* It’s well past time for the Red Sox to win the winter. That went out the window when it became clear that the Sox were not, in fact, going “full throttle.” Having whetted fans’ appetites, they then mostly punted on the offseason. Needing at least two starting pitchers for the rotation, they instead traded from their already thin allotment, and their one addition (Lucas Giolito) is now unlikely to throw another pitch this season.
But there’s still time to make some inroads with the fan base. Getting an extension done with Brayan Bello was a good first step. Next, the Red Sox need to make another run at getting one done with Triston Casas.
Their first approach, confirmed last month by Casas, wasn’t tempting enough. That’s not a huge surprise, as negotiations often begin that way. It’s worth another shot, however. Casas is that important.
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It’s possible that Casas isn’t inclined to sign away his salary arbitration seasons or forego any free agency years. He doesn’t lack for confidence in himself and he may figure that going year-to-year and maximizing every dollar is the best path for his career. That’s his right, of course.
But Casas has all the makings of a future star and looks to be a difference-maker in the middle of the Red Sox’ lineup for years to come. Securing him now to, say, a seven- or eight-year extension would send a loud message to the fans and avoid trouble down the line.
* The Bruins didn’t do much to improve themselves at the deadline, which, given their cap situation and their lack of draft capital, wasn’t totally unexpected. Don Sweeney was mostly boxed in.
But here’s what concerns me: while the Bruins didn’t get any better, a number of Eastern Conference teams — some of them potential playoff opponents — did: Tampa Bay, Florida, and Carolina. The East doesn’t have a dominant, overwhelming team as the playoffs draw near, so even the slightest edge can make the difference between a deep run and reserving late-April tee times.
That said, it would have been interesting to see what the Bruins were offered for Linus Ullmark from the Los Angeles Kings. And their willingness to move him now all but guarantees he’ll be dealt this summer.
* The Celtics don’t have much to prove in the regular season. It’s pretty obvious they’re going to easily clear the 60-win plateau and barring some late-season collapse, very likely will earn home court throughout the playoffs. And that sort of dominance shouldn’t be taken for granted.
But let’s face it: with this team, it’s championship or bust. No one will be satisfied with a deep playoff run. So it’s at least a little concerning that the Celts are 1-6 vs. teams with a 600 winning percentage or better since Jan. 1.
* Re-signing Hunter Henry seems like a decent start to free agency. Now, if the Patriots can find a way to make sure he’s not hugely under-utilized.
* Garrett Whitlock, Tanner Houck and maybe Josh Winckowski in the rotation. Chris Martin potentially sidelined. And a still nearly three weeks worth of exhibition games still to go. At this rate, there are going to be a lot of unfamiliar names in the Red Sox bullpen on Opening Night.
* I enjoyed Jeopardy! more when each contestant didn’t have to go through a choreographed bit when being introduced. Some otherwise intelligent people feel the need to look like they’re auditioning for the high school drama club or convince everyone they’re proficient at semaphore. A simple smile and wave will do, thanks.
* It’s kind of weird that the Los Angeles Dodgers, with a payroll of nearly $315 million and having spent more than $1 billion this offseason, have discovered, less than three weeks out from Opening Day, that they may not have a shortstop. Concerned with Gavin Lux’s defense, the Dodgers have made Mookie Betts their starter at the position.
Betts is athletic enough to play almost anywhere, and of course, came up as an infielder. Having Betts to make the position switch is a significant ask midway through spring training, and the whole thing suggests a lack of foresight.
* I am here for the next Jack Edwards-Pat Maroon interaction.
* Good to see Angel Hernandez is already in mid-season form. Hernandez ran St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Lance Lynn in the third inning of a Grapefruit League game for arguing balls and strikes Friday night, then stopped him from throwing additional pitches in the bullpen. Even in March, as always, it’s all about Angel.
* If the Patriots are indeed thinking about handing the quarterback reins to a veteran for a season to two, seems they could do a lot worse than a guy who had 24 TD passes and just eight interceptions this past season with a quarterback rating of 98.0. But the mere mention of Russell Wilson as a potential placeholder has some people over the edge.
* Not sure how I missed this last spring, when he was briefly a member of the Bruins, but: Tyler Bertuzzi is the Lost Culkin Brother, isn’t he?
* After laying off five percent of its workforce in 2023, the NFL is offering buyout packages to another 200 or so employees this year. Apparently, nearly $12 billion in revenues in 2023 is insufficient for that little Mom-and-Pop operation on Park Avenue.
* If I had to bet on a Red Sox player enjoying a breakout season, my money would be on Kutter Crawford. More than any of aspiring starters, Crawford looks ready to get to the next level.
* Not long ago, when a star football player retired, the question immediately asked was: Is he going to Canton? But in the NFL, the question now is: Which network pregame show will hire him? So it is with Jason Kelce.
And for the record, while Kelce is indeed a Hall of Famer with a stellar career, can we stop with the “GOAT” talk every time an excellent player enters retirement? It’d be difficult to make the case that Kelce was a better center than Jim Otto, Mike Webster, Dwight Stephenson or any number of players who preceded him at the position.
