Red Sox convicted of being a bad team

Before discussing this game, I am so happy that the NESN broadcast crew will be back. It's hard enough watching this lackluster Red Sox team, but to do so while ESPN's Matt Vasgersian has screaming orgasms that break my speakers whenever Aaron Judge hits a homerun is borderline torture.

By the way, Judge is still about 600 homeruns shy of Babe Ruth. He's great, but let's ease off the GOAT discussion, ESPN. More on that later.

Why are the Red Sox throwing strikes to Aaron Judge? Why not take a page out of the Bill Belichick Bible and force the opponent to beat you with someone other than their best player? Walk him. Throw pitches in the dirt. Hit him in the back. Give him one free base instead of letting him take four from you?

I'm genuinely insulted by the lack of starting pitchers on this team. I know there have been injuries and Edro got Covid-19 (please stop calling him E-Rod, it's the least original nickname in baseball history and it makes him sound like a terrible fielder). But the fact that this team can only put two actual starting pitchers on the field is a massive middle finger from the owners of Liverpool FC.

Man of the Game: Aaron Judge

I hate to add to Judge's accolades after ESPN compared him to Michael Jordan, LeBron James, and Tiger Woods (I'm not exaggerating, that really happened). But the game changed on both of his homeruns. His first gave the Yankees a 3-2 lead in the 2nd, and his second a 9-7 lead in the 8th. Both were with 2 outs. 5 RBI in total.

Honorable Mentions:

Xander Bogaerts: 4 for 4, 2 HRs, 2B, 3 RBI

Rafael Devers: 2 for 5, HR, two great plays in the field

Shame Shares:

Matt Hall: 0.4 - 2 IP, 5 ER, HR, 4 H, 2 BB

Matt Barnes: 0.4 - IP, 3 ER, HR, 2 H, BB

Ownership: 0.1 - Lack of SPs

Ron Roenicke: 0.1 - For pitching to Judge

Bruins still hibernating from layoff

I have mixed feelings about round-robin playoff seeding. It's a good way to give the top 4 teams a bye while also giving them a chance to play meaningful and competitive hockey so they don't get rusty.

But it's also weird that the 4th seed can move up to #1 with just one or two good games. Maybe the better way to it would be to give the top team 2 bonus points for the group, the second team 1 point, and then that way they have an inside track for the higher seeds.

That being said, the Bruins have nobody to blame for this loss but themselves. Halak was poor. Most of the team played like it was a regular season game. They lost battles, they didn't support the puck, they made hopeful passes in dangerous areas of the ice.

The intensity from both teams didn't match that of most of the playoff qualifiers I saw this weekend, but the Flyers still brought more effort with them to the rink than the B's did.

As of Tuesday morning the Bruins sit in the cellar of the qualifying group, the only team in the group without any points.