Chiefs 41, Pats 14

Total embarassment to players, coaches & organization as a whole. Nowhere to go but up.

Jose Altuve - I'm A Fan

Remember a few years ago when Jose Reyes sat out the last game of the year for the Mets so he could win the NL batting title? Jose Altuve had the same opportunity for the Houston Astros yesterday, but Altuve told his manager that he wanted to play. The little second-baseman went 2-4 & he did win the AL batting title. Good for him! I'm impressed. Hard to find guys that are not so self-centrered these days, especially pro athletes. You're the man, Jose! Well done!

AL Wild Card: Shields Versus Lester

Isn't this an interesting matchup of starting pitchers! James Shields for the KC Royals. Jon Lester for the Oakland A's. Shields & Lester could be the #1 & #2 starters for the Boston Red Sox next year if a few things go right in the off-season. No doubt this game will come down to the bullpens & KC seems to have an edge there. The A's want to go further in the playoffs this year than just their usual one series & out. And the Royals are back in the playoffs for the first time in 29 years. If you had to pick one team, I guess I would root for the Royals as an underdog.

Jeter Done

In a few words - Jeter, well done. Career over. He finishes in Fenway Park & goes out with a win. I admire Jeter for his hustle & his will to win. Our version of Jeter is Dustin Pedroia. He is a throw-back of sorts. It's sad to think that a guy who goes out there & wants to win & gives 100% is an oddity today. But that was Derek Jeter. Maybe he played SS a little too long. Maybe he hit at the top of the order a little too long. All in all, however, Jeter was the embodiment of the Yankees & he was treated with the respect he deserved by Joe Girardi & the Yankees brass. No Posada. No Rivera. No Jeter now. The Yankees will face an identity crisis in 2015.

Sox Lose Finale 9-5 to Close 2014 Season

Probably fitting that the Red Sox lost game #162 to the Yankees 9-5. The 2014 season comes to an end at 71-91. Most years you would think the Sox would amass a mirror image of 91-71, but not this year. It was obvious from the start that heroes from 2013 couldn't duplicate the same results in 2014. The season ends with Pedroia, Ortiz & Napoli nursing injuries. The final 2 months gave Sox management & fans a look at potential players for the 2015 roster. Ben Cherington can now begin his search for 2 front-line starting pitchers to join Joe Kelly & Clay Buchholz. Ben can also lay the ground work for trade talks as a way to fill one, if not both, pitching needs. The rumors of Giancarlo Stanton will continue throughout the fall & winter. Will Middlebrooks & Nava be back? How about the glut of young pitchers? Is Bogaerts your SS next Year? What to do with Mookie? Lots & lots of questions to be answered before the team arrives in Fort Myers in mid-February. I expect Ben to make a lot of moves & it should be fun to watch over the next 3 months. Good night 2014.

Sox, Yankees Split First 2 Games

On Friday Rusney Castillo cracked his 2nd home run to prove that his homer on Thursday night was no fluke. Steven Wright pitched well enough to win, but he ended up on the short end of a 3-2 loss. Today, the Sox hammered Tanaka & the Yanks in a laugher 10-4. Yoenis Cespedes reached the 100 RBI mark for the first time in his career. Jeter played long enough to get a hit before being taken out of the game. Joe Kelly was in control throughout this one & he has certainly solidified a spot in next year's rotation for himself. I'd take Kelly over Buchholz right now just on dependability. One more game left on Sunday & then it's on to 2015!

Sox 11, Rays 1

Rusney Castillo & Cristian Vazquez both hit their first Fenway homers last night as the Sox stomped on Joe Maddon's boys 11-1. Nice effort by Allen Webster who may be getting comfortable - finally - at the big league level. 3 more against the Yankees & it's over. The Red Sox & Yankees rivalry has not been the same with both teams out of the playoffs. But it's still fun to beat the pinstripers anytime. Another year that the yankees get older without making the playoffs & with aging stars like Teixeira & Beltran & A-Rod who can't stay on the field. It may be awhile after Jeter's departure before the Bronx bombers come alive again in the AL East.

Grading Sox Young Pitchers

De La Rosa. Workman. Webster. Ranaudo. Do you throw a blanket over these 4 & pick one to be the 5th starter next year. All have been good at times. All have been bad at times. ERA's are around 4.50, but that's not uncommon for young arms finding their way. De La Rosa & Webster have swing & miss stuff. Ranaudo & Workman pitch to contact. Early returns is that Workman may be better suited to the bullpen, like Matt Barnes. Ranaudo pitched a good game last night in an 11-3 win. But De La Rosa & Webster have had some success as well. It may come down to what other teams think about these 4 pitchers & whoever doesn't get moved in a trade. To me the 5th spot is between De La Rosa, Webster & Ranaudo. What do you think?

Yankees Become Faceless

The New York Yankees were eliminated from the playoffs last night. This is 2 years in a row that the team with the biggest payroll in baseball does not make the post-season. Derek Jeter plays his last game at Yankee Stadium tonight, followed by 3 final games at Fenway. Once Jeter retires the identity or face of the Yankees is gone. I always considered Jeter, Mariano & Posada the "real" Yankees, guys that were not bought & paid for to come to New York. Who is the face of the Yankees in 2015? Not Ellsbury. Not McCann. Not Teixeira. Not Tanaka. The Yankees will lack that superstar power to draw fans into their big & expensive ballpark for some time. And they will have to deal with the A-Rod situation once again. Things in Gotham are bleak.

Give Francona Credit

Terry Francona led the Cleveland Indians to a post-season wild card berth last year. First playoff game in October for the Indians in a long, long time. This year his Tribe is still barely in the wild card race, but probably out. He will finish this season with a record over .500 again. Think about the players that he lost. Ubaldo Jimenez to Baltimore. Justin Masterson to St. Louis. Asdrubal Cabrera to Washington. A closer in John Axford who was horrible. Yet, he integrated younger players slowly into the lineup & once again has done a credible job with the players & talent level at his disposal. When Gaff & I were coaching there were years where our teams should have finished last & we finished as high as 3rd. We considered that a great year, a year where you got the most out of your players. Even though pro sports is about winning at all cost, let's give Tito credit for getting the most out of his Cleveland ballclub this year.

King Felix - Not

Felix Hernandez needed to give his team a chance to win in Toronto in order to keep the Mariners playoff hopes alive. Instead, the King was very pedestrian, non-royalty in his 4 2/3rds innings, giving up 8 runs to the Blue Jays. For an ace Hernandez does not seem to pitch like one in big, pressure games. Of course, Seattle hasn't played in many pressure games since they are usually out of the playoff race by the all-star break. By playing for a non-contender King Felix never gets into many pressure-packed games. I'd rather have a Jon Lester, James Shields or Max Scherzer in a one-game-take-all than the King. No question that he puts up good stats every year. But you know the old knock or the old saying about stats. Stats are for teams that lose.

Cespedes & the Green Monsta'

Yoenis Cespedes made a big error in last night's 6-2 loss to the Rays. He is definitely not comfortable with the left field wall at Fenway. As the WEEI blog says, can Cespedes be switched to RF next year where he can use more of his athleticism to track down balls & show off his arm? Add Rusney Castillo, Craig, Victorino & maybe Nava & Betts to the mix & you have a crowded outfield. Nava & Betts have been consistent at the plate this 2nd half, but it's hard to see where they fit. More likely, the Sox will move Nava, maybe Craig & keep Betts. Or Mookie could go back to Pawtucket & wait for an injury to occur. Or Mookie could learn another position - 3B. Lots of moving pieces to be decided after this season is over.

Last Week of Baseball About Wild Cards

The NL is pretty set. Dodgers, Cardinals, Nationals win their divisions. Giants & Pirates are the wild cards. Giants still have a small chance to overtake the Dodgers. Same for the Pirates trying to overtake the Cards. Milwaukee is out - which as you know is fine with me. The AL is a lot more interesting. Angels & Orioles win their divisions. Tigers & Royals are still battling for the AL Central crown with Detroit on top right now. The wild cards are very interesting. Detroit, Kansas City, Oakland & Seattle are vying for the final 3 playoff spots. Any one team could be in, but a bad last week of the season & any one of these 4 cities could be out. Again, my preference is for the Mariners to be the odd team out. Good news - no Yankees in the playoffs after spending a ton of money in the off season. I think you have to root for a newcomer to the playoffs like the KC Royals or Washington Nats. But I would be OK with any team other than the Dodgers winning the whole thing. You have to give the Cardinals a lot of credit for making the playoffs again this year after a slow start or World Series hangover. The Sox never got the same kind of above-average seasons out of several players from the 2013 roster. Go KC!

Pats, Red Sox Win

The New England Patriots outlasted the Oakland Raiders 16-9 in their home opener at Gillette. Brady & the offense did just enough. Big Vince pounced on a tipped ball in the 4th to seal the win. No shock & awe, but a win put the Pats in the tie for first in the AFC East with a 2-1 record. Meanwhile, the Red Sox beat the Baltimore Orioles 3-2 behind the pitching of Joe Kelly. Mookie Betts had a leadoff homer & he looks comfortable in the leadoff spot. Both Betts & Holt give the Sox options at the top of the order for next year. Rusney contributed a hit to keep his solid debut going, along with stealing his first base. A good day all around New England.

Ortiz Goes Off in Baltimore

Dvid Ortiz, the ageless slugger, passes Ted Williams for the most seasons with 30 HR's & 100 RBI with his 2 homers & 3 RBI last night at Camden Yards. Sox win in 10 innings with Big Papi delivering the winning 2-run blast in the 10th. Nice to see Rusney throw out a runner at the plate as well. Back to Ortiz. How long can he defy time? Hopefully, one more year in 2015. But Ben is building a team with sluggers to replace the Sox fixture at DH at some point in the future. I'm sure Ortiz would like to be part of one more championship team before he calls it quits, but you can't argue with 3 rings & 1 MVP award. That's a lifetime of winning for most other players. No doubt the whispers of steroid use will continue. Only Ortiz knows for sure & he has passed every PED test this year thus far. Too bad that we fans are all jaded by the A-Rod's & Ryan Braun's of the game.

2 Pitchers the Sox Could Trade For

At some point the Red Sox will unload a number of existing players & prospects as one way to address their starting pitching needs. Here's a couple of guys in the top 20 for ERA this year that are flying under the radar as the play for smaller market teams. First, Corey Kluber of the Cleveland Indians. Kluber is 28 years old, 6'4", 215 pounds. He has come into his own this year for Francona's tribe with 244 strikeouts in 219 innings. He does not become a free agent until 2019 at age 32, so 4 years of control. Next is Dallas Keuchel of the Houston Astros. Kuechel is 26 years old, 6'3", 210 pounds & a lefty. His WHIP is 1.182 in 193 innings this year & he too is not a free agent until 2019, another 4 years of control. Why would Cleveland or Houston listen to offers on these young pitchers? Because we can offer them a 4-to-1 or 5-to-1 deal in return. Take your pick - Ranaudo, Barnes, Workman, Webster, Escobar, JBJ, Nava, Holt, Middlebrooks, Cecchini, Brentz, Lavarnway, Butler, even a Mookie Betts. We have plenty of spare parts to trade away. Even one of these guys would be a good pick-up as a 3rd pitcher to be added to the staff by way of trade if the free agency route doesn't pan out. A pitcher with an ERA under 4.00 next year should be able to win a lot of games for a 2015 Red Sox team, assuming a much-improved offense which should average 5 runs per game.

Bradford: Is Yasmani Tomas the Next Cuban Slugger for Sox?

Rob Bradford has a nice piece on WEEI about Yasmani Tomas. Another Cuban power hitter. 6'1", 230 pounds, 23 years old. Tomas will be in a baseball showcase this weekend in the Dominican. Lots & lots of teams will be there. He has the physical build of a Jose Abreu. Bradford goes on to say that the Sox could actually let him perculate in AAA for a half season to get his feet wet while the Sox brass juggle their crowded outfield situation. In my mind there is always room for a power hitter. Don't forget that the ageless David Ortiz will retire some year & someone else has to fill those shoes. Again, it's just money & the Cubans are a steal on multi-year deals at $7-$8 million a year versus the $20+ million a year to extend a guy like Stanton. Think about this. Cespedes, Castillo, Victorino start the year in the Sox outfield. Victorino likely gets hurt & up comes Tomas from Pawtucket after experiencing some triple A competition. We could have a whole Cuban outfield for years with one of them rotating at DH. Then, all of the prospects being showcased by the Sox can be used to get proven major-league pitching - a Chris Sale, a Johnny Cueto, a Cole Hammels. C'mon, John Henry, open that checkbook again.

No Offense Again

9-1. 3-2. 3 runs in their last 2 games means no wins for the struggling Red Sox & a sweep by the Pirates. X-man hit a sac fly for 1 run. Mookie drove in the 2nd run with a single. The "B" boys - Bogaerts & Betts - are probably the most consistent guys in the lineup offensively, along with Daniel Nava. The Sox really miss the enthusiasm of Dustin Pedroia. Also, no Castillo or Cespedes in the lineup last night. The tryout for 2015 continues for the next week & a half, then mercifully it will be "ova."

Pictures of Giancarlo Stanton Surface

On the internet today I found a picture of Giancarlo Stanton's face after being hit with a pitch by a Milwaukee pitcher last week. Ugly, real ugly looking. Nose & lips are a mess. Dental issues making his mouth look crooked. Black eyes. What a nasty way to end an MVP year! Now you have to wonder if the young slugger will have a lingering PTSD effect for next year when he steps into the batter's box. Most players can overcome it & I'm sure that Stanton will too. This will in no way limit the number of teams looking to send prospects & major leaguers to Miami in return for Stanton. Red Sox included.

Brewers, Mariners On Outside Looking In

Just because of cheating Ryan Braun & the childish Carlos Gomez I hope that the Brewers don't get into the playoffs. The Brewers led the AL Central for the bulk of the year, but are now collapsing during the final 6 weeks. They are 2 games out of the wild card, chasing the Giants & Pirates, with just 8 or 9 left. Same with the Mariners. Robinson Cano & Felix Hernandez, a pitcher who never pitches in big games, just don't do it for me. The Mariners are also 2 games behind Kansas City & Oakland in the AL wild card race. I'm hoping Milwaukee & Seattle go home at the end of September.

Pirates 9, Red Sox 1

Clay Buchholz proved again that you can't trust him with the keys to trhe kingdom. Coming off 3 good starts in a row, Buck gave up 5 runs in 4 innings as the Sox lose 9-1. Steven Wright was even worse, giving up 4 more runs in just 1 inning. Good news - Rusney Castillo got his 1st big league hit, an infield single. Bryce Brentz got a ringing double as well. Brentz & Garin Cecchini got to play in last night's game as a way for the Sox to show off more & more prospects to other teams before the end of the season. Middlebrooks was moved to 1B for a few innings - just in case a potential suitor needs a first-baseman. And the showcase goes on for the remainder of the season. Last year was a high. This year is a low. 2015 will be ____. You fill it in.

Rusney Joins Big Club Tonight

Fresh off his first HR for Pawtucket Rusney Castillo joins the big club in Pittsburgh tonight & he will start in CF. What a whirlwind this guy has been on! And Rusney has been productive & contributing at every level of play. Regardless of results with the big league, Castillo has certainly showed enough to get to spring training with confidence under his belt. Good pick-up, Ben!

Pap Versus Joe West

Two wrongs don't make anyone right. John Papelbon was wrong for grabbing his crotch after blowing a save in Philadelphia. Joe West was wrong for ejecting him & for grabbing his shirt. I am no fan of Joe West. I think he is bad for the game & should have retired years ago. But in this instance both were wrong. Pap got his 7 game suspension. Let's see what Cowboy Joe gets.

Sox Hit Big Flies in 8-4 Win

Daniel Nava - grand slam. Don't you have to root for a guy like Nava who came out of nowhere? Xander Bogaerts - 3-run homer. Mookie Betts & Xander Bogaerts - 5 for 9 in the leadoff & #2 spots. As the season winds down through the final 2 weeks, several players are jockeying for roster spots in 2015. With Brock Holt & Dustin Pedroia out guys like Betts & Nava are sharing the spotlight, along with a revitalized Xander Bogaerts. Will all 3 be on the roster next year? Probably not, especially if the Sox trade for a frontline pitcher & maybe trade for that big guy in Miami. Right now infielders include Middlebrooks, Bogaerts, Pedroia, Napoli, Craig, Holt. Outfielders include Cespedes, Betts, Bradley, Nava, Victorino & Craig again. Add Ortiz as DH. Add Rusney Castillo. Add 2 catchers in Vazquez & Ross or a Ross-type. Add 5 starting pitchers & 7 for the bullpen. That's 27 before any other gyrations to the roster. Some guys have to go. As I've said several times before, the months of November, December & January will be quite interesting for the Red Sox brass as they put a team together to compete in 2015.

Rusney Still Progressing

2-4 for the Pawtucket Red Sox in their series win last night. Rusney Castillo has made a seamless re-entry into playing games after a year plus away from competition. He has seemed comfortable at every level of play & he may soon be in Boston to complete his shortened season of play. This guy looks like the real deal, a Jacoby Ellsbury at his best with a good throwing arm. Can't have enough good players & all indications are that Castillo is a good one. 2015 can't get here soon enough.

Pats Clobber Vikings 30-7

D-fence! Nice defensive effort by the New England Patriots today en route of the Minnesota Vikings. 4 interceptions plus a blocked field goal. Chandler Jones had a big day with several sacks & rushes of Matt Cassel. On offense it was Julian Edelman & Stevan Ridley carrying the load for Tom Brady. A much-improved offensive line gave Brady time this week to find his receivers. Good overall team win that saw the Patriots put forth a better 2nd half this week. Even Adrian Peterson would not have made a difference this week. Vikings were outplayed all day long. And the future of Peterson being in doubt - due to his switching of his 4-year old son - makes the Vikings future look to be in doubt. Who uses a switch to punish a 4-year old in the 21st century? Dah! The NFL better hope for a lot of exciting games this week to take the attention away from the off-the-field catastrophes that have occurred so far this year.

Week 2 of National "Convict" League

Ray Rice - enough said. Several more football players are facing bans for domestic violence to their wives, to their children, to their girl friends. To me the worst part of this tragedy, beside Roger Goddell's "I never saw the tape" statement, is the reaction of support by some women. USA Today showed 2 women walking into the Ravens stadium with Ray Rice jerseys on & saying they believe in Ray. Why noy set women back 100 years! And then you have Rice's wife standing by her man who knocked her out & dragged her out of an elevator. No remorse. Everyone knows that she's standing by her man because of his $40 million contract which is on the line. She wants her payday. In previous years it was players & guns, shooting girl friends, shooting themselves, shooting others like Aaron Hernandez. But the National Convict League will go on & on as long as fans keep buying tickets & keep buying merchandise.

Chris Davis: Selfish & Stupid

The Baltimore Orioles lose Chris Davis for 25 games due to his illegal taking of the stimulent adderol. Davis had already been warned once about the use of adderol, but I guess he thought no one would check him again. You guessed wrong!! I always thought that his 50+ homers last year were too good to be true, especially for a guy who usually hit 25-30. Mark Muldar from ESPN's Baseball Tonight got it right. He said Davis was selfish & stupid, leaving his team in search of their 3rd 3B as Davis was replacing Machado at 3B. His suspension will run through the ALDS & most of the ALCS. If the O's go to the World Series, do they activate Davis? I say no. Even Buck Showalter said it's hard to complain when the violation by the player is self-inflicted. Stupid & selfish - perfectly put.

Mike Flanagan: You Wouild Be Proud of Your O's

Mike Flanagan's death last year was hard to accept for a lot of folks in NH, including me. For years I would compete against Mike in our school leagues, then we would play as teammates in our summer leagues. It was especially hard to accept the official cause of death as suicide due to a self-inflicted gun shot to the head. This whole situation never sat right with me, so I did as much research as I could this week to look for answers. I found a couple of possible stressers. First, Mike was let go from his duties as GM of the Orioles in 2008. He rejoined the O's as a TV broadcaster in 2010. During his span of unemployment Mike utilized his personal savings & his player pension as money for his everyday needs. The shrinking of his savings & pension monies was a concern to him, although there was never a bankruptcy or foreclosure mentioned in any records. Second, Mike thought that the Baltimore community & O's fans blamed him personally for not restoring the Orioles to the greatness of the 1970's & 1980's - when he was a player. I guess when you have a life of success as a player it can be frustrating to make moves that don't work out as a GM. And, even though Mike's mood had been much better of late per friend & teammate Scott McGregor, his front office failure & firing in 2008 was too much stress for him to handle. I still feel that we will never know the whole story - why suicide, why not reach out to your family & friends, why not look at all your accomplishments, why, why. But Mike must be smiling somewhere with the results of the 2014 Baltimore Orioles who are running away with the AL East title. If they win the World Series, I wonder if Mike would have made a different decision.

Sox Beat Royals 6-3

How many times this year have you been able to say Will Middlebrooks got 2 hits? Not many. But he did in last night's 6-3 win over the KC Royals. Too little, too late? Time will tell. Another workmanlike game by Clay Buchholz who got the win, pitching into the 7th inning & allowing only 3 runs. Do you believe that Buck can deliver 25 to 30 starts like this next year? I don't, but he has probably done enough to keep his spot in the rotation for next year. The bullpen of Layne, Tazawa & Mujica were very good in closing out the game. A big loss for Kansas City, a team trying to hold off the Tigers in the AL Central. Still lots of questions for the Red Sox as they decide who stays & who goes before heading to Fort Myers in February.

Pedroia Gets Surgery Today

Season over & done for scrappy 2B Dustin Pedroia. It's time to get this guy's left thumb/wrist corrected so he can play a pain-free year in 2015. We haven't seen a healthy Dustin Pedroia for awhile & his lack of regular offensive might in the #2 hole of the lineup has been missed. Getting Pedroia right is the right priority at this stage of the season. By end of October he can have a regular off-season routine for once, something he missed last year after undergoing surgery at the end of the World Series. A productive Pedey in the field & at the plate can only help the Sox pennant hopes in 2015.

Johnson & Castillo Look Good for PawSox

The crowd at McCoy Stadium was there to see future Red Sox CF Rusney Castillo. Not only did they see Rusney play the first 9 innings, the crowd also got introduced to Brian Johnson, a lefty pitcher who has risen through the ranks to earn 1 post-season start at AAA. Johnson did not disappoint as he gave up only 2 runs over 6+ innings in an extra innings loss. We know that Rusney will be with the big club once the Pawtucket season has ended. But remember the name of Brian Johnson as another one of those promising young arms - grouped with Owens, Barnes, Ranaudo, Workman, De La Rosa, Escobar, Webster, etc., etc. Lots & lots of arms will be used this off season with surplus outfielders to bring in proven starting pitchers to the rotation &/or can be traded to miami to land the biggest catch of all, Giancarlo Stanton. Add Johnson's name to this list.

Pedroia Out for Season?

For a 2nd year in a row Dustin Pedroia's left wrist has been ailing. In 2013 he injured it in game 1 at Yankee Stadium, but he played through it for the entire year, including playoffs & World Series. A tough guy. Now we find out that surgery to correct the wrist in the off-season has not really corrected the problem fully & it flared up on him more lately than at other times during this regular season. Pedroia should be kept out for the remainder of this 'nothing-to-play-for" 3 week ending of the 2014 season. He should also get a proper diagnosis & treatment ASAP so he is ready to go for spring training of 2015. We are just lucky that the Sox are not in a pennant race & Pedroia was scratched. I have to think that, when healthy, Pedroia still has several more productive seasons left in him.

O's 4, Sox 1

The only positive that I can take away from last night's loss to Baltimore is that we are another day closer to the off season where sparks should fly with trades & free agent acquisitions. It looks like the O's are setting themselves up for a match with the Angels in the ALCS. Both teams almost have the exact same stats. The wild cards will be fun to watch between Detroit/Kansas City, Seattle, Oakland & even Terry Francona's Indians. Just keep the Yankees out.

Kelly Has Done Enough

Pencil in Joe Kelly as one of the Red Sox starters in 2015. In my book Kelly has done enough to earn a spot in 2015. Even though the Sox lost 4-0 to the surging O's last night Kelly once again gave a creditable performance by going 6+ innings & giving up just 3 earned runs, scattering 6 singles against the team with the most homers in the bigs. That's a pitcher who gives your team a chance to win. Maybe the Sox should pull an Indianapolis Colts & just tank the rest of the season to get a better draft pick. There's nothing left to play for this year. Back to Kelly who is only 24 years old. He is under contract for 4 more years & Joe is a guy that can & will improve as time goes on. Along with Kelly, I guess the inconsistent Clay Buchholz has done enough lately to keep his spot for next year, although you can't count on him for a full season of 200 innings. That's where Brandon Workman or Anthony Ranaudo come in as valuable insurance. Then there is Rubby De La Rosa who could function adequately as a #5 starter. So I'd say that Ben has the job of finding a #1 & a #2 in the off season.

Pats Beat in Miami 33-20

It's not often than you see a Patriots team under Bill Belichick get out-hustled & out-played. That's exactly what happened in Miami in the Pats loss to the Dolphins in the opener. Miami was more physical on both lines. The Pats just seemed to wither in the heat of the 2nd half after leading 20-10 at halftime. Vince Wilford missed tackles & was not a force to be reckoned with. Tom Brady threw many uncatchable balls. Very lifeless team in the 3rd & 4th quarters. Not what we are use to seeing by any stretch.

Sox Get Beat 3-1 in Finale

Taking 2 out of 3 from any team is always good. So, by that measure, the Red Sox had a good series at home against the Blue Jays this weekend. Middlebrooks is fielding the ball very well at 3rd. Now if he could only get the bat going. You know you're going bad at the plate when the announcers start talking about how you hit the ball hard while still making an out - something Middlebrooks did do on Saturday. Bogaerts & Betts are still hitting the ball well & playing well in the field. The Sox certainly put a crimp in the Jays season as the number of games tick away in September. Toronto is done. I just hope that the A's, Detroit & Seattle keep the Yankees out of the wild card hunt. Maybe a dark horse like Terry Francona's Indians will slip into another wild card berth this year. Should be a good race to the finish. Go Royals!

Sox Win Again 4-3

All the sports talk today will be about Tom Brady, Rob Gronkowski & the New England Patriots starting the 2014 season in Miami at 1 PM. I can think of a different scenario had the Red Sox been more successful in winning 1-run games earlier in the season as they have done in the last 2 nights against the Jays. 10 or 12 more wins out of the 20-something losses by 1 run would put them back in the hunt for a wild card. But such is life. You can't win every year. It was encouraging to see Clay Buchholz pitch well again & well enough to get a win. It was encouraging to see the continued improved play of Bogaerts, Betts & Middlebrooks. It was encouraging to see Mujica work out of trouble & close out the game. All eyes by Ben & company are on player evaluations that continue through game #162 of this year. You know that several players will be gone for a pitcher or two & a power bat. Competition is good. It will be a fun & busy off season.

Sox Win Wild One 9-8

You could say that your Boston Red Sox team won a come-from-behind game. You could also say that the Toronto Blue Jays lost the game twice as they let the Beantown 9 come back in the 8th & 10th innings. Mookie Betts & Xander Bogaerts were instrumental in the 8th & 10th as both set the table with leadoff hits to score the tying runs. Yoenis Cespedes sent the Fenway faithful home with a long 410 drive to CF that bounced into the stands with the bases loaded to score the winning run. Nice to see the Sox hang in there & put another nail in the Jays coffin. Toronto was favored to win the AL East last year & they finished dead last. This year they got off to a fast start & they have faded in the 2nd half to where they stand in 3rd place & out of the playoffs. Two disappointing years in a row. I guess we won't have to worry about seeing the obnoxious "Ed-wing" from Encarnacion in October. If I'm pitching, he getting a ball right into his wing the next time up. What a dope!

What To Do With Middlebrooks?

A flash of power, including one 3 homerun game in Toronto. Then injuries. Then unable to get back on track offensively. Many, many strikeouts, not even hitting the ball. That kind of sums up the career of 25-year old Will Middlebrooks. What do the Sox do this off-season? Right now we hear that the plan for Middlebrooks is to play winter league ball to see if he can get his swing back before spring training. In the meantime, the Sox have to start considering other options at 3B. Should they package Middlebrooks in a deal for a pitcher or for Stanton & just let him go? Or do they invest in him for another year & hope that he regains his power stroke? Tough questions. Unfortunately for Will, his troubles started last New Years Eve when he & Jenny Dell came out & said that they were a couple. Dell promptly got dumped from NESN & Middlebrooks has never got on track in 2014. Two young careers heading downward at the same time. If I'm Ben & the Sox management think that Garin Cecchini can produce next year at the major league level, I guess I listen to offers on Middlebrooks. If not, I guess you keep him for another try. Unfortunately, there are no "do overs" in the big leagues. And Middlebrooks is running out of time.

The Good, The Bad, The Ugly

The Good - David Ortiz hits 2 homers & drives in 3 runs. Brock Holt takes advantage of the short RF porch as well with a homer of his own. Holt also made a great play on a pop into short center. The Bad - Dustin Pedroia still out of the lineup with concussion symptoms. Will Middlebrooks strikes out 2 more times. Middlebrooks is playing himself out of a career. Allen Craig just can't seem to get going offensively, maybe due to his ankle injury. Maybe he needs more time off since there is nothing to prove this year. The Ugly - Koji, Koji, Koji. Shut him down!! How many times does this guy need to fail before you shut him down? A big swing game like last night in New York & the Sox lose this series because Farrell just HAS to use Koji. No, you don't need to use him to prove anything. And we could have snuffed the life out of the Yankees by winning this series. Ugly, ugly loss & very unnecessary. I'm not happy.

Mookie Making His Pitch

At 21 Mookie Betts has shown his versatility to convert to a new position on the fly. In a short sample of games, reminiscent of Xander Bogaerts last year, he has shown that he can hit in the big leagues & steal bases, making him a viable option as leadoff. But what of the Rusney Castillo signing? As posted on the WEEI blog today, I like their article that says there may be room for both Betts & Castillo. Often injured Shane Victorino has one year left on his contract. Either Betts or Castillo could take over RF in 2016 with the other manning CF. Yoenis Cespedes has one year remaining on his current contract. Should the Red Sox not extend him, another outfield position will open up in LF in 2016. Betts could start next year in Triple A Pawtucket & get a full year under his belt in the outfield. I'd like to see the Sox find a way to keep Mookie going forward - unless he gets packaged for a deal involving Giancarlo Stanton. That's the only guy that I would let him go for.

Nice Win, Stupid Ending

First, a nice win by the Sox 9-4 over the stinkin' Yankees in New York. I don't care about the standings. I don't care whether it's April or September. It never gets old to defeat the pinstripers who were labeled the biggest chokes ever in 2004. Let's not forget that. Young guns Xander Bogaerts & Mookie Betts had a great game, each hitting solo homers & compiling multi-hit nights. Bogaerts has certainly been a different offensive player since coming off the concussion DL. Nice to see Daniel Nava continue his good 2nd half with a 3-run homer & nice to see Joe Kelly work out of trouble to earn his 1st victory as a Red Sox pitcher. All good things. Now, am I the only guy who thinks that John Farrell is a boob for putting Koji in in the 9th with a 6-run lead? Koji has a dead arm. In the pre-game show Caron & Eck said Koji would only be used in save situations & not for more than 2 nights in a row. What is Farrell thinking? You or I could go out there & get 3 outs before giving up 6 runs! Use one of your call-ups, not Koji. Even getting him up in the top of the 9th when the Sox were ahead by 4 runs was stupid. I just don't get that at all. And of course Koji gave up a homer & a hit before getting his 3 outs. The guy is old & needs rest. Give it to him, John, give him some rest during these meaningless games.

Gronk Back

Biggest sports story yesterday. No, not the Sox loss in Tampa 4-3 in 10 innings. It was a statement by Rob Gronkowski that he is cleared to play on Sunday in Miami. I was lucky enough to see a Pats game a few years ago & Gronk is a game changer. His presence on the field cannot be overlooked. He is a one-of-a-kind player. With him on the field the Pats & Tom Brady have a much better chance of winning. And with time running out on Brady to get another Super Bowl ring Gronk could be the difference-maker. Let's hope that the big guy stays healthy this year.

Chris Sale Versus Cole Hamels

It will only cost the Sox money to get Jon Lester back or to pick-up James Shields as a free agent. I see the Sox going the free agent route to get one of their top pitchers for 2015. In a trade the Sox could package several players to get Chris Sale from the White Sox or Cole Hamels from the Phillies. Both the White Sox & Phillies are rebuilding for the future, so several highly touted young Red Sox prospects under control for low money & for several years would be of interest to both clubs. I almost think at this point that Sale would be a better trade. He's younger, only 25, less costly, & he doesn't have as much wear & tear on his arm as Hamels. Sale also pitches against AL clubs where Hamels is in the NL. Both have thrown over 200 innings, Sale for the past 2 years & Hamels for the past 4. If I'm Ben, I would stay young & try to pry away Sale from the White Sox with a combination of surplus pitchers & outfielders, a 3-to-1 or 4-to-1 deal.

Rusney Era Begins

Rusney Castillo singled in his first minor league at-bat in Florida yesterday. The Cuban defector played DH & got a couple of at-bats & was thrown out trying to steal 2nd. Not a bad start to get the rust off of a year's + absence from competition. As Lou Merloni said on The Baseball Show, the Sox will bring him to the big team later in September to introduce him to the "routine" - what time to get to the park, pre-game workout, post-game transportation, hotel living, etc. - so it won't be strange to him next year. There are a lot of cultural differences to get through & the Sox want their $72 million investment to be comfortable next year in the Sox starting lineup. He could be in CF. He could be at 3B. I bet Middlebrooks, Betts & JBJ would like to know where Rusney is playing too as it effects their future with this team. Rusney will be "the" story of September for the Red Sox.

"Dr. Jeckyll" Buck Pitches Shutout

The good Buchholz showed up yesterday & he pitched a complete game shutout against the Tampa Bay Rays. Clay needed only 98 pitches to retire 27 batters, including the last 12 in a row. Jeckyll & Hyde for sure this year. Good luck to the Red Sox for trying to figure this guy out. Injuries. Ineffective starts. Then a couple like yesterday. I guess the Sox have to keep Buck, but not as a #1 or any kind of leader to a young staff. Leave him slated in as a #3 or #4. Buck & Kelly can be the #3 & #4 next year, probably De La Rosa or Ranaudo as #5. Then 2 signings or trades for a #1 & #2. You know the names -- Lester, Scherzer, Sales, Shields, Cueto, Hamels. The offense yesterday was led by Mookie & X-man with 2 hits a piece, then Vazquez & Ortiz with RBI hits. Mookie continues to make his case for a spot on the big roster next year, depending where the Sox decide to play Castillo.