MLB

Red Sox: Coming Down the Stretch from Spring Training to Opening Day

March 29, 2021 by Terry Lyons

FORT MYERS – The Boston Red Sox won each of their last two games following a two-game losing streak. Boston has not lost more than two consecutive games at any point this spring.

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Today marks the eighth of nine scheduled Grapefruit League meetings between the Red Sox and Braves (Red Sox lead, 4-3). The teams will close out their spring training schedule against each other today in North Port and tomorrow at jetBlue Park.
The Sox and Braves will play each other 4 times in the regular season, with 2 games at Fenway Park (May 25-26) and 2 at Truist Park (June 15-16). The Sox went 2-4 vs. ATL in 2020, finishing the season by taking 2 of 3 games in Atlanta from September 25-27.

Sox Manager Alex Cora announced that SP Nathan Eovaldi will start the Red Sox’ Opening Day game against the Orioles on April 1. Eovaldi’s 1st career Opening Day start came last year against BAL, when he allowed 1 run in 6.0 IP. In his final 4 starts of 2020, Eovaldi posted a 0.86 ERA (2 ER/21.0 IP) with 25 SO and 2 BB, allowing 0 runs in his final 13.0 IP. On the season, he averaged a career- best 9.68 SO/9.0 IP and ranked 7th in the majors in SO/ BB ratio (7.43), walking only 7 of his 199 batters faced.

Spring Training: Red Sox Snap Two-Game Skid with Win Over Pirates

March 28, 2021 by Terry Lyons

BRADENTON – The Boston Red Sox snapped a two-game skid with a 7-4 win at Pittsburgh, to continue their trend to not lose more than two consecutive games at any point this spring. Boston went 3-5 in their first eight Grapefruit League games but have since gone 11-5-1.

Since March 10, Boston’s 11 wins rank second in MLB behind only the Oakland A’s (12-4-1). The only teams with more than 14 wins this spring are Toronto(15) and Oakland (15).

Sox 1B Bobby Dalbec leads the majors in runs scored (15) and RBI (16) and is tied for the lead with seven HRs (also Joc Pederson). Dalbec ranks No. 2 in SLG (.822) and No. 3 in OPS (1.214). He also leads the Red Sox in Batting Average (.311) while Kiké Hernández ranks eighth in the majors in OBP (.442) and has recorded more walks (9) than strikeouts (8).

Utility man Michael Chavis ranks in a tie for third in the majors with six HRs (tied with Corey Seager and Josh Bell).

Chavis’ 36 total bases rank 5th in MLB spring training.

TL’s Sunday Sports Notebook

March 27, 2021 by Terry Lyons

While We’re Young (Ideas) of March 28

By TERRY LYONS

BOSTON – The price tags of each NBA expansion franchise over the last 40-plus years are etched in the mind of this NBA-lifer gone fishing’ in New England back in 2008. Yes, this column construction worker began as an intern at the NBA league office in 1980 and a lot was going on. Namely:

It was the same year Earvin “Magic” Johnson and Larry Bird began their (paid) NBA internships as league rookies.
It was the same year the NBA adopted the “gimmicky” Three-Point Field Goal made popular in the ABA.
It was the same season the New Orleans Jazz became the Utah Jazz.
It was the same year that Dr. Jerry Buss purchased the Los Angeles Lakers and The Fabulous Forum from Jack Kent Cooke.
It was the same year that the late, great Darryl Dawkins broke two glass backboards.
It was the same year David Stern was promoted to Executive Veep – Business and Legal Affairs, under Commissioner Lawrence F. “Larry” O’Brien.
And, it was the same year the NBA laid the foundation for the Dallas Mavericks to become the NBA’s 23rd franchise, beginning the following season – 1980-81.

The purchase price for the Mavericks was a cool $12 million.

When it came time to expand again, in the 1988-89 and 1989-90 seasons, the Charlotte Hornets, Miami Heat, Minnesota Timberwolves and Orlando Magic gained entrance to the NBA at the cost of $32.5 million.

The Toronto Raptors and Vancouver Grizzlies bought in as expansion teams in 1995-96 at the cost of a then-whopping $125 million.

The Charlotte Bobcats joined the NBA party for a cool $400 million in 2009-10.

It seemed ridiculous until the Los Angeles Clippers were sold by disgraced team owner Donald Sterling to an anxious to join the club Steve Ballmer for $2 billion in the summer of 2014. That franchise purchase (not via expansion) changed everything across every professional sports franchise.

Nowadays for the NBA, Commissioner Adam Silver is floating a $2.5 billionexpansion fee as a starting point for discussion. Undoubtedly, someone will pay it, most likely to replace the Seattle SuperSonics in the Emerald City.

Now! Sit down for this!

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Our good friends at Sportico issued franchise valuations for the Major League Baseball this week. Read it and weep if your family name isn’t Steinbrenner, Angelos or Illitch.

Here’s the Top 10:

1 New York Yankees – $6.75 billion

2 Boston Red Sox – $4.80 billion

3 Los Angeles Dodgers – $4.62 billion

4 Chicago Cubs – $4.14 billion

5 San Francisco Giants – $3.49 billion

6 New York Mets – $2.48 billion

7 Los Angeles Angels – $2.46 billion

8 Atlanta Braves – $2.38 billion

9 St. Louis Cardinals – $2.36 billion

10 Philadelphia Phillies – $2.28 billion

(Note: The New York Mets were just purchased by Steve Cohen for a record $2.475 billion.)

Sportico last did the NFL franchise valuations for the 2020 season.

Here was the Top 10 of American Footy:

1. Dallas Cowboys – $6.43 billion

2. New England Patriots – $4.97 billion

3. Los Angeles Rams – $4.10 billion

4. New York Giants – $4.00 billion

5. New York Jets – $3.70 billion

6. San Francisco 49ers – $3.63 billion

7. Washington Football Team – $3.58 billion

8. Chicago Bears – $3.41 billion

9. Philadelphia Eagles – $3.35 billion

10. Houston Texans – $3.34 billion

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As Spring Training Winds Down, Boston Red Sox Lose to Minnesota Twins

March 26, 2021 by Terry Lyons

FORT MYERS – Minnesota Twins SP Randy Dobnak gave up one hit in five innings, a solo homer by Boston’s Bobby Dalbec, as Minnesota prevailed as spring training winds down. The Twins’ Josh Donaldson and the Red Sox’s Jonathan Arauz and Cesar Puello also homered as the Twins snapped a three-game Boston win streak with last night’s 7-4 decision. Boston is (6-3) in their last 9 games and 10-4-1 in their last 15.

Boston remains one of six teams with 13 wins (or more). The only teams with more wins are the Royals (14-7- 3) and Blue Jays (14-8-2). Boston has five games remaining in spring training before opening the regular season at home on Thursday, April 1, against the Orioles.

Red Sox Spring Training Update (Mar 25)

March 25, 2021 by Terry Lyons

FORT MYERS – The Red Sox defeated the Orioles last night at jetBlue Park, 2-0, as newly acquired Hunter Renfroe drove in the game’s only runs with a 2-run Home Run in the 3rd inning. Red Sox pitchers retired their final 13 batters faced after SP Nathan Eovaldi allowed four hits in 5.2 IP.

Hirokazu Sawamura (1.1 IP), Adam Ottavino (1.0 IP), and Josh Taylor (1.0 IP) each recorded perfect outings in relief.

The Red Sox have won their last three games and are 6-2 in their last eight, and 10-3-1 in their last 14. The Red Sox entered today leading the Grapefruit League in runs scored (130), HR (34), doubles (41), AVG (.270), OBP (.351), and SLG (.485).

Entering today, only the Toronto Blue Jays (14-8-1) had more wins than the Sox. and the only other teams with 13 wins are the KC Royals, NY Yankees, and Chicago Cubs.

The 2021 Chairman’s Cup between the Red Sox and Twins continues today, with the Red Sox leading 3-1-1…The Twins lead, 14-12-2, in the yearly series, with an 81-76-2 edge in games. The Red Sox and Twins will face each other 7 times during the 2021 regular season, with 4 games scheduled for 4/12-15 at Target Field, and 3 games set for 8/24-26 at Fenway Park. The Red Sox hold a 316-314 edge since the Twins moved to Minnesota prior to the 1961 season.

Boston has six games remaining in spring training before opening the regular season at home on Thursday, April 1, against the Orioles.

Sports Biz: Good for the Goose!

March 25, 2021 by Terry Lyons

CHICAGO – Where is Goose Gossage when you need him?

TeamWorks Media announced that Chicago’s Goose Island Beer Company will become the presenting sponsor of Being Guillén, La Vida Baseball’s regular visit with the Guillén family for the opening month of the MLB season. The show will stream from the Goose Island Brewhouse opening week to coincide with the Cubs home opener and then April 8 (White Sox home opener) before moving back to the La Vida Baseball® studio in Chicago for the rest of the month. It will feature Ozzie Sr, Ozzie Jr, and Oney Guillén offering their always entertaining take on baseball and family.

TeamWorks Media is the parent company of La Vida Baseball® and this is an expansion of the partnership with Goose Island that began last October.

“We are all looking forward with a return to normalcy this spring, and nothing could be more fun than to spend it with the Guillén family as fans and baseball return to Chicago,” said Jay Sharman, CEO of TeamWorks Media in the official news release. “Our partnership with Goose Island got off to a great start in October as the season ended, and we are ready to expand it with some fun engagement during MLB’s opening month.”

The show will touch on all the recent developments in and around the Chicago teams and look ahead to what is one of the most anticipated seasons in baseball in The Windy City for some time. There will be special guests from around the country as well as engaging fan segments and a host of other promotions as Being Guillén™ and Goose Island help celebrate the exciting return of baseball.

Additional La Vida Baseball programming includes the live social media streaming series, La Vida Baseball ¡Live!, the brand’s weekday interactive, fan-centric live show, hosted by Jennifer Mercedes (@Chica_Deportes) and Julie Alexandria (@JulieAlexandria); Gaming with The Guilléns™, a live, engaging Twitch experience where Ozzie Guillén Jr. challenges Major Leaguers to play him in the video game “MLB The Show,” and the rowdy and hilarious Spanish language show, Pólvora, Voz y Diamante, hosted by Polo Ascencio, Pliego Villa and Jesse Castillo, offering baseball conversation like you’ve never seen before and mixing hilarious pop-culture sensibilities with an undeniable love for the game.

Red Sox: Countdown to Opening Day

March 24, 2021 by Terry Lyons

FORT MYERS, March 24 – Today marks the second of two Grapefruit League meetings between the Red Sox and Baltimore Orioles, following a March 4th Baltimore 6-3 win over Boston in Sarasota. The Red Sox are coming off a 7-6 win over the Atlanta Braves in yesterday’s road game. The Sox are 8-2 at jetBlue Park and 4-6-1 on the road.

Including today, the Sox have four home games and three road games remaining.

The Sox will play the Orioles 19 times in the regular season (nine home, 10 road), including the season- opening series at Fenway Park (April 1-4).

Six of Boston’s first nine games will be vs. the Orioles, as well as 10 of their first 36. In an 82-game stretch from May 11-August 12, the Sox will not face the O’s.

Boston is 5-2 over their last seven games and 9-3-1 in their last 13. Only the Royals (13-6-3), Blue Jays (13-8-1), and Yankees (13-7-2) have more wins than the Red Sox. The Sox have only seven games remaining in spring training before opening the regular season.

Red Sox Spring Training Notes (Mar. 23)

March 23, 2021 by Terry Lyons

FORT MYERS – In yesterday’s 10-4 win at Tampa Bay, four of Boston’s eight hits went for extra bases, including Home Runs by Christian Arroyo, Michael Chavis, and Bobby Dalbec. In the 3rd inning, Arroyo and Chavis homered on consecutive pitches.

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Dalbec and Chavis each hit their sixth HR of spring training yesterday, the most in the Grapefruit League and tied with LA Dodgers slugger Corey Seager for most in the majors.

The Red Sox are 8-3-1 in their last 12 games of Grapefruit League action. There are only nine days left until MLB Opening Day. Boston leads the Grapefruit League in runs (121), AVG (.271), HR (32), doubles (40), OBP (.356), and SLG (.498)… They have hit 8 more HR than any other team in the Grapefruit League.

Today marks the seventh of nine scheduled Grapefruit League meetings between the Red Sox and Atlanta Braves (currently tied, 3-3). The clubs will close out their spring training schedules against each other on 3/29 in North Port and 3/30 at jetBlue Park. The Sox and Braves will play each other 4 times in the regular season, with 2 games at Fenway Park (5/25-26) and 2 at Truist Park (6/15-16).

Red Sox: Spring Training Notes: Mar 22

March 22, 2021 by Terry Lyons

FORT MYERS – The Red Sox dropped a 9-4 decision to the Pittsburgh Pirates and have lost their last two games, after going 7-1-1 in their previous nine outings. The Sox are 8-2 at jetBlue Park and 2-6-1 on the road.

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Today marks the seventh of eight Grapefruit League meetings between the Red Sox and Rays (Boston leads, 4-2). Only three of the Sox’ first 72 games will be against the Rays (4/5-7 at home), as well as only six of their first 106. From 7/30-9/8, 13 of the Sox’ 36 games will be against Tampa Bay.

Including today, the Sox have four home games and five road games remaining in Spring Training as the 10-day countdown to opening day begins.

Notes: Red Sox manager Alex Cora and Rays manager Kevin Cash were teammates with the Red Sox in 2007 and 2008, helping lead BOS to the postseason in each year…The Sox won the World Series in 2007. … Cora was major league teammates with six current MLB managers: Cash, Aaron Boone (CLE, 2005), Craig Counsell (LAD, 1999), Gabe Kapler (BOS, 2005-06), Dave Roberts (LAD, 2002-04), and David Ross (BOS, 2008).

Red Sox: Spring Training Update (Mar 21)

March 21, 2021 by Terry Lyons

FORT MYERS, FLORIDA – The Boston Red Sox had their 3-game win streak snapped on Saturday with an 8-2 loss at Atlanta. The Red Sox are 7-2-1 in their last 10 games and 10-5-1 since beginning Spring Training 0-2. Boston has 10 games remaining in spring training before opening the regular season at home on Thursday, 4/1, against the Orioles.

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The Red Sox lead the majors in OPS (.854) and lead the Florida Grapefruit League in runs (107), AVG (.272), HR (29), doubles (35), OBP (.354), and SLG (.501).

The Red Sox have 35 active players remaining in Major League Spring Training camp, including 29 members of the 40-man roster and six non-roster invitees. In addition, LHP Chris Sale (60-day IL) and OF Franchy Cordero (COVID-19 Related IL) are on the injured list. Opening Day rosters must consist of 26 active players and must be submitted to MLB by noon (EDT) on Thursday, April 1.

Eleven members of the Red Sox’ 40-man roster/IL were not in the organization during the 2020 season and an additional five players on the 40-man were acquired in August 2020 including, Christian Arroyo, Nick Pivetta, Hudson Potts, Jeisson Rosario, and Connor Seabold.

Sox Manager Alex Cora announced that Eduardo Rodriguez will make his 1st career Opening Day start this season (4/1 vs. BAL). After missing the entire 2020 season with myocarditis, Rodriguez is 2-0 with a 2.31 ERA, .195 opponent AVG, and 0.69 WHIP in three starts this spring.