need to Win the Atlantic

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The Boston Bruins are currently in first place in the Atlantic. They are two points and a game ahead of the second place Lightning. With one more match-up against the Lightning coming up, Boston controls its own destiny. While winning the Atlantic is not necessary, it certainly makes Boston’s road to the Stanley Cup substantially easier. The Stanley Cup Playoffs start nine games from today, and right now the first round match-up would be Bruins vs Devils, and Lighting vs Maple Leafs.

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Inside the Match-Up

Do not be fooled, New Jersey is not going to be an easy match-up for the Bruins. But they will be the easier of the two. The Devils are a fast team with a well-rounded group of forwards headlined by Taylor Hall. They possess many of the same strengths that Toronto does, just on a lesser scale. The Bruins are going to have a hard time handling the Devils’ quickness up front, but should be able to minimize the damage.

Mainly since Tuukka Rask has excellent numbers against the Devils. In 13 career games, Tuukka has a 6-4-2 record with a .945 save percentage and a 1.59 goals allowed averag, along with two career shutouts. It’s not a stretch to say Rask has the Devils’ number. While the Devils are a team that should be respected, they should not be feared. The Bruins should be able to make quick work of New Jersey, which is why the Bruins should genuinely pursue the number one seed.

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Other Benefit

Of course there are obvious benefits to being the best team in the Eastern Conference. Guaranteed home ice until the finals is certainly something any team wants. But not only does Boston get an easier match-up against the Devils. It also forces Toronto and Tampa to go head to head. Toronto is the team to get behind in that series. Not because they are a team to be taken lightly, because they are not. Even though the Bruins are undefeated against the Lighting this season, the amount of pure talent on the Lightning roster is just insane and demands respect. For now the Bruins have to go take that number one seed and get ready for their first round match-up next week.

Red Sox Weekend Roundup 4/1

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The first official weekend of the 2018 regular season just passed us. We can all finally stop holding our breath. The season is indeed in its infancy and player performances should be taken logically. Averages are out of whack because some players are late bloomers during the long season. New teams need to rebuild or reconfigure team chemistry. Also, new managers are starting to figure out their systems as they go. However, there are a few notes from this weekend that can carry weight for the season’s entirety.

Xander Bogaerts is Back

The beloved short stop for the Red Sox seems to be already playing in mid-season form both on the field and in the box. Not only has he tormented Rays pitching, but also made some pivotal defensive plays. The double up on Mallex Smith in the 9th inning, which led to Kimbrel shutting the door completely on Denard Span for the final out of the game is one of these examples.

Thus, Bogaerts is really on the right track to get moved up in the lineup and most likely take Hanley’s spot in the 3 hole. He has a majority of at bats as a 3rd hitter in his career with a .315 batting average and a .819 OPS. Besides, Bogaerts batting third means he could see more at bats, which means a more productive lineup. I know some of you may be thinking this analysis is too early, but jump on the X train now or stay off forever. The bottom line is Red Sox baseball is better when Xander is playing great.

Yankees Suck

Yankees fans were already in trash talking mid-season form come last Thursday. As I’ve said before, this twoteam division race is going to be jam-packed with banter from both fan bases. All this means is there will be a more exciting game watching experience. This is a proper gauge for how each team’s talent stacks up against baseball’s best. The Yankees and Red Sox seem to now be at a peak in regards to team talent in the last five years. To see how these clubs perform under the spotlight, against serious talent fighting for two of the best fanbases in baseball is great. This season could jump-start a rivalry that has been in need of resuscitation in recent years, and I am extremely excited for that. Baseball is 1000 times better when the Sox and Yankees are good and fighting for a championship.

O Captain, My Captain!

After Saturday’s game, Alex Cora mentioned that Dustin Pedroia will be taking ground balls on grass in Miami. He has been going through his run progression for the last two weeks. Depending on how good Eduardo Nunez is playing at second base, Cora should really take his time getting Pedroia back to full speed. The 34 year old isn’t getting any younger, and the season is still only five days old as of now. There is no rush to get him back into the lineup.

Other Notes:

  • Red Sox starters have given up only 2 earned run in 23.3 innings pitched.
  • Christian Vazquez still thinks he’s the fastest runner on the team.
  • Brock Holt is on the 48 hour DL for chapped lips.
  • David Price is proving all of his haters wrong. I love it and so should you.

Featured Photo: (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara)

@ELJGON

Shohei Ohtani, Meet Chris Sale

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Sale for Home Run Derby

The 2018 season is underway, and so many things have happened so far. Xander Bogearts is off to a hot start, the starting pitching has been good, Chris Sale is hitting bombs… Wait, what? Yeah, you read that right.

The Red Sox, who will be going to Miami after Sunday’s game, will have starting pitchers in the batting order for the two games against the Marlins. You might as well start getting ready as early as you can. Red Sox beat writers posted a video of Boston’s ace pitcher taking BP. You can see him pimping one and having an epic bat flip.

Shohei Ohtani? Who’s that? Not only is Sale hitting balls to the moon, but he’s also doing bat flips that will make José Bautista jealous. Cora apparently has yet another bat he will have to figure out to get into the lineup. I’m going for the over on 40 homers for Sale this year. Watch out, Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge.

 

Cover image courtesy of the WCVB.