*If I had to guess, I’d bet that either Roman Anthony or Marcelo Mayer — but unlikely both — will be moved to the big leagues no later than early June.
As has been noted before, sometimes teams promote top prospects to infuse a slumping team with some much-needed energy. The arrival of a hugely talented young player (or two) can shake the cobwebs from an underachieving team.
And while there might be some benefit from that, there’s also some risk. Such a scenario can place an unfair burden on a rookie.
Evaluators are fond of saying that the gap between Triple A and the majors has never been greater. It may be the next logical step up, but it’s also a quantum leap. Everything and everyone is better in the big leagues, and the sheer speed of the game can be overwhelming for a young player. The last thing they need is the additional pressure of trying to jumpstart 25 other players who are not living up to expectations.
There’s never been a brighter spotlight on prospects than now. Fans have access to scouting reports and can watch game highlights on-line. Many Triple A games are available to TV viewers.
There’s no such thing as flying under the radar anymore, and that goes double for two players as highly regarded as Anthony and Mayer. They shouldn’t be viewed as saviors, but they will anyway.
One need only look at fellow prospect Kristian Campbell for further evidence. After being named AL Rookie of the Month for March/April, he was batting .093 in May heading into Saturday’s action.
It’s fine for the Red Sox to have high expectations for the pair; everyone in the game shares their enthusiasm. There’s little doubt that Mayer and Anthony will be impact guy.
But maybe not right away. And certainly not so quickly that they can immediately steer the Red Sox’ season right.
*It’s hard to think of an injury to a Boston athlete with as many ramifications as the Achilles injury to Jayson Tatum.
Set aside the obvious short-term impact — a series loss to the Knicks, the end of the team’s title defense and Tatum’s absence for all of next season — and there’s still more to consider.
With Tatum gone for 2025-26, will the ownership change mean a slash in payroll is in the offing? It’s hard to think of the Celts as title contenders next season without their best player, so the temptation could be to save money with an eye toward taking a shot in 2026-27.
*The NFL gifted the Patriots a pretty easy start to the season. Facing the Raiders, Dolphins, Steelers and Panthers, the Pats have a decent chance of being .500 in the first month. Throw in whatever boost the new coaching staff provides, and the Patriots might actually gain some early-season momentum.
Another bonus: the potential exists for the Pats to play 13 of their 17 games at 1 p.m. Eastern, which should help when it comes to maintaining a routine from week to week.
*If you want to know how Bruins’ management and ownership really feel about how long it will take to restore the franchise to contender status, focus on the hiring of the next coach.
If they go with a veteran like Peter Laviolette, it will signify that they’ve deluded themselves into thinking it’s a quick fix. Should they go with a young-ish assistant, it will be evidence that they (properly) realize this is going to take a while.
*The Red Sox have made a number of inquiries around the game in search of an alternative at first base. Predictably, they’ve hit the expected roadblocks: teams are either not ready to wave the white flag by trading away valuable assets; or, the asking price is roughly twice what it might be at the July trade deadline.
*Do you think Alex Verdugo (three different teams in the last three years; four in the last seven), in a moment of quiet reflection, asks himself: “I wonder if it might be me?”
*Every time the NHL looks the other way at a blatant cheap shot — as the league earlier this week when Toronto’s Max Domi drilled Florida’s Alexsander Barkov from behind and into the boards as time expired — it reinforces the notion that the league is not prioritizing the health and safety of its own players.
*Was Brandon Hyde the guy who decided not to upgrade the Baltimore Orioles’ starting rotation, extend any of the core of young players or meaningful compete in free agency? Just checking.
*When I’m not at the ballpark, I spend a lot of time watching and listening to baseball on TV and radio and the need for some broadcasters to treat every….single…pitch with the solemnity of the final out of the World Series can be maddening. We don’t need to feel like we just emerged from a Forensics Unit some 300 times per game. Let the game breathe some, please.
*I sure hope those upstart owners of the Kansas City Chiefs, the Hunt family — whose most recent net worth is estimated at $24.8 billion — get the public help they’re seeking to renovate Arrowhead Stadium.
*The Bleacher Creatures decided to zing Juan Soto by turning their backs on him as he arrived in right field in the bottom of the first Friday night at Yankee Stadium, and boy, you’ve got to think that Soto — and his $760 million contract — will be feeling that sick burn for months.
