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Monday’s Red Sox-White Sox matchups: Jon Lester vs. Dylan Axelrod

Mon, 20 May 2013 15:25:55 +0000

Jon Lester

The undefeated Jon Lester will vie for his seventh win of the season Monday night as the Red Sox take on the White Sox for the first time in 2013. Dylan Axelrod will get the start for Chicago in the first game of the three-game set at U.S. Cellular Field.

The success of Lester in 2013 is a huge reason why the Red Sox are in the mix for the division lead through 44 games. The ace of the Boston staff has rebounded exceptionally from his disappointing 2012 season and comes into Monday’s game with a 6-0 record and 2.72 ERA. Through nine starts, Lester is putting up numbers that are reminiscent of his great 2010 season, in which he made the All-Star team and finished fourth in Cy Young voting.

Lester faltered a bit at the end of April, allowing more than three runs in a start for the first time in 2013 back on April 30 against Toronto, giving up six runs on six hits to the Jays. But Lester got back on track in a big way, throwing a complete-game, one-hit shutout the next time he took on Toronto. Lester notched his sixth win of the year his last time out, allowing two runs on eight hits to the Rays while striking out five batters in seven innings. With those five strikeouts, Lester now has 1,110 on his career, moving him past Josh Beckett for fifth place on the team’s all-time strikeout list.

“That’s pretty cool. It’s not something that you play for,” Lester said of the feat. “I play to win games and hopefully win the World Series. If it just so happens along the way your name moves along those lists, then great. … It’s an honor to be with those names that I’m sure are still ahead of me, and hopefully I can keep pitching, and hopefully we can bring more World Series here.”

Dylan Axelrod

The White Sox have given Lester some trouble in the past, scoring 32 runs in 55 1/3 innings off of the Sox lefty, good for a 5.20 ERA in nine starts. Lester lasted only four innings in his last outing against the White Sox back in July 2012, giving up six runs on seven hits. The start came in a string of three outings in which Lester couldn’t get past the fifth inning. However, the first time he saw Chicago in 2012, Lester got the better of the White Sox lineup, throwing seven innings of shutout ball. But if there’s one batter Lester will have to be careful with in this Chicago lineup, it’s Paul Konerko. The power-hitting first baseman has 10 hits in 23 career at-bats against Lester, with six of those going for extra bases.

Lester will be matched up against Axelrod, who is 1-3 with a 4.27 ERA. The righty finally earned his first win of 2013 in his last outing, his eighth start of the year, going 5 1/3 innings and allowing three runs on a season-high nine hits to the Twins.

The 27-year-old Axelrod is in the midst of his first full season in the majors, spending his first month of last season with the Triple-A Charlotte Knights. The Red Sox have not seen much of Axelrod in his three years with the White Sox. He appeared in two games against the Sox in 2012 (one start and one relief appearance), allowing 10 hits and two runs in nine innings while striking out 10.

Axelrod doesn’t have overpowering stuff, with his fastball velocity sitting around 87-89 mph. He also uses a slider, curveball and changeup. He owns a 1.317 WHIP and an even 2.00 strikeout to walk rate on the year.

Red Sox vs. Axelrod (RHP)

Pedro Ciriaco (3): 1.000 AVG/1.000 OBP/1.333 SLG, 1 double

Jacoby Ellsbury (3): .000/.000/.000, 1 strikeout

Will Middlebrooks (3): .000/.000/.000, 2 strikeouts

David Ortiz (3): .333/.333/.333, 1 strikeout

Jarrod Saltalamacchia (3): .000/.000/.000, 2 strikeouts

Mike Napoli (2): .000/.500/.000, 1 walk

Dustin Pedroia (1): 1.000/1.000/1.000

Mike Carp, Stephen Drew, Jonny Gomes, Ryan Lavarnway, Daniel Nava and Shane Victorino have not faced Axelrod.

White Sox vs. Lester (LHP)

Alex Rios (42): .237/.310/.289, 2 doubles, 4 RBI, 4 walks, 9 strikeouts

Paul Konerko (26): .435/.500/.957, 3 HR, 3 doubles, 7 RBI, 3 walks, 4 strikeouts

Alexei Ramirez (24): .227/.292/.273, 1 double, 2 RBI, 2 walks, 5 strikeouts

Casper Wells (11): .000/.091/.000, 1 walk, 3 strikeouts

Adam Dunn (9): .167/.444/.167, 3 walks, 2 strikeouts

Alejandro De Aza (8): .286/.375/.571, 2 doubles, 1 RBI, 1 walk, 1 strikeout

Dayan Viciedo (8): .375/.375/.875, 1 HR, 1 double, 2 RBI, 3 strikeouts

Tyler Flowers (3): .333/.333/.333, 1 strikeout

Jeff Keppinger (2): .500/.500/.500, 1 strikeout

Blog Author:

Katie Morrison

Red Sox-White Sox series preview

Mon, 20 May 2013 14:58:31 +0000

The Red Sox will make their first (and only) trip of the season to Chicago to take on the White Sox for a three-game set beginning Monday night. The Red Sox begin the day with a 27-17 record, a half-game behind the Yankees, who were rained out on Sunday.

White Sox outfielder Alex Rios, here being congratulated by third-base coach Joe McEwing after hitting a home run in Friday's win over the Angels, brings a 14-game hitting streak into the series against the Red Sox. (AP)

Apparently, all it took to get the Red Sox back on track was a little road trip. After a disappointing homestand in which they went 2-5, the Sox dropped the first game of the trip to the Rays but took the last two games of that series and moved on to sweep the Twins in a three-game set. The most recent five-game winning streak is the third time the 2013 Sox have won five or more in a row, with their longest streak (seven) coming in mid-April.

The White Sox are off to a frustrating start after finishing second in the American League Central a year ago. Chicago comes into the series with a 19-23 record, percentage points ahead of the last-place Twins. The good news for the White Sox is that the race for the division lead is a tight one. Despite being close to the cellar, they’re only six games behind Terry Francona’s Indians, who sit in first with a 25-17 record. The White Sox are opening an eight-game homestand after going 4-3 on a road trip.

It’s fair to say that the White Sox offense has been a big part of why the team hasn’t gotten off to a great start. The lineup ranks third from the bottom in OPS, tied for third worst in runs scored, and 26th in batting average amongst all major league clubs. But slugger Adam Dunn anticipates that better fortune is on the horizon. “We are pretty close to getting really hot,” Dunn said after the Sunday’s 6-2 loss to the Angels. “”We swung the bats pretty well, excluding [Sunday].” He did note, however, that the club would need to put runs on the board with Boston in town.

Here are the pitching matchups for the three-game series.

Monday: Jon Lester (6-0, 2.72) vs. Dylan Axelrod (1-3, 4.27)
Tuesday: Felix Doubront (3-1, 6.03) vs. Jose Quintana (2-1, 3.97)
Wednesday: Clay Buchholz (6-0, 1.78) vs. Chris Sale (5-2, 2.53)

WHO’S HOT: RED SOX

• The Red Sox bullpen has been fairing pretty well without the team’s two closers, Joel Hanrahan (flexor tendon and Tommy John surgery) and Andrew Bailey (biceps inflammation). During the first six games of the road trip, Red Sox relievers have allowed only one run over the course of 20 innings, good for a 0.45 ERA.

• David Ortiz has gotten back on track after having a quiet homestand. The designated hitter is in the midst of a seven-game hitting streak, batting .429 over the course of those games while driving in 12 runs. Ortiz had a huge game on Saturday night, driving in half of Boston’s 12 runs and knocking two home runs, notching his 40th multi-home run game and passing Ted Williams for the most in Red Sox history.

WHO’S HOT: WHITE SOX

• Much like in 2012, Alex Rios is one of the most consistent hitters in the White Sox lineup. The outfielder is hitting .301 on the season and riding a 14-game hitting streak, batting .386 over that span. Rios has shown some power early as well, clubbing 10 home runs, one triple and nine doubles in 42 games. Rios leads the team in batting average (among qualifiers), OPS and RBI.

• Lleft fielder Dayan Viciedo, a 24-year-old in his second year playing full-time for Chicago, also is off to an impressive start. Viciedo saw his average fall to .288 after an 0-for-4 day on Sunday, but he still owns a 344 OBP with four home runs. Viciedo isn’t the only young White Sox to be making an impact; third baseman Conor Gillaspie is enjoying his first season with Chicago, batting .283 with a .349 OBP. The 25-year-old also has 10 extra-base hits on the season, including three home runs.

WHO’S NOT: RED SOX

• Utility infielder Pedro Ciriaco has been struggling, both on defense and with the bat. Ciriaco has expanded his versatility and is capable of playing most infield and outfield positions (though third base, shortstop and second base are the positions he’s most experienced playing), but he’s already made six errors in 103 innings. The 27-year-old made only nine errors in over 500 innings last season. Ciriaco’s bat hasn’t gotten going yet, either, as he’s batting .184 after an 0-for-4 day Sunday, starting in place of the injured Stephen Drew.

• Though John Lackey had an excellent start on Sunday (no earned runs through six innings while allowing only one hit), the back end of the rotation has been inconsistent as of late. While Lester and Buchholz have continued to be effective in almost every outing, Ryan Dempster, Doubront and Lackey have been hot and cold. The No. 3, 4 and 5 starters have a collective 5.80 ERA in the month of May over their last 59 innings.

WHO’S NOT: WHITE SOX

• The White Sox were relatively quiet in the offseason, but one of their only acquisitions, infielder Jeff Keppinger, has been very disappointing. Keppinger is batting only .197, even after a 2-for-3 day on Sunday. Even more frustrating is that fact that Keppinger, who boasted a .367 OBP for the Rays in 2012, is only getting on base at a .205 clip this season, taking only his second walk of the year on Sunday. Add in a meager .218 slugging percentage, and Keppinger’s OPS is .423 in 36, the lowest among qualifiers.

• First baseman/designated hitter Paul Konerko is having a rough beginning to 2013, coming into the game batting .224/.280/.340. The 37-year-old had been heating up, going 6-for-17 on Chicago’s homestand, but went hitless on Sunday afternoon. Konerko does have four home runs and five doubles, but the power stroke has eluded him lately. He hasn’t hit a home run since April 28 or a double since May 4. The longtime White Sox first baseman is adjusting to splitting time between playing in the field and DHing, serving as the designated hitter in about half of his games this season.

Blog Author:

Katie Morrison

Shawn Thornton on D&C: ‘Those defensemen are playing unbelievable’

Mon, 20 May 2013 14:16:57 +0000

Shawn Thornton

Bruins forward Shawn Thornton checked in with Dennis & Callahan on Monday morning to talk about the B’s-Rangers series.

The Bruins took a 2-0 series lead with Sunday’s 5-2 victory, as Henrik Lundqvist and the Rangers continued to play below par.

“I think they had their chances, to tell you the truth,” Thornton said. “I think the second period, it could have went either way. We were fortunate to get out of that with the lead. It could have been a different game if Tuukka [Rask] didn’t stand on his head for us in the second period.”

The big story of this series has been the play of the Bruins’ young defensemen, Torey Krug, Matt Bartkowski and Dougie Hamilton, who have sparked the Bruins with their fresh legs.

“Those defensemen are playing unbelievable,” Thornton said. “Torey Krug, obviously — not just the goal and the assist, those are great plays — but there were some plays he made that probably went unnoticed during the game that made our lives as forwards a heck of a lot easier. Some of the vision he has and some of the plays he made look easy, but they weren’t really easy plays, especially in the neutral zone.”

Thornton said he hasn’t thought much about what will happen when injured defensemen Dennis Seidenberg, Andrew Ference and Wade Redden are ready to return.

“I don’t know what the timeline is for those guys, but I’m sure Claude [Julien] will have some decisions to make once everyone’s healthy,” Thornton said. “Not easy decisions, I’m sure, but good decisions. It’s nice when you have that many options. It’s better than the opposite, when you’re like, ‘Oh, my God, we can’t find anyone to put in the lineup.’ ”

As for the possibility of hard feelings if a veteran sits in favor of a rookie, Thornton insisted it won’t be issue.

“Not in our locker room,” he said. “I’ve been that veteran guy squeezed out of the lineup for the playoffs. It’s all about winning this time of year. There’s no time for any personal feelings or agendas. It’s all about the team. We have a good bunch of guys in that room, and everyone’s aware of it.”

Rangers coach John Tortorella continues to raise some eyebrows with biting comments about his own players. Thornton said he doesn’t have an issue with that style of coaching.

“I don’t know enough about him,” Thornton said. “I don’t know anyone on the Rangers, really, or in Tampa when he was there. I think he’s pretty funny. Some of his comments, I like. He demands the most out of his players. I think if you show up to work every day, he wouldn’t have a problem with you. So, I think I’d be all right under him, I’m assuming.”

Rangers forward Derek Dorsett fought Gregory Campbell in the third period Sunday, with the Bruins holding a three-goal lead.

Said Thornton: “[Dorsett's] a tough guy. He’s a competitor. And so is Soupy. Soupy’s always game to go. I’m very fortunate to play with that guy. He’s helped me out on many occasions in those instances. He had a great game last night, obviously, he got the camo jacket because of it.”

Added Thornton: “[Campbell] could have said no. That’s his call. But he felt like standing up to that guy at the moment was the right thing to do. Obviously, I’ll never criticize anyone for getting their gloves off. I appreciate that role probably more than anyone.”

To hear the interview, go to the Dennis & Callahan audio on demand page. For more Bruins news, visit the team page at weei.com/bruins.

Blog Author:

Jerry Spar

Bruins little big man Torey Krug proving he belongs on big stage

Mon, 20 May 2013 13:49:27 +0000

Every year, a player comes out of no where to become a big factor in the Stanley Cup playoffs.

That man for the Bruins this year so far is 5-foot-9 Torey Krug.

He did it again on Sunday. He scored the game’s first goal in the first period, beating Henrik Lundqvist. He did it again on the second goal, pinching in from his perch on the left point and firing a shot on goal that led to a rebound that was put away by Gregory Campbell.

Krug has been instant offense at the blue line for the Bruins. For a 22-year-old rookie in his second NHL playoff game, Krug looks like a trusty veteran.

“Yeah, well I’ve said it time and time again, I come into this locker room, very comfortable, calm,” Krug said after Sunday’s 5-2 rout of the Rangers in Game 2. “I get to watch some of the best professionals in the world prepare for games like this, as if it’s any other game. So, I have a lot of guys to lean on and they all give me confidence back. So, it’s unbelievable.”

What is so very striking about Krug is his confidence with the puck. Much like Dougie Hamilton displayed early in the season, Krug looks like he wants the puck at every chance, either rushing up the ice or setting up on the power play. Why is that?

“Well I’m a player. I’m 5’9’’, I’m not very big, I have to play with the puck to be an impact player,” he answered. “So, for me you’ve got to be confident with the puck. If I’m not making plays, I’m not going to be effective and guys are going to go out there and they’re just going to find a 6’2 guy that can do the same thing without the puck. So, you just got to be confident and play with the puck.

On his goal, he managed to use his skates to control the puck, setting up the shot on his stick.

“That’s a skill that sometimes you work on it after practice,” he said. “You don’t have to work on it too much. It’s just a couple extra reps here or there at the end, picking up pucks with your feet. So, it’s just something that I try to do, and I was lucky enough that it bounced my way.”

And his set-up of Campbell’s goal?

“It’s the same thing,” he said. “All that comes with confidence and being calm. If you’re freaking out, out there because the pucks not exactly where it is, you’re going to get yourself in trouble.”

Krug has two goals and an assist so far in two career playoff games. He has just made a routine decision not-so for the Bruins coaching staff when Dennis Seidenberg or Wade Redden are cleared to return this series. Which of the three rookie defensemen sit? Krug, Hamilton or Matt Bartkowski?

Whatever the Bruins decide, Krug promised after Game 2 that he’s going to keep playing the way he is, and not worry about the big stage. The coaching staff, led by head coach Claude Julien, has told him to not think about making mistakes, just play.

“I said, ‘don’t be afraid to make mistakes.’ I don’t want him playing on his heels. In other words, I told him, ‘don’t be afraid to make mistakes and play your game.’ So that was basically what I told him when he first got here,” Julien said. “I said, ‘You know, I know how good you are, I know what you can bring to this team, just go out there and do it.’ I think it’s important, but the last thing you want to do is get those guys to play on their heels or play afraid to make a mistake.

“Confidence goes a long way in this game. When coaches are able to give players confidence, it shows because it makes a big difference. Instead of a guy making a mistake and looking at the bench every time, seeing if the coach is mad at him or will take away some ice time. You’ve got to let him play, and those guys right now, I give them full credit for taking that advice and showing that they’re very capable of playing in the playoffs and on our hockey club.”

Blog Author:

Mike Petraglia

Barry Pederson on D&C: Rangers’ shot-blocking style causing problems for Henrik Lundqvist

Mon, 20 May 2013 13:45:20 +0000

Bruins defensemen Torey Krug (left) and Adam McQuaid battle Rangers forward Brian Boyle during Sunday's game at TD Garden. (AP)

NESN Bruins analyst Barry Pederson joined Dennis & Callahan on Monday morning to discuss the Bruins’ strong start to their series against the Rangers. Boston holds a 2-0 series lead following Sunday’s 5-2 victory.

The Bruins have been rejuvenated by the play of young defensemen Torey Krug, Matt Bartkowski and Dougie Hamilton.

“I think right now they’re showing some signs of [being a better team with the rookies], just because of the element that these three young kids have brought, which is mobility, speed, I think right now playing with a lack of fear, a lot of confidence,” Pederson said. “But you can really see it, to me, from their offensive side. What I mean by that, a lot of times throughout the year when the offense has been struggling, everybody always points at the forwards. And vice versa, when the defensive game is struggling, everybody always point to the defense. I’ve always been a firm believer that your defense creates your offense, and your forwards create your defense.

“So, these guys are doing a really good job, to me, by jumping into plays, recognizing when there are outnumbered opportunities to make it a three-on-two, a four-on-three. Hamilton did a good job of that yesterday as well as Bartkowski and Krug. For now they’re doing I think a really good job of creating some offense and … they are bringing a little bit of speed and mobility that maybe the Bruins have not had back there in a while.”

With the strong play by the rookies, it’s led to a discussion about what coach Claude Julien will do if and when injured veterans Dennis Seidenberg, Andrew Ference and Wade Redden are ready to return. Pederson said he does not anticipate a problem in the locker room.

“The guys recognize what this is all about, is trying to win hockey games,” he said. “It’s one of those problems that you love to have. … You can never have enough good, young defensemen, because they’re first of all hard to come by. And it’s a situation where these guys right now are playing this way. We’ll see how things go when you go into a more hostile environment in New York.”

Added Pederson: “I think if I had to look at how I would rank them, the rookies being taken out, starting with the first guy, I would probably take a look at Hamilton, it would probably go Krug, and then last would be Bartkowski to be removed from the lineup when and if they came back.

“If Redden was the first guy back, I’m not so sure if I would make a move quite yet. These guys have, I think, kind of earned an opportunity to continue. If it was Dennis Seidenberg who was healthy, there’s no doubt that he’s coming back immediately. I just don’t get a sense with Ference that he’s even that close, but again we don’t know anything about the injuries, so we’ll have to wait and see.”

While most of the focus is on the rookie defensemen, Pederson noted there were a couple of other players on the back side who came through as well Sunday.

“I think there was some crucial part of the hockey game last night where Tuukka Rask, in particular in that second period, was spectacular,” Pederson said. “He had 16 saves. I don’t think he stole the game yesterday, but I thought he stole that period yesterday and allowed the Bruins to have that 3-2 lead going in, and then they of course blew it wide open in the third period.

“As we’re talking about defense, we gave a shout-out yesterday which I think is well-warranted, is not only the three young defensemen, I thought Adam McQuaid played exceptionally yesterday. He really was physical, he keeps it simple offensively, he makes good decisions defensively. He’s a guy that you do not want to go in the front of the net with because he’ll punish you, he’ll make it very difficult; he tries to let Tuukka see the puck. So, it was a total team effort yesterday.”

Following are more highlights from the interview. To hear the interview, go to the Dennis & Callahan audio on demand page. For more Bruins news, visit the team page at weei.com/bruins.

On Henrik Lundqvist’s struggles: “He may be a tad tired. He’s played so much down the year, and especially this year in particular where you’re playing every second night. That may have something to do with it, a little bit of fatigue. I think you have to give the Bruins a lot of credit, making it difficult, and the defense, again, getting involved in the offense.

“I think the other thing that’s pretty evident, to me watching the game, is in the style that the Rangers play, shot-blocking is at a premium. Well, that’s great if you block the shot. If you don’t block the shot, you make it very, very difficult for your goaltender to see — little deflections off guys’ skates, off guys’ legs, he’s expecting it to go to the left, it goes to the right, his momentum’s carrying different ways.

“So, there’s a lot of things that are happening. But I think for the most part it’s more of the pressure that the Bruins are playing and putting at the Rangers.”

On outspoken Rangers coach John Tortorella: “John’s an accountable guy. He’s a lot like Claude’s system. As you look at the coaches and teams that continue to make it with each round here, there’s an overwhelming theme, and a lot of it is accountability and responsibility. I also think a lot of this with Torts is kind of self-imposed, where I think he tries to take a lot of pressure off his team by making him the focal point. It’s almost kind of a bit of a game with him, and he’s very good at it, and very enjoyable to watch. I get a kick out of him a little bit. … I don’t think there’s a problem. As long as you’re winning, that takes over a lot of problems.”

On Games 3 and 4 in New York: “Now you’re going to be going into a hostile environment. It will be interesting to see how everybody handles everything. The other key that’s going to be very important here going into this environment is that you want as a forward group, you can’t turn the puck over. The Bruins got very lucky early in that game yesterday and early in the second period, where they had numerous turnovers in those gray areas that we call at the top of the faceoff circles and the blue lines. [Brad] Marchand, for example, on that [Ryan] Callahan goal, you’ve got to get that thing deep, you’ve got to give your defense a chance. It’s a situation where the Bruins have got areas they can improve on and take their game to the next level as well.”

Blog Author:

Jerry Spar

Report: Celtics guard Terrence Williams arrested

Mon, 20 May 2013 13:38:10 +0000

Celtics guard Terrence Williams was arrested on gun charges. (AP)

Celtics guard Terrence Williams was arrested Sunday for allegedly brandishing a firearm and threatening the mother of his 10-year-old son, according to multiple reports out of Washington.

On Sunday afternoon, during a scheduled visit to see his son in Kent, Wash., Williams and the woman argued in the parking lot of her apartment building, where he exposed the gun and made verbal threats, she told police.

The first-year Celtics guard’s father Edgar Williams and mother Sherry Jackson both spent time in prison, and his father was murdered shortly after his release from jail on drug charges in 1993, according to The New York Times (h/t SI.com).

The C’s signed Williams out of the Chinese Basketball Association to a series of 10-day contracts in February, and then inked him for the remainder of the season in early March. The deal included a non-guaranteed salary for 2013-14, when Williams was expected to compete for backup point guard duties behind Rajon Rondo.

He averaged 7.1 points (49.5 FG%), 1.8 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 13.3 minutes over 24 games for the Celtics this season. He appeared in five of their six playoff games against the Knicks, averaging 1.0 point, 2.0 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 9.6 playoff minutes a night.

When Sebastian Telfair was arrested on gun charges soon after the 2006-07 campaign, Celtics co-owner Wyc Grousbeck disowned the former C’s guard — announcing the removal of his nameplate from his Waltham locker in an email to The Boston Globe — and the team included him in the deal for Kevin Garnett that summer.

That shouldn’t get your hopes up for a Kevin Love deal involving Terrence Williams.

Blog Author:

Ben Rohrbach

Monday’s Morning Mashup: LeBron James, Heat ready for physical series vs. Pacers

Mon, 20 May 2013 11:57:58 +0000

Welcome to Monday’s Morning Mashup. For the latest news, start at our WEEI.com home page or click here for the top stories from our news wire.

MONDAY’S BROADCAST HIGHLIGHTS:
MLB: Red Sox at White Sox, 8:10 p.m. (NESN; WEEI-FM)
MLB: Yankees at Orioles, 7 p.m. (ESPN)
NHL playoffs: Blackhawks at Red Wings, 7:30 p.m. (NBCSN)

AROUND THE WEB:

LeBron James is ready for another physical series against the Pacers in the Eastern Conference finals. (AP)

♦ The Heat and Pacers open the Eastern Conference finals Wednesday, and there’s plenty to talk about before then. Pacers coach Frank Vogel got the ball rolling when on Saturday he referred to the defending NBA champion Heat as “just the next team that’s in our way.”

LeBron James didn’t care for that designation — at least the interpretation of Vogel’s comment that was presented to him by the media.

“We’re a great team,” James said Sunday. “We’re very confident. We’ll be ready for them. If we’re just another team, you don’t prepare, you really don’t prepare for just another team. We’re not just another team. You have to prepare for us.”

Added Chris Bosh: “It’s always good to get some motivation from the other side.”

James also predicted a continuation from last year’s Heat-Pacers series, which featured aggressive, physical play.

“They’ll try to put me on the floor, maybe,” James said. “They’ll be physical with me, maybe. … The word is you’ve got to beat up the Heat to beat them. And every team has tried to do that.”

♦ Geno Smith might have thought he would fit right in with the brash Jets when he predicted a playoff berth for the team in his first interview after being drafted last month. However, he said Sunday that he learned a lesson after the New York Post put him on the front page with a headline reading “Broadway Geno” — a reference to the legendary Joe Namath.

“I’ve already gotten in trouble for saying some things about playoffs and things, which I don’t regret,” Smith said in an interview on SiriusXM Radio. “I don’t think I’ll go as far as being bold as Joe was.”

Smith also has come under fire for his alleged immature behavior, including his reported arrogance during pre-draft interviews with teams and his firing of his agents after his draft slide.

“I don’t think I’m a bad guy,” Smith said. “I don’t think I’m some of the things they try to make me out to be. It’s a part of the media. The one thing that I understand is you can’t take it personally. Those guys have jobs and the key to their jobs is to sell papers and to keep the fans looking. So they’re going to spin things and try to make an interesting story out of something that may not be so interesting.”

♦ Sweden completed its run to the title at the world hockey championships Sunday, beating Switzerland, 5-1, in Stockholm behind two goals and an assist from Canucks star Henrik Sedin. With the win, Sweden became the first home team to win the championship in the tournament’s 27-year history.

“It’s an unbelievable feeling. You can’t put it into words,” said Henrik Tallinder, who plays for the Devils. “As soon as we got our legs and got that first goal, I thought we controlled the game pretty well.”

The United States beat Finland, 3-2 in a shootout, for third place and its first medal in nine years.

ON THIS DAY TRIVIA (answer below): Which Red Sox player had a streak of homering on May 20 for five straight years, starting with a three-home run game in a 10-3 victory over the Royals in 2001?

QUOTE OF THE DAY: “We didn’t play our best. They had a lot of opportunities that if they would’ve converted on, then it would be a completely different story right now. I think especially in the second period, they took it to us, but we were able to bounce back. It’s definitely a very even series.” – Bruins forward Brad Marchand, after Sunday’s 5-2 victory over the Rangers gave the B’s a 2-0 series lead

STAT OF THE DAY: 3 – Hours Sunday’s Red Sox-Twins game Sunday was delayed by rain in the seventh inning, the longest rain delay in Target Field’s four-year history

‘NET RESULTS (mobile users, check the website to see the videos): Oregon State center fielder Max Gordon makes an impressive leaping catch in Friday’s game vs. Oregon.

In the Virginia high school lacrosse playoffs, goalie Sam Beazell of St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School makes a save and then quickly fires the ball the length of the field into the opposing goal.

We saw this a couple of times last year: A soccer goalie makes a save on a penalty kick and begins to celebrate, but as he does, the ball rolls over the line for a goal. This time the goal decided the South Carolina Class AAAA state championship for Irmo over Lexington.

TRIVIA ANSWER: Jason Varitek

SOOTHING SOUNDS: Joe Cocker was born on this day in 1944.

Blog Author:

Jerry Spar

Tom Brady: ‘I’ve never felt better throwing the football’

Mon, 20 May 2013 05:05:43 +0000

Tom Brady

Tom Brady told Peter King of SI.com that “going into my 14th year, I have never had more confidence in how I am throwing the football. I’ve never felt better throwing the football.”

Speaking with King for this week’s edition of “Monday Morning Quarterback,” the Patriots quarterback talked about a wide range of topics, including his work with “Best Buddies,” his feelings in the wake of the loss to the Ravens in the AFC title game and his overall evolution as a signal-caller while working with Tom House. Brady, who had worked previously with Bay Area throwing guru Tom Martinez until Martinez’s death 15 months ago, said that he and the former major league pitcher have quickly developed a great working relationship.

“The same way Tom Martinez was always there to watch and give me corrections, Tom House has told me why certain corrections need to be made,” Brady said. “Look at a baseball swing and a golf swing. It’s all mechanics. Look at how Barry Bonds swings. Look at how Floyd Mayweather punches. Mechanics.

“When you’ve got to fit it into the tightest windows, mechanics are crucial. And to me, the offseason is crucial. If you make a throw within four feet, that’s not going to be good enough. You have to make the throw within four inches of your target. That’s good enough. And that’s why the mechanics you adjust and learn in the offseason are important. You’re going to keep them during the season.

“Tom House, pretty soon after the season, said basically, ‘All right, Tommy. Get to work.’ That’s the one thing that helps me move forward. There’s nothing we can do about losing the championship game to the Ravens. It sucks. You move on. But, with Tom, I think I’ve learned some things this offseason that are really going to help me.”

King asked Brady for one or two of those things.

“Over the years, I was a little inefficient and I learned how to get away with it. I’ve been working with Tom House on what’s called ground-force production … Kinetic sequencing, getting the power from the ground, which translates from the ground to your legs, to your hips, to the shoulder, and all the energy is going toward the target. I’ve always had confidence throwing the football, but you have to stay on top of it. That’s going to be a never-ending quest for me.

“I’d say 98 percent of it is exactly what Tom Martinez taught me. This other 2 percent is nothing between the ears, we’re just talking about a couple of things. Coach Belichick teaches me about what to expect from defenses. [Offensive coordinator] Josh [McDaniels] is always teaching me about offensive plays and drops. I like that, just like I like this work with Tom House. Once you feel like you’re done learning, you might as well move on.”

For more Patriots news, check out weei.com/patriots.

Rob Gronkowski calls off Las Vegas trip

Mon, 20 May 2013 04:48:20 +0000

Rob Gronkowski

Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski, who was set to go to Las Vegas as part of a promotional excursion involving a jet-sharing service, will apparently not be making the trip. The company that was putting the whole shindig together involving Gronkowski has decided to call off the event.

“Relaxing” could very well be code for “preparing for another surgery,” as reports indicate that the big tight end will be going under the knife for another arm surgery this week. In addition, it’s expected that he’ll be facing back surgery in the coming weeks as well.

For more Patriots news, check out weei.com/patriots.

Henrik Lundqvist on Bruins Game 2 win: ‘We gave it to them’

Mon, 20 May 2013 02:24:06 +0000

Henrik Lundqvist was critical of his own team, which he says gave the Bruins momentum in Game 2. (Mike Petraglia/WEEI.com)

In the eyes and mind of Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist, the Bruins didn’t take command of Game 2 and the series as much as the Rangers and their defense gave it to them.

“We gave it to them, we know,” Lundqvist said. “I thought we played great we just I didn’t think they had to work really hard to get a couple goals there. We just made it really tough on ourselves. We just have to correct a few things and go home and turn this around. It doesn’t matter the score, it’s a loss. Overtime or 5-2, it doesn’t matter.”

Lundqvist was burned badly on yet another odd-man rush ending with Patrice Bergeron feeding Brad Marchand, just like the overtime game-winner in Game 1. This time, the Bruins used the Marchand goal 26 seconds into the third to take a 4-2 lead and all but seal their 2-0 lead, with the series shifting to New York for Game 3 Tuesday night.

“We did play well, we just made some mistakes,” Lundqvist said. “And like I said, it didn’t feel like they had to work really hard to get a couple goals. So we just have to talk it through and be a little bit sharper on a few things but a lot of things we did well.”

“This game was about tracking down pucks and it was tough. A lot of late guys coming in, dragging the puck through the slot with guys in front of me, you just have to try to work hard to find pucks. It was definitely a tough game to play, no question.”

Lundqvist is hurting, and not just his ego. He took a shot to the shoulder in the third period that left a mark.

“It’s my shoulder,” Lundqvist added. “We’ll see. We’ll take a look at it.”

Lundqvist was the man who led the Rangers out of the darkness when they faced an identical 0-2 hole in the first round against Washington. Can they do it again?

“We have to look at it that way; we’ve done it before,” Lundqvist said. “But I think we are playing a better team now so it’s going to be tough to do it. They’re a solid team and you can’t give them too much. They work hard and they pay attention to all the details in the game and that’s why they have been so successful so far in these two games.”

“I thought I was in position but a couple screens and when you give up five goals you can’t be satisfied obviously. You have to look at the way they scored goals too. It’s about teamwork out there and today it didn’t really work for us. We just have to talk it through and I have to better and the guys in front of me have to step it up as well.”

What needs to change for the Rangers in Game 3?

“We’ll see,” Lundqvist said. “A lot of things were good today. But if you lose 5-2 you can’t be satisfied, that’s the bottom line.

“I think playing the Bruins is about paying attention to details in the game and I think they have been the better team in that department. All the details in the game, they play a solid team game and so do we but when you lack that little bit it’s a tough game. But I’m confident and I’m going to go home and try to play a strong game in the next one.”

Blog Author:

Mike Petraglia

Three-hour rain delay was a piece of cake for Red Sox

Mon, 20 May 2013 01:56:16 +0000

Few stuck around for the entire three-hour rain delay at Target Field. (AP)

MINNEAPOLIS — It could have been a lot worse for the Red Sox, just ask the players and coaches on the Rangers and White Sox who sat through a 7-hour, 23-minute delay on Aug. 12, 1990. (Hat tip to Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post.)

Sunday, the Sox and Twins had to weather a three-hour delay, ultimately finishing up with a 5-1 win for John Farrell’s team, along with a series sweep. As was the case in that game at Comiskey Park, just a few hundred Target Field fans stuck around to witness the final outcome.

The answers for what the Red Sox did while waiting in the visitors clubhouse and dugout weren’t mind-blowing by any stretch of the imagination. For instance, John Lackey relayed that he passed the time (with others) by watching the movie ‘The Sandlot,’ which was being showcased (with attendance from a few of the actors) to celebrate it’s 20th anniversary.

(Note: At the time the game re-started, there were inarguably more fans at the table getting autographs from ‘The Sandlot’ cast members than there were in the entire outfield seats.)

“Watched ‘Sandlot,’ hadn’t seen that in awhile, so that was solid,” the pitcher said.

Dustin Pedroia’s choice to pass the time?

“I was just walking around hanging out,” said the second baseman. “Basically it. It was pouring, so you kind of have that in the back of your mind that you’d not’ know if you’re going to continue to pay, so you got to try to stay focused.”

Regardless of what activities took place in between the 4:30 p.m. (eastern time) and 7:30 p.m., Red Sox manager John Farrell said there was no concern that his team would be ready to play for the final 2 1/2 innings.

“This group? That’s built-in,” said Farrell when asked about the team’s focus. “We obviously all had to wait three hours. But a number of guys were in the dugout for probably half of that time. Updates were being given as best we could relay it. This is a group that, their focus is to play the game. Even with a three-hour rain delay, they were raring to go. They love the game. They love to play it. Keeping this group focused, I’m not going to say is not an issue, but the game is clearly a priority to all of them.”

And while the Red Sox did run into some trouble when Koji Uehara loaded the bases in the eighth, the reliever managed to escape the jam by striking out and proceeding to hug his catcher and then go through the visitors dugout to deliver a series of intense high-fives.

It took a while, but it all worked out for the Red Sox in the end.

“Glad we got it in,” Farrell said. “Whatever it took to finish out this win, we were here for.”

Blog Author:

Rob Bradford

Closing Time: Red Sox weather three-hour rain delay to sweep Twins

Mon, 20 May 2013 00:27:55 +0000

John Lackey

MINNEAPOLIS – The Red Sox have certainly used the last week wisely when it comes to turning around perception.

The Sox closed out their three-game trip to Target Field with a 5-1 win over the Twins, sweeping the series and extending their win streak to five games. The game was complete with a three-hour rain delay, leaving a couple of hundred people in the stands when the teams came back out for the home half of the seventh inning.

It was the Red Sox’ fourth series sweep of the season, having managed just three sweeps in all of 2012.

John Farrell’s team, which has now won six of their seven road series, was paced this time by starter John Lackey. Lackey rebounded from his worst outing of the season – a five-run, nine-hit performance that stretched just 4 1/3 innings – to limit the Twins to just one hit over six innings, striking out five and not walking a batter.

The Red Sox starter was set to go beyond just six frames, having thrown 84 pitches, but the rain came, forcing the players off the field as Lackey was warming up for the seventh inning.

The bizarre day was capped in the ninth inning when Dustin Pedroia hit his second home run of the season, with this one being propelled off left fielder Josh Willingham’s wrist (jumping to catch the ball) and over the fence for a two-run blast. The pitch Pedroia hi was a neck-high, 92 mph fastball from Minnesota reliever Jared Burton.

Every Red Sox player, except Pedro Ciriaco, collected at least one hit.

Here is what went right (and wrong) in the Red Sox’ 27th win (27-17):

WHAT WENT RIGHT

- Shane Victorino made his presence felt immediately upon returning from a back ailment. The outfielder – who was filling in for Jacoby Ellsbury in center field and in the leadoff spot – singled in his first at-bat and walked in the third. The free pass ultimately led to the Sox’ second run, coming in on Dustin Pedroia’s roller to third. Victorino also stole his fourth base of the season.

- Will Middlebrooks kept moving in the right direction, launching a solo homer in the second for the Sox’ first run. The third baseman came into the game hitting .286 with eight extra-base hits in his last nine games.

- Mike Napoli helped the Sox’ collect their third run, punctuating back-to-back-to-back singles in the fifth inning for his 35th RBI

- Pedroia extended his hit streak to 11 games thanks to a fifth-inning single. He entered the game hitting .475 (19-for-40) over the course of his stretch, having managed multiple hit outings in seven of the 10 games.

- Reliever Andrew Miller continued to impress, this time coming on after the rain-delay to pitch a perfect seventh inning. In his last 13 outings, Miller has only turned in one appearance in which he surrendered a run, striking out 17 and walking just two.

- Koji Uehara got into some trouble in the eighth, loading the bases. But the righty proceeded to strikeout Joe Mauer to kill the threat, leading to an enormous embrace for catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia just outside the dugout along the subsequent round of high-intensity high-fives.

WHAT WENT WRONG

- David Ortiz wasn’t able to score from second on Daniel Nava’s single to deep center field with one out in the fifth inning, holding up while waiting to see if Aaron Hicks was going to make the grab. The ball, however, went off the outfielder’s glove, bouncing to the wall and leaving the Red Sox with the bases loaded. It would be the last batter Minnesota starter Pedro Hernandez would face, with the Red Sox leaving the frame without any more runs after a Will Middlebrooks’ pop-up and Jarrod Saltalamacchia grounder to first.

- Lackey saw his no-hitter broken up when Trevor Plouffe lined a double into left field to kick off the fifth inning. It was the first time since July 22, 2010 he had gotten through the first four innings without surrendering a hit, with the previous occasion before that coming against the Red Sox in ’08.

- The Twins scored their first run thanks to an errant throw from Pedro Ciriaco on what should have been an inning-ending 4-6-3 double play. The ball sailed wide of first baseman Napoli (deflecting into the midsection of baserunner Chris Parmelee, who was on the ground recovering for a bit), allowing Plouffe to come in from third. It made it 3-1 Red Sox. It marked the 13th unearned run of the season for the Red Sox, five of which have come with Lackey pitching.

- Through seven innings, the Red Sox were just 3-for-11 with runners in scoring position, having stranded eight.

Blog Author:

Rob Bradford

John Tortorella on 2-0 hole to Bruins: ‘There’s no give’ in Rangers

Sun, 19 May 2013 23:44:27 +0000

John Tortorella looking for answers after two losses in Boston. (AP)

There were no FCC violations during his post-game presser. There were no explosions. There was a little agitation with one reporter’s question but other than that, John Tortorella was on good behavior after his team was dismantled 5-2 in Game 2 Sunday at TD Garden. The loss puts his Rangers in a 2-0 series hole but it’s a familiar spot for Tortorella’s Rangers, who were down 2-0 to the Capitals before Henrik Lundqvist got hot and the Rangers won four of the next five to save their season.

“Listen, we don’t want to lose two games here,” the Rangers task-master said. “No one does. But there’s no give in the team. There will be no give in this team. Again, we need to go win a game. Not look anywhere else, just try to win our first home game this series.”

What gave Torts hope that his team can rebound in Game 3 Tuesday night in New York?

“If you’re talking about the latter part of the first, second period, I think that’s the way we have to play. And I think we can. I think we can sustain that,” Tortorella said.

The Rangers outshot the Bruins, 16-9, in the second period and had three shots on a power play that is now 2-for-34 in the playoffs. But then the Rangers allowed a goal from Johnny Boychuk on a wrister to the left of Lundqvist and a 2-on-1 breakdown goal to Brad Marchand goal 26 seconds into third that left Tortorella shaking his head.

“The third and fourth goals are defendable,” Tortorella said. “We made coverage mistakes. Our second period is where we want to be. We can’t put it in the net. We had multiple chances. We felt really good going into the third, and to have that type of goal go in on just a two-on-two, it hurts you. And then they’re just going to fill the middle and they’re just going to jam you, so we couldn’t generate much more.”

Here is the rest of Tortorella’s presser Sunday evening:

On if he thought the Rangers were close to scoring on their third power play: “Our power play was better tonight. Didn’t score, but it was better.”

On if anything off-ice played a role with coverage today: “No. It has nothing to do with coverage. Shouldn’t have even said anything [Saturday].”

On if the Rangers are struggling to defend against the rush because of turnovers: “No.”

On if he’s surprised that the Rangers are having a hard time defending the rush: “I think there are some defendable plays, and that’s hurt us. I think the positioning’s there, but we just haven’t defended it, in a number of different situations.”

On how Rick Nash played today: “Nash played better.”

On if the Rangers need to execute better or if the Bruins are simply executing: “You always have to try to be better as a team, and if we’re going to win a game, and that’s all we’re looking at, we’re going to have to be better.”

On how Henrik Lundqvist played today: “I’m not evaluating our goaltending. I don’t need to evaluate Henrik. We know what Henrik is.”

Blog Author:

Mike Petraglia

Bruins get to Henrik Lundqvist in Game 2 win

Sun, 19 May 2013 21:45:48 +0000

The Bruins took a 2-0 series lead over the Rangers in the Eastern Conference semifinals with a 5-2 victory Sunday at TD Garden.

Unlike their previous two games, the B’s didn’t need overtime to secure the victory, as they added to a 3-2 lead entering the third period with goals from Brad Marchand and Milan Lucic. The game marked the first time in 32 starts against the Bruins that Henrik Lundqvist allowed more than three goals. The last time Lundqvist allowed five goals in a game was on March 9, 2011.

Torey Krug got the B’s on the board in the first period with his second goal in as many career NHL playoff games, but Ryan Callahan answered in short order by capitalizing on a Brad Marchand turnover and some sluggish work from Dougie Hamilton. The B’s took a 2-1 lead the second on a goal from Gregory Campbell off a rebound from a Krug shot, with the Rangers once again answering in short order on Rick Nash’s first goal of the postseason. Johnny Boychuk gave the B’s a third lead with his third goal of the playoffs, and that was the lead that stuck.

The series will resume in New York, where the teams will play Game 3 on Tuesday and Game 4 on Thursday.

WHAT WENT RIGHT FOR THE BRUINS

- How about that defense? Boychuk’s goal marked the Bruins’ 11th goal from a defenseman in nine games this postseason.

- With three points in two games, the Bruins have to be thrilled with the production they’ve gotten from Torrey Krug. He’s put up such numbers while getting the least amount of ice time amongst Bruins’ blueliners too, so he’s making the most of his time.

Though Krug is a strong skater and certainly create in the offensive zone, he’s still probably behind Matt Bartkowski when it comes to his likelihood of sticking in the lineup when everyone is healthy. Bartkowski finished third on the Bruins in time on ice again and is clearly the most likely to stick and should replace Wade Redden if and when the trio of injured defensemen are ready to go.

- Another game, another big performance from David Krejci. With two assists on Sunday, Krejci now has at least one point in eight of the Bruins’ nine postseason games and leads all players with a 16 points (five goals, 11 assists).

- Though a negative trend also continued for Marchand (see below), he now has goals in two straight games after not scoring at all in the first round. That’s an encouraging sign for the B’s. Now they just need some production out of Tyler Seguin.

WHAT WENT WRONG FOR THE BRUINS

- There’s a bit of a tendency on the Bruins’ ends to not hold leads for long in this series. That kept up Sunday when the Bruins’ 1-0 lead lasted 2:33 and their 2-1 lead lasted only 56 seconds.

- For the second time two games, the Rangers capitalized on a Brad Marchand miscue and turned it into a goal. After Marchand’s inability to get the puck deep early in the second period Thursday led to the Rangers’ second goal in Game 1, Marchand sent a pass off Callahan’s skates that he chased down, beating Dougie Hamilton on his way to the net before scoring to tie the game in the first period.

Blog Author:

DJ Bean

Red Sox, Twins in rain delay in seventh inning

Sun, 19 May 2013 20:30:51 +0000

MINNEAPOLIS — The Red Sox and Twins are in a rain delay that began at 4:30 eastern time.

The delay occurred with the Sox holding a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the seventh inning, with the Twins scheduled to bat. It is the ninth rain delay in the history Target Field.

Check back for updates …

Blog Author:

Rob Bradford