Tag: Minnesota

The 300s Previews 2020 MLB Giveaways: The AL Central

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targetfield

The 300s series previewing the best giveaways on tap across Major League Baseball this season continues today as we take a look around the American League Central.

The AL Central and NL Central are great for summer baseball road trips. There are 10 teams in the central divisions, and every team has at least one opponent within a five hour drive. If you’re in Chicago this summer, you could try to take in a Cubs game and a White Sox game if the schedule allows. If that doesn’t work, though, Milwaukee is less than two hours up Interstate 94. Cleveland and Pittsburgh are only about two hours apart, and Cleveland and Detroit are less than three hours apart.

If you time things right, it’s possible you could cross off three ballparks or more in just one week traveling around the Great Midwest this summer. If you’re ready to roll and just don’t know where to start, maybe one these giveaways will help you make your decision.

MINNESOTA TWINS

Giveaway items go to the first 10,000 fans at Target Field unless otherwise noted.

  • At their home opener on Thursday, April 2, the Twins will be handing out quarter-zip pullovers to the first 30,000 fans. An extra layer could come in handy in Minneapolis on an early April afternoon.
  • Former Twin and 2006 AL MVP Justin Morneau was elected to the Twins Hall of Fame this offseason. To celebrate, the team will hand out Morneau Hall of Fame collectors pins to the first 5,000 fans on Friday, May 22.
  • The next day, Saturday, May 23, the Twins will hand out Morneau bobbleheads before his on-field induction ceremony that afternoon.
  • New Twin Josh Donaldson will get the bobblehead treatment on Tuesday, June 16.
  • The Twins are bringing back baby blue this season and on Friday, July 31, fans will receive a baby blue Twins replica jersey as the Twins host the Astros that evening.
  • On Friday, September 18, the Twins will give out stocking caps to the first 30,000 fans at they open their last home series of the season.

CLEVELAND INDIANS

  • On Saturday, May 2, the first 10,000 fans to the ballpark formerly known as The Jake will receive an Indians sweatshirt blanket as the Indians host the Giants.
  • On Saturday, May 30, the first 12,500 fans in attendance will don red Mike Clevinger jerseys for that night’s game against the Royals.

  • On Saturday, July 4th, the first 15,000 fans will receive a 1940 Bob Feller jersey.
  • Shane Bieber gets the bobblehead treatment on Saturday, July 11. The first 15,000 fans will take home an All-Star Game MVP bobblehead.
  • On Friday, July 31, the first 10,000 fans will take home a 1920 cap.
  • The next night, Saturday, August 1, 12,500 fans will take home a 1920 home jersey.
  • The first 12,500 fans on Saturday, August 15, will receive a Franmil Reyes home white jersey as the Indians host the Mariners.
  • A Jose Ramirez “Home Run Pitch” talking bobblehead goes to the first 12,500 fans on Saturday, August 29.
  • A FIFTH jersey giveaway happens on Saturday, September 12, when Oscar Mercado red jerseys will be handed out to the first 12,500 fans.

CHICAGO WHITE SOX

  • Opening Day, Thursday, March 26, will be the first Free T-Shirt Thursday of the season at Guaranteed Rate Field. The first 20,00 fans on Opening Day will grab a long-sleeve tee. [Subsequent Free T-Shirt Thursdays will be for the first 10,000 fans.]
  • The first 15,000 fans through the gates on Saturday, March 28, will get to keep warm with a White Sox puffy vest.
  • The first 15,000 fans on Saturday, April 11, will keep warm with a White Sox hoodie.
  • Yoan Moncada will get his bobblehead on Saturday, April 18. The first 20,000 fans will get one as well.
  • The first 15,000 fans on Saturday, May 3, will take home a Los White Sox soccer jersey.
  • For the Saturday, May 16, game against the Blue Jays, the White Sox will give away a 1960 replica scoreboard to the first 15,000 fans.
  • A Tim Anderson bat flip bobblehead will go to the first 20,000 fans on
    Saturday, May 30.
  • Saturday, June 6, will be Margaritaville at the Park. The first 20,000 fans that night will get to celebrate in a free White Sox Hawaiian shirt.
  • The first 20,000 fans on Saturday, June 27, will get a White Sox basketball jersey.
  • Even though the White Sox will be home on September 17, they’ll celebrate halfway to St. Patrick’s Day on August 29 as they host the Astros.
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KANSAS CITY ROYALS

  • On Sunday, May 17, the Royals host the Dodgers and the first 10,000 fans will take home a Jackie Robinson Monarchs t-shirt.
  • The first 15,000 fans on Saturday, May 23, will take home a Jorge “Soler Power” bobblehead.
  • On Saturday, June 6, Hunter “Bull-Dozier” bobbleheads will be given out to the first 15,000 fans.
  • The first 10,000 fans to The K on Friday, June 12, will walk out wearing a 1970 Royals away jersey.
  • On Saturday, June 13, 15,000 fans will receive a Whit Merrifield “Hit Counter” bobblehead.
  • On Friday, June 26, the first 10,000 fans 21 and older will receive a Hawaiian shirt from Miller Lite.
  • The first 10,000 fans on Saturday, June 27, will receive a bullpen cart. No further details at this time, but this could be a good one.
  • Saturday, July 25, will be Christmas in July at Kauffman Stadium and the first 15,000 fans will receive a Whitey Herzog bobblehead.
  • The first 15,000 fans on Saturday, August 8, will take home a George Brett MVP bobblehead.
  • In case it’s chilly in late September, the Royals will hand out lightweight hoodies to the first 10,000 fans on Saturday, September 26.

DETROIT TIGERS

All items presented to the first 10,000 fans at Comerica Park unless otherwise noted.

  • On Saturday, April 25, fans will receive a Tigers scarf as the Tigers host the Padres.
  • On Friday, May 22, fans will receive a Tigers chip and dip bowl courtesy of Frito-Lay.
  • On Saturday, May 23, the Tigers will be giving away Tigers Hawaiian shirts.
  • On Wednesday, June 17, fans will take home a home plate welcome mat.
  • Friday, July 17, will be Niko Goodrum desk mate bobblehead night when the Tigers host the White Sox.
  • On Saturday, July 18, fans will receive a Detroit Stars fedora.
  • Friday, July 31, will be Ron Gardenhire bobblehead night as the Tigers take on the Royals.
  • On Saturday, August 15, the first 10,000 fans 21 and older will receive a Fiesta Tigres replica joursey courtesy of Miller Lite.
  • Saturday, August 29, will be Lou Whitaker replica jersey giveaway night.

 

Highlights of the AL Central giveaway schedule include a baby blue Twins replica jersey, a 1940 Bob Feller jersey, a 1960 Comiskey Park replica scoreboard, a George Brett bobblehead, and a Lou Whitaker jersey. The sweet Lou Whitaker Tigers road jersey gets the top spot on my list, but the top team spot is reserved for the Indians. With five jersey giveaways planned for this summer, maybe this is finally the year I explore Drew Carey’s hometown.

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So the Red Sox Traded for a Shortstop Named Jeter

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Did he come with a gift basket?

So the Red Sox and Dodgers mercifully completed the Mookie Betts/David Price trade this week. The Twins backed out of the trade so the Dodgers had to throw in some additional prospects to get the deal done. In addition to Alex Verdugo the Dodgers will now also send catching prospect Connor Wong and shortstop prospect Jeter Downs.

Listen I have never heard of Jeter Downs before this so I won’t pretend to be well versed in his potential, BUT my god would it be great if this guy became a stud for the Red Sox. Nothing would be sweeter than snatching back the name “Jeter” from Yankees fans. He is their sacred cow. If there were Jeter shirts all over Landsdowne, and trust me there will be – just look at all the “Mookie” shirts:

It might just make a Yankees fan hang up his gold chain and unbuttoned pinstriped jersey for good.

Ok so lets get down to brass tacks. Jeter Downs was a 1st round pick by the Cincinnati Reds in 2017 before being traded to the Dodgers in the Yasiel Puig trade in 2018. Downs was ranked the No. 87 prospect on the MLB 2019 Prospect Watch and jumped up to No. 44 on the 2020 list, which would immediately make him Boston’s top ranked prospect. (I’m not counting Alex Verdugo here since he’s not a rookie anymore, but heading into 2019 he was ranked anywhere from No. 35 to No. 19, depending on who you read.) Brusdar Graterol, the guy who’s injury history apparently blew up the first version of the Mookie trade, is ranked No. 83 for comparison’s sake so a nice little upgrade from the Sox here.

Here’s his scouting report via MLB.com:

“Despite being one of the youngest regulars (age 19) in the pitcher-friendly Class A Midwest League, he produced 13 homers and 37 steals in his first full pro season — numbers matched by only one other Minor Leaguer (Padres outfielder Buddy Reed). The Dodgers acquired him in December as part of a package for Yasiel Puig, Matt Kemp, Alex Wood and Kyle Farmer.

Downs has the tools to hit for average and power. He combines a simple right-handed swing with a patient, all-fields approach. He’s strong for his size, delivering most of his home runs to his pull side and driving the ball to both gaps.

Downs gets the most out of his average speed, parlaying his aggressiveness and instincts into stolen bases. He played shortstop in his pro debut but spent more time in 2018 at second base, where his arm and range are better fits. He returned to shortstop at the beginning of 2019 and there’s also a possibility that he winds up in center field, but the good news is that he has the bat to profile at all three positions.”

Yea Jeets.

Red Sox Trade Former MVP Mookie Betts to the Dodgers. Lets Break It Down

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ESPN – The Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers have agreed to a blockbuster deal that will send former MVP Mookie Betts and left-hander David Price to Los Angeles for a package that includes outfielder Alex Verdugo, sources tell ESPN.

The trade includes a third team, the Minnesota Twins, with the Dodgers sending starter Kenta Maeda to Minnesota, which in turn will ship hard-throwing pitching prospect Brusdar Graterol to Boston, sources said, confirming a report by The Athletic.

Verdugo, 23, hit .294/.342/.475 with a 2.2 WAR in 377 plate appearances for the Dodgers last season. He took over in center field when A.J. Pollock was out. Verdugo didn’t play after Aug. 4 because of a back injury he re-aggravated while on a rehab assignment in September.

He is excellent against left-handed pitching and is under team control through the 2024 season. He will make the MLB minimum of $563,500 in 2020. He’s also a member of the Mexican national team.

Graterol, a hard-throwing, 21-year-old right-hander, pitched 9⅔ innings last season in the majors, going 1-1 with a 4.66 ERA. In the minors last season, the Venezuelan was 7-0 with a 1.92 ERA across three levels. He was rated the No. 83 overall prospect for 2020 by MLB pipeline.

In the words of Red Sox owner John Henry, “It’s not ideal.”

It is an absolute bummer to trade a dynamic, homegrown, and MVP level talent. Theres no other way to put it. A gross mismanagement of assets if you will, but a situation the Red Sox put themselves in. Mookie Betts seemed like a great teammate, a good dude off the field, and was fun as hell to watch, but he is a businessman. Thats not meant to be a knock because everyone should look to get paid what they think they’re worth, but that meant the Sox were never going to get a hometown discount, let alone sign him before he hit Free Agency. Lou Merloni told a story on NBC Sports last night about how Mookie’s been very consistent over the years on how he approaches these situations. Merloni brought up how the Sox offered Mookie a signing bonus of $300K out of high school, but he counter offered with $750K and threatened to go to college if the Sox didn’t meet his number, which of course they did to sign their 5th round pick. My point is the Red Sox saw the writing on the wall, had a value in their minds of what Mookie was worth and realized it probably wasn’t going to be what he figured to make on the open market next season so they chose to (barely) get ahead of it and recoup some assets.

Maybe if the Sox managed their assets a little better they could have not worried about paying top dollar to re-sign Mookie Betts next offseason. Drunken sailor deals given out to David Price, Nathan Eovaldi, and Chris Sale over the years put them in a tight spot financially. You can’t pay everybody. Or the team could have traded him last year to get a bigger return. However, Mookie was never going to sign before hitting free agency unless the Sox offered him $500 million so lets not pretend otherwise.

Oh, and let us never forget *when* the news of this trade actually broke.

The Return

Not great! This is where I do have a problem with the deal. I am an unabashed “Prospects Guy,” much to the chagrin of Big Z. My stance has always been I am OK trading Mookie Betts if it meant restocking the depleted farm system, which the Red Sox did not do here. They got one young major league outfielder and one pitching prospect. Not exactly a haul for arguably the second best player in the game.

The main piece of the deal is Alex Verdugo, who had a 3.1 WAR in 106 games at 23-years-old and will be under team control for the next five seasons. Not terrible. To be fair, prior to last season Verdugo was the Dodgers’ top prospect.

“One of the best pure hitting prospects in baseball, Verdugo recognizes pitches and controls the strike zone better than most players his age. He uses the whole field, repeatedly barreling balls with a quick left-handed stroke geared for line drives. Though he homered just seven times in 132 games last season, his hitting ability, bat speed and strength should translate into average power if he adds some loft to his swing.

As good as he is in the batter’s box, Verdugo’s best tool actually is his plus-plus arm. Despite average speed, he has spent much of his pro career in center field, where his instincts help him get the job done. Scouts are split on whether he can handle center on a daily basis in the Majors, but no one doubts that his arm would play in right.”

Then there’s also this, which I would like to chalk up to just a young guy being a young guy, but Boston fans will have zero patience for that as the centerpiece of a Mookie Betts deal.

The Red Sox also received the No. 83 ranked prospect in baseball from Minesota with pitching prospect Brusdar Graterol, who’s *ceiling* is a No. 2-3 starter according to baseball guys like Sean McAdam.

The realistic hope is that Graterol turns into a young, cheap closer for the Sox. Boston absolutely needs a young flamethrower in the pen, but it seems like a player of that caliber could have come much cheaper. Graterol will be under team control until 2026.

Oh and the Sox will also be paying HALF of David Price’s remaining contract for him to play elsewhere for the next three years! Good grief.

The Red Sox screwed this up by not having a long term plan, which they haven’t had since Theo Epstein left town. They change organizational philosophies at the drop of a hat, which leaves you with these gigantic problems down the line.

Also, can someone make sure John Henry never gets in front of a microphone again? He hamstrung Chaim Bloom from Day 1 by announcing to the rest of the league that the Sox were looking to get under the luxury tax so every team in baseball knew the Sox HAD to trade Mookie. Add in the fact they were trying to shed Price’s contract too and the Dodgers were one of the only teams in the league that could make a deal work, and the Dodgers knew it.

Get your “It’s Not Ideal” shirts now!

The Contract

I don’t feel comfortable giving any player in the league a 12 year $400+ million contract, let alone a 5’9″ guy. If his power slips at all, that contract will be an absolute albatross, making Jacoby Ellsbury look like a bargain. Granted on those mega contracts you’re paying for the front half and hoping for the best in the second half, but tell that to the teams paying Ellsbury, Albert Pujols, Miguel Cabrera, and Robinson Cano just to name a few recent examples.

“Stop Rooting for Rich Guys to Save Money.”

Okay, this is one I need to address because I could not care less what John Henry’s ROI is on the Red Sox so I’m not rooting for one of the most valuable franchises in the world to save money. However, I am also an adult and realize the situation the team was in. Every business has a budget and yes the Sox could absolutely “afford” Mookie Betts, but by doing so they would blow through their budget, not to mention the landfall of luxury tax penalties they would have to bear for being a repeat offender. I’m talking fines, lost draft picks, international signing money etc. etc. You would be strapping your team by overreaching on one contract. Not an efficient way to run a business. And thats if Mookie plays at an MVP level for the next 5-12 years, which he won’t.

Looking Ahead

So by making the impossible decision to trade a home grown superstar player the Sox have freed up a ton of money AND gotten ride of that pill David Price. This is what Theo and his disciples fetishized as a “bridge year.” Take a step back in order to take two steps forward rather than dumping more money into the problem, which is exactly what got them into this situation in the first place.

You could say I’m a bit more optimistic, or at least pragmatic, than most of what I’m seeing on Twitter today, but make no mistake: the Red Sox just punted on the 2020 season. Ownership could have kept Mookie and made one last run at it this year even if they knew he wasn’t going to resign, but maybe they saw the writing on the wall. Eovaldi, Sale, and Price are always hurt, the Yankees are loaded, and this team’s chances of winning a World Series were precarious. So they figured to punt on 2020, and dump Mookie and Price rather than pay through the nose to field a Wild Card team.

Here’s hoping they now put together an actual organizational plan for the first time in a decade and get after it next year. At least we’ll have the XFL to watch this spring!

Whats the Most Random Sports Shirt/Jersey You Own?

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I think to classify as a “random” shirt or jersey it has to be a guy that was elite for a short period of time, a cult hero in no way due to their actual athletic prowess ( I was *this* close to buying a Gabe Kapler Yomiuri Giants jersey in 2005), a player that was only on a team for a hot minute (I’ve seen two John Lynch Patriots jerseys in Allston over the years), or a jersey that is so obscure that it should not realistically belong to you.

I am an unabashed jersey guy so I have a closet full of obscure pieces beyond just the Boston teams. The Priest Holmes jersey I bought in a Connecticut Marshalls in 2007, Byron Dafoe, Antoine Walker (shirt and jersey), Tim Tebow Patriots shirt, Sergei Samsonov shirt, banana yellow Marcus Mariota Oregon jersey, JR Redmond Patriots jersey, Pedro Mets shirt, a literal blank Athletics jersey, the list goes on and on.

Ya know, now that I think about it, this $12 purchase at the downtown Minneapolis Marshalls may have to take the cake.

So I pose the question, whats the most random sports shirt or jersey you own?

Good Luck to Twins Fans Looking for Game 1 on Friday Night

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Bring Me The News – Game 1 of the best-of-five playoff series between the Twins and Yankees starts just after 6 p.m. [CDT] Friday, but some fans in Minnesota could have a hard time watching it at home.

MLB Network has the exclusive rights to the first game of the series, with Games 2, 3, 4 and 5 scheduled to be televised on FOX Sports 1 (FS1). If you don’t subscribe to a package on Comcast that includes MLB Network, you’re out of luck in the Minneapolis-St. Paul market.

The Minneapolis-St. Paul market is not among the Comcast network that is included in MLB’s partnership with numerous cable/streaming providers to offer MLB Network for free as a bonus Oct. 1-11.

Another great move by Major League Baseball. As if it weren’t bad enough that the game was being televised exclusively on a premium channel, MLB is going to give that premium channel away for free that day to most of the country, but not to the home market of one of the teams in the game. Because that’s how you grow the game!

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This is worse than the NHL airing playoff games on Golf Channel. At least most people who have cable get the Golf Channel. Airing a playoff hockey game on Golf Channel, while ironic, is not much different then airing it on USA. MLB Network, though, is available in roughly 20 million fewer homes than USA Network.

When the NFL airs a game on cable, the home markets of the teams in the game get the game on free TV, too. But what the hell does the NFL know?

If there’s any justice in this world Twins fans will flock to alternatives like YouTube TV in droves for the free trial and then cut the cord for good, kicking Comcast in the teeth.

Biz Markie Steals the Show at Target Center ’90s Night

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img_4444Friday night was ’90s night at Target Center for the Minnesota Timberwolves/Orlando Magic game. The Timberwolves wore their Kevin Garnett Classic Edition uniforms, the jumbotron went old school for the night and Christian Laettner made an appearance. The only thing missing was Roundball Rock.

[Side note – Roundball Rock is back! On Fox College Hoops.]

It was Biz Markie who stole the show on Friday night, though, with his halftime performance of Kevin Youkilis’s walkup song Just a Friend.

It was the first halftime show I’ve ever stayed in my seat to watch, and way better than the usual halftime show of a guy standing on a dozen stacked up chairs.

I Finally Got to Touch the Sacred Turf at Gillette Stadium as The 300s Went Field Level for the Patriots Game

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So through a friend of The 300s I somehow stumbled into field passes for the Patriots game yesterday and finally got to touch the sacred turf at Gillette. The same turf that Tom Brady has given me countless memories on over the years so it was a borderline religious experience.

You see all those 300s hats? That’s called branding guys. Marketing 101.

It was a beautiful monsoon-like day for a football game so naturally I had to stop at Marshalls on the way to Foxboro to pick up some waterproof pants like I was going gator hunting.

In a weird stat, Kirk Cousins threw for more yards warming up than he did in the actual game.

I thought jersey duos like this only existed on the internet, but alas I saw this couple up in the nosebleeds and it was glorious.

Check out the full breakdown below as we pretended to be part of the elite down at field level before going up into the 300s with the rest of our degenerate brethren.

Patriots Vikings Postgame Thoughts and Quick Hits

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That was a win you can feel good about, Pats Nation.

While, sure, the now 6-5-1 Minnesota Vikings are “underperforming” a bit this year, they should still be considered one of the top teams in the league. Let’s not forget they were in the NFC Championship just last year and are still absolutely loaded on both sides of the ball. And don’t forget the fact that the Pats D was able to keep the league’s seventh-rated passing offense to 10 points and less than 300 yards of total offense.

Well done, fellas. Truly.

The dominant duo of Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen was held to a combined total of 10 receptions, with each receiver failing to crack even 50 yards (or, in Thielen’s case, 30). They also picked off two passes from Kirk Cousins, who barely surpassed the 200-yard mark through the air overall.

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It was a rough day on the gridiron for No. 19 yesterday.

Dalvin Cook had a great (and extremely efficient) game on the ground, though, picking up 84 rushing yards on just nine carries. Were it not for the game script, which forced Cousins to throw 44 times, Cook could’ve done more damage. Granted, he did gain most of his yards off of a 32-yard and subsequent 18-yard run at the beginning of the game, but he still averaged 4.8 yards per tote over his other seven opportunities. That’s the best and healthiest he’s looked all year outside of a solid performance against Detroit in Week 9.

In a game where the Pats were expected to – and did indeed – struggle to run the ball, Tom Brady was solid but unremarkable. It was another 300-yard performance for the G.O.A.T., but he had just one score and also threw a pick. However, he was able to get the Pats down the field by spreading the ball around to almost everyone, ultimately allowing big James Develin to rumble in for two separate scores on the goal line. The Pats offense converted 50 percent of its third-down opportunities as well, allowing the team to move the ball even with the overall subpar rushing performance.

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Oft forgotten and underappreciated – as most fullbacks are – Devs got some much-deserved shine yesterday at Gillette.

The Pats D, though, was the real story. Again, they were able to keep the three-headed monster of Cousins, Diggs, and Thielen at bay and barely allowed the Vikings to reach double-digits on the scoreboard. Trey Flowers also grabbed another sack, and so didn’t Adam Butler – whom I pointed out last week as a guy who’s been quietly skyrocketing up the depth chart and really establishing himself in the team’s hierarchy up front.

Again, it’s OK to allow yourself to be pretty happy about this one, especially considering – as I’ve mentioned numerous times over the past couple weeks – the schedule is a breeze the rest of the way outside of a huge showdown with Pittsburgh in two weeks.

Here’s a few more quick hits for ya after Sunday’s triumph in Foxborough:

  • Rookie corner J.C. Jackson continued to impress and is obviously no longer in a time share. He served as the team’s clear-cut No. 3 corner yesterday. Jonathan Jones, who did have one of the team’s two picks on the afternoon, played just three percent of the snaps, compared to 89 percent (!) for Jackson, who came up big on two almost successive plays at the end of the third quarter; with the team up 17-7, Jackson broke up two potential touchdown passes in or near the endzone, forcing the Vikings to kick. That would be the final time they scored in the game. I’ve been saying since the preseason to keep an eye on this kid!

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Get to know this face, guys. He’s quickly becoming one of the team’s key pieces on D.

  • On the team’s very next offensive series after Jackson’s heroics, Brady tied Brett Favre for third place on the all-time passing touchdown list, AND he also tied Peyton Manning for most TD passes all-time when combing regular and postseason play. OH, AAAND just for kicks, he also surpassed the 1,000-yard rushing mark in his career on a 5-yard scramble in the first. Every week it seems like he’s setting another record lately. Again: G…O…A…T!!!
  • Rex Burkhead touched the ball nine times in his return to action. In all, he was able to muster up 41 total yards, and he had two plays of over 10 yards, showing burst on both a 10-yard run and another 15-yard catch. Sony Michel (18 touches) and James White (13 touches) were still the lead backs, and should be moving forward, but Burkhead is obviously going to be a part of the plan again from here on out.
  • Josh Gordon hauled in just three passes but demonstrated how vital his big-play ability is for this offense. His 24-yard TD catch at the end of the third put the game away for good.
  • Yesterday’s victory guaranteed the Patriots their 19th straight winning season.

Up next for the Pats is a game with the Fins in Miami this Sunday. Be sure to check in with The 300s later on this week for the game preview!

The 300s Bloggers’ “HAHA EAT IT MANISH MEHTA” Fantasy Football Round Up – Week 12

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The thing about New York sports fans is that they REALLY show up for their own. They think their players, coaches, and, for whatever reason, sports media personalities are Gods amongst men. Like there is a CONVENTION for Mike Francesa fans. To repeat, a sports radio show host has his own convention. It is kind of bizarre and really not relatable for those of us outside of the tri-state area.

Which is why it really says something that even New Yorkers hate Manish Mehta. He is a troll through and through that is not as much of a troll sports writer as he is a troll writer who decided to apply his trolliness to sports. Gross.

And he recently came for Gronk. Said he was washed and done and sad and depressed. Well, unfortunately for M-Squared Gronk came back Sunday and the Pats beat the Jets. There was a Gronk-spike and all.

Gronks have 87 lives, motherfucker.

Red

This is it. It took 12 weeks, but I am breaking up with Matt Stafford. After burying any chance I had before the turkey was even on the table with 7 points on Thursday, I am breaking it off. This is likely the last shot I had at the playoffs as even an average performance from Stafford gives me the win. I may just start an empty QB slot moving forward in a silent protest.

 

Joey B

I’m officially out of it so this shouldn’t matter. It shouldn’t matter that I lost a BARN BURNER with a final score of 60-51 (nope, no one forgot to set their line-ups). But I forgot to put in Gronk. Those points would have given me the win. Forgive me big man.

 

Papa G

It’s curtains for my fantasy teams. Shout out to Fournette getting suspended too. Appreciate the self-control. We’ve officially moved into “who should I pick for my keepers” mode. TRASH.

 

Mattes

I’d like to start off this week by apologizing to one Amari Cooper. Since becoming a Cowboy, the man has averaged 17 points a game, which included a bananas 38-point showing on Turkey Day. That performance helped me beat Papa Giorgio this week, finally giving my suddenly resurgent team more than one measly win on the year and potentially playing spoiler for my fellow blogger’s season. I have changed my team name to “Amari’s Resurrection” in his honor. Maybe Oakland really does just suck THAT bad.

A couple “coulda, woulda, shouldas” sank my other team this week. I went for the upside with Lamar Jackson as my QB2 behind Rivers, but the extra 10 from Cousins, who was on my bench, would’ve given me the win. Or maybe playing Aaron Jones over Mark Ingram this week would’ve done it, too. I now need to win this week and have two other teams lose to get into the postseason. I’m literally hanging on by the short and curlies right now.

 

Big Z

With another big win in Week 12, the Z-Men have won 5 of their last 6. Fantasy football isn’t that hard when you get steady quarterback play, contributions from a few wide receivers, and 43 points out of Christian McCaffrey.

A win in Week 13 will lock up a first round bye and a guaranteed crack at some prize money. LET’S GO!

-Joey B
Blogger | Crier | British Television Obsessive| Whiskey Dickist

Jimmy Butler is an Excellent Player, But I Fully Expect the 76ers to Implode

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Full disclosure, at one point I wanted Jimmy Butler on the Celtics. Granted that was PT (Pre-Tatum), but I did want the player at one point.

So much of success in the NBA is about fit. You can have elite talent, but if the individuals can’t play together effectively then that team is going nowhere. Jimmy Butler is going from a young promising team in Minnesota, which seemed like a pretty good fit last year, to another young promising team in Philly. Just take a look at these two situations and tell me which is a better one.

  • Team A: Two No. 1 overall picks under 24 on a team that made the playoffs last year with a dysfunctional GM likely to be soon fired.
  • Team B: Two No. 1 overall picks under 24 on a team that made the playoffs last year with a dysfunctional GM that was fired last year.

Which situation looks more appealing to you? Looks pretty damn similar if you ask me. If you followed the Bryan Colangelo saga last season then you already know Team B is the Sixers so if you want to lean towards Team B because they also have an extra Top 3 pick under 24 I get it, but just know that guy you’re banking on is a big man that has played in 109 out of a possible 246 games in 3 years due to foot injuries. He’s missed more games in his career than he’s played. That player of course is Joel Embiid. One of the No. 1 overall picks Butler will be leaning on is a guy that is averaging 8.1 pts and 3.7 assists for his career and can’t shoot, which is important in the NBA.

All of this would be fine if Jimmy Butler just wasn’t feeling it in Minnesota, no hard feelings, just didn’t work out. Thats not exactly what happened. Butler feuded with the younger guy, publicly bitched about the team and his teammates, and shot his way out of town.

*That* guy is going to a team with a big man who loves to talk shit, a No. 1 overall pick that can’t shoot who’s confidence is wrecked, and another No. 1 overall pick that refuses to shoot 3 pointers in Ben Simmons. Oh yea, that should go swimmingly.

I’m sure Butler won’t butt heads with these guys any more than he did with the young guys in Minnesota. If the Sixers somehow figure out a fit and it works then Butler gets to be the man on a young and promising team. Orrr Butler loses his patience with Fultz and makes him cry in a game, blows up on Simmons for continuously passing out of open 3-pointers, all while Embiid watches from the bench in a boot.