The 2018 college football season starts this weekend. There are only four games on the schedule with no ranked teams, but some games are interesting. This week in college football has been called week 0 because of the lack of teams that play. The four matchups include 2 FBS VS FBS matchups, and 2 FBS VS FCS matchups.
Duquesne VS UMass
Betting Odds: UMass -24.5, O/U 67.5
The first college football game of the season will feature the UMass Minutemen vs the Duquesne Dukes. UMass enters this game with high expectations for the year. If they win all of their favored games they will become bowl eligible for the first time since they joined the FBS. UMass got off to a really rough start last year going 0-6. However, it was not all bad as they played teams like Mississippi ST very close, and finished winning the 4 of 6. The Minutemen have a great offense led by QB Andrew Ford. On the other hand, Duquesne is only playing for the upset. If they lose it is no big deal for them, but a win means a lot. The Dukes start this year right outside the top 25 in the FCS, so a win would do wonders for their season.
Final Prediction: UMass 41, Duquesne 16
Prairie View A&M VS Rice
Betting Odds: Rice -21, O/U 61
This is probably the least appealing FBS game of the week. One major storyline is how new head coach Mike Bloomgren will fare in his debut with Rice. Prairie View A&M will also be welcoming in a new head coach in former Grambling State offensive coordinator Eric Dooley. Prairie View has a very good defense at the FBS level led by cornerback Ju’Anthony Parker who led the team in INTs (4), and turned 2 of those 4 picks into touchdowns. On the other side of the football is C-USA team, Rice. Rice has been at the bottom of the C-USA for years now, and look to get out of there with a new head coach. The Owls have a good running game with twin running backs Aston and Austin Walter running behind fullback Giovanni Gentosi. This team is still a few years away from competing in the C-USA, but they should be able to pull out a win this week.
Final Prediction: Rice 23, Prairie View A&M 16
Hawaii VS Colorado ST
Betting Odds: Colorado ST -14.5, O/U 58
This game will be the first head-to-head conference matchup of the year in college football. The Hawaii Rainbow Warriors will face the Colorado ST Rams in Mountain West action. Colorado ST enters this season trying to get past the 7-win mark as they have not won a bowl game in their last 3 attempts. The Rams will have to figure out some things early on as they look to replace star wide receiver Michael Gallup, as well as their top receiving tight end from a year ago. Colorado ST will have a new QB as Washington transfer K.J. Carta-Samuels takes over under center. For Hawaii, this game will set the tone for how their season will go. They went a very disappointing 3-9 last year just one year removed from a bowl game. Hawaii will return their famous run-and-shoot offense that made them so good a few years ago. Overall, with Colorado ST having so many pieces to replace on offense, I believe Hawaii will pull off the upset.
Final Prediction: Hawaii 26, Colorado ST 23
Wyoming VS New Mexico ST
Betting Odds: Wyoming -3.5, O.U 45
This game will feature 2 FBS schools that made a bowl game last season. The pair of teams have major holes to fill on both sides of the ball. New Mexico ST is the only FBS team to lose their leading passer, rusher, receiver, and tackler from last season. The Aggies will open up with new QB Matthew Romero, a very mobile talent. Wyoming has to fill the shoes of first-round pick Josh Allen who played QB for them last year. The Cowboys defense will bring back most of their starters from a year ago. The Wyoming defense in 2017 led the nation with a +24 turnover margin thanks to Andrew Wingard and Carl Granderson. Overall, Wyoming and New Mexico ST will look different than what they looked like last year in their bowl winning season.
Final Prediction: Wyoming 20, New Mexico ST 14
This week in college football is a fun week to sit back, and enjoy a few games with bowl implications. I will continue this series every week of the college football season while keeping score of my picks.
The college football season is getting closer by the minute. With the first games coming on August 25th, a lot of things have changed. Teams like Alabama, Notre Dame, and Clemson will have to decide who will play QB while teams like Wisconsin and others return many of their key players from last year. We will also get to see how Oklahoma, Penn ST, and USC will fare without their best players from last season.
In this article I preview every single conference in the FBS. I will also make my final top 25 predictions and new year’s six bowl game predictions while predicting every single conference winner.
American Athletic Conference:
The American Athletic Conference is most likely the best group-of-five conference in the FBS. They were home to the only undefeated team in the FBS last year with UCF going 13-0 overall. However, UCF will look a lot different without head coach Scott Frost, and defensive leader Shaquem Griffin. Houston will look to improve this year to what they were in 2015 when they beat Florida ST in the Peach Bowl. They will be bringing back defensive tackle, Ed Oliver, who is likely the best player in college football. Navy is always a team to look out for with their option run game being the best in college football. Teams like Memphis, USF, and Temple have slim chances to win the conference this upcoming year. UConn, Cincinnati, East Carolina, Tulsa, SMU, and Tulane will fight for a bowl game.
Standings:
East
UCF*
Temple
USF
UConn
Cincinnati
East Carolina
West
Houston*
Navy
Memphis
Tulsa
SMU
Tulane
Conference Title Game: UCF VS Houston
I believe that the American Athletic Conference title game will feature defending champs, UCF, and 2015 champs, Houston. UCF brings a high-powered offense into the game led by quarterback, Mckenzie Milton. Milton had over 4,000 passing yards for the knights last year while throwing 37 touchdowns and 9 INT. Houston enters with the best player in college football, Ed Oliver. It is unlikely that defensive tackle leads a team to the title game, but Oliver is just that good. I believe Houston will win this game 23-20 mostly because of Houston’s defense and the loss of Scott Frost for UCF.
ACC:
The ACC has claimed that it is the best conference in college football. They are home to powerhouse, Clemson, who will look to avenge their loss to Alabama last year, and win the National championship. Clemson has the second best odds to win the National championship, trailing only Alabama. Quarterback, Kelly Bryant, looks to improve from last year, while the entire front seven, excluding Dorian O’Daniel returns next season. Even though Virginia Tech has lost a lot of starters, they have a favorable schedule. They do not play Clemson, and play Miami very late in the season in Blacksburn. They are a sneaky team to make the ACC title game.
Other teams like Florida ST and Miami are expected to have big years with expectations being ACC title or bust. Boston College is probably the biggest dark horse in the entire FBS. They went on a surge late in the season beating Louisville 45-42, beating Florida ST 35-3, and Virginia 41-10. BC will bring back Heisman hopeful, A.J. Dillon, and most of their team from a year ago.
Standings:
Atlantic
Clemson*
Boston College
Florida ST
Louisville
Wake Forest
North Carolina ST
Syracuse
Coastal
Virginia Tech*
Miami
Georgia Tech
Duke
Virginia
Pittsburgh
North Carolina
Conference Title Game: Clemson VS Virginia Tech
This conference title game will be a rematch of the ACC championship from 2016. Clemson won that game 42-35 en route to a national championship. This Virginia Tech team is a lot worse than the one from 2016 though. With the high-powered offense and stacked front seven for Clemson, this game could get ugly. I believe Clemson will win by a score of 49-13 to advance to the college football playoff.
Big 12:
The Big 12 is a very interesting conference this year. Players like Baker Mayfield and Mason Rudolph were drafted into the NFL, so it will be fun to see how those teams fare without them. Texas will be looking to live up to high expectations under head coach Tom Herman, and win the conference for the first time since 2009. They were dissapointing last year under Herman, but they have a very solid recruiting class and have a chance of winning this conference. There are other recognizable teams in the Big 12 like West Virginia, Oklahoma, and TCU who will all also battle for a shot in the Big 12 title game. West Virginia has arguably the best QB in the whole country in Will Grier, while Oklahoma has to fill the void of Baker Mayfield.
Standings:
Texas*
West Virginia*
Oklahoma
TCU
Iowa ST
Kansas ST
Oklahoma ST
Texas Tech
Baylor
Kansas
Conference Title Game: West Virginia VS Texas
My prediction for the Big 12 conference title game is Tom Herman’s Longhorns versus Will Grier’s Mountaineers. Texas has a few things to work out on the offensive side of the ball, specifically at QB. However, their defense can compete with anyone in the Big 12, and Tom Herman is a mastermind at head coach. On the other hand, West Virginia will look to have the best offense in the country. I see this game leaning towards West Virginia, as Will Grier puts on a note-worthy performance. West Virginia beats Texas 31-28.
Big Ten:
The Big Ten seems to have the highest amount of quality teams this upcoming college football season. Michigan has disappointed under Jim Harbaugh, but they have always had a top defense, and now bring in Ole Miss transfer, Shea Patterson, at QB. Ohio ST is in a little bit of trouble with head coach Urban Meyer under investigation from the NCAA. They have probably the best team in the Big Ten talent-wise, but they have a dark-cloud hanging above them which could be a distraction. Penn ST loses Saquon Barkley, but brings back most of their team including Heisman candidate, Trace McSorley. Michigan ST brings a top defense to the table, and Rutgers look to finally show that they belong with a strong showing this season.
On the other side of the conference there is Wisconsin, Nebraska, and Purdue. Wisconsin got some love from the AP as they are ranked #4 to start the year which is their highest since 2000. They are bringing back almost their entire team including running back Jonathan Taylor and QB Alex Hornibrook. They also make the case for the best offensive line in the country. Purdue and Nebraska will look to fight it out for the second spot in the division. They both have some of the best head coaches in the nation in Scott Frost and Jeff Brohm.
Standings:
East
Michigan*
Ohio ST
Penn ST
Michigan ST
Rutgers
Indiana
Maryland
West
Wisconsin*
Purdue
Nebraska
Northwestern
Iowa
Minnesota
Illinois
Conference Title Game: Michigan VS Wisconsin
This title game will be the first for Michigan under the Jim Harbaugh era. They will look to finally overcome Ohio ST in the last game of the season since they have a legit QB in Shea Patterson. Michigan also brings in one of the best defenses with Rashan Gray holding down the d-line while Devin Bush continues to add to his defensive highlight reel. Wisconsin has all the makings of going undefeated in the regular season with most of their starters returning. I see this game being a defensive battle with Wisconsin running back being the deciding factor in a 24-17 win for the Badgers.
C-USA:
The C-USA has one of the most fun teams to watch in college football in FAU. Lane Kiffin has turned FAU into a group-of-five powerhouse, and they only look to get better. Running back Devin Singletary will look to lead the offense while the ball-hawking defense does what they do best. Marshall has a QB problem with the loss of Chase Litton. However, they still have many ways to win on both sides of the ball. The other side of the conference is razor thin with Louisiana Tech, UTSA, North Texas, UAB, and Southern Mississippi. Louisiana Tech brings in the best defense in the West division, but the running game will be a problem they will have to resolve.
Standings:
East
FAU*
Marshall
Middle Tennessee
Western Kentucky
FIU
Charlotte
Old Dominion
West
Louisiana Tech*
UTSA
North Texas
UAB
Southern Mississippi
UTEP
Rice
Conference Title Game: FAU VS Louisiana Tech
The C-USA conference title game will be a matchup between Louisiana Tech and defending champs, FAU. FAU is just so good under Lane Kiffin that it is hard to pick against them. They won last years C-USA championship by a score of 41-17 against North Texas, and will look to do the same here. I believe FAU beats Louisiana Tech 52-16.
Mid-American Conference:
The MAC has been one of the funnest conferences to watch in college football. They have most of their games early in the week which is a fun gimmick to have to get a wider audience than playing on Saturday with no coverage. This year will be very competitive in the MAC. Starting off with Northern Illinois they have the best offensive and defensive lines in the entire conference. However, they do lack in skill positions on offense. Toledo has seemed to be the powerhouse of this conference, but this year they will be without QB Logan Woodside, but they have a great wide receiver group.
Miami (OH), Ohio, Akron, and Buffalo will all battle for a spot in the title game. Ohio brings one of if not the best offenses in the MAC, but their defense is shaky. Miami is coming in with two QBs that can play right away, and James Gardner at wide receiver.
Standings:
East
Miami (OH)*
Ohio
Akron
Buffalo
Kent ST
Bowling Green
West
Northern Illinois*
Toledo
Eastern Michigan
Western Michigan
Central Michigan
Ball ST
Conference Title Game: Miami (OH) VS Northern Illinois
My prediction for the MAC title game is Northern Illinois versus Miami of Ohio. Northern Illinois have a glaring hole on offense, but defense is the reason they are in the title game. Miami is an offensive powerhouse which will be a nice contrast of styles in this game. I see Northern Illinois beating Miami 23-20 to claim their fourth conference title.
Mountain West Conference:
The Mountain West Conference is home to the best group-of-five team since the 2000s. Boise ST is the front-runner for a New Year’s Six Bowl with QB Brett Rypien and RB Alexander Mattison. They also have a great secondary, and a defensive line that is not far behind. Wyoming will have to deal with the loss of Josh Allen, but still bring back a great defense led by safety Andrew Wingard. San Diego ST is Boise ST’s biggest threat in the conference this year. They always produce great running backs, and it will be no different this year with Juwan Washington. The Aztecs also have the best o-line in the conference, and a great defense.
Standings:
Mountain
Boise ST*
Utah ST
Colorado ST
Wyoming
New Mexico
Air Force
West
San Diego ST*
Fresno ST
Nevada
Hawaii
San Jose ST
UNLV
Conference Title Game: Boise ST VS San Diego ST
This conference title game will be one of the best in Mountain West history. Both Boise ST and San Diego ST are group of five powerhouses, and have a legit shot in a New Year’s Six Bowl game. In the end, Boise ST’s defense will be able to stop San Diego ST’s running attack as the Broncos win 27-20.
Pac-12:
The Pac-12 is wide open this year. Washington is the favorites to win it all with no major holes for the Huskies. Their backfield is the best in the conference, and both offensive tackles are NFL-caliber. They also have one of the best defenses in the league even with the loss of Vita Vea, but there is not a lot to complain about. Oregon brings in what could be the first overall pick come 2019 in Justin Herbert, while Stanford brings back Heisman runner-up, Bryce Love. USC will bring a great defense, but will have to fill the Sam Darnold void with an 18 year-old QB. Utah is a team to look for as they have a high-powered offense led by QB Tyler Huntley, and a solid defense.
Standings:
North
Washington*
Oregon
Stanford
Washington ST
California
Oregon ST
South
Utah*
USC
Arizona
UCLA
Arizona ST
Colorado
Conference Title Game: Utah VS Washington
The Pac-12 conference title game looks to feature a great defense versus a great offense. A story as old as time as Washington will take on Utah. Washington at this time will be looking to get into the CFB playoffs with an emphatic win against the Utes. Utah’s up tempo offense is no match for the Huskies top defense as Washington wins 26-7.
SEC:
The SEC has long been the powerhouse conference in football. They even had two teams in the National Championship last year as Alabama beat Georgia in overtime. Georgia will look to repeat as SEC champions as Jake Fromm will enter his second year, and they have a loaded offense. Missouri really came into their own last year under potential top pick, QB Drew Lock. South Carolina has one of the best offenses in the conference, but defense could come back to bite them. The Gators look to rebound after an abysmal season as they bring in head coach Dan Mullen to reinvigorate their offense.
On the other side of the conference their is Alabama, Auburn, Mississippi ST, and LSU. Alabama has run the college football world for years, but they will have a tough decision to make at QB between Jalen Hurts and Tua Tagovailoa. Their defense will also be great as always. Their secondary is a cause of concern with the losses of Ronnie Harrison and Minkah Fitzpatrick. Auburn looks to beat Alabama again with returning QB, Jarrett Stidham. Their defensive line competes with the best in the country led by Derrick Brown.
Standings:
East
Georgia*
Missouri
South Carolina
Florida
Kentucky
Tennessee
Vanderbilt
West
Alabama*
Auburn
Mississippi ST
LSU
Texas A&M
Arkansas
Ole Miss (Ineligible for Postseason Play)
Conference Title Game: Alabama VS Georgia
The SEC title game looks to be a rematch of the 2017 National Championship between Georgia and Alabama. Alabama will enter this game without missing the playoffs so far since its induction. Meanwhile, Georgia will look to get revenge from the National Championship. In the end, I believe Georgia’s high-powered offense is enough to beat Alabama’s hard-nosed, gritty defense.
Sun Belt Conference:
The Sun Belt conference is probably the worst conference in the FBS in terms of depth. However, Appalachian ST, Arkansas ST, and Troy are no joke in the college football world. Appalachian ST has the best cornerback group in the entire group of five, and an offense led by running back, Jalin Moore. Troy will look to repeat as conference champs as they bring back their great defense from a year ago. Arkansas ST is hands down the best team in the Western division. The offense is one of the most fun in the nation led by QB Caleb Evans, but their defense won’t stop anyone.
Standings:
East
Troy*
Appalachian ST
Georgia Southern
Coastal Carolina
Georgia ST
West
Arkansas ST*
South Alabama
Louisiana
Texas ST
Louisiana-Monroe
Conference Title Game: Troy VS Arkansas ST
The Sun Belt title game will feature defensive-minded, Troy versus offensive minded Arkansas ST. I believe Troy’s defense will be too much for Arkansas ST to handle as they bring home their second consecutive Sun Belt title.
FBS Independents:
The FBS Independents feature nation-wide powerhouse, Notre Dame, and other bowl-worthy teams. Notre Dame will look to finally make the CFB playoff after many years. Their offense is led by Brandon Wimbush, with a great backup QB option in Ian Book. Their defense is some of the best in college football. They are strong at all three levels with Jerry Tillery on the d-line, Te’Von Coney at linebacker, and All-American Julian Love at corner. Another team to look for in the Independents is UMass Amherst. UMass played in 8 games that were decided by 8 points or less last year including almost upsetting Tennessee and Mississippi ST. Their offense is dangerously good led by QB Andrew Young, but they have a bad defense.
Standings:
Notre Dame
UMass Amherst
New Mexico ST
Army
BYU
Liberty
Top 25
At the end of the year I believe the Top 25 in college football will look like this:
Georgia*
Clemson*
Wisconsin*
Notre Dame*
Alabama
Washington
Michigan
West Virginia
Auburn
Texas
Michigan ST
USC
Oklahoma
Ohio ST
Boston College
Boise ST
Florida ST
Penn ST
TCU
Stanford
Utah
Miami
Houston
Virginia Tech
Oregon
The four playoff teams for the upcoming season are SEC champions Georgia Bulldogs, ACC champions Clemson Tigers, Big Ten champions Wisconsin Badgers, and the Notre Dame Fightin’ Irish from the Independents. This would mean that Alabama would not make the playoff for the first time ever. It also means that even though Washington and West Virginia won their conferences, they still do not make the playoffs.
Non-Playoff New Year’s Six Bowls:
Rose Bowl: #6, Washington VS #7, Michigan
The Rose Bowl will look to feature Pac-12 Champion Washington Huskies against Big Ten runner-ups, the Michigan Wolverines. Both of these teams are very balanced on both sides of the ball, but Washington’s defense will be too much to handle for Michigan’s offense as the Huskies win 30-17.
Sugar Bowl: #5, Alabama VS #8, West Virginia
Alabama will be playing in their first non-playoff New Year’s Six Bowl game since the playoffs were introduced. They will take on one of the best offenses in the country led by QB Will Grier. Overall, I believe Alabama will look to make a statement in this game by beating Big 12 champions by a score of 42-20.
Peach Bowl: #9, Auburn VS #10, Texas
The Peach Bowl will feature SEC powerhouse, Auburn versus Big 12 runner-up Texas. Auburn’s Jarrett Stidham is one of the best in the country as he takes on the best defense in the Big 12. I believe Auburn vs Texas will be one of the best bowl games as Auburn wins 43-42.
Fiesta Bowl: #11, Michigan ST VS #16, Boise ST
The Fiesta Bowl will feature Michigan ST vs Boise ST. These teams met once before where Michigan ST won 17-13 in 2012. Now they meet with a lot more on the line. Boise ST will look to place themselves at the top of the group-of-five college football world with a win while Michigan ST’s top defense tries to shut them down. I see this game going a lot like the last time these teams played as Michigan ST wins 21-17.
College Football Playoffs:
Cotton Bowl (CFP Semi-Final): #1, Georgia VS #4, Notre Dame
In the first playoff semi-final game, SEC champ, Georgia takes on FBS Independent Notre Dame. These teams met in a thriller in 2017 with Georgia edging out the win. This year is different as Notre Dame has improved a lot on defense, and Georgia has developed more on offense. I see this game going in Notre Dame’s favor with them winning 34-31, and advancing to the National Championship.
Orange Bowl (CFP Semi-Final): #2, Clemson VS #3, Wisconsin
In the second playoff semi-final game, ACC champ Clemson takes on Big Ten champ Wisconsin in the Orange Bowl. Clemson has made the CFB playoffs the last three years with them winning one under head coach Dabo Sweeney. This is Wisconsin’s first trip to the playoff as they are led by running back Jonathan Taylor. I believe this game will be won by Wisconsin due to their defensive ability, and ability to chew the clock with Jonathan Taylor. Wisconsin beats Clemson 17-16 to advance to the National Championship to play Notre Dame.
National Championship: #3, Wisconsin VS #4, Notre Dame
The 2019 National Championship will feature Wisconsin against Notre Dame. Notre Dame is arguably the biggest brand in college football history, and Wisconsin will look to prove that they are the best in the country for the first time in their long history. This game is between two very evenly matched teams on both sides of the ball. Both QB’s are good, both o-lines are good, both defenses are good, so it will come down to a few key players for each team. I believe Notre Dame’s defense, specifically Te’Von Coney, will lead Notre Dame in stopping Jonathan Taylor en route to their first National Championship win since 1988. Notre Dame beats Wisconsin by a score of 22-19.
This will wrap up my college football season preview and predictions. A lot has changed as Ohio ST, Alabama, Washington, and Oklahoma did not make the playoffs, and Notre Dame finally won. Be sure to watch this upcoming college football season, and see how correct I am in my predictions.
I had the great pleasure and privilege of interviewing baseball great Fred Lynn the other day. Fred Lynn is a member of the College Baseball Hall of Fame, the Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame and the Ted Williams Hitters’ Hall of Fame. He is one of only two players ever to win the Most Valuable Player Award and the Rookie of the Year Award in the same season, a memorable moment for people that like betting on the MLB. Lynn made nine All-Star Games, won four Gold Glove Awards, a batting title, an ALCS MVP and an All-Star Game MVP. He truly is both a Red Sox great and a baseball great.
BSE: I hear you’ve been busy this year.
Fred Lynn: Yeah, it’s been a busy summer and spring. At the beginning of our season we never exactly know what’s going to happen. We did some things for the Red Sox, they have a Legends sky box and I go back there probably four times a year and in a normal year do maybe 15-16 games. This year there’s been all kinds of different things popping up, like representing the Red Sox at the Major League Baseball draft. Between that and golf tournaments and charity events I’ve been really busy.
BSE: What kinds of charities you been working with?
Fred Lynn: Well we have a charity here called the FACE Foundation in the San Diego area. What this organization does is it allows people that have physically catastrophic needs for their pets, meaning surgeries that could be life-threatening, and they can’t afford it. The FACE Foundation steps in and we have a lot of deals with vets in the area that will take care of it for these people. Most of the people that use the FACE Foundation are military. They save the pets basically on the spot and we’ve saved in the last four or five years like 2200 pets.
BSE: Wow, that is awesome!
Fred Lynn: It’s not like we’re trying to save cancer down the pike, this is immediate gratification. If we save somebody’s pet from being euthanized, then that’s a big deal.
BSE: Absolutely, I have been through that recently and that is a very good cause.
So, I would like to chat some about your playing career as well as the current Sox team. You were originally drafted by the Yankees in the third round out of high school and you decided not to go there, thank you.
Fred Lynn: I was going to go to college and we had told everybody that, that’s why I didn’t go until the third round. All the scouts said “we’re interested”, but I was going to USC.
BSE: And then at USC you actually went on a scholarship for football initially?
Fred Lynn: That’s correct. I was there with Lynn Swann, he and I were teammates. Back then freshmen couldn’t play varsity football; we had our own team, but we used to practice with varsity all the time, so like Sam Cunningham and that group of guys. It was very fulfilling, I love football, it was actually my first love above baseball. When the Trojans asked me to play football there I said “yeah, I’m in.” But, I was only about six feet tall, 170 pounds.
After my freshman baseball season, which we won the College World Series and I was on the All-Tournament team, and then I played for the US in the Pan Am games and I led that tournament in home runs. I hit a home run against Cuba in the gold medal game. I could see that I was one of the better amateur players in the country already as a freshman. With my size, I played corner and flanker in football and I was giving up 50 pounds to tackle these dudes, and that’s when I decided to switch over to baseball.
BSE: You mentioned you won the College World Series your freshman year, but you won all three years at USC, correct?
Fred Lynn: Yeah, that’s correct. We won five in a row and I was on the middle three.
BSE: And the Pan Am games are when you played in Japan?
Fred Lynn: No, we played in Cali, Colombia. If you don’t know, the Pan Am games are the Americas.
BSE: Right, haha.
Fred Lynn: Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Colombia and of course Cuba. So, our oldest player was 21 and when we played in the gold medal game against Cuba their youngest player was 22 and their oldest player was 38.
BSE: Oh wow.
Fred Lynn: Yeah, we lost 4-3. That was a great experience. The next year is when I went to Japan and played in the first collegiate All-Stars, USA vs Japanese college All-Stars. I was the MVP of that tournament.
BSE: What was it like playing over there in Japan at such a young age?
Fred Lynn: We all lost. We were all like 19 years old and I’d never had Asian food before. They tried to treat us right and we ate communally for the most part. They were serving us fish eye soup and these types of things, it was like “oh man.” Most guys weren’t willing to try those kinds of things so we were just dying. But it was a great experience, we played in the Japanese Major League stadiums, and it was a great experience because the fan base there. We were drawing 45-50,000 for a college game. It was great fun, I had a great time.
BSE: You were drafted by the Red Sox in the second round out of college and you came up through the minors with Jim Rice. You two were dubbed “The Gold Dust Twins.” How did that come about?
Fred Lynn: Yeah, that’s a good question, when you find out you let me know.
BSE: Haha, okay. Not sure where it originated huh?
Fred Lynn: No, I think one of the papers had some sort of contests. We started out in Double-A together, and I was only in Double-A for about a month and a half. Then we were in Triple-A and then we came up together in the big leagues. Actually, he came up the month before I did. We got off to a really good start; I don’t remember what paper, or who won. I don’t get the genesis of “Gold Dust twins” but all of a sudden, boom, it just popped up.
Jim Rice and Fred lynn, the “Gold Dust Twins”
BSE: In ’74 when you came up in September you batted over .400, and that led into the ’75 season when you won the MVP, Rookie of the Year and Gold Glove. First ever to win MVP and Rookie of the Year in the same year, and still I kind of look at you as the only one since Ichiro was 27 and had played many professional seasons over in Japan. Do you kind of feel the same way?
Fred Lynn: A lot of my friends, and certainly my wife does. Can’t hold it against him personally. The rules say “everybody that comes to the United States is a rookie.” Okay, that’s kind of arrogant. But I guarantee you, he didn’t think of himself as a rookie when he came over here. There’s a big difference playing eight years of Major League Baseball over in Japan then entering at 21 or 22.
BSE: So you went on to play in the World Series as a rookie, what was that like?
Fred Lynn: To be honest with you, I had so much success as a collegian and won three national titles there. I actually won the Triple-A World Series between then too, so this is kind of the way things happened for me. I was used to playing on teams that won, I was not used to the other, so it was not unexpected for me. That’s kind of the way things were happening. We had a really good team obviously, and we beat the defending world champs in the Oakland A’s to get to the World Series. I wasn’t really surprised by it, I was just taking it in one day at a time as they say.
BSE: I guess that makes sense after winning three straight championships at USC.
Fred Lynn: Yeah, when you have won like that you expect it. You expect your teams to be good and you expect to play well. It’s unexpected when things don’t go right, so like when we lost game seven, that was unexpected. I had never been in a title game and lost, so that was a first for me. Having always been on the winning side, it was really a strange feeling for me on the other side.
BSE: Do you think the outcome may have been different if Jim Rice hadn’t gotten hurt?
Fred Lynn: Oh there’s no question about it. Losing your number four hitter makes a tremendous difference, and unfortunately the guys that replaced Jimmy didn’t get a hit. I truly believe we would have beaten those guys in six games. We were really good, so I just don’t think they could have handled us.
BSE: In game six you hit a home run and also made a catch at the wall that you got injured on but kept playing. Did that affect you at all?
Fred Lynn: I actually didn’t make that catch, Ken Griffey hit that ball. That was when the Green Monster was a monster, it was concrete. What happened was, I’d lost all feeling from the waist down and I thought I’d broken my back to be honest. So when I started getting the feeling back in my lower extremities I stayed in the game. It definitely shook me up, there’s no question. I was fine mentally, but physically I could feel some things moving around down there. I had no long-lasting effects from that that I’m aware of. I had back issues during my career but I don’t know if it all stemmed from that one play.
BSE: At Tiger Stadium that year, you had a game where you hit three home runs, a triple, 16 total bases and 10 RBI. Do you look back at that as maybe the best game you ever played?
Fred Lynn: Well, it certainly was the most prodigious offensively because I didn’t even do that in Little League. Everything went right that particular night. Hall of Famers play their whole careers and never have a chance to do those things. The first three innings there were guys on base every time I came up and I went homer, homer, triple in three innings and I drove in seven. Those kinds of things, they just don’t happen; especially to rookies. I don’t remember any other rookies doing those types of things. It’s just kind of having a once in a lifetime game in your first season. That’s what kind of made the 1975 season so magical to myself and the team, things were happening that normally don’t happen to rookies.
BSE: Your 1975 season gets a lot of the attention, and rightfully so, but do you consider 1979 as maybe your best season?
Fred Lynn: I was a little bit bigger, a little bit stronger. I had lifted weights some that offseason and gained a little bit of muscle. That was the first time that I hit balls that I didn’t think I’d hit very well and they’d be home runs. I wasn’t a big guy, I used to have to square them up. That year, I turned into a power guy. I hit for average too, so yeah, it was a really good year. Both Jim and I were doing really well that year. We struggled some on the pitching side, but boy, we could definitely hit.
BSE: I look at the MVP voting and wonder how you finished fourth. Maybe it had something to do with the standings?
Fred Lynn: Yeah, a lot of people wonder about that. {Laughter}
BSE: So, after you left Boston, what was playing elsewhere like in comparison?
Fred Lynn: I was traded to California, and I grew up here but had played collegiately, not professionally. The major difference was the fan base. Boston fans in the seventies were very energetic, let’s put it that way. They knew the game, they came early and they stayed late. On the West Coast, they’d cruise on in during the second inning, leave during the seventh or eighth inning. If the teams doing well they come out, if not, well, okay we’ll go to the beach. The weather and the fan base were the two biggest things that were different. The intensity at Fenway Park was, boy you could cut it with a knife sometimes, especially if we were playing the Yankees. Out west, even if we were playing our rivals it didn’t have that same feel to me. I really missed that East Coast fan base.
BSE: You batted .347 with an OPS over 1.000 at Fenway Park, do you ever look back and wonder what would have happened had you not been traded and played longer here in Boston?
Fred Lynn: Well, I guarantee you, they wouldn’t have had to wait until 2004 to have us win. It would have happened. You figure, they got rid of Fisk, Burleson and myself all in the same year. You trade the guts of your defense, and then a lot of your offense too, when you find out a good reason you let me know. If you have those three guys, and then you get the pitching they started to get and nah, there’s no way we don’t win at some point in the eighties.
BSE: You stayed really consistent throughout the eighties. I was looking through your numbers and was kind of taken aback. You had 21 home runs in 1982, 22 in ’83 and then four straight years at 23. Then you hit 25 the following year, so it was a seven year stretch between 21 and 25.
Fred Lynn: Yeah, and I did it unfortunately in a limited number of games. You know, I had a lot of injuries that took me out of a lot of games. If you give me another 20 or 30 games each year than those numbers would be around 30 home runs a year. I just needed to be on the field, that’s all.
BSE: Do you have certain accomplishments your most proud of?
Fred Lynn: The All-Star Game home run ranks up there, not because of a personal thing, but back then the American League and the National League were two entirely separate entities. It was a real grudge match, the All-Star Game, and the National League had been beating us on a regular basis. After ’83, when we won that game, the American League has pretty much dominated the National League since that point. It was a real turning point for the American League and I’m glad I was a big part of that.
BSE: Who is the best player you ever saw?
Fred Lynn: Well, there’s two of them; Mays and Clemente. Those two guys were five-tool players. They did everything and they did it with flair. They had fun, you could see it. As a kid, those were the guys I really liked to watch play. Teams weren’t on the TV much back then but any chance I got to see those two I’d try and watch anything I could about those guys.
BSE: Who was the toughest pitcher you ever faced?
Fred Lynn: That’s a pretty long list. Any particular day you could bring up somebody from Triple-A and they could shut you out, so you just never know. On a consistent basis, Frank Tanana was always tough on me when he was with the California Angels. He and Ryan were number one and two in the league in strike outs and he just had my number. I didn’t pick him up well and if I did hit one on the screws someone would catch it. Some guys you just don’t see, and I didn’t see Frankie so it was a tough day every time I faced him.
BSE: Any pitchers in particular you did see really well?
Fred Lynn: I had a week against Bert Blyleven. He was with the Minnesota Twins and I was with Baltimore. We were playing them at their place in Minnesota and I hit two two-run homers off him. Then we got them at our place in Baltimore and I hit two three-run homers off him. I hit four homers and drove in ten off him in a week.
BSE: Wow, that’s impressive. Hall of Fame pitcher there.
Fred Lynn: Yeah, it works the other way there. I don’t care who he is, if he’s a Hall of Famer or not, sometimes you just see him. Maybe he’s making bad pitches or he catches you on a day your swinging a hot bat, but probably a little combination of both for Bert.
Fred Lynn of the Baltimore Orioles bats during a game in the 1988 season. (Photo by Scott Halleran/Getty Images)
BSE: Moving on to the current Sox team. Have you been following them?
Fred Lynn: Oh yeah, I follow them extensively. I knew they were going to be a pretty good team but nobody knew the impact that JD Martinez was going to have on the club. He solidifies the lineup and he makes it tough to walk guys ahead of him, so they have to pitch to these guys. Now it’s made everybody around him better. Mookie is having a sensational season and you’d be hard-pressed to figure out which one of those two is more valuable. Is it Mookie leading off and setting the table and doing all those things, or is it JD solidifying the lineup in the heart of it? Right now it’s a flip of a coin.
But 50 games over .500? You’re in uncharted waters right there. This is crazy, they just won’t lose. You look at their lineup and say, “there’s a hole here, there’s a hole there,” it doesn’t seem to matter. Or if they have an injury, somebody steps in or they grab a guy like Pearce from Toronto and all of a sudden he’s hitting home runs like crazy. They have tremendous depth.
BSE: Seems that way. During the Yankees series when Steve Pearce hit four home runs I was calling him Jimmie Foxx reincarnated {laugh}.
Fred Lynn: Yeah, he’s got a short swing, and obviously Fenway is good to his type of swing. He pulls the ball, he kind of reminds me, he’s got a swing like Rico {Petrocelli}. A short, compact swing, perfect for Fenway. He hooked everything and that’s what Pearce does. You need some right-handed power at Fenway Park and now they have it. It’s a complete team, they’re leading the Major Leagues in every category. It’s all going to come down to the playoffs, and the front line guys have to perform well in the playoffs, because they’re going to play other teams who won 100 games.
BSE: Yeah, a team like the Astros is struggling right now but they have injuries, those guys are going to come back and they’ll be right back there.
Fred Lynn: Well, they have three front line pitchers. They have three number ones basically. They’re going to be tough in a short series, there’s no question. It’s just going to be, which star pitcher pitches the best. It always comes down to one key at bat; you get a key hit, maybe a two-out hit to drive in some runs. It’s intense. Playoff baseball is intense. Whoever wins the American League pennant is probably going to have to go through two teams that won 100 games. Now Oakland’s charging, and the National League doesn’t have anything like that. It’s going to be fun to watch.
BSE: What do you think of the Andrew Benintendi comparisons to yourself? There have been a lot of them made the last year or two.
Fred Lynn: Obviously he’s left-handed and he’s got a real nice stroke when he hits. He has a different swing; he’s got a short, compact swing. My arms, I got funky arms, they’re really long. My swing was a little longer. Both have a fluid swing, but he lets the ball get in on him more. In my day we’d hit the ball in front of the plate more. So that’s what makes him tough; he’s strong, compact and he can move the ball the other way. If he sees the shift on he’ll hit the ball the other way, which is smart. Those comparisons, I get it, sort of. But to me, in my eye, my swing was longer than his, but it was similar. He’s his own guy, he’s going to make it on his own merit and he’s having a super year too.
BSE: Speaking of shifts; what do you think of all the shifting in baseball nowadays?
Fred Lynn: Well, I can remember shortstops going to play me behind second base, {chuckles} I’d just hit it to short. I mean, there’s ways around it. If you’re not a power hitter…bunt! Get on base, the onus is on you. They’re going to play you this way until you make an adjustment, and if you keep hitting the ball on the screws and making outs then you need to make an adjustment and start going the other way. If you don’t know how to do it, then bunt, but you need to get those guys back where they belong and the only way to do it is to start going the other way.
BSE: Which you knew how to do, I’m surprised they actually shifted.
Fred Lynn: Yeah, I came to Fenway Park and I pulled the ball, I never hit the ball to left field. And I saw that wall and I said, “wait a minute.” So I just changed my swing just to make sure I could do that. Nobody taught me how to do it, I just kind of figured it out. Some guys are pretty stone-headed and they won’t change. Well, if you won’t change you’re going to hit .210.
BSE: Well, that’s all the questions I have for you. I really appreciate you taking the time to do this with me.
When Baseball America released its top 100 list on Monday, the Red Sox only had two farmhands make the list. In recent years, the farm system has produced more than just two players on the list, and usually several much higher on the list. Jason Groome was the highest ranked Red Sox prospect at number 83. This was the lowest a Red Sox top prospect has shown up on this list since Dernell Stenson in 2001. This isn’t to say all hope is lost down on the farm. The other day I wrote about the two players who made the list, and the Red Sox have plenty of other intriguing names for the future. They may not be Yoan Moncada or Michael Kopech, but they have a few guys who could threaten to crack the top 100 list in 2019.
The Most Likely
Bryan Mata
Mata is an 18 year old who was signed out of Venezuela in 2016. He is very refined for such a young kid, being rated as having the best control in the Red Sox farm system by Baseball America. Oftentimes control is something that gets better with age, so for someone so young to be graded so highly is rare.
Mata is more than just a control pitcher, throwing in the low to mid-90’s as a teenager. One would assume he will add some velocity as he reaches his 20’s and fills out more. Currently he is very skinny and will need to bulk up to withstand a full season, but there is plenty of time to do that. Once he does fill out more it would not be surprising to see him sit in the mid-90’s with his fastball. Mata also throws a curveball and a changeup. These offerings show potential but both have some work to do. He more than held his own last year at Greenville, a level not usually reached by someone his age. At just 18, Mata is far advanced for his age and could make the top 100 next year with continued improvement.
Tanner Houck
Houck was the Red Sox 1st round pick this past season, so it would be nice to see a strong year from him to elevate him into Baseball America’s top 100. Coming out of Missouri, Houck has a great pitcher’s frame, standing at 6’5″ 220. His fastball velocity has a wide range, but can reach as high as 98 MPH. The pitch has good sink to it and no doubt can play at the Major League level. How far he gets will rely on his secondary pitches and his refinement. He has the body to be a workhorse, but if he fizzles out as a starter he has the stuff to be a late innings reliever.
Houck has the best slider in the Red Sox system according to Baseball America; a third pitch will be key in his development. Throwing from a 3/4 arm slot, Houck reminds me some of Justin Masterson. Masterson was a high pick by the Red Sox who had a heavy sink on his pitches and a good slider. It was up in the air whether he would be a starter or a reliever in the majors; he ultimately did some of both. Masterson never really developed another reliable pitch to maintain his successes, so hopefully Houck can add a reliable third pitch.
Right-handed pitcher Tanner Houck pitches against the South Carolina Gamecocks at Taylor Stadium (Tim Nwachukwu)
Josh Ockimey
Ockimey is a big first baseman with excellent raw power. Ockimey can put on displays of power in batting practice, but the home runs haven’t come in abundance yet in games. Often, that comes later with development. A lot of guys hit for more power once they reach the majors than they ever did in the minors. Take a look at Aaron Judge, who never hit more than 20 home runs in any season despite having a huge projection of power. At present, it’s more important that Ockimey keeps his batting eye and shows the ability to hit well enough to keep advancing.
Ockimey hit 18 home runs two years ago, but after a fast start his bat went ice cold and he finished the season with a .226 batting average. Despite such a low average, he got on base at a very respectable .364 clip thanks to his 88 walks. This is what I believe can help him become a regular at the big league level if he shows he can hit enough. With power and a great batting eye he could be a valuable player even if he batted .240. Last season he was able to bat .274 with a .385 on base percentage between two levels. Starting in AA Portland this year, if Ockimey can keep his average and walks in line with that he could crack the top 100 next season. There is still a wide range of possible scenarios for him, but he seems to have a good head on his shoulders.
Photo credit: Kelly O’Connor
If Things Fall Right
Mike Shawaryn
Shawaryn was a potential first round pick after his sophomore season at Maryland. That season he went 13-2 with a 1.71 ERA. After battling some injuries his junior season, Shawaryn fell to the 5th round. He had still performed well though, posting a 3.18 ERA and 0.96 WHIP. Shawaryn has continued to produce in the Minor Leagues, posting an ERA below 4.00 at all three levels. Last year was his first full season and he struck out 169 batters over 135 innings between two levels. If he can show similar results this year he should have a chance to make the list in 2019.
Bobby Dalbec
Dalbec took a step back this year after looking like one of the Red Sox top hitting prospects the year before. Dalbec both pitched and hit well in college, and could always give pitching a shot if hitting fails him. Before that though, he will see if he can rebound. Dalbec has big power, so if he can hit the ball more consistently he could develop into a Major Leaguer down the road. He batted .386 with 7 home runs in Lowell two years ago after being drafted in the 4th round. Last year he fell off to .246, although he did post a .345 on base percentage.
Right now, there is too much swing and miss to his game, if he can cut back on the strike outs his power might be able to play up more. If that happens, maybe Dalbec has a Michael Chavis type breakout this season. If that happened, along with his strong arm from third base Dalbec would certainly join the top 100 next year. The range of outcomes on him is large.
Photo by Peter Aiken
Dark Horse Candidates
Cole Brannen
Brannen was the Red Sox second round draft pick last season out of high school. He would likely need to have a strong showing this season to gain consideration from Baseball America since he is so young and not yet in full season ball. Brannen doesn’t have much power but projects to hit for good averages and is a speedy outfielder.
Alex Scherff
Another draft pick of the Red Sox last season, Scherff was a 5th round pick out of high school. He could have been a higher pick, but fell due to concerns over whether he would sign or go to college. Scherff already throws in the mid-90’s, occasionally reaching the upper 90’s. He will have to dominate low-A hitters this season to have a shot at the Baseball America top 100 next year.
Darwinzon Hernandez
Hernandez’ fastball was rated as the best in the system by Baseball America. Hernandez was 20 years old last season pitching in full season Greenville. He struck out over a batter per inning while showing off good stuff. If he can gain more consistency with his secondary offerings he could make a huge leap this coming season.
Roldani Baldwin
Baldwin is a lesser known Red Sox prospect who comes in all the way down at number 32 on sox prospects. Signed out of the Dominican back in 2014, Baldwin is still only 21 years old. Last season at Greenville he batted .274 with an impressive .489 slugging percentage. He shows good pop, hitting 14 home runs and 35 doubles in 368 at-bats last year. Oh, did I mention he was a catcher? Converted back to the position for last year, Baldwin threw out one-third of potential base stealers while showing the ability to play backstop. He might be a longshot to make the top 100 next year, but he is an intriguing dark horse to watch behind the plate moving forward.
When I was 19, I was just trying to figure out how to pay rent and tuition. At the same age, Jayson Tatum is proving he can play at a high level in the NBA despite still being in his teens. Plus, I can only assume has no problems paying bills on time. It’s easy to see Tatum is light years ahead of his peers, but hard to imagine what his ceiling might be.
“I don’t think water will find its level because I don’t think there’s a level with Tatum, because he’s so young.I think he’s untouchable. He has the potential, from what we’ve seen … to be a multi-time All Star in this league.” -Mike Gorman, Boston Celtics Broadcaster (reeling Tommy Heinsohn back in for over 30 years)
STRONG ROOKIE CLASS
Ben Simmons is better than anyone in this class right now, but he’s not exactly in this class. It’s almost a shame he’s considered a rookie. It’s robbing us of what is probably going to be an incredible race for second in the ROY running. This is a strong rookie class, with some guys showing star potential. Lottery picks like Donovan Mitchell, Lauri Markkanen, Dennis Smith Jr. and Tatum are showing the future of the league is in good hands. Others further down the draft board such as Kyle Kuzma, Jordan Bell & Dillon Brooks are a testament to the depth of the class. Plenty of other rookies are getting opportunities and showing signs of being contributors early in their careers.
Even without Simmons in the mix, Tatum would have a tough time winning the award. This is a strong class with the unique blend of depth to compliment the heavy hitters at the top. Donovan Mitchell has already had a 41 point game, something that hasn’t been done by a rookie since Blake Griffin in 2011. He was the Western Conference Rookie of the Month for December. Tatum winning the same award in the East over Simmons shows the race for ROY isn’t over yet.
At the end of the day, Tatum just doesn’t have a big enough role offensively to win the award. While it is increasing by the game, he won’t come close to the usage rate of Simmons (23.9) or Mitchell (27.6). Tatum is sitting at 17.7, but is also chipping in 4.9 win shares through 42 games, good for 13th in the entire NBA. This is where you can start to see the difference in Tatum and rookies on teams that aren’t winning. He is learning how to win from guys that have done it early in his career. This is something that can’t be overstated for his development. The sky really is the limit with this kid.
TAKING IT IN STRIDE
Stevens trusts Tatum despite his teenager status. Further, he wants the youngster in the game late, especially if it’s close. Some might say Stevens leaves him in so he can learn and get better. It’s also because he is one of the best options Stevens has at his disposal. The rookie has shown the ability to make the right play, and is starting to find his spots to be aggressive offensively. This has resulted in some big-time finishes at the rim in addition to his elite shooting from deep. He has been in the top 10 in 3pt% the entire season thus far. If Stevens is serious about upping Tatum’s touches in the second half of the season, teams could be in trouble. His efficiency might take a hit, but his overall production should be on the rise.
CLUTCH TIME
Tatum has been impressive late in games, and definitely has the clutch gene. His calm and collected approach towards life is unwavering in heated moments on the big stage. It’s rare for a rookie to have such a big role, especially in the 4th quarter on a talent-rich team. More impressively, his clutch time numbers are truly jaw-dropping. He has 45 points on 71% shooting in the last 5 min when the game is within 5.
“Some people have it and some people don’t. It’s just as simple as that. I think he’s pretty much shown that he can play, as people say, with the big boys at the end of the game.” -Kyrie on Tatum in the clutch
Further, he’s 3/4 in the last minute when the game is on the line. When the game gets hectic, it slows down for Tatum. Nothing seems to shake his confidence. After his recent Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month award, Stevens did his part to keep Tatum level-headed, not that he needed it.
“I sent him a text that there’s a lot of things that can derail forward progress.” -Stevens, when asked about Tatum’s achievement
WORK IN PROGRESS, BUT AHEAD OF SCHEDULE
Danny Ainge traded the #1 pick in the 2017 NBA draft fro the #3 pick and a future pick. After selecting Tatum 3rd overall, he stated he would’ve taken the Duke product at 1 if he didn’t make the deal. It was a risk, but he got his man. Still, the rookie has gone above and beyond what Ainge thought he was capable of already in his young career.
“We’ll see what minutes [Tatum] will earn. I’m not worried about how they will play when the lights go on. It will be unlikely that Jayson is Rookie of the Year because it will probably come from a team that starts their rookies and plays them 35 minutes a night.” -Danny Ainge, before the season started
A guy who should be a sophomore in college right now is instead beating out NBA vets for starting roles on the NBA’s best team. This wasn’t supposed to happen. He is already able to impact the game on both ends of the floor, and is contributing to winning on the highest level. Yet, he still has a long ways to go. What is sure to be a long and achievement-filled career has only just begun. The Tatum hype train, now far past Boston and still gaining steam, is running out of room for passengers.
“It will be four, five, six years before we see his best,” Ainge said. “The question will be how badly he wants to keep working to get better.”
