Here's pretty much everything I've wanted to weigh in on recent Boston sports topics in no particular order ...
1. The Sticky Situation
I love baseball but my lord does Major League Baseball annoy me. No organization can make a Federal Case out of something nobody would have noticed or cared about like MLB. They create more Federal Cases than your local US Attorney's Office. Even Chuck Rhodes would hate this one. While real fans seek solutions to the game's real issues, like pace of play and its aging core audience, MLB is stuck on 'the sticky stuff.' Pitchers want to pitch and hitters want to hit. Baseball as a game has been deep into the muck of all kinds of 'gamesmanship' for well over a century. So here's a solution. Bring back the juiced ball and let the pitchers put maple syrup, jelly, snot, glue, sunblock or whatever is within reason they think they may 'need' on the ball. Heck, the movie 'Major League' made a joke about it in the film. Juice the ball and the hitter is happy. Doctor the ball and the pitcher is happy and guess what? Now the playing field is even. No federal court required and I just saved you plenty of tax dollars. You're welcome.
2. Speaking of the sticky stuff ...
The lack of sticky stuff doesn't seem to be worrying Brandon Workman any, who threw about 20 curveballs in a row during in last night's game. If this is such an issue for Garrett Richards maybe he's just not cut out for the job. Seems like a guy that always has an excuse at the ready. The Sox are in the driver's seat for the AL East Division title, whiners need not apply.
3. Leading off, Alex Verdugo
It's time to make Verdugo the Red Sox leadoff hitter. He's got the bat control, puts balls in play consistently, has the energy and he makes things happen. Just do it. He does.
4. The Christians
As soon as Christian Arroyo is healthy, he needs to be in the lineup on a near-everyday basis. The guy is winning ballplayer, period. Clutch, lucky, whatever. Get him in and keep him in and the Red Sox will win accordingly.
Christian Vasquez is an All-Star level catcher and has been for a couple of years now. It's time for him to be awarded with that distinction. He likely won't win the fans vote, but he should be added as a reserve. His total game is at that level now.
5. 2021 Red Sox are so similar to the 2013 Red Sox
Last Tuesday's 10-8 come from behind win in Atlanta was the Jonny Gomes 'punt the helmet' moment for the 2021 Red Sox. Christian Arroyo's pinch hit Grand Slam and Verdugo's go-ahead 3-run homerun in the 8thInning combined to create the signature win and moment of the season on June 15th. When that game concluded, I immediately thought of the Jonny Gomes walk-off in the spring of 2013 when he punted his helmet into the stands. When the 2021 Red Sox clinch their playoff spot in September, this game will be noted in the season highlight reel. 6/15/21. Mark it down.
6. The NESN Red Sox Broadcast won the spring
Even when the Bruins and Celtics were in the playoffs, it was tough to flip the channel away from the Red Sox. Their fun, surprisingly interesting, winning play aside, the broadcast with Dave O'Brien, Jerry Remy and Dennis Eckersley has been next level all season long. Remy and Eck play off of each other perfectly. It's a lot of fun to listen to them. You learn every time they are on together, while hearing informed and interesting perspectives from both Eck and Remy and its always entertaining. O'Brien has settled in nicely between them too, picking his spots, adding in and letting Eck steal the show; something he does naturally and without effort. When those three are in the booth all together it's a must watch experience.
7. To the Pats
Bill Belichick has always been pragmatic about his roster decisions. Performance has always trumped loyalty, tenure, salary, status or what-have-you. I've got to say though, my detective-like instincts smell something fishy with this rather blind infatuation there seems to be with Cam Newton. I know it's early and we're barely past mini-camp but when you see the video footage of Belichick whenever he's around Newton he just looks giddy. Is it love? Is he amused by him? Has Cam replaced Nike in Bill's heart? Everything I wrote above about Bill being pragmatic and performance based in his analysis is 100 percent true. It's documented. New England is a pure meritocracy. In the words of Daffy Duck however on this brewing QB situation, "something screwy is going on."
Maybe Bill is just smartly slow-playing young Mac n' Cheese, but his adoration for Newton seems oddly real. Curious. Very curious...
8. The Kemba Walker Trade
It's a smart first move by Brad Stevens. First of all, it was important for Stevens to make an impactful move early on in his new role and he did. So kudos to him. Secondly, getting rid of Kemba Walker's albatross of a contract was critical for this team to take a next step both next year and in the future. Getting Horford back only helps both contractually and on the floor. More veteran presence on the court and in the locker room was desperately needed and Horford fits the suit perfectly. Tailor made actually.
As for Kemba, nice guy and a talented scorer but the knees weren't going to get any better. Also, under his direction the offense didn't work. When an offense is out of sync, I only look in one direction – point guard, as I wrote here back in March: Taking stock of this wild time in Boston sports (audacy.com). If Oklahoma City is smart they'll use Kemba as he always should have been used, as a modern day "Vinnie Johnson." Check out the link to get more familiar with "The Microwave."
9. Welcome to Boston Ime Udoka
From everything I've heard throughout the interviewing process Udoka seems like a smart guy and a smart hire. Good for the Celtics and good for Coach Udoka. I like the choice. For me, I'd simply like to ask but one question of the new Celtics head coach. I'd like an honest opinion on what he thinks of Kyrie Irving. I'll share mine if you share yours coach. I'll start. I think he's an overbearing, obnoxious, shortsighted creep and a borderline personality. I'll eagerly await your response. Thanks coach and welcome to Boston.
10. Tuukka Rask
Let's set the record straight please. Just because Rask has not yet won a Stanley Cup does not mean he's incapable of it. I hate this argument. If you want to bury Rask for his performance in the 2013 Stanley Cup Championship I'll listen, he was shaky in a couple of huge games. However, that was not the case in 2019. In the 2019 Stanley Cup playoffs Rask was otherworldly. He 'stood on his head' as the hockey nomenclature would lend. The Bruins didn't lose the 2019 Cup because of Rask. They lost it because after blowing the Blues out 7-2 in game three of the series and with a 2-1 series lead, they took their collective foot off the gas. The Blues won game four and swung the momentum around at the exact worst time. As the more physical team stole the momentum away, their physical play slowed the Bruins to a stop and they lost in seven games.
The B's had their shot to make it a short series in game four, with the wind at their back and with what should have been plenty of urgency to start closing the deal early. They knew the Blues played hard and dirty and that they were the bigger more physical team. Letting that team back into during game four was when they lost the series. Period. Hard stop.
To put the blame on Rask for that is just lazy. As for next year, personally I'm ready for Swayman but it's not because of any delusional hatred towards Rask. The guy is a great goalie, it's just time to either lighten his workload or let him walk due to the old combination of age and money. If you are one of those who thinks he can't get it done though, I think you're hanging onto an incomplete and lazy take.
