∗ For now at least, it’s hard to see how (or where) Kristian Campbell fits with the Red Sox.
The team sees him as an outfielder, but already, the Sox have one more outfielder than they need and it’s not like there are many DH at-bats available.
Still, you can’t help but root for Campbell, whose rookie season featured the highest of highs followed by the lowest of lows.
In the span of about a week, he surprised everyone by making the team out of spring training and was the team’s Opening Day second baseman, collected his first big league hit in his first game and his first homer in his third and then signed an eight-year, $60 million contract. He was later named AL Rookie of the Month for March/April.
Then, the struggles began. He slumped at the plate, suddenly looked overmatched in the infield, tried moving to first base and by early June, was optioned to the minors, where he remained the rest of the season, seemingly an afterthought.
He experienced it all, from good to bad.
“I think that’s the beauty of it,” said Campbell. “The high highs (told me) I know I can do it. I know I can be a (big league) baseball player. I have confidence in myself and my ability. I always have. I know it’s there.
“The other side of that is, obviously, the lows. Going through it for a couple of months and then getting optioned….I know what that’s like, too. Knowing how to get out of (the valleys) faster, I think, is the main thing. Now having a plan going into this season, if I do struggle again, I’ll be able to get out of it a lot faster than last year when I was still figuring everything out.”
The entire 2025 season was like Campbell trying to drink out of a firehose. It was too much, too soon. Now, he knows more of what to expect, even if he doesn’t know in what shape that will come.
“I don’t think last year as a failure. Honestly, you need (to struggle) sometimes to grow. I’m really excited for this year. I’m going in with a plan and a foundation. I’m in a good spot.”
∗ The Patriots will be playing with house money Sunday night. Even if they lose a home playoff game in which they’re favored, the season will still be a resounding success.
∗ A little more than halfway through the season, the Bruins are what they are — a flawed, mediocre team, one that might make (or miss) the playoffs by a few points. At times, they look capable of playing good hockey, only to regress for stretches of play.
If they remain in the playoff hunt after the Olympic break, it will be interesting to see how management approaches the trade deadline. It might be tempting to make a couple of minor deals to give them a better chance to qualifying for the postseason, but their focus should be focused on next year and the year after — and not the empty allure of hosting a few playoff games next spring.
∗ The Celtics are another matter. Their surprising success has them positioned to do real damage in the playoffs — especially if they can add Jayson Tatum for the stretch run.
The real issue, however, will be whether new owner Bill Chisholm is willing to pay the luxury tax in order to upgrade the Celts’ roster in the second half.
∗ Cam Newton’s strange obsession with Drake Maye feels borderline unhealthy.
∗ According to a source, the Red Sox had “brief” discussions with the Miami Marlins regarding Edward Cabrera — but none since the Winter Meetings. Cabrera went to the Chicago Cubs last week.
∗ There’s nobody happier about the Patriots’ resurgence than CBS. CBS is the AFC network and the Patriots are the of just two teams in the conference from an unshared Top 10 TV market. Houston is the other. (The Jets and Chargers play in the top two TV markets, but share their stadia with NFC teams).
∗ Watching the Miami-Ole Miss semi-final the other night, I learned that Hurricanes quarterback Carson Beck is now in his seventh year of college eligibility, and I was probably wasn’t the only one to think of the great Animal House scene (“Seven years of college down the drain…”).
Except, unlike John “Bluto” Blutarsky, Beck won’t be contemplating joining the Peace Corps, but rather, the NFL.
∗ Generally, I’m not one to climb on officials, but the questionable work of NFL crews in recent weeks has been impossible to ignore.
∗ A long, long time ago, in another professional life, I booked Hockey Hall of Famer Glenn Hall, long since retired even then, for a radio talk show appearance. Young and inexperienced at the start of my career, I was scared half to death to make the call, but a nicer, more down-to-earth great you couldn’t find. RIP, Mr. Goalie.
∗ Rob Manfred continues his habit of floating strange proposals in his media appearances — a split season with an in-season tournament is only the latest. Every once in a while, however, there’s a kernel of a good idea. Manfred backed a free agent signing deadline to be instituted, which would speed up a slow-moving winter.
Unfortunately, that’s a collective bargaining issue and would never be agreed to by the Players Association, so it won’t be happening.
∗ Here’s wishing he could have gotten through “One More Saturday Night.” Fare thee well, Bob Weir.
∗ It makes little sense for the Red Sox to get involved with someone like Freddy Peralta, who has only a year of control remaining. The Red Sox are better and competitive, but they’re not so good that one starting pitcher is going to put them over the top.
∗ The four-goal game by the Bruins’ water bug Marat Khusnutdinov Saturday against the Rangers was an aberration and I wouldn’t expect we’ll see another from him. Still, his speed and skill is intriguing.
