Red Sox's Patriots Day solution? Sleep in the clubhouse
The Red Sox, for the first time in franchise history, were playing their traditional Patriots Day game at 11 a.m., after coming off a night game.
The Red Sox and Orioles, playing an ESPN night game, finished playing Sunday at 10:30, and were back at Fenway Park just 10 hours later.
Well, some guys never left.
Red Sox pitcher Clay Buchholz, who started Monday, simply spent the night in the Red Sox clubhouse. Fellow starter John Lackey stayed with him.
And so did first baseman Mike Napoli.
Red Sox manager John Farrell thought about it, but declined.
"I had my own sleeping quarters,'' Farrell said, laughing. "This is a quick turnaround. We're on short rest, the game goes on. We'll be there.
"I can't say with bells on, but we'll be raring to go.''
A reporter asked Farrell how his players were feeling on such short rest.
"How do you feel this morning?'' he said.
Buchholz, surely, could have felt better.
The Red Sox's starter was rocked for six runs while recording just seven outs, putting the Red Sox in an early hole at Fenway.
Orioles manager Buck Showalter, with the coffee brewing early in his office, didn't care for the scheduled ESPN Sunday Night game. Yet, he certainly understands the significance of Patriots Day, particularly after the marathon bombing of a year ago.
"This is very important to our country,'' Showalter said, "not just Boston.''
Just how difficult is the quick turnaround?
"It's such uncharted territory for everybody," Showalter said. "Ask me after the game. I just hope that [both teams are] operating on the same thing except they slept in their bed.
"It's a different clock than you ever have. It's even different than the spring
"The only thing I ever worry about is the quality of [play]. We're all trying to deliver a certain level of play each day.
"Some are more challenging than others.''
GALLERY: Marathon anniversary at Fenway
American Meb Keflezighi wins Boston Marathon
He looked up to the sky, then kissed the ground three times. He took a bow, then emotion won out as he put his hands over his face and broke into tears.
Wilson Chebet of Kenya was second in 2:08.48.
Keflezighi's win was entirely unexpected. Turning 39 next month, his best days seemed to be in his past, especially given the Kenyan stronghold on the race. Since 1991, a runner from Kenya has won the men's race 19 times.
After the race, Keflezighi hugged Greg Meyer, the last American man to win the race in 1983. "He told me two days ago, 'You're the smartest guy there,'" Keflezighi said. "Then this morning before I took off, he said, 'Go get it done. You can do it. You can do it. There can't be a better person to pass it on.'"
Wearing a red and white top and blue shorts, Keflezighi was cheered by massive crowds from Hopkinton to Boylston Street. He was born in the African nation of Eritrea but immigrated to the U.S. with his family when he was 12 and lives in San Diego with his wife and three daughters.
He didn't race last year but was in the stands, leaving only about five minutes before the bombs went off. Today Keflezighi, a three-time Olympian, returned to the same spot and gave the city a reason to cheer.
The 2004 Olympic silver medalist won his last major marathon at the Olympic trials in 2012. He also won the New York marathon in 2009.
Keflezighi broke away from Josphat Boit, an American runner who was born in Kenya, midway through the race. By mile 17, Keflezighi had a minute lead over the pack that included defending champion Lelisa Desisa of Ethiopia.
Rita Jeptoo of Kenya defended her title in the women's race, setting a course record of 2:18.57. American Shalane Flanagan set a fast pace through the first half, leading the women's pack at the halfway mark and finishing seventh in 2:22.02.
The field was announced at 35,755, second only to the centennial race in 1996 when a record 38,708 ran.
Strict new protocol required runners to check all their gear in officially approved bags, then pass through security checkpoints before boarding school buses. Pedestrians clapped as a team of more than 50 state and local police in florescent jackets rode through the Common on mountain bikes.
Runners, family members and spectators alike explained how they had made special arrangements to be on site this year in response to last year's bombings.
"The whole concept of terrorism and the impact it has on the country – it resonated with me," said Bryan Crenshaw, who came up from Philadelphia for the event. "For that scar to impact this event is horrifying. I wanted to be here to just sort of support the healing process."
Crenshaw was cheering on his cousin, Reid Bolinger of Greensboro, N.C., who ran last year but didn't get to finish after the bombs went off.
"It does feel different from last year," said spectator Raj Chavan of Newton. He came downtown with his 10-year-old son, he said, in an act of defiance against global terrorism, which he said has impacted his native India as well as the United States and other nations.
"It's sending a message of resiliency," Chavan said. "We're not going to stay out. We're going to cheer."
Contributing: G. Jeffrey MacDonald
NBA playoffs: Ranking the first-round series by entertainment value
There’s
no love lost between Stephen Curry’s Warriors and Chris Paul’s
Clippers. (Danny Bollinger and Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images)
8. Miami Heat (2) vs. Charlotte Bobcats (7)
Charlotte’s reward for making the playoffs for the second time in the franchise’s 10-year history is an unfortunate matchup with the two-time defending champions. That’s a tough break for the pleasantly competent Bobcats. Aside from the gap in talent and playoff experience, the Heat dominated the Bobcats in their season series, going 4-0 despite missing Dwyane Wade for two games. A few were competitive, but overall the Heat thrashed the Bobcats by a massive efficiency differential of 15 points per 100 possessions. Charlotte’s typically stout defense was stretched and exploited, with Chris Bosh pouring in three-pointers and LeBron James attacking freely off the dribble. In their last meeting, on March 3, James dropped a career- and franchise-best 61 points in a 124-107 victory. That’s an exaggerated outcome, to be sure, but it’s one that doesn’t bode terribly well for Charlotte’s chances.The Bobcats will have their competitive moments, jamming Miami’s sets with well-coordinated defense and wringing points from Al Jefferson post-ups. This is still a series worth watching as both a potential Heat spectacle and a celebration of the Bobcats’ season. It’s just not a terribly fascinating draw compared with the other matchups on the board.
7. Indiana Pacers (1) vs. Atlanta Hawks (8)
These teams scuffled through a vaguely competitive first-round series last season. This year should be no different. Atlanta’s floor-spreading big men pose an interesting test for Indiana, which relies on having the 7-foot-2 Roy Hibbert stationed to defend the rim. With Hibbert either pulled outside or playing off a capable shooter, the Pacers’ defense is compromised. That could leave enough room for the Hawks to legitimately push the Pacers in this series, but that might be giving a remarkably average Atlanta team a bit more credit than it deserves. At its most captivating, this series could have shades of upset potential. More likely, though, it’ll be an exchange of mediocrity from two teams playing at that level for very different reasons.6. Chicago Bulls (4) vs. Washington Wizards (5)
This series will be predicated on binding one of the league’s most athletic young stars. Such is the way that these Bulls operate — theirs is a game of prevention, not only of points but also of space and lanes and all that might allow an opponent to score in bursts. Chicago’s game plan takes out opponents at their legs, which is a damn shame when an ultra-quick creator like John Wall is so crucial on the other side of the ball. He and these Wizards could be a treat in a more open series. Instead, they’ll spend a few weeks drawing blood from stone.That can be engaging in its own way, provided the audience has an appreciation for what goes into championship-level defense. It helps that Washington has a real shot, too, as will any quality foe against Chicago. The Bulls’ miserable offense is just that crippling; no matter how great Joakim Noah has been, how helpful D.J. Augustin turned out to be or how promising Jimmy Butler might seem in spots, Chicago suffers mightily for its lack of shot creation. All the hard work and best intentions in the world couldn’t elevate the Bulls beyond a No. 28 ranking in offensive efficiency — a fatal flaw that will lead to Chicago’s downfall at some point. Washington is capable of fulfilling that promise in the first round if all goes their way.
5. San Antonio Spurs (1) vs. Dallas Mavericks (8)
It’s a testament to this year’s playoff pool that a series like this one — with all-time greats, awesome offenses and a tinge of rivalry — could rank so low. The Spurs’ consistency is the reason why. Though Dallas has a lot of weapons and a coach who can be trusted to use them wisely, San Antonio controlled the matchup in sweeping the four-game season series. Games between the two tend to be competitive to a point until Dallas’ defensive liabilities become all too clear.It’s to their credit that the Mavs can get by for long stretches by trading scores — even against an offense as prolific as that of the Spurs. At some point, though, Monta Ellis and Jose Calderon surrender a few too many blow-bys and Brandan Wright is outmuscled on a few too many inside scores. These Mavs are fun and they’ll keep the Spurs on their toes. They’re just not balanced enough to put a scare into what has been the best team in the league over the past few months.
4. Houston Rockets (4) vs. Portland Trail Blazers (5)
I’m not particularly crazy about the Blazers’ chances of winning, but what this series might lack in length it could make up for in scoring spectacle. Though Houston is defensively capable, it can be lulled into a shooting contest if the opportunity arises. I very much hope that it does. The postseason doesn’t offer many opportunities for a team committed to the fast break to run against such an accommodating defense as the Blazers’. If Portland feeds into that pace, this could be a blast of a series — dependent on high-variance shooting surges, reliant on elite-level shot-makers and featuring just enough defensive spice to keep things interesting.3. Oklahoma City Thunder (2) vs. Memphis Grizzlies (7)
This is a chance to follow through on what could have been last season, when Russell Westbrook missed the teams’ second-round series with a knee injury. It was all too easy then for the Grizzlies to crowd an overextended Kevin Durant, who at the time was just getting accustomed to initiating from the top of the floor. Oh, how things have changed. With Westbrook back and Durant improved, Memphis will be tested on every trip down the floor.Still, the Grizzles have the caliber of defense necessary to slow down a team as explosive as the Thunder. Marc Gasol’s ability to contain pick-and-rolls and wall off the basket could be pivotal. Players like Tayshaun Prince and Tony Allen might wind up as a valuable assets in defending Durant or as exploitable pieces for their lack of offense. Mike Conley might be one of the few guards in the league who can keep track of Westbrook, but that in itself might not be enough with Durant now capable of running the show as needed.
Bottom line: There’s a lot of fun tension in play between a hyper-athletic, highly efficient offense and a hunkered-down, incredibly formidable defense. It’s a stress test for both teams carried out over seven games.
2. Toronto Raptors (3) vs. Brooklyn Nets (6)
This is a sneaky good series with a lot going on, headlined by the new jacks vs. old hands narrative. To see the fresh-faced and bushy-tailed Raps in the postseason should be reason enough to tune in. Ditto for a chance to check out a Nets team of familiar faces as it kicks off its playoff run.The real draw, though, is just how testy and competitive the season series between these teams turned out to be. Three of the four games were decided by seven total points. The games were appropriately split 2-2 with neither team claiming any significant advantage. It should be a coin flip of a series made all the better by the fact that these teams talk. Any series with Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce involved is bound to be chatty, and the Raptors have managed to dial up the game’s tension by playing well and responding in kind.
Plus, with this series Raptors guard Terrence Ross gets exactly the matchup he wanted — a hope that gave Nets big man Andray Blatche occasion to offer a warning in response:
“S—, you better be careful what tree you bark up. He better be careful,” Blatche told the Daily News. “He’s probably just saying that because he had a good game against us. But I don’t think that’s really what he meant or what he really, really wants.”I’m not expecting too much more in the way of postgame barb trading, though the underlying animosity should carry through. These aren’t just two teams that dislike one another. They’re two teams that seem to think they’re better than one another — stances of mutual pride and agitation that make a series all the better. I can’t wait to see how that touchiness manifests when the Raptors and Nets are forced to play one another over and over until the series’ resolution.
1. Los Angeles Clippers (3) vs. Golden State Warriors (6)
This series had all-time potential as pure spectacle when Andrew Bogut was expected to play. The expected absence of his outstanding defense and needless cheap shots bring things down a peg, though. All the same, this should still be a pretty great series. No other teams streak and preen quite like these two, which should result in a series where most everyone involved is good and pissed.That’s particularly enticing in the case of Chris Paul, who seems to enter another state of consciousness when irritated. Anger brings Paul a defensive fury atop his offensive genius. He turns into a hyper-aggressive, surgically precise one-man press, which would make an awesome foil for Stephen Curry. One can only hope that — even without Bogut’s shoves and fouls — Paul might use the vitriol in the matchup to rage as the best player on the floor. That channeled anger makes for a hell of a show.
Still, it would be shocking if Curry didn’t hold his own, balancing out what should be the best one-on-one matchup of the first round. Actually, make that two-on-one; it’s highly unlikely that Curry will guard Paul all the time, as the Warriors could (and should) lean on Andre Iguodala or Klay Thompson to shoulder that responsibility. If Iguodala draws the assignment, this would be a great showcase of the elite — the best point guard in the league working against the best perimeter defender, infused with just the right amount of postseason desperation.
Beyond that, this series should highlight what Doc Rivers offers as a coach that Mark Jackson does not; will test DeAndre Jordan’s full range as a team defender; might see the Warriors shift to smaller lineups out of necessity; will pit two of the league’s fastest-paced teams against one another; may see a gunner like Jamal (or Jordan?) Crawford win a quarter outright; will put the little-known Draymond Green back in the postseason spotlight; should create a greater appreciation for what J.J. Redick provides; and will ultimately knock out a team with reasonable championship aspirations. Bon appetit.
Manny Pacquiao Is Vindicated
“It’s rare when both men want redemption from a single fight,” said Jim Lampley, HBO’s boxing announcer. One of the wanters was Manny Pacquiao, among the best and most popular fighters of the past few decades. Nearly two years ago, at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Pacquiao plainly outboxed Timothy Bradley for twelve rounds but was declared the loser by two of the three judges, in one of the most reviled decisions in boxing history. He returned to the same arena on Saturday night for a rematch with Bradley—the other man in Lampley’s formulation. Ever since his dubious victory over Pacquiao, Bradley has insisted (incorrectly, but understandably) that he deserved it, and this insistence, in the eyes of many fans, made Bradley complicit in a great boxing scandal. Having worked for years to get himself a big fight, Bradley finally got it, won it, and found himself insulted and mocked. In recent interviews, Bradley has said that the reaction drove him to consider suicide. “I was thinking, I don’t want to box anymore—I don’t even want to live anymore,” he said.
One might not have thought that Pacquiao needed redemption: the consensus was that he had beaten Bradley, and in boxing, official decisions are only as important as fans and fighters want them to be. Pacquiao was free to ignore the judges and continue his career. But in his next fight, six months later, he was brutally knocked out by Juan Manuel Márquez. After that, it was hard not to think of the Bradley fiasco as the beginning of Pacquiao’s disastrous 2012. And though he recovered this past November, with a clear but not explosive victory over Brandon Ríos, Pacquiao still entered Saturday night’s fight seeming somewhat diminished—no longer the frenetic conqueror he used to be. Two years ago, a survey of boxing experts found that a wide majority picked Pacquiao to win, twenty-four to two. Last week, a similar survey found a more mixed result: a much narrower majority picked Pacquiao to win the rematch, twenty-three to fifteen.
Bradley spent 2013 giving his fans reason for confidence. In March, he won a thrilling and brutal decision against a bruising Russian named Ruslan Provodnikov. Then, in October, he fought Márquez, using guile and speed to get himself a twelve-round victory, by decision, that most agreed he deserved. Both Bradley and Pacquiao are Christians, given to public professions of faith and gratitude, and in the build-up to Saturday’s fight they were relatively courteous. “There’s nothing I can say bad about Manny,” Bradley said, when the two fighters were brought face to face. “Only thing is, that hunger that he’s looking for? It’s no longer there. It’s no longer there. And he can’t get it back.” On a different occasion, Pacquiao, affable as ever, seemed to concede Bradley’s point. “I think he’s right,” Pacquiao said. “Maybe I’m just too kind and nice to my opponent, sometimes, in the ring.”
As the fight approached, Bradley promised—not angrily, but emphatically—not just to beat Pacquiao but to knock him out. Savvy fans assumed that he was bluffing: only twelve of Bradley’s thirty-one victories had come by knockout, and all but one of those had taken place in the early years of his career, before he had started fighting accomplished opponents. But, when Saturday’s fight started, it seemed that Bradley had meant it. He swung hard, and occasionally connected; after the fourth round, the boxer Roy Jones, Jr., one of HBO’s commentators, pointed out that Bradley had hit Pacquiao so solidly, with an overhand right, that he had made Pacquiao levitate.
But Bradley is not, in fact, a particularly hard puncher, and by the second half of the fight it seemed Pacquiao had realized this, or remembered it. More and more, Bradley was waiting, posing, daring Pacquiao to hit him, hoping to set up an unlikely knockout punch. (After the fight, Bradley suggested that this strategy had been born of desperation: he said that he had been trying to work around a leg injury he had suffered early on.) Pacquiao is not as fast as he used to be—he is thirty-five, and he has been a professional boxer for more than half his life. But he was plenty fast enough to hit Bradley often, and strong enough to wobble Bradley a few times. Pacquiao wasn’t quite as dominant as he had been in 2012, but this time he earned a unanimous decision: eight rounds to four, according to two of the judges; ten rounds to two, according to the third.
It had been a long night. All three of the main undercard fights lasted the full twelve rounds, which meant that it was after midnight on the East Coast by the time the main event started. Fans who paid their $69.99 and watched the entire broadcast saw forty-eight rounds of boxing, lasting around four hours; there was plenty of action, and there were moments of sustained tension, but in the four main fights no one got knocked down or out. Boxing is capable of producing raucous brawls and silly spectacles, sometimes in the same fight. But Saturday’s broadcast made boxing seem, at least for a night, solid, serious, sober. Thank goodness, then, for Pacquiao’s mother, Dionesia Dapidran-Pacquiao, who was caught by HBO’s camera vigorously urging her son to win—or maybe, even better, urging his opponent to lose. She was holding what looked like rosary beads while pointing, squinting, and intoning something; she had become a social media star even before the decision was announced.
The clear, uncontroversial verdict seemed to please both fighters. Pacquiao claimed to be satisfied, even though he didn’t manage to end a five-year knockout drought. And Bradley, despite suffering his first official loss, seemed happier than he did after the first fight. “I lost to one of the greatest boxers in boxing,” he said, as if he were relieved to be able to acknowledge the general consensus, and join it.
The one person who didn’t seem satisfied after the fight was Bob Arum, the founder and C.E.O. of Top Rank, which promoted the fight. Earlier in the week, he had been shocked to see the MGM Grand covered in advertisements for Floyd Mayweather, who is fighting in the same arena on May 3rd, in a match co-promoted by Top Rank’s fierce rival, Golden Boy. “At the Venetian, they wouldn’t make a mistake like this,” he said, before the fight. (Pacquiao’s previous fight had been at the Venetian Macao.) “But that’s why one company makes a billion dollars a quarter, and the other hustles to pay its debt.”
Even after the fight, when he was supposed to be celebrating Pacquiao’s resurgence, Arum found himself distracted by the MGM Grand’s transgression, and by the shadow of Mayweather, whose continued excellence means that Pacquiao can only be considered boxing’s second brightest star. Mayweather’s opponent is Marcos Maidana, a flinty Argentine who is given a slim chance to win. “It’s bad for the public, who is going to be talked to about spending good money to see nonsense, and it’s bad for a property like MGM, which continues to peddle noncompetitive matches,” Arum said. No doubt the boxing writers in the room were amused by the spectacle of Arum, one of the sport’s wiliest dealmakers, playing the role of consumer advocate. He knows that, in boxing today, no one casts a larger shadow than Mayweather and his business partners. But he also knows that for a promoter, unlike for a boxer, there’s nothing to be gained by admitting defeat.
Photograph by Joe Klamar/AFP/Getty.
In Frozen Four, BC won’t take Union rematch lightly
PHILADELPHIA — Johnny Gaudreau and Bill Arnold would both like to
forget about the last time they were on the ice against Union College.
The Dutchmen stunned their Boston College team with a 5-1 thrashing
in the East Regional semifinals at Providence last March, putting an
abrupt end to the Eagles’ bid to repeat as national champions.
That game was a year ago, but the memory is painfully fresh. On Thursday, when BC (28-7-4) takes on top-ranked Union (30-6-4) in the Frozen Four semifinals, Gaudreau and Arnold will have a chance to purge it from their minds once and for all.
“That 5-1 loss is pretty fresh in our minds,” said Gaudreau, who leads the nation in scoring with 77 points. “I think we took them a little too lightly. I think we should have went into the game a little more motivated or a little more focused.
“This year, after that first loss against Union, I know a lot of the guys from our team last year didn’t want to go through that again.”
There are 12 returning players from last year’s squad, and Thursday’s game marks just the second time these teams have played each other. The Eagles vow that they will not make the same mistake.
This time around, there is a great deal of respect for Union, which has won 10 straight games and is unbeaten in its last 15 (14-0-1).
“I think we’re much better, and I think they’ve obviously made it farther this year than they did last year, so they’re a better team,” Arnold said.
“We’re going to respect them as an opponent, but like we’ve been doing the last month here, we’re focused on our game and what we have to do to win.
“We know it’s made us successful throughout the year, so that’s our main focus here.”
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Who are the top contenders at the Masters?
Rory McIlroy
- Age: 24. World ranking: 9
- Masters starts/cuts made: 5/4
- Best finish: T15 (2011)
-
Might win because: Sunday’s 65 at the Shell Houston
Open was McIlroy’s first sub-70 tour score since March 1, and could
serve as a springboard this week. Maybe a return to Augusta National
will help, as well. He came close to winning three years ago before a
final-round 80, but that was before he was a major champion. Now he has
won two majors. Will need to keep big numbers off his card; last two
third rounds here were 77 and 79.
__________________________________________
Phil Mickelson
- Age: 43. World ranking: 5
- Masters starts/cuts made: 21/20
- Best finish: Win (2004, 2006, 2010)
-
Might win because: He is Phil Mickelson, and this is
the Masters. While it’s not his birthright to contend every year (he
tied for 54th last year), Mickelson has been in the top five in 10 of
his 21 Masters appearances. If you’re into trends and numbers, this is
an even-numbered year, and Mickelson has challenged almost every time
that’s the case: wins in 2004, 2006, and 2010, a tie for fifth in 2008,
and a tie for third two years ago. Watch out.
_________________________________________________
Lee Westwood
- Age: 40. World ranking: 37
- Masters starts/cuts made: 14/11
- Best finish: 2d (2008)
-
Might win because: This pick has everything to do with
Westwood’s track record at the Masters, and not his recent form. He tied
for 17th last week in Houston, which is his best finish of the season.
But he hasn’t been worse than 11th in the last four Masters, and was
second in 2008, tied for third in 2012, and tied for eighth last year.
Westwood was ranked No. 1 in the world at the end of 2010, and was No. 2
a year later. Now he’s 37th.
__________________________________
Brandt Snedeker
- Age: 33. World ranking: 19
- Masters starts/cuts made: 6/5
- Best finish: T3 (2008)
-
Might win because: Had his best finish of the season in
his most recent start, a tie for eighth at the Arnold Palmer
Invitational three weeks ago. But he has scuffled this year, hurt most
by a balky putter, which has long been Snedeker’s strength. He is 77th
in strokes gained putting this season; he led that tour category two
years ago, and was fourth last year. Snedeker took the lead into the
final round here last year, then shot 75.
______________________________________
The winner: Adam Scott
- Age: 33. World ranking: 2
- Masters starts/cuts made: 12/10
- Best finish: Win (2013)
- Will win because: He has conquered Augusta National before, and knows he can do it again. He won the Masters last year because he led the field in greens in regulation (76 percent), three-putted just twice, and used his experience from close calls in previous majors to his advantage in bagging his first. He’ll have a tough task this week: Only three players have won back-to-back Masters: Jack Nicklaus, Nick Faldo, and Tiger Woods.
______________________________________
Ask Nick: What’s the plan in the outfield?
Red Sox manager John Farrell will have to decide which outfielders to
keep on the roster when Shane Victorino returns from the disabled list.
There’s lots of concern about the outfield situation in this mailbag. Folks are wondering who the odd man out is when Shane Victorino returns.
My guess is Jackie Bradley Jr. goes back to Pawtucket if there are no other injuries or a phantom DL stint for one of them.Otherwise, welcome to the 2014 Red Sox season. It has been underwhelming so far. Some of the issues we thought might crop up have so far: left-side infield defense was air-tight last season with Stephen Drew, but not as much this season. The loss of Jacoby Ellsbury has been felt and he’s also having a good season in New York.
We’re waiting for Clay Buchholz to take that next step, but he took a backward one in his first start. Victorino hasn’t been able to stay healthy.
But as they say, the season is young.
Here’s the mailbag:
What do they see in Felix Doubront that I don’t? Last year started out rough, too.
Really talented guy who just can’t seem to get over the hump. Very consistent for about 15 starts last year. The goal is to keep growing that number. He’d better watch out because Brandon Workman needs a spot in the rotation.
The Red Sox appear to have a surplus of outstanding pitchers and catchers in their organization. Which pitcher(s) do you see possibly moving into the rotation in the second half of the season due to injuries or unforeseen circumstances? Also, A.J. Pierzynski seems to have an uncanny ability to pick off runners, but David Ross not so much. Do you see Christian Vasquez getting called up sooner or later?
They would love to get Brandon Workman in the starting rotation somehow. That may require someone getting hurt or traded. I’m sure we’ll see cameos from Allen Webster, Drake Britton, and Rubby De LaRosa. As for Vazquez, don’t see it unless there’s a major injury to A.J. or Ross, or if the Red Sox fall out of the race.
With the new CBA, does anyone win from free agent compensation? Players won’t get signed and now teams aren’t getting draft picks (Mariners and Red Sox). Is anyone happy with it? Can it be renegotiated if both the owners and players agree? This system doesn’t seem to benefit anyone.
It’ll be tweaked when the CBA is reopened before 2016. Not sure to what extent, though. In some ways I like the system. It makes the player and the team make tough decisions. The player has to decide whether to take a qualifying offer. The team has to decide whether to make it. A team has to decide whether to give up a draft pick in order to sign a top free-agent that could make their team better now. I like the fact the system creates these tough choices.
I saw that you took a snarky shot at the people who are tired of your constant Scott Boras client references. It seems a bit disingenuous that you try to cover your tracks by claiming it’s because there’s many young Sox players who are Boras clients. Rather, people are really just tired of you using the once hallowed space of the Sunday Notes column to incessantly talk about Boras’ clients like Stephen Drew, Johnny Damon, Nelson Cruz or any other number of players you write about on Lord Boras’ behalf.
Can’t remember the last time I mentioned Johnny Damon, but thanks for mentioning him. Helped win the 2004 World Series. You should want to hear about him, but maybe you’re not a Red Sox fan. Stephen Drew is an interesting story. I will continue to write about him .... over and over and over again until there’s an outcome to his very unique dilemma. The Red Sox could use him. Nelson Cruz was a terrific signing by the Orioles. Great bargain. Scott Boras is one of the most important people in baseball. So I will always write about important people in baseball. Hope you didn’t get “tired” by the answer.
With so many prospects in the minors that are redundant, like 2B Mookie Betts and 3B Garin Cecchini, what do you think the Sox will do with them?
Both guys are athletic enough to be moved elsewhere. Betts could go to CF; Cecchini will likely stay at third and if he starts to make a case for coming to Boston, there’s the possibility Will Middlebrooks could be moved to the outfield.
What’s the deal for Grady Sizemore or Jackie Bradley Jr. when Shane Victorino comes back? Who’s going down?
If nobody is hurt (or no phantom DL’s) , I would think JBJ goes back to Pawtucket.
Does the outfield defense seem exceptionally poor these first few weeks? It seems runners are taking the extra base quite a bit.
Having Victorino out of the defensive mix makes quite a difference. JBJ is a very good outfielder though. Nava and Gomes have had their poor moments. The Ellsbury/Victorino dynamic in CF/RF was very good. Another missing ingredient from last year’s team.
Given his injury history, is Middlebrooks a realistic long-term option at the hot corner?
I’m wondering more about Cecchini’s rise and whether Will becomes a left fielder or first baseman.
Is Lester going to shine or be mediocre this year? Have him in fantasy.
I lean toward shine. No signs he’s off his game at all. Contract year, too. Always good for fantasy.
How long till Christian Vazquez or Blake Swihart are up and catching with the big club?
We won’t see them unless there’s an injury. A.J. Pierzynski can reallly hit and handle pitchers; David Ross is really good defensively. I know they’re both 37, but Pierzysnki has been so durable for many years.
Will Clay Buchholz ever be the pitcher he was?
I’m not sure what he was. We all know he’s the best pitcher on the team. He has to show durability. He’s got everything else. I know there’s some decrease in velocity, but I honestly don’t think it’s that big of an issue with him because his pitch repertoire is so diverse.
Do you think the Red Sox are going to add another outfielder?
If we get toward the trading deadline and the current crop is struggling, then yes. It all depends on where the Red Sox are in the standings. They could use some more righthanded power.
What is the possibility of a Giancarlo Stanton trade in season? Would JBJ have to be part of the package to make that happen?
Marlins GM Dan Jennings has told me repeatedly they’re going to make every effort to sign him long-term. They have a good thing going there and they don’t want to mess it up. This offseason will be telling. They’ll make a big time effort to sign him, but if they can’t I’ve always said Boston is the favorite to land him.
Are you as annoyed with the new call review system as I am?
I’m annoyed by the transfer play. Plays are being upheld that shouldn’t be. They look like blatant out calls to me.
Did Theo Epstein get another ring? I feel strongly that he deserves one for drafting and developing the majority of our current core and prospects. What is a the protocol concerning that? Also, if he did get one did Bobby Valentine get one too? I feel like he shouldn’t get one yet Theo should.
Any relation to Bogaerts? Neither Theo or Bobby were here in 2013. Therefore, no ring. Unless they bought one.
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Celtics squander another late lead
The script is getting tired for an exhausted and frustrated team as it winds down a disheartening season. The Celtics play well enough to win, need to execute a couple of more minutes to seal it, and then seemingly discover ways to waste leads and lose games.
Wednesday night at Philips Arena may have been the most egregious of all. They led by 9 points with 5:44 left against a Hawks team that had lost all its offensive cohesion and looked befuddled.
All that was required are things the Celtics couldn’t discover this entire season: late-game execution, key defensive stops, and a go-to player who could get to the free throw line.
In a matter of moments, the Hawks went on a furious rally, lowlighted by ghastly defensive miscues against 3-point specialist Kyle Korver. Atlanta scored 25 points in the final 5:10 and raced away with a 105-97 win. It was Boston’s ninth straight loss and the second consecutive game in which the team squandered a fourth-quarter lead in mere moments.
Korver hit consecutive open 3-pointers, sneaking behind the Celtics’ defense to the corner. It was the equivalent of the Patriots allowing Calvin Johnson to go deep without a safety noticing. By the time Korver had the ball, he was stepping up and the result was predictable. His final 3-ball gave the Hawks a 93-92 lead with 3:09 left and the Celtics had no responses.
Leaving Korver open was the latest example of how the Celtics lack leadership in the late going. They were slow to get back on defense, arguing with officials, and both times the astute Jeff Teague found Korver, who has converted 47.8 percent of his 3-point shots this season.
“It was turnovers and transition defense and we just got stagnant,” coach Brad Stevens said. “I don’t know what to say, other than the fact we’ve got to play all the way through the game. We’ve got to be better collectively on both ends. But the big ones are those transition baskets. And the last [Korver 3-pointer], he was wide open. It’s not good.”
The Celtics allowed the Hawks to hit 14 of 18 shots in the first quarter, then reenergized and took control of the game until midway through the fourth. Avery Bradley, back after a three-game absence because of a strained right Achilles’ tendon, was draining jumpers. Rajon Rondo, back in Philips Arena for the first time since tearing his right ACL here 15 months ago, was driving and dishing, and Jared Sullinger was grabbing rebounds.
But when it came time to seal a hard-earned victory against a team closing in on the final playoff spot in the East, the Celtics became skittish, allowing Teague to become a defensive menace. The Celtics missed seven of nine shots in the final 5:44 with seven turnovers in the final period.
“They just got into us,” said Rondo, who finished with 19 points, 12 assists, and 5 turnovers. “It’s pretty much the same old story the last couple of games. The team makes a comeback, they turn the pressure up on us, and we tend to fold.”
The Celtics were 6 for 19 in the fourth quarter while the Hawks, led by Teague’s 19 points and Korver’s 17, were 12 for 19.
The Celtics’ offense picked up in the second quarter, climbing back after the Hawks jumped out to a 49-35 lead following a 3-pointer from Shelvin Mack, Stevens’s former pupil at Butler. The Celtics ended the half with a 16-7 run, including the final 5 points from Rondo. His final hoop was a 3-pointer with 8.4 seconds left that sliced the deficit to 56-51.
Bradley, who has been battling injuries most of the season, looked sharp in his return, tallying 10 points in the quarter on 3-for-5 shooting, and finishing with a game-high 24. Chris Johnson came off the bench to help out with 10 points as Boston recovered from its first-quarter stupor and played with more energy.
The Hawks, who suffered a disappointing home loss to Detroit Tuesday, looked as if they were going to knock out the Celtics in the first 12 minutes. They began the game 14 for 18 from the floor as they surged to leads of 12-2 and 32-23.
The Celtics outscored the Hawks, 56-38, in the second and third quarters and were close to their first win since March 19 until Korver changed the game.
“That cost us the game, for the most part,” Rondo said. “You don’t leave the best shooter in the gym open, especially late in the fourth quarter. We’ve got to do a better job of matching up transition-wise, quit complaining to the refs, and get back on defense.”
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Revolution coach Jay Heaps suspended
But it won’t be head coach Jay Heaps, who has received a mandatory one-game suspension from Major League Soccer following his ejection from a 2-0 loss to D.C. United on April 5. MLS also fined New England’s third-year head coach an undisclosed amount.
Heaps will not be allowed on field level until the final whistle on Saturday, nor will he be able to communicate with anyone on the team prior to the conclusion of the match.
The ejection was issued in the 89th minute of last Saturday’s loss by referee Jorge Gonzalez. The Professional Referees Organization said Heaps was ejected for “foul and abusive language to the match officials,” according to MLSsoccer.com.
“Unfortunately, I was a little bit too emotional on the sideline and was shown the exit,” Heaps told MLSsoccer.com. “We were warned that they were going to crack down a little bit, as you can see by the benches being away from the fourth official.”
Revolution assistant coach Tom Soehn, who was hired by Heaps in January as the first assistant coach, will take over on the sideline for Saturday’s game. Soehn has a decade of coaching experience in MLS.
Heaps will return for the Revolution’s match at the Chicago Fire on Saturday, April 19. D.C. United midfielder Lewis Neal was also suspended one game and fined an undisclosed amount for his actions last Saturday.
In the fourth minute, Neal went into a tackle with his studs up and caught New England right-back Andrew Farrell on the shin. Gonzalez gave Neal a yellow card caution, but the MLS Disciplinary Committee punished Neal further following a review of the incident.
MLS Players Union releases 2014 player salaries
The Major League Soccer Players Union released a document on Thursday morning with salary information for all MLS players.Perhaps the most notable change in the Revolution players’ salaries is that of central midfielder Lee Nguyen. Nguyen’s base salary in 2014 is $175,000, compared to his base salary last year of $73,600.
During 2012, his first season in New England, Nguyen’s base salary was just $44,00, which was the league minimum salary for a player occupying one of the first 24 spots on the 30-man roster. Nguyen started 27 games in 2012, 32 last season and four so far in 2014.
Revolution captain Jose Goncalves, who said he was unhappy with his contract during preseason, is the highest paid player on the team with a base salary of $450,000.
The 2013 MLS Defender of the Year did not appear in the Revolution’s second game of the season when he was still said to be frustrated – the only game he has not started since coming to New England – but was back in the lineup a week later. The situation has since been resolved.
The average salary of a Revolution starter in last Saturday’s D.C. United game was just over $177,847. The document only included a player’s salary from MLS, and excludes any bonuses or compensation paid by a team. MLS players are employed and paid by the league.
The Revolution are 1-3-1 and have four points.
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Patrice Bergeron may rest vs. Jets; Chris Kelly out
With three games left in the regular season, the Bruins will continue to rest some of their players (as they did David Krejci Tuesday in Minnesota), and it is likely that Patrice Bergeron will be the one getting Thursday’s game off. Bergeron and Chris Kelly were the only players not on the ice for the morning skate at the MTS Centre in Winnipeg.
“We’re going to make some lineup changes tonight, obviously,” said coach Claude Julien. “Right now I’m going to keep that to myself.”
Julien did reveal some information, though, saying that Kelly is suffering from a back injury.
“He’s obviously a little stiff there,” Julien said. “It’s day-to-day because a lot of those things are muscle spasms, that kind of stuff, so we’re just taking it easy with him. He definitely wouldn’t be able to play today, and that can change quickly there if things go the way they should.”
Julien added that while some rest is required, he wants to make sure the Bruins are still producing the same type of play they have been all season.
“It also doesn’t mean that our team should go out there and cruise and not play as well as we should be,” he said. “That’s probably the thing that I disliked the most about the last game [a shootout loss to Minnesota]. I didn’t think we put out a real good effort against a team that had played a lot of hockey.
“Just because you rest players doesn’t mean you want your team to relax. If you’re going to get dressed and you’re going to play, you’ve got to play hard no matter what. That’s what it means to me.
“We’ve given a lot of rest to our whole team there in this whole month of March with all these games. We didn’t practice much. It was about recovery and maintaining the intensity in the games, which I thought we did a good job, so now is not the time to change that.”
If Bergeron rests — and with Kelly definitely out — that means that Jarome Iginla will be back in. Iginla has missed three of the last four games with a minor lower-body injury. Ryan Spooner would be the other forward in the lineup, the center having been called up on an emergency basis Wednesday. He arrived in Winnipeg Wednesday night around 8, and was on the ice for morning skate.
And with a week until the playoffs begin, Julien isn’t concerned about Kelly’s availability.
“From what I’ve been told, very optimistic about him being ready for the playoffs,” said Julien.
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Bill Haas grabs early lead at the Masters.
Haas’s father, Jay, played in the Masters 22 times, his five top-10 finishes topped by a tie for third in 1995.
Jay never won a major, though.
Maybe his son can take care of that.
‘‘We’re staying together this week,” said Bill Haas. “He’s on the range with me in the morning. It’s great having him at home and on the range.’’
Defending champion Adam Scott was off to a strong start in his quest to stay dressed in green despite a stumble in Amen Corner, while a trio of Augusta rookies showed no sense of awe in their Masters debuts.
Scott shook off a double-bogey at the par-3 12th, a tiny little hole in Amen Corner that caused big trouble for a number of players. The Aussie bounced back with a birdie at the 14th and finished with a 69, one shot off the lead.
In contrast to Haas, it was the fifth time in his last six Augusta rounds that Scott has scored under 70, showing he still has the game to make a run at being the first back-to-back Masters champion since Tiger Woods in 2001 and 2002. Jack Nicklaus and Nick Faldo are the only other repeat champions in the tournament’s 81-year history.
As an added bonus, if Scott finishes no worse than a tie for third place, he will take over the No. 1 spot in the world rankings for the first time in his career.
What he really wants is another green jacket.
Playing in their first Masters, Jimmy Walker and Kevin Stadler of the US and Sweden’s Jonas Blixt were among those shooting 70, making their way around the course just fine despite some unfamiliarity with the historic layout.
They are among a record two dozen Augusta rookies in the field — a field that doesn’t include four-time winner Woods, who is out of the game until summer as he recovers from back surgery.
‘‘I kept it in play and hit a bunch of greens and kept away from the three-putts, so it was a good thing,’’ Stadler said.
Gary Woodland and Brandt Snedeker of the US also opened at 70, as did K.J. Choi of South Korea. Fifty-four-year-old Fred Couples opened with a 71.
Stadler is part of the first father-son duo to play the Masters together. His dad, Craig, was the 1982 champion, while Kevin earned a spot in the field with his first PGA Tour victory at Phoenix.
The elder Stadler didn’t fare nearly as well as his son. Craig opened with an 82 in what he has said will likely be his farewell as a Masters competitor.
‘‘I played like a moron,’’ Craig Stadler said.
The 35-year-old Walker is having a breakout year on the PGA Tour, picking up the first three victories of his career. He kept up his strong play at Augusta, where ripped off a run of four straight birdies starting at the 14th.
Among those with afternoon tee times: Phil Mickelson, attempting to join Woods and Arnold Palmer with a fourth green jacket. But that bid got off to a rocky start when Lefty shot a triple-bogey 7 at the seventh, his worst score ever at the hole nicknamed ‘‘Pampas.’’
The tournament began with Nicklaus, Palmer, and Gary Player hitting ceremonial tee shots on a brisk, sunny morning. The ‘‘Big Three’’ combined to win 13 green jackets, including seven in a row at the start of the 1960s.
This Masters is far less predictable. Without Woods or a dominant figure in golf, it’s seen as the most wide-open tournament in years.
‘‘It’s a huge loss,’’ Scott said. ‘‘But, as every year here, this event produces something special no matter what. It just has a way of doing it. It’s not going to involve Tiger this year, but it will involve someone else and it will be a memorable event anyway.’
