Boston, MA
No margin of error for Red Sox the rest of the way
BOSTON — It is make or break time for the Boston Purple Sox. There is no such thing as a margin of error over the subsequent 10 days.
There is no such thing as a margin for error the remainder of the season, actually, however these subsequent three collection may very well be the distinction between preventing for a playoff spot up till October and taking part in a month’s value of semi-meaningless baseball.
How razor skinny are issues for Boston? They took two of three from the Pirates over the past three days and have now received two straight collection. (We’re not counting that one-game “collection” in opposition to Baltimore. That is simply foolish.) However with Thursday evening’s loss in Pittsburgh, the Purple Sox fell again underneath .500 and one other sport again within the race for the ultimate AL Wild Card spot.
Boston now sits 5 video games again of that ultimate spot, and is given a 4 p.c probability at making the postseason. It is so dire as a result of there are 4 groups for the Purple Sox to overhaul: Chicago, Baltimore, Minnesota, and Toronto. The Blue Jays are at the moment tied with the Tampa Bay Rays, with each groups at the moment slotted for a Wild Card berth together with the Seattle Mariners.
That is numerous video games to make up and numerous groups to beat. The Purple Sox have six-plus weeks to make it occur.
They’re going to have ample alternative to just do that — however any missteps and so they’ll fall additional away from a playoff spot. Subsequent up for Boston is a three-game set in opposition to the resurgent Orioles, with two video games in Baltimore and Sunday’s tilt in Williamsport, PA. The Orioles are simply as hungry — if no more so — than the Purple Sox, sitting 2.5 video games again of the ultimate Wild Card.
Boston is simply 4-5 in opposition to the Orioles this season. They primarily want to comb this weekend, and that is simply to be ok with themselves heading into Monday’s off day. After that, the Sox welcome the Blue Jays and the Rays to Fenway Park for three-game collection, extra alternative to make up floor — or fall again even additional.
Boston’s remaining schedule is loaded with AL East matchups. Of the 43 video games left on the schedule, 31 of them will likely be in opposition to divisional foes. Sadly, the Purple Sox are a dreadful 15-30 in opposition to the AL East this season.
That should change instantly if the Purple Sox need any shot at sneaking into the playoffs. The pitching is beginning to stabilize and injured gamers are coming again, however none of it is going to matter if the Purple Sox cannot beat the groups of their division.
And whereas constantly successful collection will definitely assist their trigger, the Purple Sox are going to have to combine in at the least a couple of sweeps to make these postseason desires a actuality. They can’t afford to squander any extra winnable video games the remainder of the way in which, which was made abundantly clear with Thursday evening’s loss.
Boston has put itself in a tricky spot heading into the stretch run of the season. They nonetheless have an opportunity to at the least preserve it fascinating in September, however there’s zero room for error.
Boston, MA
Red Sox Icon David Ortiz Urges Boston To ‘Make It Rain’ For Free-Agent Slugger
The Boston Red Sox hive mind doesn’t always come to a perfect agreement on what they want the team to do. That is, of course, unless David Ortiz is asking for it.
A three-time World Series champion, Hall of Famer, and one of the most clutch players of all time, Ortiz is unquestionably on the Red Sox’s all-time Mount Rushmore. Even though he retired in 2016, he’s still closely woven into the fabric of the organization.
Ortiz sees what we all do: this Red Sox team is close to being ready to contend for the playoffs, but there’s one key ingredient missing. He made his feelings known about what he hopes the front office does between now and Opening Day to address that issue.
On Saturday, Ortiz relayed a simple message to the Red Sox: spend whatever it takes to get one more big bat.
“There’s still some guys out there that we can still go for, and I think we have a really good front office,” Ortiz said in an appearance on NESN. “To put a good lineup together nowadays is not that difficult. What you got to do is just make it rain, and you can go pick a few guys. Now pitching, on the other hand, is the toughest thing to put together.
“We got pitching. Pitching can always stop good offenses. The playoff is a playoff pitching (staff) we got right now. We line up a couple of thunders in the lineup to help (Rafael Devers) and the rest of them boys — one good bat would do.”
Ortiz and NESN host Tom Caron both strongly hinted at the end of the interview who that big bat could be: former Houston Astros All-Star Alex Bregman. Manager Alex Cora also signaled earlier in the day that Bregman would be a great fit in Boston.
Bregman isn’t quite Ortiz, but he does have one thing on him: the career record for OPS at Fenway Park. He has a wild 1.245 mark in 98 plate appearances in Boston throughout his career.
When David Ortiz asks for something, the Red Sox would usually be wise to follow through. And it seems he wants Bregman. Will that move the needle in the suites at Fenway?
More MLB: Red Sox Predicted To Land Ex-Padres $28 Million Gold Glover In Free Agency Surprise
Boston, MA
Greater Boston enjoys a light snow, travel not significantly impacted – The Boston Globe
The snow showers come from a weakening system approaching from the Great Lakes that tapped into some of the moisture from a strong storm passing south of New England.
The region was spared the worst precipitation of the storm thanks to persistent sub-freezing temperatures earlier this week, which pushed it south toward its current location off the coast of North Carolina, Nocera said. New England’s light snowfall is on the northern fringes of the storm.
Nocera added that this weekend’s “decorative snow” will not significantly impact ground travel.
The Massachusetts Port Authority issued a travel advisory for flight delays at Boston Logan International Airport. According to the flight tracking website Flight Aware, as of around 1:00 p.m. 212 flights were delayed at Boston Logan and another 15 were cancelled.
Margo Griffin, a teaching associate at the University of Cambridge in England, was initially worried about driving through the snow on her way to get coffee in Cambridge, but said the view from the Charles River was worth the trek.
“I thought it might be a problem, but I just decided to go ahead with the plan, and I’m enjoying walking through the snow,” Griffin said.
Other Boston-area residents who spoke to the Globe Saturday morning were happy to wake up to the winter scene on Saturday.
“I am feeling wonderful about the snow. I haven’t seen it in a long time,” said Barbara Delollis, a communications lead at Harvard Business School.
Delollis already made snow day plans.
“We want to go out and have some fun in the snow, and take a lot of pictures and just remember this moment, because we don’t know how much more snowfall we’re going to see in the Boston area anymore with climate change,” Delollis said.
Talia, a Cambridge resident, said that the snow had no effect on her plans to attend synagogue with her two-year-old son Saturday morning.
“It feels nice and seasonal, which is cool because climate change is terrifying,” she said.
Snowstorms can still occur, despite warming temperatures from climate change, Nocera said. Although Saturday’s snowfall cannot guarantee heavy snow this winter, there is a slightly higher chance of snow towards the end of the month as cold temperatures ease.
Materials from previous Globe stories were used in this report.
Boston, MA
Boston College drops Hockey East contest to Merrimack
The second-ranked Boston College men’s hockey team suffered its first home loss of the season, falling to Merrimack by a score of 5-2 in Hockey East action on Friday night at Kelley Rink. The Eagles jumped out to a 2-0 lead early in the second, but the Warriors scored the next five. BC falls to 12-4-1 overall and 6-3-1 in Hockey East, while Merrimack improves to 8-10-1 overall and 4-5-1 in league play. The Eagles opened the scoring midway through the first period when Oskar Jellvik one-timed the rebound off an Aram Minnetian shot that was saved by the Merrimack goaltender. Minnetian’s shot fell right into the path of Jellvik for the quick shot into the open net to put the Eagles in front. BC added to its lead shortly into the second period when Brady Berard scored a short-handed goal. Merrimack responded 32 seconds later with a power-play goal to get on the board, before scoring the game-tying goal less than one minute after that. The Warriors took the lead nearly three minutes later when Merrimack scored its third goal of the period. The Warriors scored twice in the third period to push their lead to three. Jacob Fowler made 23 saves while Nils Wallstrom had 27 stops for Merrimack.
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