Tick … tick … tick … the clock is ticking.
Very often, teams get in the bad habit of waiting too long to pull the trigger on struggling players who just haven’t measured up to previous expectations. Sometimes, the “talent” is merely overrated from the get-go; sometimes extenuating circumstances force a team’s hand; and sometimes the player has gone into a premature slide to the denouement to his or her career.
There are a few Boston athletes who meet this definition, and let’s try to spread the blame around a little.
— Kristaps Porzingis, Celtics. This might seem harsh, since Porzingis dealt with something obviously more perplexing than a pulled hammie this year. But in three years, he’s gone from 60 to 57 to 42 games in the regular season.
Porzingis is a definite difference-maker when he’s healthy. In fact, when he’s right, and with all other parts in good-working order, the Celtics are unbeatable. The problem is, the last two postseasons, he’s been a part-time player.
Not his fault, perhaps. But an issue nonetheless.
Celtics’ General Manager Brad Stevens has proven that he’s not stupid – nor is he impulsive. He no doubt swung the deal for Porzingis, which cost them a popular player in Marcus Smart, to reinforce the wide-open window the Celtics had for another championship. Mission accomplished.
But now that salaries and a shaky ownership situation may mean tearing that roster apart, perhaps the alarm has rung for Porzingis, too. He did his job. Now, he may be riding off into the sunset.
— Ja’Lynn Polk, Patriots. It might seem odd to say that after one season, it’s time to consider pulling the plug on Polk. But good golly miss Molly, what a poor season it was.
There’s something different about NFL draft choices. Those who are high enough, as Polk was, are expected to make an impact immediately. By the last month of an NFL player’s rookie season, you can tell if he has the goods.
Polk does not have the goods.
We’re not just talking about dropping difficult passes in traffic. We’re talking about gimmes. His route-running may be decent, but c’mon, man, hang onto the ball.
The Patriots will probably give him the preseason, and maybe even a few games. But if it goes beyond four with the same problems, then they have to move him. Mike Vrabel had nothing to do with drafting him, so it’ll be an easier decision.
— Brayan Bello, Red Sox. He’s no rookie anymore. He has to go longer than four innings before running out of pitches.
He seems to have good stuff. He has a live fastball. He can sail through innings saying “good morning, good afternoon and good night” to batters. And then he’ll have a couple of crazy innings in which he can’t get the ball over the plate.
Good pitchers should be able to go at least five innings going through the other team’s batting order twice. Six may be asking a lot some nights, but it’s doable. Four for a front-line starter is not cutting it.
Managers seem to be reluctant to allow anyone but an elite starter to go through the order a third time, and on the Red Sox, the only one who appears to fit that definition is Garrett Crochet. Otherwise, you’d better not waste too many of your pitches on 3-2 counts and walks.
— Trevor Story, Red Sox. Why is he here? He’s the No. 1 rally killer on the team. When he came out of the gate early with a couple of homers, it looked as if we were getting the Story the Red Sox signed.
Instead, it’s been the real Story all along. Either get him a hitting coach who can straighten him out, or sit him down and give Marcelo Meyer a chance to be the every-day shortstop. With Alex Bregman out until probably August, it doesn’t look as if the Red Sox are going anywhere.
— Finally, Don Sweeney, Bruins’ GM. I mean, really? A two-year extension? For what?
Twice since their 2011 Stanley Cup, the Bruins have made the finals. The rest of the time, they have been one of the NHL’s all-time underachievers.
Last year, after coming off two good seasons with nothing to show for, the Bruins collapsed. It wasn’t Sweeney’s finest offseason in that every move he made weakened the team – or seemed to. Finally, he blew it up and the Bruins limped home without even making the playoffs.
Some of that stems from a parsimonious ownership, no doubt. But some of it’s on him, too.
The Bruins have a crucial draft coming up next month. I wouldn’t let him near it.
