The Boston Red Sox are one team in baseball that didn't want the calendar to keep moving forward. Despite the team struggling to get going in April, the Boston Red Sox really started to hit their stride in May, running off a strong 8-2 streak against the Yankees, Twins, Phillies, and Rays. This stretch of play brought them back into the AL East race, where they sit 5 games back of the AL East leading Rays, and 2.5 games out of the Wild Card race.
Strong starting pitching has been the key to the team's resurgence. Jon Lester and Clay Buchholz have led the way, and both have been two of the best pitchers in the AL this season. However, there still is too much inconsistency from the other three starters. The Red Sox need Daisuke Matsuzaka and Tim Wakefield to step up and pitch better. Both are sporting ERA's just south of 6.00.
Wakefield is filling in for the injured Josh Beckett for now, and the Red Sox are fortunate to have six legitimate starting pitchers. Wakefield may not like being in the swingman role, but he's made for it, particularly at age 43, where his body has shown over the last several seasons that it can't hold up for 30 starts. Due to the flexibility that Wakefield brings to the staff, the Sox are wisely proceeding slowly with Beckett's back injury. Beckett has pitched poorly so far this year, and despite his desire to get back quickly and get rolling again, he's a key component to the pitching staff. Rushing him back and having him re-aggravate his injury is not the way to go. The best thing for Beckett, when he's ready to pitch again, is to go to Portland and Pawtucket and pitch one rehab start in each location. That will allow him to test out his back, as well as work on a few things with his delivery that have contributed to his poor start this season.
The one concern with the team is its bullpen. Other than Bard and Papelbon, no one has proven to be reliable. Manny Delcarmen's numbers look good, but he's gotten himself into some jams that he's managed to escape.
On offense, the story of May was the return to form of David Ortiz. After a hideous April, where there were whispers of a possible release of Ortiz, Big Papi batted .363 with 10 HR and 27 RBI. . When Ortiz is rolling, that's when the offense goes from being mediocre, to above average.
Unfortunately, the Red Sox are missing the element of speed with the continued inability of Jacoby Ellsbury to get on the field. I think the team's being a little unfair with their frustration of Ellsbury's injury to heal. He fractured ribs, it's going to take time for him to return to his play with abandon style. I don't doubt that it's really bothering him and with a rib injury, he'll hesitate when it comes to diving for balls in the outfield and sliding head first. He obviously came back to early from the injury, because he didn't look good at the plate, either.
The team has a stretch of games coming up in which they should really put the pedal to the floor. Games against Oakland, Cleveland, and Baltimore are the games the Sox need to win and keep putting pressure on the Wild Card leading Yankees and Rays.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Sunday, May 23, 2010
3-0 Celtics
It looks like the Boston Celtics will certainly be moving on to the NBA finals after completely dismantling the Orlando Magic last night, 94-71. Once again, the story was Rajon Rondo. Despite only shooting 4-13 from the field, Rondo made two absolutely jaw dropping plays - one where he faked out Marcin Gortat to lay it in and the other when he outhustled Jason Williams for a loose ball to grab it and lay it in.
Despite how fantastic both plays were, they also showed the difference in the energy level, as well as the effort level of both teams. No way should Gortat have allowed Rondo to just blow by him without at least a hard foul. Also, White Chocolate (Williams) had 2-3 steps on Rondo. Not only did Rondo beat him to the ball, but Williams also played poor defense in allowing Rondo to lay it in.
The Magic stars just are not stepping up in this series. Rashard Lewis belongs on the side of a milk carton. He's been missing the entire series. Kevin Garnett has eaten him for dinner this whole series. Last night Lewis made an attempt to take The Big Ticket to the hole. Big mistake. Garnett swatted the shot attempt away.
The series has been a combination of the Celtics playing their best basketball, particularly on defense, and the Magic being gawdawful.
The Magic have seemingly tuned out coach Stan Van Gundy. If the Celtics complete the sweep, how can Orlando bring Van Gundy back to coach the team. When you see the huddle, the Magic players are not even looking at him, basically ignoring him.
As a Celtics fan, these last two series vs. Cleveland and Orlando have been super fun to watch. I anticipate it continuing in the NBA Finals. Five more victories left for banner #18.
Despite how fantastic both plays were, they also showed the difference in the energy level, as well as the effort level of both teams. No way should Gortat have allowed Rondo to just blow by him without at least a hard foul. Also, White Chocolate (Williams) had 2-3 steps on Rondo. Not only did Rondo beat him to the ball, but Williams also played poor defense in allowing Rondo to lay it in.
The Magic stars just are not stepping up in this series. Rashard Lewis belongs on the side of a milk carton. He's been missing the entire series. Kevin Garnett has eaten him for dinner this whole series. Last night Lewis made an attempt to take The Big Ticket to the hole. Big mistake. Garnett swatted the shot attempt away.
The series has been a combination of the Celtics playing their best basketball, particularly on defense, and the Magic being gawdawful.
The Magic have seemingly tuned out coach Stan Van Gundy. If the Celtics complete the sweep, how can Orlando bring Van Gundy back to coach the team. When you see the huddle, the Magic players are not even looking at him, basically ignoring him.
As a Celtics fan, these last two series vs. Cleveland and Orlando have been super fun to watch. I anticipate it continuing in the NBA Finals. Five more victories left for banner #18.
Monday, May 17, 2010
Monday Morning Celtics
A Bruins free zone...
During the last few months of the regular season, the Celtics played awful basketball. Anytime the thought was floated that the Celtics could flip a switch and turn it on for the playoffs, it was dismissed by "experts" as not the case with this team. Guess what, after a listless regular season, they've put their foot down on the gas pedal and are now up 1-0 in the Eastern Conference Finals over Orlando. What has been the difference? Two things - the return of Kevin Garnett as a healthy impact basketball player and the commitment to defense.
In yesterday's game, the Celtics suffocated the life out of the Magic with tough, physical defense. Yes, Orlando made a run at the end of the game and cut what was once a 20 point lead to 2, but almost doesn't count. It wasn't a pretty game, but it all counts the same in the score book.
Besides the great defense, what surprised me most was only 2 Celtic starters, plus Rasheed Wallace scored double figures. Rajon Rondo was quiet and Kevin Garnett didn't have a good shooting game. Give credit to Orlando, they are a good defensive team as well. They held the Celtics scoreless for over 5 minutes as they made their 4th quarter run. Looks like we are in for some 83-78 type games this series.
Tony Allen continues to provide strong contributions off the bench. He's really stepping up and being the bench player Danny Ainge envisioned 2 years ago, when he let James Posey leave for New Orleans. Tony Allen has become a lock down defender, plus he is an excellent finisher, filling the lanes on the fast break. No longer is he the out of control player, prone to turnovers against good teams. He's playing within himself and not trying to do too much.
Five weeks ago, ESPN columnist and Celtics superfan Bill Simmons wrote a scathing column criticizing Rasheed Wallace describing him as "my least favorite Celtic ever". After a season and a playoff series of mailing it in, Sheed finally started turning it on in the last two games of the Cavaliers series. He's playing with passion and contributing some timely 3 point shots. He still is allergic to rebounding, but he's bringing some presence on defense.
If the rumors are true of coach Doc Rivers planning on leaving at the end of the season, it would only make sense for assistant coach Tom Thibodeau to be escalated to head coach. Thibodeau may be the best defensive coach in the NBA.
During the last few months of the regular season, the Celtics played awful basketball. Anytime the thought was floated that the Celtics could flip a switch and turn it on for the playoffs, it was dismissed by "experts" as not the case with this team. Guess what, after a listless regular season, they've put their foot down on the gas pedal and are now up 1-0 in the Eastern Conference Finals over Orlando. What has been the difference? Two things - the return of Kevin Garnett as a healthy impact basketball player and the commitment to defense.
In yesterday's game, the Celtics suffocated the life out of the Magic with tough, physical defense. Yes, Orlando made a run at the end of the game and cut what was once a 20 point lead to 2, but almost doesn't count. It wasn't a pretty game, but it all counts the same in the score book.
Besides the great defense, what surprised me most was only 2 Celtic starters, plus Rasheed Wallace scored double figures. Rajon Rondo was quiet and Kevin Garnett didn't have a good shooting game. Give credit to Orlando, they are a good defensive team as well. They held the Celtics scoreless for over 5 minutes as they made their 4th quarter run. Looks like we are in for some 83-78 type games this series.
Tony Allen continues to provide strong contributions off the bench. He's really stepping up and being the bench player Danny Ainge envisioned 2 years ago, when he let James Posey leave for New Orleans. Tony Allen has become a lock down defender, plus he is an excellent finisher, filling the lanes on the fast break. No longer is he the out of control player, prone to turnovers against good teams. He's playing within himself and not trying to do too much.
Five weeks ago, ESPN columnist and Celtics superfan Bill Simmons wrote a scathing column criticizing Rasheed Wallace describing him as "my least favorite Celtic ever". After a season and a playoff series of mailing it in, Sheed finally started turning it on in the last two games of the Cavaliers series. He's playing with passion and contributing some timely 3 point shots. He still is allergic to rebounding, but he's bringing some presence on defense.
If the rumors are true of coach Doc Rivers planning on leaving at the end of the season, it would only make sense for assistant coach Tom Thibodeau to be escalated to head coach. Thibodeau may be the best defensive coach in the NBA.
Friday, May 7, 2010
Another Yankee Series
It's early May and the Red Sox are already facing the New York Yankees for a second time. Ho hum. Remember when Yankees-Red Sox series used to mean something?
That being said, the inconsistent Red Sox, coming off a sweep of the Angels, will have their hands full with the Bronx Bombers. The weakness of this year's Red Sox is they can't hit good pitching. They'll be up against the Yankees' three best starters - Phil Hughes, CC Sabathia, and A.J. Burnett. Hughes, in particular, has been terrific. He's finally meeting the potential that was projected for him a few years ago when he was one of the hottest pitching prospects in baseball.
After getting swept by the Baltimore Orioles, the Red Sox played very well vs. the Angels and even overcame an erratic Daisuke Matsuzaka performance (is there any other kind of Dice-K performance?)) to come from behind and complete the series sweep.
The Red Sox will be pitching Josh Beckett, Clay Buchholz, and Jon Lester in this series. Tonight's game is very important for Beckett to continue getting back on track. It would be good if Beckett can rediscover his curveball to compliment his 4-seamer and 2-seamer. The Red Sox need him to be the #1 starter. One concern about Beckett is his stubbornness. Despite throwing 96 mph, he's not a strikeout pitcher. Beckett throws a lot of pitches due to what seems to be a desire by him to pile up the K's. He should look to pitch to contact more, like John Lackey, and let his defense do the work.
As a team, the Yankees are hitting .276 - despite Nick Johnson and Mark Teixiera both still hitting under .200. Second baseman Robinson Cano has been the AL MVP, thus far. Derek Jeter and Jorge Posada still refuse to get old - both of them hitting well, as usual.
A key to this series will be keeping LF Brett Gardner (who?) off base. Gardner has a .430 OBP and has 13 steals already.
This series will be a good test for the Red Sox - are they an 85 win team or are they Wild Card contenders? It would be nice to see the Sox take 2 of 3 and put a small dent into the Yankees Wild Card.
That being said, the inconsistent Red Sox, coming off a sweep of the Angels, will have their hands full with the Bronx Bombers. The weakness of this year's Red Sox is they can't hit good pitching. They'll be up against the Yankees' three best starters - Phil Hughes, CC Sabathia, and A.J. Burnett. Hughes, in particular, has been terrific. He's finally meeting the potential that was projected for him a few years ago when he was one of the hottest pitching prospects in baseball.
After getting swept by the Baltimore Orioles, the Red Sox played very well vs. the Angels and even overcame an erratic Daisuke Matsuzaka performance (is there any other kind of Dice-K performance?)) to come from behind and complete the series sweep.
The Red Sox will be pitching Josh Beckett, Clay Buchholz, and Jon Lester in this series. Tonight's game is very important for Beckett to continue getting back on track. It would be good if Beckett can rediscover his curveball to compliment his 4-seamer and 2-seamer. The Red Sox need him to be the #1 starter. One concern about Beckett is his stubbornness. Despite throwing 96 mph, he's not a strikeout pitcher. Beckett throws a lot of pitches due to what seems to be a desire by him to pile up the K's. He should look to pitch to contact more, like John Lackey, and let his defense do the work.
As a team, the Yankees are hitting .276 - despite Nick Johnson and Mark Teixiera both still hitting under .200. Second baseman Robinson Cano has been the AL MVP, thus far. Derek Jeter and Jorge Posada still refuse to get old - both of them hitting well, as usual.
A key to this series will be keeping LF Brett Gardner (who?) off base. Gardner has a .430 OBP and has 13 steals already.
This series will be a good test for the Red Sox - are they an 85 win team or are they Wild Card contenders? It would be nice to see the Sox take 2 of 3 and put a small dent into the Yankees Wild Card.
Monday, May 3, 2010
Red Sox Struggles
There's an old Paul McCartney solo song called, "Junk", that refers to "junk in the yard". That is the song I was singing to myself as I watched the Red Sox get swept yesterday by the lowly Baltimore Orioles. Right now, the Red Sox are junk in the (ball) yard.Nothing is going right for the local nine. Being a boring team to watch is only a small part of the problem. The larger scale issues are the pitching has been terrible, the defense has underachieved, and the offense still cannot hit good pitching. The offense's struggles don't surprise me, because they couldn't hit good pitching last season, either. Manager Terry Francona's game management has been very questionable as well. At 105 pitches, Josh Beckett should've gone out to the mound to start the 8th inning. In a tie game, why is Francona bringing in Daniel Bard and Jonathan Papelbon, when both have been overworked so far this young season? Granted the bullpen has been leaky, but at some point, Francona is going to need to trust Scott Schoeneweis and Ramon Ramirez in a close game.
The cumulative ERA of the starters this season is an unsightly 4.96 However, Daisuke Matsuzaka is back from injury and Saturday's 5th inning meltdown aside, he should help strengthen the starting rotation. Josh Beckett's outing yesterday was encouraging. Even though his curveball was MIA, Beckett allowed only 2 runs in 7 innings, albeit against the Orioles. For all the talk show chatter about Clay Buchholz being a trading chip, he's been the team's best starter since last August. Buchholz should be untouchable in any trade discussion. John Lackey and Jon Lester both look to be coming around, as well. Despite the controversy of the move of Tim Wakefield to the bullpen to make way for Dice K, it is the right move for the team.
The pitching and defense should stabilize, it's the offense that is most concerning. The Red Sox badly miss Jacoby Ellsbury. He's the catalyst at the top of the lineup and with his absence, the lack of speed in the lineup is glaring. Does any team in baseball go station to station more than the Boston Red Sox? On a base hit to left field late in yesterday's game, Jason Varitek, trying to score from second base, was thrown out at the plate by ten feet. The Captain is 38 years old and it's not his fault he no longer has average foot speed, but as a team, the collective lack of athleticism is an issue. Mike Lowell has to be the slowest runner in baseball. David Ortiz isn't far behind Lowell.
Darnell McDonald has been a nice surprise since his call up from Pawtucket, but he's started to cool off and the more he plays, the more the holes in his game are exposed. He's a fifth outfielder at best. The same goes for Jonathan Van Every. McDonald and Van Every were two of the three starting outfielders for the Red Sox yesterday.
This team's biggest area of need is another slugging corner outfielder. Jason Bay filled that role last season, but he and his 36 HRs in 2009, are in New York now. There was hope that 3B Adrian Beltre would provide some thump from the right side, but so far, he's been nothing but a singles hitter. Ortiz can no longer catch up to a good fastball and unless he picks it up in the next three weeks, he is a candidate to be released - a scenario no one could have imagined three years ago. Victor Martinez has struggled so badly behind the plate, that it looks to be affecting his bat. Martinez's defensive struggles have Jason Varitek catching more than the team wants him out there. Varitek's bat has been the one of the few highlights of the season.
There doesn't seem to be any hope either in the farm system or externally via a trade. As the team continues to play poorly, the higher the price tag will be for a premium player in a trade. The off season talk was about the team acquiring 1B Adrian Gonzalez from San Diego. However, the Padres are off to a surprising start, leading the NL West by 1.5 games. Also, the Red Sox have a logjam at the 1B/3B/DH positions with Kevin Youkilis, Beltre, Ortiz, Lowell, and Martinez. Other than Youkilis, who's untouchable, none of them have any trade value right now. This current configuration doesn't exactly make for a flexible roster.
There has been much mockery in the media of the "run prevention" philosophy that was espoused this off season by Red Sox GM Theo Epstein. This mockery has escalated recently due to the pitching and the defense being a let down. However, the bats just aren't there. Even when Ellsbury and Mike Cameron come back, the offense still can be shut down. The Red Sox have two reliable run producers right now - Youkilis and Dustin Pedroia.
The Red Sox have over $162 million invested in the roster. There are too many old guys (Ortiz, Varitek, Cameron, and Lowell), under producers (Victor Martinez and J.D. Drew), and players masquerading as sluggers (Adrian Beltre). They have only one starting position player who can really run and put pressure on a defense - Ellsbury. He's on the disabled list. So much for the idea of manufacturing runs.
The team is hitting a mediocre .259 with runners in scoring position. By comparison, the AL East leading Tampa Bay Rays are hitting .323 with runners in scoring position. The offense hit 8 HR in this weekend series vs. the Orioles. Only one of these HR's (Kevin Youkilis - Saturday night - 2 run HR) had a man on base. Of the 33 HR hit by the Red Sox in 2010, 21 of them have been solo shots.
Will things change as the season progresses? I doubt it. If you can't hit against the Orioles, then you won't hit against the Yankees, Angels, and Rays. If you think it's bad this season, wait until next year, when the contracts of Ortiz, Martinez, Lowell, Beltre, and Varitek all expire. The team is very good at developing pitchers, but their minor league organization is bereft of any young sluggers, Lars Anderson's hot start aside. Given that situation, the offense has the potential to be even worse in 2011.
The Red Sox will eventually play better ball, fill Fenway Park to capacity most nights, and make a run for the Wild Card. However, this is a flawed team that is not built for playoff success. The roster balance just isn't there and unless Theo Epstein trades the team's prize minor league prospects like Casey Kelly, which he is wont to do, this won't change.
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Sox/Pats/B's/Celts - Who's Hot and Who's Not
Right now is a very exciting time for fans of Boston's pro teams. The Bruins and Celtics are in the playoffs, the Patriots just completed their draft, and the Red Sox season is underway. Here is a look at who's hot and who's not among the teams:
Bruins G Tuukka Rask - HOT - Rask was the dominant force for the Bruins in their defeat of the Buffalo Sabres 4 games to 2, in the first round of the playoffs. He outplayed U.S. Olympian goaltender, Ryan Miller, considered by many to be the best goaltender in the world. Rask has become a cult figure at the Garden with chants of "TUUUKKAAAA!" throughout the game.
Bruins D Dennis Wideman - NOT - Wideman made a very poor decision in his own end with an errant clear attempt that led to a Sabres goal. Despite the fact he redeemed himself later in the game with an assist on Miroslav Satan's goal, Wideman has been careless with the puck all season long.
Bruins C David Krejci - HOT - After a season where he fell well short of last season's achievements, Krejci has elevated his game in the playoffs with 3 goals and 2 assists in 6 games.
Bruins D Johnny Boychuck - HOT - Boychuck was considered a spare part at the start of the season, but consistent play and heavy hitting has made him the second best defenseman on the Bruins behind Zdeno Chara. Boychuck is a rock on the blue line.
Red Sox Bullpen - NOT - It is well known that the performance of relief pitchers is volatile year to year, but the Red Sox bullpen has looked dreadful so far this season. Ramon Ramirez and Hideki Okajima have been atrocious, as has Scott Atchision. Manny Decarmen, Daniel Bard, and Jonathan Papelbon are the only relievers manager Terry Francona has faith in right now.
Red Sox P Josh Beckett - NOT - In his five seasons in Boston, Josh Beckett has pitched up to his potential only once - 2007. It's not a coincidence the Red Sox won the World Series that year. Too often, Beckett has been inconsistent, unable to harness his world class "stuff". I was ambivalent about him getting a contract extension, and since he's received it, he's had one terrific outing, one good outing and two poor ones. It's time for him to stop pitching like a number 5 starter and more like the ace he's supposed to be.
Red Sox 2B Dustin Pedroia - HOT - What fan in Boston doesn't love Pedroia and his slashing, hard nosed style of play? He is a treat to watch play. Excellent with the glove and he's a doubles hitting machine. When will major league pitchers realize that you can't sneak a high inside fastball by him?
Red Sox C Jason Varitek - HOT - This is exclusively for his bat, which has been a nice surprise this season. No Sox fan bashes Varitek as much as me, but he's hitting well in his limited role.
Red Sox DH David Ortiz - NOT - It is getting to the point where I've started wondering how much longer does he keep a roster spot? Big Papi can no longer catch up to a fastball and has 19 strikeouts in 60 AB's.
Celtics G Rajon Rondo - HOT - Rondo still cannot shoot, but that's ok. He's a terror on the basketball court. No point guard rebounds better than him, he's tremendous on defense and his ability to push the ball wrecks havoc on defenses.
Celtics F Rasheed Wallace - NOT - Rasheed continues to be a disappointing signing. He doesn't rebound at all, leisurely coasts up and down the court, and his attitude towards defense is mostly one of indifference.
Celtics F Kevin Garnett - NOT - The Big Ticket can still shoot from outside, but is a shadow of himself on the defensive end. He's no longer an intimidator, due to his lack of explosiveness from his knee injury.
Patriots Coach Bill Belichick - HOT - After the questionable first round pick of CB Devin McCourty, Belichick redeemed himself on day two with several players who could be impact players, specifically LB Brandon Spikes and and TE Aaron Gonzalez.
Bruins G Tuukka Rask - HOT - Rask was the dominant force for the Bruins in their defeat of the Buffalo Sabres 4 games to 2, in the first round of the playoffs. He outplayed U.S. Olympian goaltender, Ryan Miller, considered by many to be the best goaltender in the world. Rask has become a cult figure at the Garden with chants of "TUUUKKAAAA!" throughout the game.
Bruins D Dennis Wideman - NOT - Wideman made a very poor decision in his own end with an errant clear attempt that led to a Sabres goal. Despite the fact he redeemed himself later in the game with an assist on Miroslav Satan's goal, Wideman has been careless with the puck all season long.
Bruins C David Krejci - HOT - After a season where he fell well short of last season's achievements, Krejci has elevated his game in the playoffs with 3 goals and 2 assists in 6 games.
Bruins D Johnny Boychuck - HOT - Boychuck was considered a spare part at the start of the season, but consistent play and heavy hitting has made him the second best defenseman on the Bruins behind Zdeno Chara. Boychuck is a rock on the blue line.
Red Sox Bullpen - NOT - It is well known that the performance of relief pitchers is volatile year to year, but the Red Sox bullpen has looked dreadful so far this season. Ramon Ramirez and Hideki Okajima have been atrocious, as has Scott Atchision. Manny Decarmen, Daniel Bard, and Jonathan Papelbon are the only relievers manager Terry Francona has faith in right now.
Red Sox P Josh Beckett - NOT - In his five seasons in Boston, Josh Beckett has pitched up to his potential only once - 2007. It's not a coincidence the Red Sox won the World Series that year. Too often, Beckett has been inconsistent, unable to harness his world class "stuff". I was ambivalent about him getting a contract extension, and since he's received it, he's had one terrific outing, one good outing and two poor ones. It's time for him to stop pitching like a number 5 starter and more like the ace he's supposed to be.
Red Sox 2B Dustin Pedroia - HOT - What fan in Boston doesn't love Pedroia and his slashing, hard nosed style of play? He is a treat to watch play. Excellent with the glove and he's a doubles hitting machine. When will major league pitchers realize that you can't sneak a high inside fastball by him?
Red Sox C Jason Varitek - HOT - This is exclusively for his bat, which has been a nice surprise this season. No Sox fan bashes Varitek as much as me, but he's hitting well in his limited role.
Red Sox DH David Ortiz - NOT - It is getting to the point where I've started wondering how much longer does he keep a roster spot? Big Papi can no longer catch up to a fastball and has 19 strikeouts in 60 AB's.
Celtics G Rajon Rondo - HOT - Rondo still cannot shoot, but that's ok. He's a terror on the basketball court. No point guard rebounds better than him, he's tremendous on defense and his ability to push the ball wrecks havoc on defenses.
Celtics F Rasheed Wallace - NOT - Rasheed continues to be a disappointing signing. He doesn't rebound at all, leisurely coasts up and down the court, and his attitude towards defense is mostly one of indifference.
Celtics F Kevin Garnett - NOT - The Big Ticket can still shoot from outside, but is a shadow of himself on the defensive end. He's no longer an intimidator, due to his lack of explosiveness from his knee injury.
Patriots Coach Bill Belichick - HOT - After the questionable first round pick of CB Devin McCourty, Belichick redeemed himself on day two with several players who could be impact players, specifically LB Brandon Spikes and and TE Aaron Gonzalez.
Sunday, March 7, 2010
What is going on with the Patriots?
What is the deal with the New England Patriots? Since the start of free agency, division rivals such as the Miami Dolphins and New York Jets have made moves to acquire impact players, while the Patriots have been silent in the marketplace. Instead the team opted to resolve an internal issue - re-signed Vince Wilfork to a long term deal. Now, Vince Wilfork earned his big contract, but he was the least of the team's problems last year. The Patriots also inexplicably re-signed 33 year old right guard Stephen Neal to an extension. Neal underperformed last year and is injured every year, so the purpose of that signing is questionable.
The Jets acquisition of the talented Antonio Cromartie gives them the best pair of starting cornerbacks in the NFL. Cromartie may not be much of a tackler and has some child support issues off the field, but he can cover receivers. as can Jets star CB Darelle Revis. The Dolphins signed middle linebacker Karlos Dansby. Dansby is productive and would've looked great next to Patriots LB Jerod Mayo in the team's 3-4 scheme.
Do the Patriots realize that this is an uncapped year? The last five years of bargain hunting for 'value" has not worked out. Memo to the Krafts and Bill Belichick - you are no longer the smartest guys in the room. While you've been busy patting yourselves on the back for past success, the rest of the league has caught up to you.
The Patriots have both drafted poorly and misfired on free agents since 2005. I'm not asking that they turn their operation into one similar to Dan Snyder's in Washington, but a change in their philosophy needs to occur. It hasn't worked for a while now.
The team's biggest areas of need are as follows: pass rusher, wide receiver, tight end, interior offensive lineman, running back, inside linebacker.
I would like to see the Patriots put more emphasis on the offensive line. As a group, the team's OL is ok. QB Tom Brady was hit a lot last season and spent the second half of the season banged up. This group can't handle speed rushers or consistent defensive pressure. Sebastian Vollmer is a stud and Logan Mankins is a Pro Bowler and one of the best guards in the NFL I'm not a big fan of C Dan Koppen and RG Stephen Neal. Koppen can be manhandled by big nose tackles and the Patriots have difficulty running the ball, unless it is a draw play. Matt Light would be better off playing right tackle, where he'd be decent. However, Light has only played left tackle, which is where Sebastian Vollmer needs to play going forward.
Tight End is a real problem and has been a hole since Daniel Graham left. First rounder Ben Watson never met the high expectations the team had for someone so athletically gifted. The since released Chris Baker was a decent blocker, but didn't provide much of an impact in the passing game.
Randy Moss did not have a good season for the Patriots last season. WR is one of the easier positions to fill, hopefully Brandon Tate can come back from a knee injury and fill the second receiver role. Julian Edelman isn't Wes Welker, but already is a decent slot receiver. Sam Aiken is not a good WR, and is best suited for special teams where he thrives.
The Patriots have attempted to add pass rushers via free agency in the past with the free agent acquisitions of Rosevelt Colvin and Adalius Thomas. Colvin looked to be the real deal, until he badly hurt his hip during the 2003 season. He came back the following year, but was never the same player he was before the injury. Thomas, who made his bones as a pass rusher, was inexplicably used in different roles such as middle linebacker and dropped into coverage. He was not the effective player in New England that he was in Baltimore.
I sometimes believe that Bill Belichick outsmarts himself with strategy such as over disguising coverages. Do the Indianapolis Colts ever ask star pass rusher Dwight Freeney to do anything other than go get the quarterback? I'd like to see the Patriots take that same approach with the next pass rusher they get.
Despite staying healthy and getting a full opportunity to be the feature running back, Laurence Maroney has proven he's not a full time starter. However, as long as he doesn't fumble, Maroney can fill the Kevin Faulk role as the 3rd down back. Maroney can catch the ball, run in open space, and adequately pick up the blitz.
Gary Guyton is not the answer next to Jerod Mayo at middle linebacker. Despite superior athleticism, Guyton is too often chasing ballcarriers, instead of hitting them square in the mouth. There's a reason he was an undrafted free agent coming out of college. It's an uncapped year, and it would've been nice to see the Patriots get Dansby to replace Guyton next to Mayo.
The way last season ended with the Patriots being embarrassed at home by the Baltimore Ravens with a first round knockout in the playoffs, has left a bitter taste in the mouths of the team's fans. The Patriots could use some positive "buzz" surrounding the team. Last season there were lots of empty blue seats in the upper levels of Gillette Stadium and the Patriots had difficulty selling tickets to the Ravens playoff game. If the team continues their current philosophy of looking for value over talent and the economy continues to struggle, I predict the Patriots 16 year sellout streak will be in jeopardy.
The Jets acquisition of the talented Antonio Cromartie gives them the best pair of starting cornerbacks in the NFL. Cromartie may not be much of a tackler and has some child support issues off the field, but he can cover receivers. as can Jets star CB Darelle Revis. The Dolphins signed middle linebacker Karlos Dansby. Dansby is productive and would've looked great next to Patriots LB Jerod Mayo in the team's 3-4 scheme.
Do the Patriots realize that this is an uncapped year? The last five years of bargain hunting for 'value" has not worked out. Memo to the Krafts and Bill Belichick - you are no longer the smartest guys in the room. While you've been busy patting yourselves on the back for past success, the rest of the league has caught up to you.
The Patriots have both drafted poorly and misfired on free agents since 2005. I'm not asking that they turn their operation into one similar to Dan Snyder's in Washington, but a change in their philosophy needs to occur. It hasn't worked for a while now.
The team's biggest areas of need are as follows: pass rusher, wide receiver, tight end, interior offensive lineman, running back, inside linebacker.
I would like to see the Patriots put more emphasis on the offensive line. As a group, the team's OL is ok. QB Tom Brady was hit a lot last season and spent the second half of the season banged up. This group can't handle speed rushers or consistent defensive pressure. Sebastian Vollmer is a stud and Logan Mankins is a Pro Bowler and one of the best guards in the NFL I'm not a big fan of C Dan Koppen and RG Stephen Neal. Koppen can be manhandled by big nose tackles and the Patriots have difficulty running the ball, unless it is a draw play. Matt Light would be better off playing right tackle, where he'd be decent. However, Light has only played left tackle, which is where Sebastian Vollmer needs to play going forward.
Tight End is a real problem and has been a hole since Daniel Graham left. First rounder Ben Watson never met the high expectations the team had for someone so athletically gifted. The since released Chris Baker was a decent blocker, but didn't provide much of an impact in the passing game.
Randy Moss did not have a good season for the Patriots last season. WR is one of the easier positions to fill, hopefully Brandon Tate can come back from a knee injury and fill the second receiver role. Julian Edelman isn't Wes Welker, but already is a decent slot receiver. Sam Aiken is not a good WR, and is best suited for special teams where he thrives.
The Patriots have attempted to add pass rushers via free agency in the past with the free agent acquisitions of Rosevelt Colvin and Adalius Thomas. Colvin looked to be the real deal, until he badly hurt his hip during the 2003 season. He came back the following year, but was never the same player he was before the injury. Thomas, who made his bones as a pass rusher, was inexplicably used in different roles such as middle linebacker and dropped into coverage. He was not the effective player in New England that he was in Baltimore.
I sometimes believe that Bill Belichick outsmarts himself with strategy such as over disguising coverages. Do the Indianapolis Colts ever ask star pass rusher Dwight Freeney to do anything other than go get the quarterback? I'd like to see the Patriots take that same approach with the next pass rusher they get.
Despite staying healthy and getting a full opportunity to be the feature running back, Laurence Maroney has proven he's not a full time starter. However, as long as he doesn't fumble, Maroney can fill the Kevin Faulk role as the 3rd down back. Maroney can catch the ball, run in open space, and adequately pick up the blitz.
Gary Guyton is not the answer next to Jerod Mayo at middle linebacker. Despite superior athleticism, Guyton is too often chasing ballcarriers, instead of hitting them square in the mouth. There's a reason he was an undrafted free agent coming out of college. It's an uncapped year, and it would've been nice to see the Patriots get Dansby to replace Guyton next to Mayo.
The way last season ended with the Patriots being embarrassed at home by the Baltimore Ravens with a first round knockout in the playoffs, has left a bitter taste in the mouths of the team's fans. The Patriots could use some positive "buzz" surrounding the team. Last season there were lots of empty blue seats in the upper levels of Gillette Stadium and the Patriots had difficulty selling tickets to the Ravens playoff game. If the team continues their current philosophy of looking for value over talent and the economy continues to struggle, I predict the Patriots 16 year sellout streak will be in jeopardy.
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