RED SOX BACK TO .500

On their fourth try on the year, the Boston Red Sox have finally reached the place they have wanted to be for quite some time. Not first place, .500. The Red Sox sit at 20-20 and they are 18-10 since their dismal 2-10 start, the worst in franchise history. The Nation has a seven game home stand where if they rattle off a 6-1 week or 5-2 week, the rest of the AL East better watch out.
Adrian Gonzalez has been "as advertised" crushing eight home runs thus far in May. He now has nine home runs and 34 RBIS (leading the American League). Carl Crawford is finally starting to come around, which we all knew he would. Kevin Youkilis had a big series versus the Yankees hitting two key home runs to get the Sox back in the game or put it away. Jacoby Ellsbury is finally becoming the true leadoff hitter Terry Francona wants him to be. He is second in the American League in steals as well.
When Francona juggled the pitching rotation for the Yankee series, it was a preview of what the Sox staff can really do, and that is deal. Clay Buchholz got his fourth win of the year holding the Yanks to only two runs through seven innings. Saturday night, Josh Beckett pitched six scoreless innings while striking out nine continuing his dominate streak. Lastly, on the big stage of Sunday Night Baseball, Jon Lester got off to a slow start, but ended up turning in a great outing allowing four runs over six innings while striking out seven Yankee hitters.
The Sox are finally gaining their confidence back and have finally reached the spot they have wanted to all year. It is a new season for them and with Adrian Gonzalez mashing like he is and the staff finally coming together (minus John Lackey), watch out.

ARE THE CELTICS DONE?

After coming off an emotional Game 3 in Boston, the Celtics may have used all their energy Saturday night. Rajon Rondo laid in obvious pain on the ground after Dwayne Wade yanked him down. The Celtics crowd silenced as Rondo went to the locker room grabbing his elbow. Twenty-two minutes later, Rondo appears walking down the run way back on to the court willing the Celtics to a victory with one arm. Monday night, what a different story. Rondo did all that he could. Paul Pierce took the team on his back, but it just wasn't enough as the Heat's big three were just too much for the Celtics. KG had an attrocious game after having one of his best playoff games in recent memory. Ray was held in check for the most part and Shaquille O'Neal barely saw the court. Sixth man of the year contender Glen Davis has been non-existent in this series. The Celtics have dug themselves a huge hole going back to Miami down 3-1. This was a game they let slip away and the Heat capitalized. Pierce missed a buzzer-beater in regulation where KG could not set the high pick and roll for Ray which resulted in an off-balance heave by Pierce. Rondo missed a bunny under two minutes and TURNOVERS down the stretch killed the green. There was a point in the game where the Celts could have expanded their lead multiple times, but ended up turning the ball over time after time. That cannot happen because players such as LeBron James and Dwayne Wade will make you pay.
The Celtics will look to bounce back in Miami on Wednesday night. They have been trailing in a series before and this core group knows what it takes, so we will see Wednesday night, but it is hard to bet on the Celtics after watching them in the late fourth quarter and overtime where they usually execute so well.

BIG BLOW TO THE Bs LOSING BERGY

When Patrice Bergeron got checked and was laying on the ice for a few seconds, Bruins fans held their breath. Bergy is the heart and sole of the Bs offense and losing him for any amount of time is crushing. The Bruins were on a roll. They took care of the Flyers and seeked revenge on the travesty that happened only one year ago. It was all good vibes at the TD Garden as "Dirty Water" played on the PA system, but Bruins fans soon forgot that Bergy did not return to the game and a concussion was likely in order. Bergy was having a great 2011 playoff in all aspects. He was scoring goals, setting up goals, penalty killing, and back checking. This is the guy you do not want to lose at all. Tyler Seguin will get his chance. His first action ever in an NHL playoff game. The kid cannot even drink alcohol legally and the Boston Bruins are giving him a shot to step in and use his athleticism to his advantage. Seguin did not get much playing time down the stretch, but the Bruins camp feels Seguin can answer the bell for a few key minutes here and there. David Krejic will need to continue his dominate play as well as Milan Lucic, who scored two goals in the Game 4 versus the Flyers. There is no doubt Timmy Thomas will bring his Vezina-self to the Eastern Conference Finals, but he has his hands full with a loaded Tampa Bay Lightning offense. Bergy needs to take care of himself and get back as soon as he can because Bergy is the difference maker and it is certainly a huge blow to the black and gold.

CRAWFORD BUSTING OUT?

Every time Carl Crawford gets a hit, there is a sigh from Red Sox Nation. But, when he strikes out, the boo birds come back out at Fenway, which will not help the cause. Crawford is an elite major league baseball player who is having the worst month of his career. This is the guy that use to drive the Red Sox and their fans crazy for nine years. Now, the Sox dish out 142 million dollars and he is batting under .200 with seven RBIs and only one home run.
His walk-off single versus the Mariners on Sunday may be what Crawford needed to bust out and go on a rampage. The weight is off his shoulders. He did what he wanted to do...help the Red Sox win. After, Jed Lowrie got a gift from Ichiro Suzuki who lost a fly ball in the sun resulting in a triple for Lowrie, Crawford ripped a single up the middle for a Red Sox win. His teammates then proceeded to mob him infront of the Fenway faithful. It was the second time Crawford smiled all year. The first being after his only home run. His teammates are sticking with him and know the amount of talent this guy has. He will be fine and he will play an important role down the stretch to get these Red Sox back into their winning ways.
 A new month for Crawford may be just what the doctor ordered. He does not want to hear the word April under next year. It is May now and hopefully he has turned the page as well as Red Sox Nation. Look for Crawford to get hot real soon, as long as he stops dipping his shoulder and he stays back on the baseball.

CELTICS GET THEIR DATE WITH THE HEATLES

What better way to start the second round of the NBA playoffs. The Celtics will travel to Miami Sunday to face the Heat. The Cs won the season series 3-1, but all that is erased because each team has a 0-0 record in the series. It is a very anticipated matchup. Critics say the Celtics are much more physical. It also helps that the Cs have been in this position before with a majority of their core players. An interesting stat is that Dwayne Wade is shooting around 13% from three-point land and is only averaging around 13 points versus the Celtics in the four games.
The bench needs to step up versus the Heat because the Heat bench is not great. The Celtics bench has enough talent for some players to be starters elsewhere. The main key to victory is Rajon Rondo. As Rondo goes, the Celtics go. Celtics fans saw the Rondo of old versus the Knicks just torching any defender who tried to cover him. Key word is try. He was shooting the ball well, attacking the basket, and rebounding the basketball. He also has great passing ability. It will be hard for Mike Bibby or Mario Chalmers to cover him so look for Rondo to have another monster series.
My prediction is the Celtics to prevail in six games. This team is great especially executing down the stretch. The Heat have no inside game. If the Celtics defense forces the Heat to shoot jumpshots, this series could actually be over sooner rather than later. The Perk-less Celtics defense is still solid. Every man is rotating great and every man is there for their teammate.
The Heat's LeBron James guarenteed not four, not give, not six championships in their premature parade in the preseason. The Heat won't even stiff an Eastern Conference championship appearance nevermind hoisting a trophy. Give me a break. Ubuntu.

MICHAEL RYDER DOES HIS BEST J.D. DREW IMPRESSION

If you read the newspaper, listened to sports talk, or watched any sports television show, you heard the name Michael Ryder. It was not a good thing either. Ryder had been a 20 goal scorer for the Bruins and can be one of the best finishers on the team. He entered Game five Thursday night with zero goals, zero assists, zero points, zero hits, and many thought zero confidence. But, with the Bruins down 1-0, Ryder received a cross ice beautiful pass from Tomas Kaberle to beat Carey Price high glove side to get the Bs back in the game. Ryder also showed heart in chasing down a puck down in the Canadiens zone to flip it in front to Chris Kelly who buried the goal to tie the game at four late in the game. Ryder's play in Bruins eyes has changed in one game because he played to his potential. The rest in this game was gravy, but Ryder did the unthinkable. With less than two minutes gone in the overtime, the Bruins also completed a remarkable comeback after being down three different times in the hockey game. Ryder was planted in front of the net when he received a pass after a blown three on one and he made no mistake about it and buried it past Price. The Bruins win and tie the series at two, they head back home to Boston with all the momentum in the world, and may have got their goal scorer back on the third line, Michael Ryder. "I am a real American, fight for the rights of every man." Go Bs.

LOWRIE OR SCUTARO?

It is a good dilemma to have. Marco Scutaro or Jed Lowrie? Lowrie has never stayed healthy but was regarded as one of the Sox top prospects. He is the hottest hitter in baseball right now hitting over .450 in 12 games with two homers and nine RBIs. There is no way Tito can keep Lowrie out of the lineup. Scutaro had a great year last year playing through numerous injuries to help this team compete in the AL East until the final days of September. We cannot overlook that. He is off to a slow start this year and Jed Lowrie is tearing the cover off the ball. There is no other place Lowrie can play when you have two all-star caliber players at the corners and a big powerful DH in Big Papi.
Until Lowrie cools off, he must be on the lineup card everyday. He can DH for Ortiz when there are tough lefties on the bump or play first or third when Youk or A-Gone need a day off. Pedey does not like to come out of games so it would be tough to get Lowrie or Scutaro to play second base. But, Scutaro showed a lot of character last year staying in ball games with a nagging neck injury. It is tough not to reward him on a regular basis this year, but when you have Lowrie swinging the bat like Ted Williams, it is tough to sit him.