Digital Sports Desk

Online Destination for the Best in Boston Sports

MLB

Red Sox Make Roster Cuts

by

FORT MYERS – The Boston Red Sox optioned right-handed pitcher Eduard Bazardo and left-handed pitcher Darwinzon Hernandez to Triple-A Worcester while right-handed pitcher Kaleb Ort, left-handed pitcher Derek Holland, outfielder Christin Stewart, and infielder Yolmer Sánchez were reassigned to minor league camp, announced Sox Chief Baseball Officer Chaim Bloom.

With three days remaining in Spring Training the Red Sox have 34 active players remaining in training camp, including 28 members of the 40-man roster and six non-roster invitees.

Red Sox Ink Story – Officially

by

BOSTON – (Staff Report from Official News Release) – A week after news broke of the acquisition, the Boston Red Sox officially signed infielder Trevor Story to a six-year contract through the 2027 season, with a club option for 2028. To make room for Story on the 40-man roster, the Red Sox designated outfielder Jeisson Rosario for assignment.

Embed from Getty Images

Story, 29, was named a National League All-Star in 2018 and 2019, winning the Silver Slugger Award at shortstop in each season. He finished in the top 12 in NL Most Valuable Player voting in three consecutive years from 2018-20, including a career-best eighth in 2018. In 745 games for the Colorado Rockies (2016-21), the right-handed hitter has batted .272 (768-for-2,822) with 158 home runs, 450 RBI, 100 stolen bases, and an .863 OPS. Among active major leaguers with at least 500 plate appearances against left-handed pitchers, he ranks first in slugging percentage (.621) and third in OPS (1.002) while batting .308 (242-for-786).

In 142 games for the Rockies last season, Story batted .251 (132-for-526) with an .801 OPS, 24 home runs, 75 RBI, and 20 stolen bases. The Texas native has hit at least 20 home runs in each of his five 162-game seasons and stolen at least 20 bases three times. He is one of only two players to hit at least 20 home runs and steal at least 20 bases in each of the last three 162-game seasons (2018-19, ’21), joining Cleveland’s José Ramírez. In 2018, he became the first shortstop in major league history to record at least 40 doubles, 30 home runs, and 25 stolen bases in a season. Story joins Alex Rodriguez as the only shortstops ever to hit at least 30 home runs and steal 20 bases in multiple seasons.

Originally selected by the Rockies in first round (45th overall) of the 2011 MLB First-Year Player Draft out of Irving (TX) High School, Story totaled six home runs in his first four major league games in 2016 and went on to finish fourth in Rookie of the Year voting. According to FanGraphs, his 69 defensive runs saved from 2016-21 ranked third among major leaguers at shortstop, trailing only Andrelton Simmons (99) and Nick Ahmed (73). In five career Postseason games, Story is 7-for-22 (.318) with two doubles and one home run.

Red Sox Add Two Pitchers

by

BOSTON – (Staff Report from Official News Release) – The Boston Red Sox added left-handed pitcher Derek Holland and right-handed pitcher Hansel Robles to the team’s 2022 Spring Training roster as non-roster invitees. The Sox have now invited 27 players to Major League Spring Training camp as non-roster invitees.

Holland, 35, went 3-2 with a 5.07 ERA (28 ER/49.2 IP) in 39 appearances (one start) for the Detroit Tigers in 2021, posting a 0.64 ERA (1 ER/14.0 IP) and 0.79 WHIP in his final 11 outings. Over his 13-year Major League career, the left-hander owns an 82-83 record and 4.64 ERA (753 ER/1,466.0 IP) in 346 appearances (228 starts) for the Texas Rangers (2009-2016), Chicago White Sox (2017), San Francisco Giants (2018-19), Chicago Cubs (2019), Pittsburgh Pirates (2020), and Tigers (2021). Selected by Texas in the 25th round of the 2006 June Draft, Holland is 3-1 with a 5.02 ERA (21 ER/37.2 IP) in 14 Postseason appearances (five starts). In Game 4 of the 2011 World Series, he earned the win with 8.1 scoreless innings against the St. Louis Cardinals. He launched the 60 Feet 6 Foundation in 2015, a non-profit organization that helps raise awareness and offer direct support for debilitating pediatric diseases.

Robles, 31, appeared in 72 games between the Minnesota Twins and Red Sox last season, recording 14 saves with a 4.43 ERA (34 ER/69.0 IP) and 76 strikeouts. After being acquired by Boston on July 30, the right-hander made 27 appearances and finished with a 3.60 ERA (10 ER/25.0 IP), four saves and 33 strikeouts for the Red Sox. From August 30 to October 2, he appeared in 15 games and did not allow a run (13.2 IP), holding opponents to a .111 batting average (5-for-45) with a 0.73 WHIP and 11.20 strikeouts per nine innings in that time. Originally signed by the New York Mets as an international free agent in 2008, Robles has pitched in 385 major league games (one start) with the Mets (2015-18), Los Angeles Angels (2018-20), Twins (2021), and Red Sox (2021), going 27-23 with 41 saves and a 4.00 ERA (179 ER/402.2 IP).

TL’s Sunday Sports Notebook | March 13

by

By TERRY LYONS

NEW YORK – There are few things that join death and taxes as the guarantees in life. With that in mind, we add:

  1. Steph Curry’s jump shot
  2. Gregg Popovich leading NBA coaches in career victories
  3. The famed Island Green (17th) at TPC Sawgrass bringing PGA Tour pros to their knees, especially with winds at 20 mph and gusts 44+ mph.
  4. The annual BIG EAST Tournament at Madison Square Garden – the World’s Most Famous Arena – playing host to some of the best postseason college basketball any fan would want to experience in a community of like-minded opponents. Every March.

Right from the beginning this week, the BIG EAST did not disappoint. In the opening game, a 4:30pm (ET) afternoon start of a BIG EAST triple-header, Butler (14-19) upset Xavier (18-13) in a 89-82 overtime thriller. As the tournament progressed at New York’s Madison Square Garden, Providence and Butler were tied (31-all) at the half until the Friars outlasted Butler, 65-61 after a last minute 3-point FG by Providence’s Al Durham iced the victory.

With 15:38 left in the 2nd half on Thursday evening, St. John’s led Villanova 44-27. At 2:08 mark, after several lead changes, St. John’s was barely holding on, 65-64, but could not convert the win, eventually losing to ‘Nova, 66-65.

At the Friday night semifinals, No. 8-ranked Villanova took care of business against the No. 20 UConn, 63-60, in a game that had old-school BIG EAST fans lighting up The Garden with sound. But, No. 11 ranked Providence, the regular season BIG EAST Champion and tournament No. 1 seed dropped their semifinal game to an impressive Creighton team, 85-58. Included in that one-sided tally was the fact Creighton held Providence to 27 points in the first half.

After a terrible start (trailed 0-7), Creighton gave Villanova everything it could handle in the Saturday night BIG EAST Final. Villanova’s team leader, Collin Gillespie was held scoreless in the first half but finished the game with 17 points, seven rebounds and five assists, including a pair of pressure three-point FGs and the game-clinching rebound with seven seconds remaining. Gillespie went to the line and hit two clutch FTs to close out the victory, 54-48, while securing Villanova’s fifth BIG EAST title in the past seven years.

The tournament brought forth an amazing sense of normalcy for the old-time BIG EAST fans, not the ultra-annoying “new-normal” spoken by talking heads, health care professionals and political talking heads. Just as the timing of the 2020 BIG EAST Tournament couldn’t have been worse, the 2022 edition, the 40th held at The Garden since the conference kicked its tires in Providence, Syracuse and Hartford to start things off in 1980-81-82, came about at a time when COVID-19 restrictions are being eased at public arenas, bars, restaurants and at schools.

There’s talk of the BIG EAST receiving seven invites to the NCAA’s Big Dance, with Xavier having a possible NIT invite awaiting after their early exit this week. What’s certain, as sure as that Curry 30-footer, is the depth and competitiveness of the BIG EAST’S men’s basketball teams.

The conference play is physical and, to the credit of the officiating staffs, the BIG EAST seems to have found the ability to call games in a ‘no harm, no foul’ professional style, rather than the annoying ticky-tack foul calls out on the perimeter. The refs have mastered the art of the non-call, to let play to continue. It has allowed an intense up & down style of play, less frequent foul trouble by the star players and better preparation for the upcoming Big Dance for Big East contenders.

HERE NOW, THE NOTES: The new NBA coaching record for most career victories was set Friday and mentioned above. While it’s easy to define the best coaches by the sheer number of victories, NBA coaches often chalk-it-up such honors due to longevity.

Here are the winningest coaches in the four major North American sports leagues:

NHL Ice-Hockey – Scotty Bowman – (1,244 wins, nine Stanley Cup championships)

NFL American Football – Don Shula – (347 wins, two Super bowl wins)

MLB Baseball – Connie Mack – (3,731 wins)

NBA Basketball – Gregg Popovich – (1,336 victories, five NBA titles)

NCAA Basketball – Coach Mike Krzyzewski of Duke and coach John Wooden of UCLA both deserve mention.

In addition to this lofty list of winners, there’s also a common sense list of the greatest coaches, one that is a bit more subjective.

NHL – Al Arbour, Coach of the New York Islanders, Toe Blake of Montreal, Joel Quenneville of multiple NHL teams.

NFL – George Halas of Chicago Bears and Bill Belichick of New England Patriots

MLB – John McGraw, Tony La Russa, Joe Torre, Bobby Cox and Sparky Anderson all deserve mention.

NBA – Red Auerbach, Boston Celtics.

DIAMOND DUST-UP RESOLVED: Thank goodness. Major League Baseball and its players Association came to terms this week and the baseball season will begin with players reporting today (March 13) and Spring Training games beginning March 17. As you would expect, it’ll be toughest on the pitchers stretching out, especially free agent pitchers.

Opening Day will be April 7, and MLB is planning to play a full 162-game schedule, allowing for players to make up on previously lost salary.

The MLB Postseason will expand to 12 teams.

The National League will adopt the Designated Hitter.

Free agency might be the most newsworthy item as Baseball comes back to life after its loss of three months. The lock-out began December 2 but starting this week, there will be a frenzy of free agent signings, maybe some 10-12 a day as teams re-stock.

Freddie Freeman, the Atlanta Braves star first baseman is high on the list of the potentially most valuable and sought after free agents. While some believe he will re-sign in Atlanta, there’s already talk of a mega-deal with one of the big market teams.

LA Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw already signed a one-year deal with the only club he’s played for on the major league level. The Dodgers’ California rival and neighbor to the north, the San Francisco Giants, signed left-hander Carlos Rodon to a reported two-year $44 million deal. Saturday, the Oakland A’s sent Chris Bassitt to the New York Mets in a muti-player deal to begin an Oakland roster-stripping list of expensive player sales.

For additional information, the reporters at ESPN are following the Free Agent market and post all transactions HERE.

March Madness Special: Read more of the weekly notes by subscribing HERE.

While We’re Young (Ideas) | Feb 20

by

TL’s Sunday Sports Notes | February 20, 2022

By TERRY LYONS

BOSTON – Post the dreaded and deadly global pandemic, the sports world bounced back about as well as any business segment on the planet. While not perfect and, in many cases, having to operate without fans in the building, the events and sports carried-on and incurred extra expenses to keep the players and front-line workers safe.

Here are just a few of a long list of sporting events of 2021-22 that greatly entertained our sports-loving world:

  • PGA Tour ✅
  • NASCAR ✅
  • NCAA Basketball and March Madness ‘21 ✅
  • NCAA Football and the CFP Championship and most Bowl Games ✅
  • NFL Season and Super Bowl ✅
  • NBA Season and this Weekend’s All-Star festivities ✅
  • MLS ✅
  • NHL Season and its Winter Classic and All-Star Game ✅
  • The Masters ✅

And, more recently …

  • Australian Open ✅
  • Winter Olympic Games ✅
  • Super Bowl LVI ✅
  • 2022 NBA All-Star and the Daytona 500 are looking good ✅

Then, we get to Pitchers & Catchers reporting and MLB Spring Training ❌

The Major League Baseball lockout began at 12:01am on December 2, 2021 immediately upon the expiration of the 2016 MLB/MLB Players’ Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) ending. It is MLB’s first work stoppage since the 1994-95 players’ strike and the first lockout since 1990.

Unbeknownst to many, the expiration of a CBA gives a sports organization very few options. If the sides are close, they can call for a moratorium and try to bang-out the remaining issues and keep things operating in “good faith.’ However, with things as they are in Baseball today, the Commissioner of Baseball and his MLB Player Relations Committee had no option under labor laws and called for the lockout.

While a lockout in December and January is not very visible to players or fans, the impact begins immediately for the league office and teams, as they must shutdown any and all player-related activities, including promotional tours, winter training and a host of important items. The players must train on their own, which most do in their hometown cities anyway. So, as the NBA on TNT basketball guru Kenny Smith once likened an off-season lockout as your regular Barber Shop being closed on Mondays, the tenants of MLB are now in dire need of a haircut.

MLB and its Players have volleyed proposals back-and-forth without any significant progress towards a deal. The first “real” meeting didn’t take place until January 13 and that was done by virtual Zoom rather than in person, which saved time and travel while keeping the parties safe from confinement and air travel.

MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred requested a Federal Mediator to assist the process in early February and as recently as February 17, the sides met again – but that was two days after the treasured date on the calendar for Pitchers & Catchers to report.

The Boston Red Sox are yet to load-up the equipment truck on Jersey Street, outside of Gate D at Fenway Park and the negotiations seem to be going backwards, rather than forward.

The NBA and NHL find themselves in the dog days of winter. College basketball’s “Got Next” with the various Conference Tournaments and March Madness fast approaching. Meanwhile, MLB is starting to scratch-off scheduled Spring Training games and revenue is being lost by the day. And, if there’s any sport which needs a solid month of training and exhibition games, to stretch-out the starting pitchers and alleviate many a hamstring pull awaiting, it is baseball.

Remember last year when the likes of Ronald Acuna (297 at bats), Alex Bregman, Max Muncy, Fernando Tatis, Jack Flaherty, Chris Sale, J.D. Martinez, Eloy Jiménez, Cody Bellinger, Ketel Marte, Jacob deGrom, Noah Syndergaard, George Springer, and a laundry-list of others were all sidelined or scratched?

A combination of pandemic fatigue, lack of training and proper stretching and preparation, never mind care by some of the best Athletic Trainers in the world, will cost many a game due to injury if and when the 2022 MLB season begins and the Barber Shop opens seven days a week.

HERE NOW, THE NOTES: Shares of Boston-based DraftKings tumbled by more than 15% as the week closed when the online sports-betting operator reported top line growth as well as widening costs, according to the Boston Business Journal. The company, led by CEO Jason Robins, reported its quarterly and full-year financial results. In the last three months, DraftKings’s revenue jumped from $322.2 million to $473.3 million, but costs widened as well, particularly sales and marketing — from $192 million to $278 million. In the end, net loss for the quarter grew from $242.7 million to $326.3 million. while Draft Kings offers full sports gambling in many States, including New York where it pays a lofty 50+% tax, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts continues to bury its head in the sand with no real progress on sports gambling. With Governor Charlie Baker now facing lame-duck status, there’s no certainty on the future of sports gambling in Massachusetts and the money continues to flow to Rhode Island, Connecticut and New Hampshire.

NHL UPHOLDS MARCHAND SIX-GAMER: National Hockey League Commissioner Gary Bettman upheld the six-game suspension that was assessed to Boston Bruins forward Brad Marchand by the Department of Player Safety for roughing and high-sticking Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Tristan Jarry during their game in Boston on Feb. 8.Bettman heard Marchand’s appeal of the original decision, assessed Feb. 9, at a hearing on Feb. 16. … The incidents occurred at 19:35 of the third period. Marchand was assessed a minor penalty for roughing as well as a match penalty. … “In reaching my conclusions I have given careful consideration to Mr. Marchand’s testimony concerning his efforts to control his emotions in order to excel as an impact player who plays aggressively, but within the rules. I believe that he has already made significant strides towards achieving this goal. Unfortunately, however, Mr. Marchand’s behavior and lack of judgment in respect of these incidents did not meet acceptable NHL standards. He created a distraction which reflected poorly on himself, on his team and on the League as a whole, and as such, I find he also deserves the penalty he received. Having said that, I encourage Mr. Marchand to reflect on this experience and to use it positively in furtherance of his efforts to refine and improve his on-ice image and game for everyone’s benefit,” said Bettman in his statement.

Big Papi is First Ballot Hall-of-Famer

by

COOPERSTOWN – (Staff Report from official News Release) – Former Boston Red Sox designated hitter and first baseman David Ortiz was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility, it was announced tonight on MLB Network. He received 307 votes (77.9%) cast by eligible members of the Baseball Writers Association of America.

Embed from Getty Images

Ortiz is one of 37 former Red Sox to be elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame for their playing careers. He joins Pedro Martinez, Ted Williams, Carl Yastrzemski, and Wade Boggs as the only individuals to earn election in their first year of eligibility after spending more seasons with the Red Sox than with any other team. Overall, Ortiz is the 58th player to earn election in their first year on the BBWAA ballot. He is the fourth player born in the Dominican Republic to be elected, joining Martinez, Vladimir Guerrero, and Juan Marichal.

“I am truly honored and blessed by my selection to the Hall of Fame—the highest honor that any baseball player can reach in their lifetime. I am grateful to the baseball writers who considered my career in its totality, not just on the statistics, but also on my contributions to the Red Sox, the City of Boston, and all of Red Sox Nation. I am also grateful to my teammates, my managers and coaches and Red Sox ownership for their faith in me and allowing me to be part of three World Championships,’ said Ortiz in a prepared statement.

“For a young boy from Santo Domingo, I always dreamed of playing professional baseball. Thanks to the encouragement of my father, Leo, and my mother, Angela Rosa, I knew from my earliest days at Estudia Espaillat High School in the Dominican Republic that I had the opportunity to pursue my dream of playing in the big leagues. And while my path to success was not straightforward, it was my friend, the Hall of Famer, Pedro Martinez, who convinced the Red Sox to give me a chance to achieve success. And while my path to Boston took 10 years, those 14 years in a Red Sox uniform were the best of my life. We broke the curse and then got two more championships before I retired in 2016—what a sweet and beautiful journey it has been.

“I am so thankful to my family and my children for being with me tonight on this special recognition. And I know my mother is throwing me kisses from heaven just like I always threw her a kiss after every home run,” Ortiz concluded.

“There are countless reasons why David is deserving of this honor, beginning with three World Series trophies that we would not have without his heroics on the field and his leadership,” said Red Sox Principal Owner John Henry. “He was critical in transforming the narrative around the Red Sox from one of curses and superstitions to tales of clutch moments and a collection of championships. David’s most meaningful and profound contributions, however, are not fully reflected in trophies and awards, but rather on the faces of every player held in David’s bear-hug embrace over the years, by our memories of stirring dugout rally speeches, and with his fist raised in solidarity with our community during its darkest hour. For the past two decades, David has meant the world to us and we are proud that Cooperstown will be another stop on his supremely impactful journey. Congratulations, David.”

“It has been a privilege to watch David’s storybook career in Boston for fourteen years and three World Series Championships,” said Red Sox Chairman Tom Werner. “This honor only confirms what many of us at the Red Sox and throughout New England already knew: that he is not only one of our greatest players, but one of baseball’s greatest players. Even now, as the sole BBWAA ballot inductee, he continues to stand out in the same way he did throughout his playing career. David, you deserve to take your rightful place alongside the Hall of Fame’s legends. Congratulations on this special recognition.”

“David Ortiz is the most important player to ever wear a Red Sox uniform,” said Red Sox President & CEO Sam Kennedy. “He came to Boston in relative anonymity and with his captivating personality and his formidable bat he shattered expectations and paved the franchise’s future in championships and Duck Boat parades. The record numbers he put up and the dedication he showed in meticulously honing his craft is deserving of first ballot entry into the Hall of Fame. David, Boston and Fenway Park will always be your home but we will make an exception for Cooperstown. Congratulations, my friend. Enjoy your moment.”

The 2022 National Baseball Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will take place Sunday, July 24, at 1:30 p.m. on the grounds of the Clark Sports Center in Cooperstown, NY. The only player elected by the BBWAA this year, Ortiz will be enshrined along with four Golden Days Era Committee electees (Gil Hodges, Jim Kaat, Minnie Miñoso, and Tony Oliva) and two Early Baseball Era Committee electees (Bud Fowler and Buck O’Neil).

Originally signed by the Seattle Mariners as an international free agent in November 1992, Ortiz compiled a lifetime .286 batting average (2,472-for-8,640) in 2,408 games with the Minnesota Twins (1997-2002) and Red Sox (2003-16), totaling 1,768 RBI, 1,419 runs scored, a .380 on-base percentage, a .552 slugging percentage, and a .931 OPS. His 541 home runs rank 17th in Major League history, while his 632 doubles rank 12th. The only other players with at least 500 home runs and 600 doubles are Hank Aaron, Albert Pujols, and Barry Bonds.

Ortiz is the all-time Major League leader in games played as a designated hitter (2,029), as well as in hits (2,191), doubles (557), home runs (485), extra-base hits (1,060), total bases (4,239), and RBI (1,569) at the position. He earned the Edgar Martinez Outstanding Designated Hitter Award a record eight times (2003-07, ’11, ’13, ’16), and his seven Louisville Slugger Silver Slugger Awards as a DH (2004-07, ’11, ’13, ’16) are the most ever at the position.

In addition to his accolades as a designated hitter, Ortiz twice earned the American League’s Hank Aaron Award (2005, ’16), given annually to the top offensive performer in each league. He finished in the top 10 in Most Valuable Player voting seven times, including in the top-five in each of his first five seasons with the Red Sox (5th, 4th, 2nd, 3rd, 4th). A 10-time All-Star, Ortiz started the Midsummer Classic for the American League seven times, twice as a first baseman (2006-07) and five times as a DH (2005, ’11-13, ’16).

Having signed with the Red Sox as a free agent on January 22, 2003, Ortiz is one of eight players to appear in at least 14 consecutive seasons for the Red Sox (2003-16), along with Carl Yastrzemski (23), Dwight Evans (19), Tim Wakefield (17), Jim Rice (16), Jason Varitek (15), Ted Williams (15), and Dustin Pedroia (14). Ortiz joins Pedroia as Boston’s only three-time World Series champions in the post-World War I era, having led the Red Sox to titles in 2004, 2007, and 2013. Ortiz is one of just four players with at least 500 career homers and three World Series championships, along with Hall of Famers Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle, and Reggie Jackson.

Ortiz hit 483 home runs with the Red Sox, a total that trails only Ted Williams (521) on the franchise’s all-time list. He also ranks among all-time club leaders in RBI (3rd; 1,530), hits (6th; 2,079), doubles (3rd; 524), extra-base hits (3rd; 1,023), runs scored (5th; 1,204), walks (4th; 1,133), total bases (5th; 4,084), times on base (4th; 3,241), and games played (5th; 1,953). Among players with at least 3,000 plate appearances for the Red Sox, Ortiz ranks fourth in slugging percentage (.570) and OPS (.956), having hit .290 with a .386 on-base percentage with Boston. He is one of only five players to record as many as 10 seasons with at least 30 home runs and 100 RBI for a single team, joining Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Hank Aaron, and Albert Pujols.

In 2016—his final season as a player—Ortiz batted .315 (169-for-537) and led the Major Leagues in doubles (48), extra-base hits (87), slugging percentage (.620), and OPS (1.021), also pacing the Red Sox in home runs (38), RBI (127), walks (80), and on-base percentage (.401). He set Major League records for most homers, RBI, doubles, and extra-base hits in a final season, and also set single-season records in each of those categories for a player age 40 or older. The 2016 season was Ortiz’s 10th with at least 100 RBI, passing Ted Williams for the most such seasons in club history.

Known as the greatest clutch hitter in Red Sox history, Ortiz is the franchise’s all-time leader with 10 walk-off home runs in the regular season. He recorded an additional seven walk-off hits with Boston, as his 17 game-ending RBI rank first in franchise history. In addition to his heroics in the regular season, Ortiz hit a walk-off home run in third and final game of the 2004 ALDS against the Anaheim Angels, then won Games 4 and 5 of the 2004 ALCS with walk-off hits in Boston’s historic comeback against the New York Yankees. In 2013, he provided the signature moment of the Red Sox’ postseason by hitting a game-tying grand slam in the eighth inning of a 6-5 win over the Detroit Tigers in Game 2 of the ALCS.

Named MVP of the 2004 ALCS and of the 2013 World Series, Ortiz is the Red Sox’ career leader in postseason games (76), runs (51), hits (80), doubles (19), home runs (17), extra-base hits (38), RBI (57), total bases (154), and walks (59). Among players with at least 50 plate appearances in the Fall Classic, Ortiz owns Major League Baseball’s best-ever World Series batting average (.455), on-base percentage (.576), and OPS (1.372).

A champion of charitable initiatives, Ortiz won the 2011 Roberto Clemente Award, MLB’s highest honor for those who best represent the game of baseball through positive contributions on and off the field. He created the David Ortiz Children’s Fund to provide critical pediatric services in New England and in his native Dominican Republic. In Boston, he has provided his time and other resources to Mass General Hospital for Children, donating tickets to patients from the hospital as part of his “Papi’s Pals” program.

On September 13, 2017, Ortiz and the Red Sox reached a long-term agreement, allowing the former slugger to act as a mentor for current players, participate in recruitment efforts, make a variety of special appearances for the club, and work in a business development capacity for Fenway Sports Management and its partners. His uniform number (34) was formally retired during the 2017 season, and in 2022 he will be officially inducted into the Red Sox Hall of Fame.

TLs Sunday Sports Notes | Jan 2, 2022

by

While We’re Young (Ideas)

DIGGIES 2022 and Suggestion Box for Baseball

By TERRY LYONS

BOSTON – Back by popular demand, we give you the very first “DIGGIES 2022,” the top start-ups, new companies and other assorted things to anticipate with great expectations in 2022. One thing you can be assured of, Theranos will NOT be on the list.

To begin, we’ll start you off with a “Lucky 7” DIGGIES in sports investments.

Guru.Club – Remember where you “heard it first,” as Guru Club will be making a major impact in dozens of verticals, including sports, ticket sales, and everything associated with the industry. The Boston-based brand loyalty and new wave/social advertising start-up has very reasonable prices and room for growth for all brands.

HYDROW – Boston-based HYDROW is to rowing as Peloton is to cycling, complete with a monthly fee/membership to experience new and innovative content. HYDROW has been a product, engineered and marketed to the very serious “Head of the Charles” level rower. CEO Bruce Smith competed and coached in the Head of the Charles and 2015 World Championships.

Nex/Homecourt – Parent company Nex has two products and one is Homecourt, an application that allows young basketball players to train smarter, learn from the pros, and gear their training while improving skills that are applicable to NBA Combine level. Nex investors include Samsung, Blue Pool Capital, Harris Blitzer Sports Entertainment, Alibaba Entrepreneurship Fund, NBA, soccer great Thierry Henry, WNBA and USA Basketball legend Sue Bird, Harvard star and NBA phenom, now playing in China Jeremy Lin, former NBA MVP and current Brooklyn Nets coach Steve Nash, baseball legend Albert Pujols, actor and entrepreneur Will Smith, Steven Chen, co-founder YouTube, Matt Mullenweg, Co-Founder WordPress, RohamGharegozlou, Founder, Dapper Labs, NBA TopShot, Mark Cuban, team owner, Dallas Mavericks, and executives from Facebook, Uber, YouTube, Disney, and MasterClass.

PGA TOUR Brunch – A brand you’ve read about before in this column, the six days a week e-News to your Inbox is designed to give PGA Tour fans a mobile-first, and mobile-friendly tournament previews, betting odds, news updates and the most important links to content to save you time as you read the news on your device over lunch, brunch or whenever. Compiled and written by this reporter (Terry Lyons) who enjoys weekly competition in a couple Fantasy Golf leagues, too. Sign-Up or gift PGA TOUR Brunch to your favorite golfer or PGA TOUR fan and receive a special 205 discount by visiting HERE. (Notification: PGA Tour Brunch is not affiliated with the Tour and is a publication by Digital Sports Desk and TERRY LYONS)

Real Response – Real Response is designed to help sports organizations empower their student-athletes and give them the tools needed as the marketing world changes via Name, Image and Likeness opportunities (and eventual regulation). RealResponse partners with over 100 collegiate institutions and athletic organizations like the NFL Players Association, and USA Gymnastics. Through surveys, real-time reporting, and a comprehensive documentation repository, Real Response provided over 50,000 athletes a safe space to deliver concerns and feedback to their administration(s) and reps.

ShotTracker – A ‘not too’ oldie but goodie, here, Shot Tracker is growing its influence. ShotTracker is a sensor-based system that automatically captures statistical and performance analytics for (mostly men’s and women’s basketball) teams in real-time. Up-to-the-minute shot charts, optimal lineups, box scores in game, all streaming instantly into coaches and/or video assistants hands. the late David Stern was on it early, via Greycroftinvestment arm, and now Magic Johnson, Seventy-Six Capital and a host of others are onboard.

Too Good To Go – A global start-up from Europe, now expanding in the USA. They work with Restaurants, Bakeries, Grocery Stores and Households to combat the waste of good food. There’s certainly a future application for sports venues, caterers, and vendors.

HERE NOW, THE NOTES: Between college and pro basketball, a few Bowl games, a slew of NHL games, along with airline flights, there’s been more cancellations than a postmaster detailing stamps at the Post Office. Everyone from bus drivers to vendors to NBA referees are quarantining after positive tests from any and all variants of the COVID-19 virus, but somehow, the band plays on.

Schedule makers in the NHL might have an easier time making up lost games, as they now have the gap in the original schedule, pre piously being held for the 2022 Winter Olympic Games. … College conferences will struggle mightily to find dates to reschedule games and we’re already seeing games that were previously planned to be played in the big time sports arenas, now being relegated to the small on-campus gyms. That’s bad for season ticket holders, but possibly good for added home court advantage but the idea of seeing a packed house in Seton Hall’s tiny Walsh Gymnasium screams super-spreader.

THE BOWLS: The concept, formerly known as the College Football Bowl Season, is in deep trouble. Not only are teams cancelling because of COVID-19 concerns (which is unavoidable at this point in time), but the changing tides of college football result more and more in bowl teams arriving without their head coach, a defensive coordinator (who took on a job opportunity elsewhere) or star players who opt-out of the bowl game to work with professional trainers and strength and conditioning coaches to better prepare for the NFL Combine and Draft.

This column tries best not to be by-lined by Captain Obvious, but a MAJOR change needs to be made and the powers-that-be in college athletics and college football need to act now, rather than later.

There is no simple solution.

One thought is to expand the College Football Playoff system from four to 16 teams and draw a line in the turf right there. Only 16 college football teams would qualify for post-season and four pods of four teams each would be established to create a “Final Four” scenario that we currently enjoy.

Purists – a.k.a. lovers of the Bahamas Bowl, the Tailgreeter Cure Bowl or the Jimmy Kimmel Bowl – might lament. The option there would be to create a college football version of the “National Invitational Tournament” (NIT) and have an “on-campus” game or two to create the NIT Final Four which could be played in the likes of Dayton Ohio or Las Vegas.

The NCAA would also have to create a “No Fly Zone” or moratorium against the hiring or firing of college football coaches from November through January 15.

Michigan and Georgia at the Orange Bowl (Photo by Jeff Goldstein)

DIAMOND DUST-UPs: If the College Bowl Season is broken in two, Major League Baseball has been smashed to pieces.

Currently in lock-out mode, MLB players are working-out on their own and have 42 days until Pitchers & Catchers report for Spring Training. Negotiations are on-going for a new Collective Bargaining Agreement to govern the sport for years to come and the process might become quite painful for both team owners and players.

There are drastic steps that need to be taken in the next agreement. Here are a few:

  1. SALARY CAP SYSTEM: MLB, like football, basketball and hockey before it, must negotiate a Salary Cap (minimum and maximum team salary structure) to govern the Majors. Unless on-field miracles occur, there’s easily 15-20 MLB teams that have little to no chance of competing for a World Series title. Every year, there’s one or two surprise teams that might make the Wild Card playoffs and ride a “hot” pitching or a few “hot” bats, but for the most part, the system is so broken, only the big time teams can compete. A Salary Cap system seems unavoidable, but the MLB Players Association will fight, claw and scream their way out of any collective agreement that includes team salary limits, and curtailing the free agency market.
  2. RULES: MLB must address the designated hitter, the extra-inning rules brought on by COVID-19, including seven-inning doubleheaders and the man-on-second-base rule for extra innings. I’d go with the DH in both leagues and that would be a major “get” for the Union as the jobs of aging players unable to play the field would be protected for all 30 teams. On the others, I’d lean hard against the seven-inning twin bills and the “man-on-second-base” rule. Additionally, there needs to be major change in the way relief pitchers are being utilized. While the purists can claim that MLB managers should be able to do whatever it takes to win a ballgame, the use of eight-to-10 pitchers every game is excessive and the TV audience simply tunes out. The DH should go one way or the other. In or out. (It’s currently only in the American League and has been since 1973. That’s 49 years of inequity. … The pace of play also comes in under the area of game rules that need to be addressed in the CBA. Recent reports have noted the Office of Baseball and the MLB Players have been meeting/discussing non-economic or core issues. Here’s a “Six/Fix” for Baseball:
    • Suggestion One: No mound visits in the first three innings unless a pitcher is going to be removed from the game. (Of course, MLB Trainers can assist a pitcher if there’s an injury from a come-backer).
    • Suggestion Two: Limit the number of pitchers to be ‘active” for any one game. Ten or 12 pitchers max. Others can be healthy scratches, ready for the next game.
    • Suggestion Three: Limit shifting. Each position would have a range of space where the defensive players can be positioned. The range could be on electronic notification that would “beep” in a players’ fielding glove if he approached his space limitation area.
    • Suggestion Four: Address bench-clearing. Bench clearing brawls in Baseball are often no more than pushing-shoving or square-dancing, but there’s always the potential for an all-out “Rudy T” moment and serious injury. There is NO REASON players should leave the dugout. a minimum 20-game suspensions would take care of it. Second offense? How about 50 games?
    • Suggestion Five: Bench clearing from the bullpen is just ridiculous. It’s the easiest fix of the bunch. If a reserve pitcher/catcher/coach leaves a bullpen area during an altercation, Baseball should be able to suspend the player for 50 games.
    • Suggestions Six: (This might sound ridiculous, but a cumulative 10-15 minutes every game is spent as batters nervously re-adjust their batting gloves for every pitch). Once a player steps in the batter’s box, he can no longer adjust his batting gloves. Period. First infraction, a warning. Second infraction? Off come the batting gloves for the rest of the game.

 

MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred and MLB Unit Exec Director Tony Clark

Sox Reacquire Jackie Bradley Jr.

by

Red Sox Nab Bradley Jr, Two Prospects From Milwaukee for Renfroe

BOSTON – (Staff Report from Official News Release) – The Boston Red Sox today acquired outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr. along with minor league infielders Alex Binelas and David Hamilton from the Milwaukee Brewers, in exchange for outfielder Hunter Renfroe. The Red Sox’ 40-man roster is now at 39 after Chief Baseball Officer Chaim Bloom made the trade.

Bradley, 31, has played in 1,007 major league games with the Red Sox (2013-20) and Brewers (2021), batting .230 (755-for-3,286) with 104 home runs. A 2016 All-Star, he earned the Rawlings Gold Glove Award for center field in 2018 and was a finalist for the award in three other seasons (2014, ’16, ’19). Bradley helped the Red Sox win the 2018 World Series, as he was named Most Valuable Player of the American League Championship Series. In 2021, he appeared in 134 games for the Brewers, making 79 starts in center field, 11 in left field, and nine in right field while hitting .163 (63-for-387) with six home runs.

Selected by the Red Sox in the supplemental round of the 2011 June Draft, Bradley has made 752 starts in center field for Boston, sixth most in franchise history. He made six Opening Day starts for the club, including one in left field (2013) and five in center field (2016-20). In 2020, Bradley set career highs in batting average (.283) and on-base percentage (.364), also committing zero errors and leading major league outfielders with seven outs above average (Source: Statcast).

Bradley has been recognized by the Boston Baseball Writers as the Red Sox’ Defensive Player of the Year (2017, ’18, ’19), Comeback Player of the Year (2015), and Minor League Player of the Year (2012), also earning a Special Achievement Award for his 29-game hitting streak in 2016. An active member of the community along with his wife, Erin, Bradley served as captain of the Red Sox Scholars program from 2016-20 and supported the Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program. He and Erin have a daughter, Emerson, and a son, Jax.

Binelas, 21, was selected by the Brewers in the third round of the 2021 MLB Draft out of the University of Louisville. A left-handed hitter, he is ranked by MLB.com as Milwaukee’s No. 17 prospect. Binelas split his professional debut between the Rookie-level ACL Brewers and Low-A Carolina, hitting .309 (43-for-139) with 33 runs scored, 11 doubles, nine home runs, 29 RBI, and a .973 OPS in 36 games. He made 20 starts at third base and four at first base. The Wisconsin native was also selected by the Washington Nationals in the 35th round of the 2018 June Draft.

Hamilton, 24, was selected by the Brewers in the eighth round of the 2019 June Draft out of the University of Texas at Austin and made his professional debut in 2021. A left-handed hitter, he is ranked by MLB.com as Milwaukee’s No. 16 prospect. Hamilton hit .258 (104-for-403) with 66 runs scored, 19 doubles, 11 triples, eight home runs, and 43 RBI in 101 games between High-A Wisconsin and Double-A Biloxi in 2021, making 87 starts at shortstop and 13 at second base. Following the 2021 season, he played in 14 games for Salt River in the Arizona Fall League.

Renfroe, 29, appeared in a career-high 144 games for the Red Sox in 2021, also setting career bests in batting average (.259), on-base percentage (.315), OPS (.816), runs scored (89), doubles (33), extra-base hits (64), and RBI (96). He made 138 appearances in right field and tied for the MLB lead with a career-high 16 outfield assists, which were the most at the position by a Red Sox in the Expansion Era. Selected 13th overall by San Diego in the first round of the 2013 June Draft, Renfroe has hit .237 (465-for-1,966) with 128 home runs and 322 RBI in 576 major league games over six seasons with the Padres (2016-19), Rays (2020), and Red Sox (2021).

Red Sox Acquire Hill, Paxson

by

BOSTON – (Staff Report from Official News Release) – The Boston Red Sox went the veteran route to shore-up their pitching rotation and in doing so, signed left-handed pitcher Rich Hill to a one-year contract for the 2022 season. In addition, the Red Sox signed left-handed pitcher James Paxton to a one-year contract for the 2022 season, with a two-year club option for the 2023-24 seasons. In the event the club does not exercise that option following the 2022 season, Paxton would have the right to exercise a conditional player option for the 2023 season. The Red Sox’ 40-man roster is now at 39 after Red Sox Chief Baseball Officer Chaim Bloom made the additions.

Hill, 41, has pitched for 11 major league teams over 17 seasons, going 74-52 with a 3.80 ERA (479 ER/1,134.2 IP) in 324 appearances (195 starts) with the Chicago Cubs (2005-08), Baltimore Orioles (2009), Red Sox (2010-12, ’15), Cleveland Indians (2013), Los Angeles Angels (2014), New York Yankees (2014), Oakland A’s (2016), Los Angeles Dodgers (2016-19), Minnesota Twins (2020), Tampa Bay Rays (2021), and New York Mets (2021).

In 2021, Hill made 19 starts for the Rays and pitched in 13 games (12 starts) for the Mets, posting a 3.86 ERA (68 ER/158.2 IP) with 150 strikeouts, a 1.21 WHIP, and a .235 opponent batting average. In five starts against American League Postseason teams, he was 4-0 with a 1.75 ERA (5 ER/25.2 IP), having made three appearances against the Yankees, one versus the Red Sox, and one against the Houston Astros.

Born in Boston, Hill graduated from Milton High School before attending the University of Michigan. He last pitched at Fenway Park on September 25, 2015, when he threw a two-hit shutout against the Orioles, striking out 10 batters and walking one. In 25 career appearances at Fenway (one start), Hill is 2-0 with a 1.65 ERA (5 ER/27.1 IP). In 2019, he earned the Tony Conigliaro Award, presented annually by the Red Sox to a major leaguer who has overcome adversity through the attributes of spirit, determination, and courage.

Hill has made 13 Postseason appearances (12 starts) for the Cubs (2007) and Dodgers (2016-19), going 1-2 with a 3.06 ERA (18 ER/53.0 IP).

Paxton, 33, is 57-33 with a 3.59 ERA (301 ER/754.2 IP) in 137 major league appearances—all starts—with the Seattle Mariners (2013-18, ’21) and New York Yankees (2019-20). After making a career-high 29 starts and going 15-6 for the Yankees in 2019, he missed a majority of the 2020 season due to injury. In 2021, he made one start for the Mariners before undergoing Tommy John surgery on April 13 and missing the remainder of the season.

A native of Vancouver, Paxton pitched at the University of Kentucky from 2007-09 and was selected by the Mariners in the fourth round of the 2010 June Draft. He posted a sub-4.00 ERA in each of his first seven major league seasons (2013-19), including a 2.98 ERA (45 ER/136.0 IP) over 24 starts for Seattle in 2017. On May 8, 2018 at Rogers Centre, Paxton threw a no-hitter in a 5-0 win over the Blue Jays. Since the start of 2016, he has averaged 10.61 strikeouts and only 2.53 walks per 9.0 innings, having struck out 695 batters and walked 166 during that time.

Red Sox Sign Wacha for 1-Year

by

BOSTON – (Staff Report from Official News Release) – The Boston Red Sox today signed right-handed pitcher Michael Wacha to a one-year contract for the 2022 season. The club’s 40-man roster is now at 38 after Red Sox Chief Baseball Officer Chaim Bloom made the deal.

Embed from Getty Images

Wacha, 30, made 29 appearances (23 starts) for the Tampa Bay Rays in the 2021 regular season, posting a 2.88 ERA (11 ER/34.1 IP) in his final seven outings. After throwing 5.0 scoreless and hitless innings on September 28 against the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park, he allowed only one hit in 5.0 scoreless innings on October 3 against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. The right-hander led the majors with four outings in which he threw at least 5.0 innings, allowed zero runs, and surrendered one or zero hits.

After spending his first eight major league seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals (2013-19) and New York Mets (2020), Wacha made his American League debut in 2021 with the Rays and went 3-5 with a 5.05 ERA (70 ER/124.2 IP), 121 strikeouts, and 31 walks. In three starts against the Yankees last season, he allowed zero earned runs in 16.0 innings while holding hitters to a .100 batting average (5-for-50). In a 1-0 win over the Red Sox at Tropicana Field on June 24, Wacha surrendered only one hit in 5.0 innings.

Selected by the Cardinals in the first round of the 2012 June Draft (19th overall) out of Texas A&M University, Wacha is 63-48 with a 4.14 ERA (472 ER/1,026.1 IP) in 202 career major league outings (181 starts). A 2015 National League All-Star, he has made six Postseason starts and two relief appearances, going 4-3 with a 5.21 ERA (22 ER/38.0 IP). His lone Postseason outing of 2021 came as a reliever in Game 2 of the ALDS against the Red Sox at Tropicana Field.

Born in Iowa City, IA, Wacha currently resides in Jupiter, FL.