The AFC Championship Game did not go as many believed it would. That is not to say that nobody expected the Denver Broncos to win the game; I believed they had a legit shot at beating the New England Patriots. It is the way that it happened. The fact that the offense was suffocated by the Broncos' defense and barely able to move the ball past midfield until desperation time set in. There were a lot of mistakes made by a team that very rarely makes many mistakes. I'm going to start before the ball was even teed up. The Patriots won the toss (obviously), and elected to receive. Wait what?? The Patriots never want the ball. They didn't even want the ball to start overtime against the New York Jets!! Deferring is what Bill Belichick and the Patriots do. Not this time. They took the ball. That was their first mistake. They knew how good the Denver defense was. They also knew that the Denver offense was not that good and they could stop them with a top defense of their own. That being the case, they should have deferred and let their defense set the tone, instead of allowing the Denver defense to set the tone and get the crowd into the game. Oh, and by the way...before yesterday's game, they had won the toss and elected to receive only twice since 2008. Both were losses. If it ain't broke don't fix it. Defer. Next in the long list of what the Patriots did wrong, falls on Stephen Gostkowski. Gostkowski was one of the best kickers in the league this season. He was one of six kickers to not miss an extra point. In fact, he had not missed an extra point in NINE SEASONS. He had made a record 523 extra points. Dude, of all the times to miss an extra point you choose the AFC Championship Game?? Great, now we have to listen to Tony Massarotti ramble on about how he's not worth the money. Can't wait for that. If he hit that point after, they would not have had to attempt a two point conversion to tie the game. An extra point would have been enough. Now is as good a time as any to get into the offensive line. That was painful to watch, I can only imagine how physically painful it actually was for Brady. Brady got hit 20 times. TWENTY TIMES. That is the most any quarterback has been hit since 2006. TWO THOUSAND AND SIX. Brady wasn't good, but the offensive line is the real reason he wasn't good. How can you expect him to be good when he's getting hit half the times he drops back? Nice job, offensive line. Way to step up in the big game. Yes, I know that is a nasty pass rush that the Broncos have, but there were multiple occasions when Von Miller went literally untouched. There was one play when Cam Fleming was in as an extra blocker on the right side. Extra blockers usually have one job, as their position indicates, and that is to block. Fleming did not lay a finger on Miller as he flew past him to drill Brady. Needless to say, I think Fleming is going to be cut. I had a big problem with the play calling on Sunday. I've said for years that Josh McDaniels is a wildly overrated offensive coordinator and I would love for a team to hire him as their head coach. Good luck to that team. He reaffirmed my belief on Sunday afternoon. The Patriots have faced great front sevens in the past. The Detroit Lions last season. The Seattle Seahawks in the Super Bowl. Hell, they faced one last week when the Kansas City Chiefs came to Foxboro. The game plan in those games were all pretty similar...have Brady in the shotgun and get rid of the ball within two seconds of him receiving the snap. They didn't even try to run in those games. All three of those games were victories. The Broncos may have the best defense out of that group of teams, but no matter how good the defense is, if you're getting rid of the ball in under two seconds, nobody is going to get to you. Instead, Brady was forced to hold the ball longer than desired and got hit a record number of times. Some of that could be the fact that the receivers weren't getting open, but I have a tough time believing that nobody was open that quickly so often. What bothered me even more than that, though, was the attempt to run the ball. I know, I know. They only handed the ball off 14 times. However, those are 14 wasted plays. You are not going to be able to run on Denver. If I can tell you that, I'm sure Pink Stripes knows it and relayed the message to Belichick and McDaniels. Not only are they tough to run on, but you don't have the personnel to run! Your offensive line was a disgrace, and your running backs are just not good. Keep the ball in the hands of your best player. With 6:03 left in the game, the Patriots decided to go for it on 4th and 1at the Denver 16. A lot of people that I've talked to had a problem with the play call, which was a play action rollout to then find Julian Edelman on the opposite side. I didn't hate that play. In that situation, it may not have been the best call. However, it is a play that the Patriots never run, so it makes sense to think that the defense would be caught off guard. That being said, it was play action. The Broncos knew they were not going to run the ball. However, the play is not the biggest problem I had with that series of events. I had a problem with not taking the points. And, yes, I said that at the time. This is not me second guessing based on hindsight. I understand going for it. They had not been down in that territory all day, and had a legit concern that they would not be back there. But Brady in desperation mode is something special. If he needs to get down there, he will probably get down there. So if they took the points, all they would need is a touchdown to win the game. Instead, they needed a touchdown and extra point to tie the game. Ryan Allen was horrible. He, like Gostkowski, had been so good all year, but just did not show up when they needed him to yesterday. Britton Colquitt, on the other hand, was very good. When the Broncos were backed up, he booted it deep so the Patriots wouldn't be starting at midfield. He also pinned them inside the 20 in four out of his nine punts. And they were actually starting a lot of those drives backed up to their own endzone. Tough to go 98 yards on that defense. Just for fun, if that's what you want to call it, let's go back a little ways and take a look at one more mistake the Patriots made. They needed to win one game down the stretch. One. If they won, they would have been at home for the AFC Championship Game, and may not even have had to face the Broncos. Their three losses that should've been wins were at home against the Philadelphia Eagles, and on the road against the New York Jets and Miami Dolphins. All three games should have been wins, but all they needed was one. If they did not do that stupid mortar kick with Nate Ebner they probably win the game against the Eagles. If they cared in the final two games, they probably win one of those games. Now, he could have believed that the Broncos were going to lose in the first round and the AFC Championship would be at home, but that clearly was not the case, and you can't bank on something like that. The Miami game is the one you really have to question. Not only did they not try, they trotted their A team out there. Either play your starters and play to win, or don't play them and basically forfeit. Instead, Belichick was arrogant enough to believe that he could win no matter where he played. All this being said, the Patriots should be one of the favorites, if not the favorite to win the Super Bowl next year. This team will compete for sure. It is a very good team. It is a better team than the Broncos. Despite playing so poorly yesterday, they showed heart. They showed grit to fight back and almost tie a game that they had absolutely no business still being in it. They just have to do their job and they'll be right back in the AFC Championship Game, hopefully at home next time. Follow @SamPericolo for the latest sports talk and news
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The AFC Championship game will mark the 17th time that Tom Brady and Peyton Manning will have faced each other in their careers. While the argument of who the better quarterback is, no matter the outcome of tomorrow's game, has been put to rest (come on people, you know it's Brady), the AFC representative in the Super Bowl has not yet been decided. You can use the eye test, in which case the New England Patriots look like a far superior team to the Denver Broncos. However, anything can happen. Who will win can be debated. What can't be debated? Statistics. If you know me at all, you know that I value the eye test over statistics as much as anybody you will meet. I don't care if Mike Mussina's numbers are similar to the statistics of those who are already in Cooperstown, but did anybody ever think "that's a Hall of Famer" while watching him pitch? Nope. Stats do not tell the whole story. That being said, we're going to look at statistics and only statistics today to determine who will win the AFC Championship game. So without further ado... Why Denver Will Win
Why the Patriots Will Win
So, there you have it. Still have no idea who will win on Sunday? Yeah, me either. We'll see what happens on Sunday!
I know hockey pretty well. I know football very well. I know baseball better than John Farrell does. I know basketball, but nowhere near as well as the other three sports. (Yes, three sports. Soccer is not a sport, or at least a sport that I have any interest in whatsoever.) Yet it is basketball that I am about to talk about. Why is that so? Because it’s time to have some fun with the NBA Trade Machine and you don’t need to know jack about the NBA to have fun with that!
These trades will benefit the Celtics. They're the hometown team, obviously I'm going to try to make them better. (And hopefully not get them in trouble with the law for grand larceny...) How about we start big and bring arguably the three best players, at least at their respective positions, to the green. Trade #1: The Big 3
Alright, so LeBron James, Steph Curry, and Anthony Davis are all in Boston now, and the only player
Starting 5: Curry, Isaiah Thomas, James, Kelly Olynyk, Davis
Trade #2: The Big 4
Alright, now let's try to get crazy. Time to bring FOUR of the best players in the league to Boston! This trade is slightly more unrealistic than the previous trade, because the Celtics would never agree to it. Look at all the green that is being spread throughout the league! They'd lose more than half of their roster! Oh well, their starting five would be pretty solid.
Starting 5: Wesbrook, James Young, Durant, Griffin, Cousins Team #3: NBA All-Defense
We all know that the two previous teams will be able to score. I mean, come on. Curry on team number one and Durant and Westbrook on team number two. BUT, can they play defense?? This team sure as hell can. These five players were either first or second team All-Defense in 2014. (But somehow the Celtics become a far worse team than they were before, while the Grizzlies, who traded Allen for Jerebko, are the only team that technically improves after this deal.) Actually, Duncan is the only player who was second team All-Defense. What a slob.
Starting 5: Paul, Allen, Leonard, Duncan, Jordan Team #4: Austin's Favorite Players
How about we bring some of our favorite players to our favorite team! As a proper host, I will allow my guest to bring his favorite ballers to Boston before I bring mine here. Now, if any of you know Austin, you know his infatuation with Russell Westbrook. I recently asked him if he could choose any player in the NBA to start a franchise with who it would be, and HE TOOK RUSS OVER STEPH. Yeah, I know, this guy claims to know basketball. Whatever helps you sleet at night, buddy. Anyway, his "dream team" we'll call it, was SO EASY to bring together. You want Russ? Ok, bye David Lee. Leonard? See ya, Amir. McCollum? Adios, Turner.
Starting 5: Wesbrook, McCollum, Leonard, Jae Crowder*, Olynyk *Or in Austin's case, Bae Crowder. Crowder moves from the three to the four for this team. Yes, I could start Sullinger in that spot, but Austin, in addition to Westbrook, Leonard, and McCollum, listed Crowder and Olynyk as his favorite players (he didn't know why I was asking for his favorite players). I aim to please, so here you go, Austin. Your five favorite players all starting on the Celtics. Team #5: My Favorite Players
Alright, now that I got that pain in the ass out of the way and he's probably stopped reading since I've already done his dream team, it's time for what really matters. My favorite players. This deal was just as easy as Austin's. Obviously, Amir and Lee are gone. That's a given. Jerebko is the final piece that is sent packing to bring some of my favorite players together. Parker did an amazing thing. He made me not hate Duke. Yeah, I know, crazy. Anybody who can do that belongs on my team of favs.
Starting 5: Curry, Thomas, Hayward, Parker, Olynyk Team #6: My Favorite Players Part 2
Hey, this is my article. My website. If I want to have two trades that are all about me, I'm going to. I, like Austin, love Leonard. How do you not? And since I was already dealing with the Spurs, why not bring in Duncan. Nobody doesn't like Duncan. Chandler Parsons was fun to watch at Florida. I haven't seen much of him in the NBA, but I liked him in college so he makes the cut. Finally, Manimal is going to be wearing green too. Another guy I loved in college. Actually, if you look at my favorite players, I like most of them because I loved watching them in college. Except Duncan. There are few people still alive that remember watching Duncan play at Wake Forest.
Starting 5: Thomas, Parsons*, Leonard, Faried, Duncan *Yes, I know Parsons is a small forward and not a shooting guard. How many times do I have to tell you this is my thing and I can do as I please?
If you were looking to see a trade that made somebody other than the Celtics an absolute powerhouse,
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Mike McCarthy and the Green Bay Packers have had some of the most talented teams in the NFL over the past decade or so. Aaron Rodgers took over as the starting quarterback in 2008 and has been considered one of the best in the game since then. He has had many weapons over that time including four-time Pro-Bowler Donald Driver, two-time Pro-Bowler Greg Jennings and All-Pro Jordy Nelson to name a few. However, they have seriously underperformed over that time period and, no matter what their record in the regular season is, should not be considered a real threat in the playoffs, at least for the time being. Let’s start with the head coach. McCarthy is one of the most overrated coaches in football. He has benefited from the talent around him but has in no way, shape or form gotten the most out of his players. A baboon could coach an Aaron Rodgers led team to a winning record. McCarthy is still stuck in the archaic philosophy of establishing the run. Some teams absolutely need to establish the run. However, those are not championship teams. Teams that need to run the ball to have success are not going to win a Super Bowl. You need to a quarterback who can pass to have success in this league. Yes, a great running back can help you win a Super Bowl (see Marshawn Lynch), but you still need that star quarterback (see Russell Wilson and a stud defense (see Legion of Boom). The Packers have that star quarterback! Use him! Do you see the New England Patriots trying to establish the run with Tom Brady under center? Hell no! They handed the ball of seven times last week against the Chiefs. They knew that their best chance to win was to have the ball in the hands of the best player on the field: Tom Brady. Since McCarthy is so stuck in the establishing the run philosophy, he very rarely changes the game plan. It does not matter if the team is facing the top rated Seahawks rush defense or the bottom of the barrel Eagles rushing defense, McCarthy would still feed his running back the ball. If he game planned week by week, he would realize that when you are playing a team that cannot defend the run, you shove it down their throats (see Patriots vs. Colts, Jonas Gray/LeGarrette Blount), but if you are playing a team that is very good against the run and you have one of the best quarterbacks in the league, you spread it out and throw the ball 60 times (see Patriots vs. Bills, Week 2). Who cares if you are not balanced, the goal is to win the game, not be balanced. McCarthy also needs to give up play calling again, I do not care how good everybody think he is at it. Yes, I just went on a rant about how he game plans too many runs, but there is a big difference between game planning, and play calling. The coach game plans. The coordinators then make the actual play calls based on that game plan. The head coach needs to be in control of the entire team, all three phases of the game. He cannot be bogged down in offensive play calling. He needs to hire an offensive coordinator that he trusts. If you cannot trust the current offensive coordinator to call the plays, he should not be on your staff. Ok, that turned into whey McCarthy is stupid more so than the Packers are stupid. What comes next is not stupidity by the Packers, but a quick rant about the media and why the Packers have not won another Super Bowl. Aaron Rodgers. People argue that Rodgers is the best quarterback in the game. I have even heard Stephen A. Smith say that he is the best quarterback in history. Both of those statements are wildly inaccurate. Tom Brady is the best quarterback in the game and is the best quarterback in history. It is not a debate. However, that is not why they have not won another Super Bowl. It is because of Rodgers’ clutch gene, or lack thereof. Now if you read that and say “what about all those last second Hail Mary passes that were completed to tie or win the game?!” That is not clutch. That is using your absolute cannon of an arm to throw the ball into a crowd of people and hoping your guy comes down with it. Rodgers has not proven the ability to drive his team down the field to get his team in field goal range or drive down for a touchdown that is not heaving the ball as far as he can on the last play. Now to settle down those who may come at me for hypocrisy, if Tom Brady had completed that Hail Mary at the end of the Super Bowl in 2011 to Rob Gronkowski, I would not have called that clutch on Brady’s part. I would have called it one of the single greatest plays in the history of sports, but launching the ball as far as you can into a crowd is not clutch. Rodgers, outside of the Super Bowl run, is 2-7. He is closer to Peyton Manning when it comes to playoff success than he is Tom Brady. Take 2011 for example. The Packers were 15-1. They were the best regular season team that season. Rodgers was great. They were the number one seed. And then the New York Giants came into Lambeau Field and beat the Packers in what was not even a close game. It is unacceptable to lose that game. Yes, the Giants went on to win the Super Bowl. But do not try to tell me they were a better team than the Packers. The Packers choked. Ok, I think I am done. I have been thinking these thoughts for a very long time. Completely random article from a New Englander who is not affected by the Packers at all? Yup. But as a football fan, I see a lot of stuff throughout the league that I just view as downright stupid and I need to let it all out. Today, the Packers were the victim. Tomorrow could be the referees. Could be the media. Could be Roger Goodell. Could be anything. It is a very stupid league that is highly addictive so we keep coming back. Follow @SamPericolo for the latest sports talk and news The Red Sox had some major work to do in the offseason. After their third last place finish in four years, they had to once again change their philosophy so they could get back to competing. Dave Dombrowski entered his first offseason with the Boston Red Sox with three moves in mind. He wanted to acquire an ace, a closer, and a right handed hitting fourth outfielder. First thing to get checked off was the closer. Dombrowski sent four prospects, including centerfielder Manuel Margot, considered a top ten prospect in baseball, to the San Diego Padres for Craig Kimbrel. The other three prospects sent to San Diego were shortstop Javier Guerra, infielder Carlos Asuaje, and left handed pitcher Logan Allen. Did the Red Sox give up too much for Kimbrel? Yes, they might have. However, it can be justified. Margot and Guerra were the two big names in the package going to San Diego. With 23 year old Mookie Betts manning centerfield (or possibly 25 year old Jackie Bradley Jr.), Margot becomes expendable. The Red Sox also have Xander Bogaerts, 23, so Guerra, 20, is also blocked. This deal seemed like the Sox gave up way too much, but after realizing that the top guys they traded were blocked by young stars, it made more sense. Good deal for Dombrowski. Next was the outfielder. Chris Young was signed to a two-year deal worth $13.5 million. As a fourth outfielder, he is a pretty good option. However, I do not totally understand why the fourth outfielder had to be right handed. You could argue it is because they do not know how Jackie Bradley Jr. is going to hit in 2016, but JBJ actually hits left handed pitching better than he does right handed. Either way, Young is a fine fourth outfielder. He is not good enough to start, so I expect the outfield of Betts, Bradley, and Rusney Castillo to remain intact. Assuming that is the case, this was also a good deal for Dombrowski. Finally, the ace came to Boston. Now I’m not sure who we have to thank for David Price signing with the Red Sox. It could be Dombrowski, but I lean more towards Jared Carrabis. Any president/general manager can give out over $30 million per year. It takes true talent to convince a guy who seemed to truly hate Boston, that this is the place to spend the next seven years of his career. Is seven years a little tough to swallow for a guy over 30 years old? Yes it is. However, there are reasons to like the deal. First of all, the Red Sox needed an ace. There were two ways to acquire that ace. They could trade away all of their prospects for an ace, or they could just open up their checkbook and not part with any of their top prospects. With the price that young starters are going for, Dombrowski made the right call. If Shelby Miller got traded for Dansby Swanson, Ender Enciarte, and Aaron Blair, imagine how expensive Sonny Gray or Chris Sale would be, never mind Jose Fernandez who would command a package that would look something like Mookie Betts, Eduardo Rodriguez, Yoan Moncada, Rafael Devers, and probably another prospect. That is an outrageous asking price, but probably not far off from what the Marlins would want. Since Dombrowski chose the route of free agency, he had two real choices. He could go with Price or Zack Greinke. Greinke is two years older than Price, and has an anxiety disorder that I find hard to believe would be able to survive Boston. He not only chose the right route, he chose the right guy. Also, a three year opt-out is great for both parties. If Price pitches well, he can opt-out and take advantage of the fact that contracts keep ballooning. It also works out well for the Red Sox because they can thank Price for his time in Boston, and then move on. It is an out so they do not have to pay a guy into his late 30s, something they have expressed their dislike for over the previous few years. Dombrowski was able to check off all three of his priorities before the Winter Meetings. However, he had too many starters and still needed to add depth to the bullpen. Enter, the Seattle Mariners. The Mariners wanted a reliable starter after losing Hisashi Iwakuma to the Dodgers and Wade Miley is about as reliable as they come. He is by no means a great pitcher. He is a decent pitcher who will, for the most part, keep you in the game. But by reliable I mean that he takes the ball every five games. In his first four full seasons as a big leaguer, Miley has started at least 32 games. In return for the lefty, the Sox got back Carson Smith and Roenis Elias. Smith had a great season in the Seattle bullpen. Elias is more for depth. This honestly may be Dombrowski’s best move of the offseason. As I said, anybody can throw $30 million at a starter to get them to sign. Anybody can offer four top prospects for a closer. It takes great negotiating skills to get a guy like Smith in return for an expendable starter. Now, I would have rather moved a different starter, because Miley is so dependable, but it would have been more difficult to move the others. Clay Buchholz has as much skill as any pitcher in baseball, but is the opposite of Miley; he has never started 30 games in his career and only started 28 games or more three times. He has been a full-time big leaguer since 2008. Rick Porcello has a laughably large contract. Nobody was going to take that. Joe Kelly has some serious potential, so I can see wanting to hold onto him as a number five starter. The only other guy is Eduardo Rodriguez and he’s not going anywhere. There are a few more guys I would like to see the Sox take a run at. None of them are guys who would break the bank, but they have serious potential to help the Red Sox rotation. The first guy I would like to take a look at is Henderson Alvarez. Alvarez was non-tendered by the Marlins making him a free agent. He had a rough 2015 campaign, but he had a very good 2014 season and is only 25 years old. He should not command much money on the market. The next guy is Cliff Lee. Yes, that’s right. Cliff Lee. Lee has not pitched since 2014 and is 37 years old. He will draw interest from many teams based on name alone. However, if he is given a one-year, incentive based deal, he could bounce back to help a team. Not as an ace, but as a good pitcher. Steve Cishek is another pitcher who was non-tendered. He had a rough 2015, but had two strong seasons before that. He could also get a one-year deal and adds some depth to the bullpen. I was higher on this move before the Sox traded for Smith, but as a depth guy, he is worth a flyer. Since we’re looking at pitchers who struggled in 2015, I would give the Atlanta Braves a call on Julio Teheran. He would be much cheaper than Shelby Miller. Now that does not say a lot because Miller cost the Braves a ton, but at least ask what it would take to get him. There is one part of the Red Sox offseason that I do not think was a success, and that was bringing back John Farrell. They very well could just be bringing him back because they couldn’t fire a guy with cancer. I did not like Farrell even in 2013 when the won the World Series. They won it in spite of him, not because of him. He was totally lost while managing against the Cardinals. He is not a good manager. Is it coincidence that the Red Sox started playing better last season when Torry Lovullo took over? I don’t think so. It may have had something to do with Hanley Ramirez and Pablo Sandoval sitting down as well, but I honestly believe that Farrell brought this team down. Plus, he’s a clown. Last year he said they had five aces and this year, instead of backing down, doubled down and said that he believes three guys in the rotation, including Clay Buchholz, could hit 200 innings. Buchholz has never pitched 200 innings. I understand supporting your guys, but he is not doing it the right way. He just sounds stupid. Obviously I want the Red Sox to win the World Series this year. But if they get off to a rough start so Farrell gets fired, that would not be the worst thing in the world, as long as they turn it around under the new manager. Do not misread that. I am not rooting for the Red Sox to lose. I always want what is best for this team. What is best for this team is to have a guy not named John Farrell on the top step managing the Boston Red Sox. The offseason is far from over. We could still see another starter brought in. We could see more bullpen help acquired. Hell, we could even see Ramirez traded. If that happens, give Dombrowski executive of the year immediately. Let’s see how the rest of the offseason plays out, but it seems like the major moves are done and this team is ready to compete in 2016. Follow @SamPericolo for the latest sports talk and news Last week, I put together a team made up of players who are all 23 years old or younger. It was an unbelievable team. That got me thinking, would that team be better than a team of players made up of all 30+ year olds? This was far too easy. It was a stacked team. (It had a rotation of Scherzer, Greinke, Hamels, Liriano and Shields.) So I changed the criteria a little bit to make it more challenging. This is a team where everybody is 32 or older. Take a look… Starting Nine: Catcher: Russell Martin, Blue Jays (32) Martin is having a great season in Toronto. Currently sitting at 14 homers, he could pass his career high (21). He is also a solid defensive catcher. He has one Gold Glove but is usually pretty good at gunning guys down on the base paths. First Base: Albert Pujols, Angels (35) Before this year, there is no way Pujols would have been on this team. However, he has turned his career around. After a rough start to his tenure in Los Angeles (or Anaheim), Pujols finally made his first American League All-Star team this year and leads the league with 29 homers. Second Base: Robinson Cano, Mariners (32) Cano got off to a rough start this year. However, he seems to have turned the corner as of late. Over the last month, he has hit .309 with six home runs. While the Mariners are not going anywhere in 2015, they are surely happy to see their $240 million second baseman showing signs of life. Shortstop: Jhonny Peralta, Cardinals (33) Remember when I said the team was too good when 30-year olds were allowed on this team? Yeah, Troy Tulowitzki held this spot at that time. Peralta, though, has had a great season. The 33-year old is hitting .296 with 14 home runs and 48 RBI on the best team in baseball. Third Base: Miguel Cabrera, Tigers (32) He’s played third base in the past and I had to get Pujols on this team, so Cabrera is going to make the change back to third. Yes, he is currently on the disabled list, but does that matter? He’s a machine. In what has been somewhat of a quiet year, and by that I just mean not as much media attention as some other players (**looks at Bryce Harper**), he is hitting .350 (leads the league) with 15 homers and 54 RBI…and he’s been out since July 4. Left Field: Nelson Cruz, Mariners (35) May as well keep you updated on who occupied this position when it was 30+ so you understand why I moved it to 32. Hanley Ramirez was the left fielder. (Ignore his defense and focus on offense.) Cruz has been one of the most powerful hitters in baseball the last few years. Last year, he led the league with 40 homers and has 24 this season. He is a solid power bat to have in the middle of the lineup. Centerfield: Torri Hunter, Twins (40) (Was Ryan Braun, 31) He may not be the Gold Glove winner that he was in his prime, but he is still a solid player to have patrolling centerfield, and can still poke the ball out of the park (14 home runs on the year). Right Field: Jose Bautista, Blue Jays (34) Like Cruz, Bautista is the power bat that we want in the middle of the lineup. Bautista’s average has dropped below his career average as he is hitting only .237, but the power is still there as he has 20 diners and a league-leading 65 RBI. Designated Hitter: Edwin Encarnacion, Blue Jays (32) Bautista’s buddy will follow him from Toronto to…wherever this team is located. Like Bautista, his average is lower than normal (.232), but the power is still very much there (19 homers). Starting Rotation: James Shields, Padres (33) While he may not be a number one, Shields is a solid guy to lead this rotation. He has pitched in the big game before and is a big time strikeout pitcher; he is third in the league in strikeouts. AJ Burnett, Pirates, (38) Burnett has turned back the clock and is having one of his best seasons as a pro. He has a 2.44 ERA, far and away the best of his career if he keeps it that low, and just made his first All-Star team this year. John Lackey, Cardinals (36) Since getting healthy at the end of his time in Boston, Lackey has pitched like the Red Sox paid him to. He also has an ERA under 3.00 and is pitching for the best team in baseball. He could very well win his third ring this season. Jason Hammel, Cubs (32) If Hammel pitched his entire career with the Cubs he would be a Hall of Famer. Everywhere else, Hammel has been mediocre AT BEST. In Chicago, he has a .591 win percentage and an ERA under 3.00. Mark Buehrle, Blue Jays (36) Yup, he’s still around. Yup, he still works fast. Yup, he still finishes games. Buehrle has been the Blue Jays’ best pitcher this season and leads the league with four complete games. The guy just doesn’t age. Bullpen: CJ Wilson, Angels (34) You need long relief in the bullpen and Wilson is our guy. Koji Uehara, Red Sox (40) Koji has been one of the best closers in baseball over the past few years. He started to show his age at the end of last season, but if he is used properly and not overworked, he could very easily serve as this team’s closer. Jonathan Papelbon, Phillies (34) Papelbon has been one of the best closers in baseball despite losing some velocity and pitching on the worst team in baseball. Pat Neshek, Astros (34) Neshek is the one non-closer (other than Wilson) to make it into the bullpen. He has been very good in middle relief, and has a killer signature. Francisco Rodriguez, Brewers (33) Remember this guy? Yup, K-Rod has turned his career around in Milwaukee over the last few years. He notched 44 saves last year and has 21 this year. He is also back to double-digit K/9 this season. Glen Perkins, Twins (32) This would be my choice for closer, but there are really so many options you can’t go wrong with anybody. Bench: C Yadier Molina, Cardinals (33) Martin is a good offensive catcher. Molina is a spectacular defensive catcher. I see this as a platoon with Martin and Molina. 1B Adrian Gonzalez, Dodgers (33). Gonzalez hasn’t driven in less than 100 runs since 2009…when he knocked in 99. And he’s on pace for 100 again this year. 3B Adrian Beltre, Rangers (36) Since Cabrera is not a natural third baseman, Beltre needs to be on his team and can come in as a defensive replacement late in a game. OF Curtis Granderon, Mets (34) There is not much outfield depth when you get to this age. Granderson would be the only left-handed hitting outfielder on the team. 2B/SS/3B/OF Ben Zobrist, Athletics (34) A switch hitter who can play just about any position on the diamond? You better believe he is making this team. Follow @SamPericolo for the latest sports talk and news According to a study done by the Harvard School Analysis Collective, the New England Patriots are not the best team in the AFC. They are not even listed as the best team in the AFC East. The method that was used by Kurt Bullard to come up with these results is below. "The method that I came up with uses Pro Football Reference’s Approximate Value statistic, the site’s best measure of trying to tease out individual talent. Then, using ESPN’s NFL depth charts, I aggregated each team’s per game approximate value of what I considered to be the 'core' makeup of an NFL team: QB, RB, 2 WR, TE, Top 2 OL, the Top-4 'Front Seven' defensive players, and the Top-2 players from the secondary." Youth is dominating baseball. A record 20 players under 25 years old were named to the All-Star rosters. However, it’s the guys who are even younger, barely able to legally drink, who I want to focus on. Yes, 24 is the age that many prospects break into the Major Leagues and then within the next year or so they begin to blossom into stars. However, the talent level of the prospects that are currently breaking into the show is far greater that what we normally see in any given year. When the youth in a sport is at its best, a website will usually make up an “All-25 or younger” team to show the talent. I believe I have actually written that exact article before. However, we are taking it a step further. We are going to make a starting roster for a team that features players who are only 23 or younger. And if this team was real, I would put money on them to win it all… Starting Nine: Catcher: Kyle Schwarber, Cubs (22) Schwarber just got the call to the big leagues to catch; however, he had a short stint earlier in the season in which he served as the designated hitter and did exactly what he was supposed to do: hit. Schwarber hit .364 with a homer and six RBI in six games. While he may not be a catcher for long if the Cubs want to preserve his bat, he is our catcher on this team. First Base: Kris Bryant, Cubs (23) Ok, Bryant is not a first baseman. If I wanted to keep players at their exact position, then I would have Joey Gallo (21) at this spot. However, Bryant is young and athletic (he has played in centerfield for the Cubs), so we are going to move him around a little bit to get the best team on the field. Second Base: Mookie Betts, Red Sox (22) This is not taking a player out of position. Mookie Betts is a natural second baseman. Betts has had a great year in his first full season at the big league level. He has a great combination of speed and power and would provide a bat that few teams have at second base. Again, if you want to go with where they are playing right now, Addison Russell (21) of the Cubs would be in this spot. Shortstop: Carlos Correa, Astros (20) This is a no brainer. At 20 years old, Correa is already arguably a top three shortstop, offensively. He has seven home runs and five steals, and has yet to be caught. One thing he will have to work on is his strikeout to walk ratio. He has struck out 28 times in 134 at bats and walked only seven times. However, he, like Betts, will provide a bat that few teams can replicate in the middle infield. Third Base: Manny Machado, Orioles (23) Now you see why I moved Bryant to first? Machado has already been an All-Star twice and is a Gold Glove winner, so there was no way he was getting moved from the hot corner. In his first full season, he led the league in doubles. Last year, he has good numbers for an injury shortened year. This year, he is having the breakout year that puts him right back into the discussion with young stars. Left Field: Joc Pederson, Dodgers (23) Pederson has shown great power as a rookie. He finished second in the Home Run Derby and had 20 home runs in the first half. He is also a fantastic defensive player. Were it not for Mike Trout, Pederson would be roaming centerfield. Centerfield: Mike Trout, Angels (23) Do I really have to explain why he is on this team? No player should ever be the best player in baseball from the second he steps on the diamond. However, Trout was exactly that. At 23, he already has an MVP and two runner-ups. He has been a Silver Slugger and an All-Star each year. Right field: Bryce Harper, Nationals (22) Harper was considered a disappointment coming into this season. He was hitting around .270 for his career, had never hit more than 22 home runs, had never driven in 60 runs, and was hurt a lot. However, had he not been dubbed “The Chosen One” at 16 years old, people would have been happy with the numbers he was putting up. They were very good, never mind the fact that it was a 20-year old putting them up. This year, however, he has shown that he is in fact the chosen one and is having the breakout year that many believed he needed to have…at 22 years old. He has already set career highs in homers (26), RBI (61), walks (63), and leads the league in OBP and OPS, giving him a staggering 1.168 OPS. Designated Hitter: Joey Gallo, Rangers (21) Gallo has monster power. He may be the most powerful bat in the lineup. However, he will strikeout more than anybody (thought Pederson may do his best to compete for that crown). Gallo, if he can get his strikeouts somewhat under control so he is making more contact, he will be a 40 home run guy, easily. Starting Rotation: Jose Fernandez, Marlins (22) Fernandez was one of the best pitchers in baseball before missing over a year due to Tommy John surgery. However, he is back mowing guys down again. He has started twice so far this season, allowing only three runs and striking out 15 over 13 innings. He is the clear number one starter. Carlos Martinez, Cardinals (23) Of course a Cardinals pitcher is going to make this list. They develop pitchers better than anybody. Martinez has broken out this year and proven that he deserves to be in the discussion for best young pitchers. He has 10 wins, an ERA of 2.52, and is striking out more than a batter an inning. Noah Syndergaard, Mets (22) Do we have some flame throwers in this rotation or what? All of these first three guys have fastballs in the upper-90s. Syndergaard has a 3.11 ERA and, like the first two, is striking out more than a batter an inning. Lance McCullers, Astros (21) Yet another guy with a blow-you-away fastball. McCullers has paired with Dallas Kuechel to form one of the better top two in baseball. He is also another guy with a K/9 ratio over nine. Any rotation that has a number two, or possibly even a number one in the near future, is a rotation that will bring you deep into October. Eduardo Rodriguez, Red Sox (22) Eddy has been the best pitcher for the Red Sox since being called up in late May. He has had a few bumpy starts, but for the most part has been very good for the Sox. Rodriguez was acquired in the deal that sent Andrew Miller to the Orioles last season, a trade that can already be chalked up as a win for General Manager Ben Cherington. Bullpen: Archie Bradley, Diamondbacks (22) It’s tough to find young relievers so we’re going to transition a few guys into the bullpen…Bradley was pitching like the top prospect he once was before taking a Carlos Gonzalez liner off the face. Carlos Rodon, White Sox (22) Rodon has some experience in the bullpen, so he had to make the team. Taijuan Walker, Mariners (22) If he didn’t have such a horrible start to the season, he would absolutely be in the starting rotation. He could always steal a spot, though. He has the most potential of any of these guys. Aaron Sanchez, Blue Jays (23) It is tougher to find young pitching. Sanchez has potential, though, and will start out in the pen. Mike Foltynewicz, Braves (23) Foltynewicz isn’t having a great season with the Braves, but he is actually a relief pitcher. Roberto Osuna, Blue Jays (20) The one true relief pitcher. He will serve as the closer. Bench: C Blake Swihart, Red Sox (23) There are not many young catchers out there. Swihart is one that is excellent defensively and is projected to be a very good bat. SS Xander Bogaerts, Red Sox (22) Bogaerts has become one of the best shortstops in the game. His bat is improving, even though the power has yet to truly reveal itself, and he has made tremendous strides defensively. Unfortunately for him, Correa is a step ahead. 3B Maikel Franco, Phillies (22) Franco has been the one bright spot on a terrible Phillies team. OF Christian Yelich, Marlins (23) Yelich is having a down year, but is a guy who can be 20/20 with a pretty good average. OF Byron Buxton, Twins (21) While he has not played much, he is without a doubt going to be one of the best young players in baseball. Just Missed It: 3B Miguel Sano, Twins (22) Sano was barely edged out by Franco due to experience. Sano was just called up and, while I’m sure he will rake, Franco has been raking for most of the year. 2B/SS Addison Russell, Cubs (21) Had I not thought to put Betts at second, Russell would have not only made the team, but been starting at second. OF Jorge Soler, Cubs (23) Off to a rough start in 2015, Soler still has all the skills needed to succeed in the majors. This also shows how well off the Cubs are for the future. SS Francisco Lindor, Indians (21) Unfortunately for Lindor, Correa and Bogaerts are already stars. Any other year he would have probably been the starting shortstop with how weak the position normally is. OF Gregory Polanco, Pirates (22) He is having a rough year, but he has very good speed and if he turns the bat around, could be a very good player. The New England Patriots have quite a bit of roster turnover from their 2014 Super Bowl Championship team. While defensive back, rightfully so, has gotten most of the attention, running back is another position in which we will see a lot of new faces. Yes, the National Football League has become a passing league; however, the Patriots play a much more balanced game and base their game plan on the strengths and weaknesses of their opponents. This means that Tom Brady will not be slinging the ball for 450 yards and four scores against a weak front seven like the Indianapolis Colts. Thus, the running game is key for Bill Belichick and the Patriots. Continue reading at CLNS.com Follow @SamPericolo for the latest sports talk and news The 2015 NFL Draft was a rollercoaster ride for the New England Patriots. As Patriots fans, there is one thing that we know for certain going into the NFL Draft; nothing is certain with Bill Belichick is calling the shots. To kick off a wild weekend, it was being reported that the Patriots had traded out of the first round, despite talent being on the board at positions of need. Thankfully, those reports were erroneous and the Patriots took the best player on the board in Malcom Brown. Patriots fans rejoiced. Brown was the steal of the first round, without a doubt. Continue reading on CLNSRadio.com Follow @SamPericolo for the latest sports talk and news |
SAMUEL PERICOLOSam is a graduate of Assumption College where he studied History, Marketing, and Political Science and was a Co-Producer on a weekly sports talk television show. Archives
March 2018
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