Monday, May 02, 2011
Tim Thomas, Bruins Take Game 2
Tim Thomas shook off a slow start to make 52 saves, including 46 in a row after spotting the Flyers a 2-0 lead, and the Bruins took a commanding 2-0 lead in their Eastern Conference Semifinal series over Philadelphia. David Krejci slammed home the game winner in overtime.
The Bruins return to Boston on Wednesday to try and go up 3-0 and work on gaining revenge for last year's playoff loss to the Flyers.
Bruins Look To Take 2-0 Lead
It's playoff time and for as long as the Bruins and Celtics are fighting to win a championship, DJ Khaled will be bringing the swag for Beantown.
The David Krejci-Milan Lucic-Nathan Horton line should have another big night and Tim Thomas will backbone another Boston victory.
Red Sox vs. Angels (May 2, 2011)
L.A. Angels (16-12) @ Red Sox (12-15)
SP - Clay Buchholz (1-3, 5.33) vs. Jered Weaver (6-0, 0.99)
1. Jacoby Ellsbury, CF
2. Dustin Pedroia, 2B
3. Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
4. Kevin Youkilis, 3B
5. David Ortiz, DH
6. J.D. Drew, RF
7. Jed Lowrie, SS
8. Carl Crawford, LF
9. Jason Varitek, C
Three Strikes:
1. Carl Crawford's RBI single yesterday hopefully did more than allow the Red Sox to beat the Mariners to salvage one game from their three game series.
Hopefully this will be the start of a huge turnaround for Crawford at the plate and he will start resembling the dynamic player we remember from the Rays, the one that enticed the Sox to give him a $142-million contract this offseason.
If this is the start of a turnaround for Crawford, it should help the Red Sox begin to climb in the standings.
2. I hope that Jerry Remy feels better soon because I have greatly enjoyed his passion and enthusiasm for the Red Sox since his return from cancer and depression but I can't deny that I will also enjoy having Dennis Eckersley in the NESN booth tonight.
3. Clay Buchholz tries to put his slow start behind him tonight but he draws the Herculian task of going up against Jered Weaver. The game plan for the Red Sox will be to get a great outing from Buchholz while trying to squeeze out a few runs off of Weaver.
SP - Clay Buchholz (1-3, 5.33) vs. Jered Weaver (6-0, 0.99)
1. Jacoby Ellsbury, CF
2. Dustin Pedroia, 2B
3. Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
4. Kevin Youkilis, 3B
5. David Ortiz, DH
6. J.D. Drew, RF
7. Jed Lowrie, SS
8. Carl Crawford, LF
9. Jason Varitek, C
Three Strikes:
1. Carl Crawford's RBI single yesterday hopefully did more than allow the Red Sox to beat the Mariners to salvage one game from their three game series.
Hopefully this will be the start of a huge turnaround for Crawford at the plate and he will start resembling the dynamic player we remember from the Rays, the one that enticed the Sox to give him a $142-million contract this offseason.
If this is the start of a turnaround for Crawford, it should help the Red Sox begin to climb in the standings.
2. I hope that Jerry Remy feels better soon because I have greatly enjoyed his passion and enthusiasm for the Red Sox since his return from cancer and depression but I can't deny that I will also enjoy having Dennis Eckersley in the NESN booth tonight.
3. Clay Buchholz tries to put his slow start behind him tonight but he draws the Herculian task of going up against Jered Weaver. The game plan for the Red Sox will be to get a great outing from Buchholz while trying to squeeze out a few runs off of Weaver.
Sunday, May 01, 2011
Celtics-Heat
The night that LeBron James made The Decision to "take his talents" to South Beach, the NBA began dreaming of an Eastern Conference playoff matchup between the Celtics and the Heat. David Stern probably hoped that they would meet with a trip to the Finals on the line but Derrick Rose and the Bulls foiled that plan. I'm guessing that they will gladly settle for Boston-Miami in the Eastern Semifinals.
The Heat are coming off a first round win over the 76ers, their first playoff series victory since winning the 2006 NBA championship. The Celtics swept away the Knicks in the first round and look ready to lock horns with LeBron, D-Wade, and Chris Bosh as they seek a second title in four years.
You already know that I will be picking the Celtics in this series. I believe now - like I did back in October - that Rajon Rondo and the Celtics size inside will be the deciding factors against the Heat.
Rondo will have a field day against Mike Bibby and Mario Chalmers and if the Heat are forced to bump either James or Wade onto Rondo patrol, then Paul Pierce or Ray Allen will start getting great looks at the basket.
Jermaine O'Neal showed serious signs of life against the Knicks and reports on the return of Shaquille O'Neal are encouraging. When the O'Neals are teamed up with Kevin Garnett, Glen Davis (who played his best basketball since January in Games 3 and 4 of the Knicks series), and Nenad Krstic, the Celtics have too much size for Miami to handle.
I also believe that Jeff Green will prove his value to the Celtics as a defensive presence on James and Wade and will find his shooting touch against the Heat. After this series ends with a Game 6 victory in Boston, the people criticizing Danny Ainge for trading Kendrick Perkins will start to see the wisdom behind the deal.
The Heat are coming off a first round win over the 76ers, their first playoff series victory since winning the 2006 NBA championship. The Celtics swept away the Knicks in the first round and look ready to lock horns with LeBron, D-Wade, and Chris Bosh as they seek a second title in four years.
You already know that I will be picking the Celtics in this series. I believe now - like I did back in October - that Rajon Rondo and the Celtics size inside will be the deciding factors against the Heat.
Rondo will have a field day against Mike Bibby and Mario Chalmers and if the Heat are forced to bump either James or Wade onto Rondo patrol, then Paul Pierce or Ray Allen will start getting great looks at the basket.
Jermaine O'Neal showed serious signs of life against the Knicks and reports on the return of Shaquille O'Neal are encouraging. When the O'Neals are teamed up with Kevin Garnett, Glen Davis (who played his best basketball since January in Games 3 and 4 of the Knicks series), and Nenad Krstic, the Celtics have too much size for Miami to handle.
I also believe that Jeff Green will prove his value to the Celtics as a defensive presence on James and Wade and will find his shooting touch against the Heat. After this series ends with a Game 6 victory in Boston, the people criticizing Danny Ainge for trading Kendrick Perkins will start to see the wisdom behind the deal.
Red Sox vs. Mariners (May 1, 2011)
Seattle Mariners (13-15) @ Red Sox (11-15)
SP - Tim Wakefield (0-0, 5.56) vs. Felix Hernandez (3-2, 3.32)
1. Jacoby Ellsbury, CF
2. Dustin Pedroia, 2B
3. Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
4. David Ortiz, DH
5. J.D. Drew, RF
6. Jed Lowrie, 3B
7. Marco Scutaro, SS
8. Carl Crawford, LF
9. Jarrod Saltalamacchia, C
Three Strikes:
1. With Clay Buchholz being pushed back to tomorrow because of illness, the burden of facing King Felix falls to Tim Wakefield. The Red Sox bats need to find a way to bounce back from another terrible night with men in scoring position (0-for-11) in their 2-0 loss to the M's last night to give Old Man Knuckleball a chance today.
2. Nick Cafardo asks an interesting question in his Baseball Notes column in today's Globe.
Would the Red Sox trade Kevin Youkilis?
The Sox have top shortstop prospect Jose Iglesias looking at making his MLB debut in 2012, which leaves Jed Lowrie without a position. Youkilis is a better hitter than Lowrie and currently is the only righthanded power hitter in Terry Francona's lineup but if Theo Epstein could make a deal that would benefit the team going forward, it could bear watching.
3. The Red Sox need to put their 11-15 April behind them and start to live up to their preseason expectations. The first step in that process will be getting Carl Crawford to get going at the plate.
SP - Tim Wakefield (0-0, 5.56) vs. Felix Hernandez (3-2, 3.32)
1. Jacoby Ellsbury, CF
2. Dustin Pedroia, 2B
3. Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
4. David Ortiz, DH
5. J.D. Drew, RF
6. Jed Lowrie, 3B
7. Marco Scutaro, SS
8. Carl Crawford, LF
9. Jarrod Saltalamacchia, C
Three Strikes:
1. With Clay Buchholz being pushed back to tomorrow because of illness, the burden of facing King Felix falls to Tim Wakefield. The Red Sox bats need to find a way to bounce back from another terrible night with men in scoring position (0-for-11) in their 2-0 loss to the M's last night to give Old Man Knuckleball a chance today.
2. Nick Cafardo asks an interesting question in his Baseball Notes column in today's Globe.
Would the Red Sox trade Kevin Youkilis?
The Sox have top shortstop prospect Jose Iglesias looking at making his MLB debut in 2012, which leaves Jed Lowrie without a position. Youkilis is a better hitter than Lowrie and currently is the only righthanded power hitter in Terry Francona's lineup but if Theo Epstein could make a deal that would benefit the team going forward, it could bear watching.
3. The Red Sox need to put their 11-15 April behind them and start to live up to their preseason expectations. The first step in that process will be getting Carl Crawford to get going at the plate.
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