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Archives for November 19, 2021

Red Sox Promote Four to MLB Roster

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BOSTON – The Boston Red Sox made the following roster moves on Friday, November 19, taking Boston’s 40-man MLB roster up to 37 players.

  • Infielder Jeter Downs and right-handed pitchers Kutter Crawford and Josh Winckowski were selected to the major league roster from Triple-A Pawtucket.
  • Right-handed pitcher Brayan Bello was selected to the major league roster from Double-A Portland.

Bello, 22, is ranked by Baseball America as the Red Sox’ No. 5 prospect. The right-hander split the 2021 season between High-A Greenville and Double-A Portland, making 21 starts and going 7-3 with a 3.87 ERA (41 ER/95.1 IP), 132 strikeouts, and 31 walks. Following the season, the Red Sox named Bello the organization’s Minor League Starting Pitcher of the Year. Acquired as an international free agent in July 2017, the Dominican Republic native has a 3.98 ERA (124 ER/280.1 IP) in 60 career minor league appearances (59 starts).

Crawford, 25, is ranked by MLB.com as the Red Sox’ No. 23 prospect. The right-hander made 20 appearances (19 starts) between Portland and Triple-A Worcester in 2021, going 6-6 with a 4.28 ERA (45 ER/94.2 IP) and 131 strikeouts. The Florida native also made his major league debut last season, starting against Cleveland on September 5. He has made four starts in the Dominican Winter League this year, allowing one earned run in 18.1 innings (0.49 ERA). Selected by Boston in the 16th round of the 2017 June Draft out of Florida Gulf Coast University, Crawford is 18-21 with a 3.63 ERA (132 ER/327.2 IP) and 390 strikeouts in 67 minor league games (66 starts).

Downs, 23, is ranked as one of the Red Sox’ top 10 prospects by both Baseball America (No. 6) and MLB.com (No. 5). The right-handed hitter spent the 2021 season with Worcester, making 78 starts at shortstop and 21 at second base while batting .190 (68-for-357) with 14 home runs and 18 stolen bases. In 16 games for Scottsdale in the Arizona Fall League, he went 13-for-57 (.228) with five home runs and an .880 OPS. Selected by the Cincinnati Reds in the first round of the 2017 June Draft (No. 32 overall), Downs was acquired by the Red Sox from the Los Angeles Dodgers on February 10, 2020.

Winckowski, 23, is ranked by Baseball America as the Red Sox’ No. 9 prospect. He split the 2021 season between Portland (21 games, 20 starts) and Worcester (two starts), going 9-4 with a 3.94 ERA (49 ER/112.0 IP), 101 strikeouts, and 33 walks. Following the season, the right-hander made six appearances for Scottsdale in the Arizona Fall League. Selected by the Blue Jays in the 15th round of the 2016 June Draft, Winckowski spent his first five seasons in Toronto’s minor league system before being traded to the Mets on January 27, 2021, then to the Red Sox on February 10.

BOSTON RED SOX 40-MAN ROSTER (37)

Pitchers (19): Matt Barnes, Eduard Bazardo, Brayan Bello, Ryan Brasier, Kutter Crawford, Austin Davis, Nathan Eovaldi, Jay Groome, Darwinzon Hernandez, Tanner Houck, Bryan Mata, Nick Pivetta, Chris Sale, Hirokazu Sawamura, Connor Seabold, Josh Taylor, Phillips Valdez, Garrett Whitlock, Josh Winckowski

Catchers (4): Ronaldo Hernández, Kevin Plawecki, Christian Vázquez, Connor Wong

Infielders (6): Jonathan Araúz, Christian Arroyo, Xander Bogaerts, Bobby Dalbec, Rafael Devers, Hudson Potts

Outfielders (6): Jarren Duran, Tim Locastro, J.D. Martinez, Hunter Renfroe, Jeisson Rosario, Alex Verdugo

Infielder/Outfielders (2): Jeter Downs, Kiké Hernández

 

Xavier, DePaul Clinch Gavitt Games

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CINCINNATI – The Gavitt Tipoff Games concluded with Xavier and DePaul earning victories on November 18 while Providence and Marquette nailed down wins for a 4-0 night for league teams.

The BIG EAST went 6-2 in Gavitt Games contests against the Big 10.

In an in-state matchup that had not been played since 2007, Xavier defeated No. 19 Ohio State 71-65 at a sold-out Cintas Center. Xavier led wire to wire, but the Musketeers (4-0) needed Paul Scruggs’ clutch play down the stretch. The guard scored 10 of Xavier’s final 12 points. Forward Jack Nunge helped with 14 points and 14 rebounds.

In the Gavitt finale, DePaul used 3-point marksmanship along with some critical free throws in a 73-70 win over Rutgers. The Blue Demons (3-0) made their last six shot attempts – four were from 3-point range. David Jones of DePaul scored a game-high 22 points and teammate Javon Freeman-Liberty contributed 19 points, nine rebounds and three steals.

Providence is 4-0 after a 69-58 home win against New Hampshire. Newcomer Al Durham and Nate Watson continue to shine. Durham scored 19 points and Watson had 17 points and four rebounds. Noah Horchler added 10 points and 12 boards. PC excelled defensively, holding UNH to 39.3 shooting from the field.

Marquette rallied to beat Mississippi 78-72 in the first round of the Charleston Classic. The Golden Eagles (4-0) trailed by 12 points in the first half, but recovered after halftime. Darryl Morsell continues to lead offensively, scoring 22 points. He has scored at least 20 points in all four games. Justin Lewis tallied a career-high 21 points.

Friday’s slate starts with Creighton playing Brown at 3:15 p.m. ET on ESPN3 in the first round of the Paradise Jam. Georgetown hosts Siena at 6:30 on FS2. Marquette meets West Virginia in the second round of the Charleston Classic at 7 p.m. on ESPN2.

BIG EAST teams own a collective 31-4 record going into Friday’s schedule.

Kevin Garnett: “Anything Is Possible”

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BOSTON – The Boston Celtics’ acquisition of superstar forward-center Kevin Garnett began on the night of the 2007 NBA Draft (June 28) when the Celtics did two things to make a future move for Garnett possible.

Although Ray Allen and Garnett would later be at odds over Allen’s post championship departure to Miami, that late June 2007 night, the Celtics acquired Hall of Fame sharp-shooter Allen in a multi-player deal with the then-Seattle SuperSonics, shipping a package of point guard Delonte West, small forward Wally Szczerbiak and forward Jeff Green to the the Sonics in exchange for Allen and center Glen “Big Baby” Davis.

The two steps taken by then-Celtics head of basketball operations Danny Ainge?

  1. Obtaining another scoring threat in Allen to form a “Big 3” needed to win.
  2. Moving Szczerbiak, a former teammate of Garnett’s he was none too fond of in previous exposure.

The “Anything Is Possible” journey to the 2008 NBA title took a giant step that night.

Garnett’s story is currently being told via a Showtime sports documentary entitled, (You Guessed It): ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE.

The story is good. KG’s personality shining through is great. The language is filthy.

Co-directed and produced by Eric Newman and Dan Levin, along with producers Mike Marangu, Marc Levin and Brian Bennett—KG’s partner at his production company, Content Cartel—the documentary is a look at KG’s past, delving heavily into Garnett’s youth, his progression as a high school player and astonishing talents displayed at Chicago’s Farragut Academy.

The story winds its way to the fact Garnett became the fifth overall pick of the 1995 draft with team GM Kevin McHale and the Minnesota Timberwolves taking the gamble on the 6-11 high school phenom. Until then, only a sporadic few (Moses Malone, Bill Willoughby, Darryl Dawkins and a small handful of others) had made it to the NBA (or ABA) via high school, not college.

The documentary explains the successful start of Garnett’s NBA career in Minnesota seemingly opened the floodgates for other high school talents to jump right to the NBA, namely Kobe Bryant, Jermaine O’Neal, LeBron James, Rashard Lewis, Tyson Chandler, Amare Stoudimire, Dwight Howard, and Tracy McGrady.

As you would expect with anything and everything Garnett does, the story is true, it’s raw and it is produced by  circle of people Garnett allowed into his tight inner sanctum, a place he guards 24/7.

Another take-away for seasoned NBA observers is the undeniable similarities between Garnett and NBA/Celtics’ All-Time great Bill Russell, both very guarded and well-aware of the circle of madness that is fame and the NBA. Both very conscious to keep their privacy – private and families secure.

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The documentary is currently running/streaming on Showtime after its November 12th release date. Interviews of the likes of Doc Rivers, KG’s championship coach with the 2008 Celtics, and former teammate Sam Cassell, examine the complexity of Garnett – a player with serious work ethic, intensity on and off court, humor, loyalty to those he trusts, keen observation of the fast-moving world surrounding him and a disdain for anything and anyone who disrupts his normal routine.

Said Eric Newman to Variety: I don’t think the younger generation realizes the overall impact he had, which we obviously do our best to convey in the film. It’s going from high school to the NBA when no one had done it for 20 plus years and the circumstances in which he did it. It’s the pre-salary cap NBA when he got that contract which changed the financial structure of the sport. It’s transforming this physical, intense power forward position where he adds this dynamic skill set on both ends of the floor. And then of course it’s forming the Big Three with the Celtics. We tried to weave these four pillars in without being too in your face about it, but find another — forget basketball, find another athlete who had this kind of impact on their sport. There’s not many.

Sports Biz: MSG, Caesars Take Gamble

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NEW YORK – (Staff Report from Official News Release) – Madison Square Garden Sports agreed to a multi-year marketing partnership with Caesars Sportsbook, an entity of Caesars Entertainment, making Caesars Sportsbook an Official Sports Betting Partner of the New York Knicks, New York Rangers, Madison Square Garden Arena and MSG Networks. In addition, the sportsbook operator will gain significant digital media exposure via MSG Sports’ and MSG Entertainment’s platforms. MSG will offer its menu of hospitality experiences at The Garden that will be available to Caesars Rewards program customers.

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Caesars Sportsbook will have a branded, premium hospitality space inside Madison Square Garden that will be open for all Knicks and Rangers home games, and additional events. Caesars Rewards members – including customers that sign up for the Caesars Sportsbook mobile app – will have an opportunity to access the space, which will undergo a full refurbishment leading into the 2022-23 Knicks and Rangers seasons. Once complete, the space will be highlighted with Caesars Sportsbook branding and feature unique programming, including special guest appearances, giveaways, and enhanced activations, all available through Caesars Rewards.

Through this partnership with Caesars Sportsbook, a part of the largest gaming and entertainment company in the US, MSG Networks and Caesars Sportsbook will also launch a new content series on MSG Networks and its social media channels featuring Caesar himself, JB Smoove. A longtime Knicks fan and avid New York sports fan, JB Smoove embodies the legendary Caesar in Caesars Sportsbook’s national advertising campaign and the new content series “One Course with JB Smoove” will integrate Caesars Sportsbook betting odds and content.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Caesars Sportsbook – a renowned brand in the sports betting industry– to the MSG Sports and MSG Entertainment families,” said Ron Skotarczak, Executive Vice President, Marketing Partnerships, MSG Entertainment. “Caesars Sportsbook is a key player in the growing world of sports betting – and we look forward to utilizing this partnership to further strengthen our brands’ connection with Caesars customers, while also providing the company with significant exposure across our unrivaled set of assets.”

MSG Networks and Caesars Sportsbook will launch a 20-part programming marathon to bring back the hit series, “Four Courses with JB Smoove.” The show, which premiered in 2013, showcased JB Smoove having conversations with acclaimed athletes and celebrities from the comfort of a dinner table, and will now be updated with Caesars-themed content.

“I am thrilled to be reunited with my friends at MSG Networks,” said JB Smoove, Emmy nominated actor-comedian. “I can see it now: Caesar in the Mecca! A match made in heaven!”

Caesars Sportsbook will receive prominent exposure inside Madison Square Garden, including TV visible signage, in-arena LED messaging, GardenVision features and activations on the court and ice during Knicks and Rangers games. Digital boards outside of Madison Square Garden and in the new Moynihan Train Hall will also feature Caesars Sportsbook branding on display to the millions of people who walk by every day.

“Caesars Sportsbook is ready for expansion into New York,” said Eric Hession, Co-President of Caesars Digital. “To partner with these legendary New York brands for compelling creative content and branding uniquely positions us to reach the avid sports fans in the region.” 

The easy-to-navigate Caesars Sportsbook app is currently live in 20 states and jurisdictions – 14 of which are mobile – and operates the largest number of retail sportsbooks across the country.