Bleacher Report - Articles by Nick Vennochi

The Boston Red Sox Face a Lot of Questions Heading into Next Season

Nick Vennochi — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 15:03:15 -0400

The Boston Red Sox are coming off a season where they won the AL Wild Card and 95 games, but there are more questions heading into the 2010 season than answers.

The days of the "idiots" are long gone.

At the moment, three positions have a guaranteed person occupying them: second base with Dustin Pedroia, center field with Jacoby Ellsbury, and right field with J.D. Drew.

You could throw catcher in there with Victor Martinez, but if other transactions occur, he could end up at first base.

But the other five positions are completely up in the air.

The potential first baseman is Kevin Youkilis, who arguably was the most consistent player last season for the Sox.

Shortstop has been a revolving door for the BoSox since the real No. 5 was sent to Chicago in 2004. But I believe that Theo Epstein has seen the light and will sign Alex Gonzalez to a short-term deal because Jed Lowrie (the SS of the future) hasn't proven he can take the job.

Third base is also undecided because of the shaky hip of Mike Lowell. Will he be able to stay healthy, and will he still be on the Sox for the entire 2010 season? I would say yes because the Sox owe him $12 million.

Left field was once a sure thing with No. 24 cutting off throws from the outfield, but now with Jason Bay putting on his best Ron Tidwell impression, it looks like Manny Ramirez's replacement will be streaking in someone else’s uniform next season.

Martinez was a great trade for the Red Sox at the deadline, and because he played so well, it looked like the beginning of the end for our dear captain. But because Jason Varitek has a player option for $3 million, the Sox may have to give him a $3 million dollar handshake and release the only remaining starter from the 2004 World Series title.

The pitching staff as a whole seems to be in pretty good shape. The starters go as follows: Jon Lester, Josh Beckett, Clay Buchholz, Daisuke Matsuzaka, and, if his back still works, Tim Wakefield.

The only real question is whether Jonathan Papelbon signs a short-term deal for a little less money, a la Pedroia, or waits till the end of '11 and sees the offers he gets from other teams. I don't think that they will let him wait that long if it looks like he isn't going to sign. Josh Bard is the well-known future closer, and let's face it every closer falls off unless you wear 42 in pinstripes.

I saved DH for last. We saw David Ortiz look human this season. It was his first full season without his bash brother in the lineup. In a season where both names were linked with steroids and both players had subpar seasons, it may be time for a change for the Sox.

Ortiz did things that no baseball player should and has done. He made it look too easy in the clutch over the years. Even though you could have heard me yelling "bum" at the TV this season, you also could have heard me say, "He never has to get a hit again," because of what he did in the ALCS in 2004.

It is sad to say, even though the sox owe him $12.5 million next season David Ortiz may be done as the DH for the Boston Red Sox.

This season was filled with up and downs, but this offseason will be an interesting one. The names may change for the Sox, but with Theo at the helm, Red Sox Nation shouldn't fret. As long as the core of Ellsbury, Pedroia, Lester, and Beckett is there, they should be all right.

It's About Time Jim Rice Gets To Put HOF After His Name

Nick Vennochi — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 00:29:03 -0500

When you look at the numbers, they don't exactly jump off the page and scream "Hall of Famer," but at a second glance, you notice greatness.

Jim Rice followed the great list of left fielders before him when he was called up in 1974. Carl Yastrzemski and Ted Williams are arguably two of the best to put on the uniform, but during his 16 seasons, Jim Rice watched the big green wall in left honorably.

But once he was on the ballot, the debate was on; should Jim Rice be a "hall of famer" or not?

In his case, the stats saved him as well as hurt him. When you hear a .298 career average, 382 HRs, 2,452 hits, and 1,451 RBI, you think solid player but maybe not a Hall of Fame candidate.

But when compared to the time period that he played in, he was one of the best to strap them up and that in its self deserves the Major League baseball Hall of Fame nod.

In the era of 'roids, 30 HRs doesn't sound like much, but in the early '70s and '80s, Rice put up gaudy numbers.

During his 12 great seasons for the Boston Red Sox, he was MVP once in 1978 and in the top-five five other times. He also had over 100 RBI eight times, 20 HRs 11 times, and four 200-hit seasons.

When looking at a player like Jim Rice, it is important to look through the lens of his time, and not at what the players of the '90s put up. The eight-time all-star was one of his generation's greats and deserved to be enshrined along with the all-time greats.

From 1975-1986, Rice lead the AL in 12 categories including: HRs, runs, hits, RBI, slugging percentage, and total bases.

He played during a great time for the game, and because he didn't hit 400 HRs or have 3,000 hits he was almost forgotten.

Congrats, Jim, on a well-deserved honor.

Show Matt Cassel the Money: Get Used to No. 16 As the NE Patriots' QB

Nick Vennochi — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 17:41:22 -0500

As Gillette Stadium went silent, Matt Cassel's heart began to race. His one, and maybe only, opportunity to once and for all prove everyone wrong was upon him.

I don't think he wished it upon Brady, but hey, how did Brady get his start a few seasons previously? So, if this is the end of No. 12 in New England; it is fitting that he went out the way his predecessor did.

I do believe Tom Brady may be done as a Patriot, and not by his choice or by the franchise's. Not many people just come back from a torn MCL and ACL. And even fewer come back from countless complications on those surgeries.

It is time we all start to embrace Matt Cassel as the starting quarterback of not only the future, but the present.

Reports are that the New England patriots will put the franchise tag on Cassel. I think that it is time that the Patriots "show him the money." I know having two QBs with huge contracts isn't the smartest idea because of the many needs the Patriots have, but under the circumstances, it may be the only way to stay competitive.

Franchising Cassel is a quick fix, and with the lack of talent at the QB position in the NFL and the other needs of the team that should be addressed in the draft, signing Cassel to a long-term deal hurts no one.

If indeed Brady miraculously does come back, the Patriots could always deal Cassel or Brady to another team to improve its own.

I just think that after being thrown in the fire like he was, after a perfect season that saw everything but the ultimate prize—a prize I may add that was taken from them by a freak play, Cassel did a pretty decent job as the Patriots QB in just 15 starts.

It has been well documented that before his Week Two start, Cassel hadn't started since high school and that he sat behind USC greats Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart; but the injuries also made a huge impact on the Patriots season.

The Patriots finished 11-5 without their starting quarterback, running back, outside linebacker, and safety all missing significant time. But those weren't the biggest road blocks for Matt Cassel, and neither was his lack of experience...

He didn't need the experience, he was surrounded by veterans that all worked hard and played the right way. Instead, his biggest challenge was trust.

It wasn't that he didn't trust his teammates, but his teammates didn't trust him. He had watched for the past few seasons from the bench with the likes of Peyton Manning's backup, Brett Favre's backup, and Donovan McNabb's backup as Tom Brady's backup, the nameless late-round pick out of USC.

He watched as they racked up an 18-0 record and he saw the great names on the back of their uniforms and the one of the front and new all that it stood for.

But his teammates didn't know how he would react to a crucial 4th-and-3 in a must-win game, and frankly before Brady went down, they didn't want to know.

But after gaining his teammates' trust, Cassel showed improvement every week. He went from lifetime backup to someone who was getting the interviews after the game win or lose.

So I think it is all time for everyone to wrap their minds around the fact that Tom Brady may never be back in a Patriots jersey and if he is he may never be the same, and once you do that, you may want to give Matt Cassel a call and thank him for somehow getting an 11-5 season out of his team.

And then roll out the Benjamins.

Same Old Story with Brett Favre; This Time, Just Hang 'Em Up Already

Nick Vennochi — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 16:36:23 -0500

America loves a comeback story, but this one is getting a little old.

For the past two seasons there has been one major story that has grappled football fans in the time between the Super Bowl and training camp: Will No. 4 come back for another season?

I'm here to tell Mr. Favre once and for all, don't give it the ol' college try one more time.

Now this is coming slightly from a disgusted Patriots fan, who for 60 minutes of football was Brett Favre's No. 1 fan because I needed him to play well enough for the slumping Jets to beat the upstart Dolphins, but that is all details. Bottom line, he needs to retire.

I would go on a limb and say that he is one of the most overrated QBs of all-time. Now, statistically, I know you can't say that, but realistically, I can.

I know he has the most wins, TDs, passes completed, passing yards, and who can forget the games started streak, so I know he has to be mentioned with the greats.

But he has played 17 seasons, so he ran into a few of those records. I just really believe in what have you done for me lately, and for Brett other than the 2007 season, he hasn't been much.

Everyone knows he is also number one all time in INTs, but he is also number one in fumbles.

He has thrown over 20 picks five times, and in the 2005 season, he threw a grand total of 29 INTs.

Since 2004 he has thrown 118 TDs and 101 INTs, so the same stats that make him one of the greatest also make him look mediocre recently.

The eight time Pro-Bowler has had his magical moments, and I'm not trying to take anything away from the old gunslinger. I just think its time to call it quits.

Brett Favre has won one Super Bowl. Yes, one more than Marino, but three less than Montana and two behind Young and Brady.

Trent Dilfer can also make that same statement.

It just seems that it is getting plain. It was the same thing with Roger Clemens. Yeah, he was great, but how many years are we going to have to listen to people talk about the old man coming back for another go.

It just seems so hard for these guys to say goodbye to the game they love. Brett has accomplished so much and he continues to come back. I know he wants another Super Bowl ring, and do you know why he does? Because one isn't enough. And do you know why one isn't enough? Go back and read the paragraph that mentions Montana, Young and Brady and then read the one about Mr. Dilfer.

Favre knows one isn't enough, but do you know what? That's all he is getting. He's done.

As good as the 8-3 start looked, the 1-4 finished looked worse. His age and diminishing skill showed.

Fittingly the last two seasons have ended with INTs for Favre. For a great player like Favre with the most TDs of all time, it may seem sad, but he went down the way to game up a gunslinger.

Its is finally time to hang em' up Brett, thanks for the memories. Please now go be with your family and let someone else steal the offseason show.