Rafael Devers on Red Sox's chances of winning AL East

Red Sox Bench Coach Ron Roenicke On Young Managers

JUPITER, Fla — MLB managers used to be men in their 60s, long-retired former players with decades of coaching experience.

Now, if you blink when a player retires, by the time you open your eyes he’ll be in the dugout managing a team he just played for.

Aaron Boone with the New York Yankees is one example, and Alex Cora with the Boston Red Sox is another. Both of their playing careers ended less than a decade ago, and neither had managed a single inning in Major League Baseball before taking the reins of their respective teams over the winter.

Cora even hired his former manager in the minor leagues, Ron Roenicke, to be his bench coach. Roenicke, who managed the Milwaukee Brewers from 2011-2015, thinks Cora is more than your typical rookie manager.

“I still think experience is really important,” Roenicke said. “But as far as Alex and what he’s doing so far, he just has such a good feel for things, and I knew he would, and that’s part of the reason I wanted to come over and was excited to come over.”

But if Cora and others do lack experience, how are they getting hired? Roenicke believes it’s important not to overlook front offices trending younger as well.

“I think the general managers are getting younger,” Roenicke said. “So I think with them, communication has become a big part of [managing].”

Some believe these GMs are hiring managers who will merely be mouthpieces for the front office and execute its vision. But Roenicke has seen how coaches can personally push their players to be more than the sum of their parts.

“I think anytime you’ve got a good team to start with, you know the coaching staff has the chance to push them one way or the other. They’re going to be good regardless, but hopefully the coaching staff can get them to become a great team.”

Former Manager Phil Garner Excited to Watch Astros Title Defense

Former Astros Manager Garner Hopes For An Exciting Pennant Race

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla – Before A.J. Hinch, the last Houston Astros manager to lead the team to October glory was Phil Garner.

Garner, whose 2005 Astros won the National League pennant, is back in camp as a special instructor. The former skipper was also an All-Star infielder for 16 seasons in the Major Leagues, 7 of which were spent in Houston.

The Astros lost the 2005 World Series to the Chicago White Sox, but vanquished those demons by winning their first ever championship last season in a thrilling seven-game Fall Classic over the Los Angeles Dodgers. Garner, now 68, was thrilled to see his former team finally win it all.

“It’s pretty exciting, these young players kind of enliven my baseball spirit again.” Garner said. “They’re all great guys, so it’s nice to have a championship trophy in Houston for the first time ever, and it’s good that it was a bunch of kids who were deserving.”

The Astros hope to become the first team this century to win back-to-back World Series, but their competition in the American League looks strong. The New York Yankees took the Astros to Game 7 of the ALCS, and acquired N.L. MVP Giancarlo Stanton over the winter. The Boston Red Sox retained their star-studded young core, and recently signed slugger J.D. Martinez. The rest of the A.L. will also have at least a puncher’s chance thanks to the new Wild Card format, which Garner likes.

“I hope it’s a good pennant race again, it’s always exciting when it gets down to the last month of the season and you have four or five teams with legitimate shots of getting in.”

Aaron Boone on preparing the Yankees for season

Yankees Tuning Out World Series Buzz Ahead of Opening Day

LAKELAND, Fla — In just one calendar year, the New York Yankees went from a team in transition to the undisputed favorites in the American League.

After falling one win short of a trip to the World Series last October, the Yankees kept their star-studded young core in place and added National League MVP Giancarlo Stanton to their lineup.

The Yankees begin this season the way they began so many others: feared by their competition, and expected to win a championship. Fans across the Grapefruit League are coming out in droves to see the Yankees, especially Stanton and Aaron Judge, who many compare to the franchise’s legendary hitting duo of the 1960s: Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris.

But if they’re able to capture their 28th World Series, the Yankees believe it’ll be because they tuned all of that fanfare out.

“We still have to go out and play the game,” shortstop Didi Gregorius said. “We can’t try and overthink anything. We just have to go out there and try to do our best.”

As expectations rise, so does the pressure. The Yankees’ last championship came in 2009, and this is the best team they’ve assembled since then. New York is expecting nothing less than a ticker-tape parade, but that won’t stop this young group of players from enjoying playing the game they love.

“You don’t let the pressure exceed the pleasure,” outfield prospect Billy McKinney said. “It’s a game, you just try to have fun.”

A grueling 162 game season isn’t always a joy, but McKinney believes the right guys are in the clubhouse to keep the Yankees’ emotions in check.

“The guys do a great job of staying even-keeled and not getting too high or too low.”

Stay tuned to webn.tv for more Grapefruit League coverage throughout the week.

Young Braves Lean on Veterans, Coaches as Rebuild Continues

KISSIMMEE, Fla — For a 14-year-stretch that started in the early 1990’s., the Atlanta Braves were the undisputed kings of the National League.

Led by five Hall of Famers – manager Bobby Cox, pitchers Greg Maddux, John Smoltz, Tom Glavine, and third baseman Chipper Jones – the Braves won five N.L. Pennants and the 1995 World Series. Those days of dominance are long gone.

The 90-plus win seasons are now replaced with 90-plus loss seasons. After three straight dismal years, the Braves are in the midst of an extensive rebuild and focused on developing talent for the future.

This year, the Braves have seven players on MLB.com’s annual Top 100 Prospects list, and the hope is they’ll soon help win games and fill seats at SunTrust Park.

That being said, an integral part to developing these prospects is providing them with veteran leadership, which is part of the reason why the Braves acquired pitchers Brandon McCarthy and Scott Kazmir over the offseason.

“The young players are remiss if they don’t watch how these guys go about it,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “They’re true pros.”

Outfielder Preston Tucker is in his first season with the Braves after spending time with the defending champion Houston Astros, and the 27-year-old has seen firsthand the importance of building a roster with varying levels of experience.

“You always want a mix of guys in the clubhouse,” Tucker said. “Those guys who are still producing tremendously at this level is great to have.”

As far as coaching is concerned, Snitker says he and his staff are more “hands on” with their players and understand there’s still a lot they have to teach them. But if all goes according to plan, the Braves feel they can take a big step towards contention in 2018.

“We handle the fundamentals, we handle the execution, and we just go out there and play and believe in each other,” Braves third base coach Ron Washington said “And with that formula, things will come together.”

Stay tuned to webn.tv for more Grapefruit League coverage throughout the week.

Russell Wilson Strikes Out in Spring Training At-Bat with Yankees

Before Russell Wilson became a superstar All-Pro quarterback, he was just another infielder in the lower levels of the Colorado Rockies’ minor league system.

A fourth round pick in the 2010 MLB Draft, Wilson hit .229/.354/.356 in 379 plate appearances from 2010-2011. He hit five home runs, scored 58 runs, and walked 51 times, but struck out 118 times. It was becoming clear baseball wasn’t exactly Wilson’s true calling.

So, after the 2011 season and prior to his senior year of college, Wilson transferred to the University of Wisconsin, where he had a terrific season on the football field. Wilson was drafted in the third round of the 2012 NFL Draft by the Seattle Seahawks, and established himself as one of the best young quarterbacks in the league, winning Rookie of the Year and a Super Bowl in 2014.

Still, Wilson never called it quits on baseball, and the Rockies traded his rights to the Texas Rangers in the 2013 Rule 5 Draft. Then, this past offseason, the Rangers traded Wilson to his favorite team, the New York Yankees.

Wilson reported to Yankees camp in Tampa last week, and after participating in the same workouts, fielding sessions, and batting practices as the likes of Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge, manager Aaron Boone decided Wilson was ready for game action.

The 30-year-old pinch-hit for Judge in the fourth inning of the Yankees’ eventual 5-4 win over the Atlanta Braves. He worked the count to 2-2, but Braves prospect Max Fried got Wilson to swing through a 93-mph fastball for strike three.

It was likely the only at-bat Wilson will get this spring, and while he’s not happy with the end result, he was able to fulfill a lifelong dream.

“The best thing for me is, I had no fear. I went up there with confidence. I was ready.” Wilson told reporters. “I’ll always remember that. I’ll always remember when the announced my name and they call you up there, you get to go up to the plate and the crowd’s going crazy, the Yankees fans. I used to go crazy for Derek Jeter when he walked up to the plate. To have that feeling and that experience, I’ll never, ever forget that.”

Stay tuned to webn.tv, as our reporters will be in Florida all week covering the Grapefruit League.

Red Sox Sign J.D. Martinez to Five-Year, $110 Million Deal

The power outage just might be over in Boston. According to multiple reports, the Boston Red Sox and free agent outfielder J.D. Martinez have agreed to a five-year, $110 million contract. The deal is said to be front-loaded, as Martinez will receive $50 million over the first two years, and includes an opt-out clause after the second year. Martinez and his agent, Scott Boras, were hoping for a larger payday all winter, but with spring training underway, they appeared to take the best deal on the table, and it was from the Red Sox.

The 30-year-old is coming off a fantastic 2017 season, in which he hit .303/.376/.690 with 45 home runs and 104 RBI in just 119 games. Martinez was traded mid-season from the Detroit Tigers to the Arizona Diamondbacks and helped the Dbacks secure a postseason berth.

Martinez bolsters a Red Sox lineup that has sorely lacked a standout power hitter since David Ortiz’s retirement. The Red Sox were last in the American League in home runs last season. Martinez will likely be the team’s designated hitter, as young stars Mookie Betts, Andrew Benintendi, and Jackie Bradley Jr. will again man the outfield.

Many view signing Martinez as the Red Sox’s counter to the New York Yankees’ acquisition of N.L. MVP Giancarlo Stanton last December. Sox fans are hopeful Martinez can help the Sox keep pace with the Yanks, as Boston seeks it’s third consecutive A.L. East title.

Eagles Win Super Bowl LII in 41-33 Shootout with Patriots

The New England Patriots brought their A game in Super Bowl LII, but they didn’t bring their D.

In a 41-33 shootout, Philadelphia won its first ever Super Bowl, upsetting the defending champions Sunday night at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.

Backup quarterback Nick Foles, who took over for the injured Carson Wentz in Week 14, was named Super Bowl MVP after completing 28 of 43 passes for 373 yards and three touchdowns.

Foles and the rest of Philadelphia’s offense were relentless in their assault on New England’s defense, passing and rushing the ball with ease. Former Patriot LeGarrette Blount and Jay Ajayi rushed for over 150 yards total, and Nelson Ahgolor, Zach Ertz and Corey Clement all made big plays downfield.

The game wasn’t without controversy, as head coach Bill Belichick benched cornerback and former Super Bowl hero Malcolm Butler, who was reportedly told just before kickoff he would not be playing. Butler told ESPN after the game, “they gave up on me.”

New England trailed by two scores as the first half came to a close and Philadelphia had all but silenced their running game. By the time the second half began, it was clear New England’s hopes of bringing home a sixth Lombardi Trophy rested solely on the shoulders of their ageless wonder.

In his eighth Super Bowl, 40-year-old Tom Brady forced the ball through the air 48 times, completing 28 passes for 505 yards and three touchdowns. Those 505 yards broke the record for most passing yards in a Super Bowl, previously set by Brady last year with 466.

New England was able to take a 33-32 lead late in the fourth quarter, but with 2:11 remaining, Foles connected with Ertz who dove into the endzone for a touchdown. Philadelphia failed to convert on a two-point play, but Brady fumbled on the next possession and a Jake Elliot field goal all but sealed the deal for the City of Brotherly Love.

Goodell Plans to “Start Over” with No-Catch Rule

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – As they say in Hollywood, this is going to need a total rewrite.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a press conference Wednesday the league plans to review the current “no-catch rule”  in the off-season. However, rather than revising the rule, Goodell said he’d prefer to “start over again.”

The current rule states that if a player loses control of the ball while going to the ground after making the initial catch, it should be ruled an incompletion. This has caused headaches throughout the league, as there’s been an apparent lack of uniformity from officials when enforcing this rule.

Goodell disagrees, saying the officials are “extraordinary professionals” whose jobs are far more difficult today thanks to advancements in technology such as instant replay.

Nevertheless, the league is already welcoming debate over the rule at the league offices. Goodell noted Hall of Fame players and coaches recently met and watched 150 different plays in order to “figure out what should be catch.”

The rule played a big role in the New England Patriots’ Week 15 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. What would’ve been a potential game-winning touchdown catch by Steelers tight end Jesse James was instead ruled incomplete, because James lost possession of the ball as he went to the ground. However, replays showed James largely maintained possession, which represents the core of the debate: whether losing possession for even a fraction of a second should constitute an incomplete pass.

No matter how the current rule is handled, Goodell acknowledges there will always be disagreements on what a catch in the NFL should be.

“I’m not going to tell you there won’t be controversy,” Goodell said. “but I believe that we can get to a much better place.”

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell Discusses Colin Kaepernick

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Patriots and Eagles Let Loose at Super Bowl LII Opening Night

ST. PAUL, Minn. – Thousands of fans and reporters flocked to the Xcel Energy Center with excitement and intrigue as Opening Night for Super Bowl LII got underway.

The star players and head coaches of the New England Patriots and Philadelphia Eagles each met with the media for an hour on Monday night, discussing a variety of topics from the hype surrounding the game to what it takes to get Bill Belichick to smile.

“Man, I have no idea,” Tom Brady said. “Navy. Lacrosse. Lawrence Taylor. Bon Jovi. Those four.”

“I’ve only seen him smile a couple of time and it’s usually late at night around this time of year after we win a Super Bowl.” said wide receiver Danny Amendola. “That’s how I plan on making him smile. I don’t have any idea how to get him to smile any other way.”

The Eagles, going up against one of the most successful dynasties in the history of the sport, know they’re heavy underdogs, but refuse to believe that’s a bad thing.

“We’ve had a chip on our shoulder the entire year,” said tight end Zach Ertz. “No one picked us at the beginning of the year. No one picked us after Carson got hurt. No one picked us first round, second round, the NFC Championship. We’re just excited to be here, the chip on our shoulder will never leave. I think being in the NFL you have to have one.”

Nick Foles, starting at quarterback in place of the injured Carson Wentz, welcomes his David vs. Goliath matchup with Brady: “He’s one of the greatest to play the game. I’m excited about the challenge. When you play this game, you want to play against the best, and you really want to play against the best of this stage. I’m glad, I’m excited to play in the Super Bowl this Sunday.”

Patriots 24, Jaguars 20: Late comeback sends New England to Super Bowl LII

The New England Patriots are going to the Super Bowl. Again.

The Patriots’ 24-20 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars in the AFC Championship Game wasn’t pretty and required a late fourth quarter comeback, but Tom Brady, Bill Belichick, and Co. are making their eighth Super Bowl appearance in 17 seasons, and that’s all that matters.

Initially, it was the Jaguars who looked like the team that had been here so many times before, jumping out to a 14-3 lead as the first quarter drew to a close. In the second quarter, with their offense struggling to gain momentum, the Patriots lost tight end Rob Gronkowski for the rest of the game to a concussion after colliding helmet-to-helmet with Jaguars safety Barry Church.

All the while, the Jaguars’ 25-year-old quarterback Blake Bortles was matching – if not outplaying – 40-year-old Brady, and rookie running back Leonard Fournette was carving through the Patriots’ defense.

The Patriots went into the half down 14-10, but by the time the second half began, it was clear the Jaguars were in serious trouble. 

Matt Patricia’s defense sprung to life and paralyzed the Jaguars’ running game, leaving Bortles with no choice but to keep throwing the ball. He never found the endzone again, instead settling for two field goals.

Brady then connected with Danny Amendola late in the fourth quarter, putting the Patriots on top for good.

When they take the field for Super Bowl LII, the Patriots will be looking to become the first team to win back-to-back Super Bowls since, well, the Patriots, in 2004 and 2005. They’ll face off the Philadelphia Eagles for the championship title on February 4.

For any other team in any other city, making it to the Super Bowl would be a huge deal. For the Patriots and Boston, however, it’s business as usual.