Tag: Boston

Hanley Ramirez is Still Doing the Damn Thing in the Dominican Winter League

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Yahoo – Hanley Ramirez’s comeback effort has begun in the Dominican Winter League. The former Red Sox slugger, currently playing for Tigres de Licey, reminded everyone he still has some pop with a home run on Sunday.

Despite nearly being wanted for (allegedly) drug trafficking in the good old United States, Hanley Ramirez is still doing the damn thing in the wildly entertaining Dominican Winter League. The Dominican League is how baseball should be played. The only thing bigger and louder than the crowds are the home runs and the bat flips. Something that would get you beaned in the head in the US is a prerequisite to playing in the Dominican League. Seeing a game down there is Bucket List stuff for sure.

Boston Reverses Decision, Citgo Sign Will Not Be a City Landmark

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WCVB – Boston Mayor Marty Walsh said the city has reached a deal that will preserve the iconic Citgo sign in Kenmore Square, but will veto designating it a landmark.

“We are pleased to share that we have reached a long-term resolution that will preserve the Citgo sign and allow for it to remain in place in Kenmore Square for years to come,” Walsh, Citgo, Related Beal and Boston University said in a joint statement.

On Nov. 14, the Boston Landmark Commission approved giving the sign official landmark status. The city had 45 days to veto the commission’s decision. The deal recognizes “the significance that this sign has on our landscape in Boston, while balancing the opportunity for our horizons to continue evolving in future years,” according to the statement.

The designation would have protected the 60 by 60-foot sign that has stood in Kenmore Square since 1965 from any future development that would move the sign or block its view. The building at 660 Beacon St. on which the sign is mounted is not designated as a landmark. Developers were concerned what the status could mean for development in the area.

Welp that didn’t take long. The Boston Landmark Commission gave the famous Citgo sign city landmark status, which I blogged about last month, but that was a short lived designation. The status would have prevented all types of construction around the sign thats resided in Kenmore Square since 1965. Now the signs not going anywhere, but it definitely isn’t untouchable anymore. It seems like big business got into Marty Walsh’s ear as this new agreement all but guarantees that new condos, dorms, and other buildings will be built below, above, around and probably in front of the sign.

Before you know it, the Citgo sign is just gonna be a decoration in the middle of some rich guy’s house as developers build around the thing without actually removing it.

I realize it’s just a sign for a gas station thats basically gotten free advertising for decades, but it’s part of the Boston city landscape now. As I said previously, it’s in every famous photo, painting, and bad tattoo honoring the city. It should be a city landmark, but Boston has reversed field and shut that down for now.

Almost snuck it through guys!

David Price Embraces Gamer Persona and Launches His Own Twitch Channel

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Ya know, there’s really only one thought that came to my mind when I saw this tweet from David Price.

Look when you’re a World Series champion you can do whatever the hell ya want. That includes doubling down on the shit that allegedly gave you “minor carpal tunnel” last season. Play til your eyes bleed David because you earned it when you balled out in the playoffs.

See? All it took was a good postseason run to get people to stop busting his balls. Who am I to talk anyways? I just finished Zelda Breath of the Wild and was appalled when I realized that I had put 60 hours of my life into that game. You do do, David.

Should the Celtics Bring Back Kendrick Perkins? Time for a Hit of Nostalgia!

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So apparently Kendrick Perkins called Danny Ainge just to check in and see if the Celtics had any interest in signing him. Imagine that? Just call up a company that you want to work for and ask hey do you want to pay me? No resumes, no interviews, just straight cash homie.

Normally I would sigh at the thought of a beloved, yet aging Boston athlete looking for one more shot at glory. I LOVE Perk, but we all saw him last year with Cleveland in a suit. The guy would make a phenomenal coach or more likely a corrections officer, but we all understand his playing days are over.

Except my 14-year-old brother was asking me about Perk wondering when was he really good, what he did well, and it dawned on me. 1.) How fucking old I really am and 2.) It’s easy to forget just how great Perk was for the Celtics back in the day. So lets dive in.

If Kendrick Perkins was born 20 years earlier he might be in the Hall of Fame today. I’m not joking. The guy was straight out of the 1980’s NBA. Bill Laimbeer would have been throwing hands with Perk twice a season. He was just an absolute force in the paint; a real old school bully. And that was exactly what the Celtics needed in 2007. A bodyguard for Rondo, a No. 2 to KG’s crazy, a guy willing to do the dirty work while the Big 3 handled all the scoring. He was the perfect fit for that team and both teammates and fans alike adored him.

I mean just look at this clip from the recent Celtics documentary that aired on NBC Sports Boston.

Never change, Perk.

Except Perk was actually born in 1984 and is really still only 34-years-old. Think about that for a second. He is literally just 40 days older than LeBron James. He’s 6 months younger than Carmelo Anthony. He’s two years younger than Dwyane Wade.

But, the sad fact is that the NBA game just passed Perk by. It passed a lot of guys by as the evolution of the game exploded so fast that the old school big man became a dinosaur in less than five years.

Perk’s last season with the Celtics was 2010-11 when Danny Ainge traded him to the OKC Thunder for Jeff goddamn Green in a move that I will still argue cost the C’s a legitimate shot at the title that year. I think if you got a couple warm milks in him, Danny would likely agree. But less than 5 years later the Golden State Warriors kicked off potentially the greatest dynasty we’ve ever seen built entirely on three point shooters, including the big men.

If you’re a big man who can’t shoot in 2018 you almost certainly are in the unemployment line these days. The Celtics have, and actively encourage, Aron Baynes to jack up multiple 3’s per game for fucks sake (averaging 6x 3PA per game than his previous career high last year). That was never Perk’s game so as the NBA turned into a video game with everyone pulling up from half court his role diminished a lot faster than anyone ever expected.

Did you know Kendrick Perkins has never made a 3 pointer in the NBA? Hell he’s only taken 14 attempts in 14 seasons!

To put that into context, from Perk’s last year with the C’s in 2010-11 the average 3 point attempts per game around the league have nearly doubled from 18 attempts per game to 31.3 per game this season. In the previous 8 seasons before that, average 3 point attempts per game had only increased about three from a low of 14.7 in 2002-03. So no one could have predicted the game completely changing the way it has.

As every Celtics fan my age will tell you, the C’s *never* lost a playoff series when their championship starting 5 was healthy and playing together. Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, Rajon Rondo, and Kendrick Perkins. Never. Lost. A. Series. Incredible. If Perk doesn’t blow out his knee in the 2009-10 NBA Finals there isn’t a doubt in my mind the Celtics beat the Lakers and win their second title in three years cementing their legacy as one of the greatest teams of all time. Instead we’re left with one championship and a bunch of what ifs, but goddamnit I don’t want to go down this dark road again because I could blog 10,000 words about the 2007-2011 Celtics.

So it sounds like despite all the great times they had together in green, Danny is gonna pass on the former big man.

Jimmer Fredette Wants Another Shot in the NBA. YES! YES! YES!

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Yahoo – Stop me if you’ve heard this one before. Jimmer Fredette is once again tearing it up in China, averaging 38 points a game (fifth best in the league), shooting 51.2 percent overall and 46.7 percent from three. He is a former Chinese Basketball Association International MVP and a two-time All-Star. And once again, he hopes this will turn into a chance in the NBA.

Do I have an unhealthy affinity for professional athletes based primarily on their video game performances for me? Maybe. I even blogged about Jimmer captaining the greatest video game team ever assembled back in January 2017.

“These guys compiled one of the most dangerous basketball teams to ever step on the court in my old NBA2k franchise. I basically assembled the deadliest 3 point shooting team ever and completely bailed on any rebounding or post play. The ball touches your hands? You’re jacking up a 3. Jimmer Fredette. JJ Reddick. Ray Allen. I believe I had old man Mike Miller playing center just so he could step out and drain 3’s. And of course to top it all off I had Dougie McBuckets McDermott. It was like an And1 team and it was glorious.”

It’s why Chad Jackson will always have a special place in my heart because nobody and I mean nobody in the league could stop Chad on 10 yard hitch routes in Madden 2006.

Thats why I’m not a GM.

But, if you don’t think the former CHINESE LEAGUE MVP Jimmer Fredette could help a bench over in the states then you’re crazy. Look at that range!

If there is a team in the NBA that could use a three point guy to stand in the corner and knock down daggers, it’s the Celtics. The C’s have a ton of flexible guys that can play multiple roles and do a lot of things pretty good, but nobody that is really an elite 3 point shooter. With Kyrie, Hayward, and Tatum spacing the floor and drawing defenses in, just dish it to Jimmer to bang home 3 bombs. Count me IN. He seems to be chomping at the bit to get another shot too after flaming out in the NBA.

“I want to have another opportunity in the NBA because there is some unfinished business for me there. After this [Chinese] season is over, I want another NBA chance. This time, I’ll succeed. I feel really good about how I am playing. I know that if I get a chance, I will take advantage of it and be successful and help a team win… I know what it takes to win and I’ve helped lead teams to winning cultures. I want to be a part of a winning culture. I’m going to help the young guys get better. I can be a great fit on the locker room and on the floor at a high level. There are certain times when I was younger, I was occasionally more passive. This time, when I get that chance, if I get it, they’ll know that I will do whatever I can to help my team win.”

Look this is a man who has it all: adoration all across the state of Utah, a Chinese MVP trophy, not to mention his very own shoe line! The one thing he doesn’t have? A successful NBA career. Jimmer’s ready. His bags are packed, he’s got his airplane tickets. Bring him to the airport, Danny. Send him home.

Red Sox Top Prospect Jay Groome Back to Throwing After Tommy John Surgery

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For a Red Sox team that is suddenly pretty light on talent in the minor leagues, this is great to see. Jay Groome projects as a stud front of the line pitcher. I know, I know, I can hear Big Z groaning from here about another “top prospect.” But this is a guy who the Red Sox drafted No. 12 overall in 2016 thanks to their wild first place/last place fluctuations earlier this decade.

Projected to go in the first few picks, Groome fell to the Red Sox at No. 12 for perceived issues like signability. But he was also working out with current Red Sox ace Chris Sale last offseason so I love that.

As a 6’6″ lefty though there’s not much to dislike. Sure he’s coming back from Tommy John, but as sad as it sounds that almost seems like a prerequisite for young pitchers coming up these days. SoxProspects.com projects Groome as a No. 2-3 starter.

“Has the potential to develop into one of the top left-handed pitching prospects in baseball. Projects as a solid number three starter. Has the ceiling of a high-end number two starter. Has the build of a workhorse starting pitcher and clean, repeatable mechanics to be able to sustain 200-plus innings a year.”

I would gladly take that as the Red Sox haven’t developed a good starter since Jon Lester. Seriously, it’s bad.

“Jon Lester made his big league debut on June 10, 2006, 14 months before Clay Buchholz first scaled the mound at Fenway Park. Others have come and gone, but 10 years after Buchholz‘s arrival, he and Lester remain the only viable starters the Red Sox have developed during the 15-year stewardship of John Henry’s ownership group. No other homegrown Sox starter has logged more than 450 career innings in that time span.”

Groome has been ranked as high as the No. 23 prospect in baseball and as low as No. 85 over the past two seasons so the potential is definitely there. After getting surgery in May 2018, a return mid-season in 2019 is what I would expect, but he’s probably still a couple of years away from a Fenway debut.

Boston Traffic Tips for Thanksgiving are Here and They are USELESS

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Boston.com – If your Thanksgiving plans include traveling by car, you can expect to join millions of drivers on the road this year. AAA projects that 48.5 million people will drive to their Thanksgiving destination, a 4.8 percent increase over 2017…For Boston, that means some of the “largest delays” in the country at nearly four times what’s considered typical, a distinction Boston shares with New York City and San Francisco.

According to Boston.com this Thanksgiving has the potential to be the worst traffic you’ve ever dreamt of because its “the highest anticipated travel volume since 2005.” Expect delays at nearly 4x whats considered typical! It takes me an hour to get home from work on a normal day and I live 10 miles from my office. Oh this should be fun.

The worst times to travel by car are during the early evening commuting hours, AAA officials said…For those taking I-90/the Massachusetts Turnpike, traffic in Newton was at its worst between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. on the Tuesday before the holiday and the same times the Monday afterward

Soo basically any time you could possibly be in your car is a bad time to be on the road. Got it.

For those who don’t mind getting up early, Google thinks 3 a.m. Wednesday is the best time to travel prior to the holiday, while 4 a.m. on Sunday is the best time afterward.

Imagine the balls on Google to suggest that you get up at 3 in the morning just to beat traffic? Get to your Aunt Suzie’s house at 7 am so you’ve only got like 5 hours to kill until kickoff when it becomes socially acceptable to start boozing. Pass. I’d rather just verbally assault people in traffic on the way.

Google, which put out traffic predictions for the country’s major cities, predicts the worst time to travel around Boston before the holiday is 3 p.m. Wednesday.

For anyone who plans to put in an honest day’s work on Wednesday before taking off a little early for some pre-Thanksgiving cocktails, you’ll get hosed the worst. This is essentially a permission slip from Google to just bang out of work on Wednesday.

MassDOT will pause road construction at noon on Wednesday, Nov. 21, but officials will also evaluate conditions on Tuesday, Nov. 20, and “make adjustments” to any project schedules based on traffic

And to top it all off, MassDot even promises to stop making driving in Boston the most inconvenient activity of all time…until they decide otherwise. MassDOT reserves the right to change their mind here with a vague, but deliberate middle finger to anyone trying to get in the way of those union overtime hours.

Basically just don’t leave your house at any time on any day to avoid the worst traffic in the whole goddamn country. Subway sells turkey sandwiches too ya know.

The 300s Podcast Grab Bag – Kirk Minihane, NFL in Mexico City, Olympic Melo, and Fantasy Football Follies

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It’s the week before Thanksgiving, you’re just punching the clock until it’s time to take that 5 day weekend, so we’ve got a Grab Bag of random topics here on this episode. LETS GO!

-As we pretend to be members of the local sports media I think it’d be crazy to start the show without touching on breaking news from one of the biggest names in town with Kirk Minihane officially headed to Radio.com

-The NFL took a hard gulp and swallowed their pride moving the Mexico City game back to the states.

Did you see this quote from Kyrie Irving all but putting out a job offer in Carmelo Anthony’s locker?

The disaster that is the Miami Marlins Park. I even had a Marlins fan chirping me on Twitter about it — “They’re not seats, they’re standing room”

Fantasy football update – Big Z held onto the hand grenade that was Le’Veon Bell which has now exploded in his palm.

All that and more on this episode of The 300s Podcast!

What in the Sweet Hell is This David Ortiz Video?

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It’s confusing, beautiful, and haunting, and it should probably win an award of some type. David Ortiz just nailing every big scene from all the biggest Boston based movies like The Town, The Departed, Good Will Hunting…and Fever Pitch.

Ya know, if David Ortiz legitimately remade Fever Pitch and played both roles I think that movie would be better than the Drew Barrymore Jimmy Fallon debacle that we got.

Big Papi, so hot right now, Big Papi.

The Citgo Sign is Now Officially a City Landmark in Boston

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WCVB – The Boston Landmark Commission has approved giving the Citgo sign located in Kenmore Square official landmark status. The designation helps protect the 60-by-60-foot sign that has stood in Kenmore Square since 1965 from any future development that would move the sign or block its view.

“Nationally and culturally, the sign is of Boston, not of an oil company or a government outside the United States,” Greg Galer, with the Boston Preservation Alliance said. “People in Boston and New England see this sign as a symbol of the city.”

I’m normally opposed to giving a company free advertising, but the Boston Landmark Commission is right; the Citgo sign is a part of the city and should not be touched. It’s iconic, it’s in every famous photo, painting, and bad tattoo honoring the city. I just hope whosever idea this was at Citgo back in 1965 is living a life of luxury because that is the best advertising in the history of advertising.