Clan-Members » . missing three starters from last seasons 21-win squad

BALTIMORE -- Rick Porcello and the Boston Red Sox appear poised to extend their late-season charge deep into October.Porcello pitched a four-hitter for his major league-high 21st victory, David Ortiz and Mookie Betts hit two-run homers and Boston beat the Baltimore Orioles 5-2 on Monday night to pad its lead in the AL East.Coming off a four-game sweep of the Yankees, the Red Sox extended their surge in the opener of an important four-game series for both clubs. Boston has won 10 of 13 and stands atop the division by a season-high four games.Its never over until its over, but were definitely going to try to increase the gap between us and them, Porcello said.Adam Jones homered and Mark Trumbo picked up his 102nd RBI for the second-place Orioles, who started the day with a one-game lead over Toronto for the top AL wild card.Weve got three more here against (the Red Sox), Baltimores Manny Machado said. Well just put it on a track where we need to be.Bostons goal over the next three days will be to put away the Orioles for good.Were going to try, Ortiz said.Porcello (21-4) struck out seven and walked none in his third complete game of the year. Five days earlier against Baltimore, the right-hander gave up one run in eight innings but took the loss.In this one, he threw only 89 pitches -- 65 in the strike zone.When its his day on the mound, he sets the tone for us, manager John Farrell said. Did once again.Porcello has allowed three runs or fewer in 11 straight starts and is sure to receive strong consideration for the AL Cy Young Award after going 9-15 last year.All of us are honored to be mentioned for those awards, he said. But Ive been saying it all year, our focus is winning and what we want to accomplish as a team.Playing his final regular-season series in Baltimore, the 40-year-old Ortiz connected against rookie Dylan Bundy (9-6) with a man on in the fifth for a 5-1 lead. It was his 35th home run of the season and the 53rd of his career against the Orioles.When he finally walks away from the game, Ortiz will certainly miss taking his cuts at Camden Yards.Yeah, man, its just super nice. I like it, he said, especially when its warm like it is.Betts put Boston up 2-0 with his 31st homer in the third. It was his eighth home run in seven games at Camden Yards -- most in a season by a Red Sox in a visiting ballpark since Jimmie Foxx hit eight in St. Louis in 1939.Porcello retired the first 11 batters before hitting Machado with a pitch in the fourth. Trumbo followed with an RBI double.The Red Sox responded with a three-run fifth. Dustin Pedroia snapped an 0-for-12 skid with a run-scoring single before Ortiz launched a 1-1 pitch over the 25-foot scoreboard in right field.Jones homered in the eighth, his 28th.TRAINERS ROOMRed Sox: RHP Steven Wright (shoulder) has started a throwing program at the teams spring training facility in Fort Myers, Florida, but Farrell did not give an estimated date for his return. Wright (13-6, 3.33 ERA) last pitched on Aug. 31. . Farrell said OF Andrew Benintendi has been cleared to play in back-to-back games. He returned from a left knee sprain last Tuesday.Orioles: OF Steve Pearce will have surgery to repair flexor tendons in his right forearm in New York on Wednesday and is expected to be out 4-6 months. Baltimore placed Pearce on the 60-day DL on Sunday. . LHP Wade Miley threw Monday and is feeling much better after leaving Sundays start with a strained muscle in his back, manager Buck Showalter said.UP NEXTRed Sox: Former Oriole Eduardo Rodriguez (2-7, 4.98) makes his fourth start this season against Baltimore on Tuesday night. Hes 1-1.Orioles: Kevin Gausman (8-10, 3.43) seeks his sixth straight victory. The right-hander blanked Boston over eight innings to beat Porcello last Thursday night. L.J. Collier Youth Jersey . - Blake Griffin had 30 points and 12 rebounds, J. Cody Barton Youth Jersey . "Thank you for the warm welcome," Beckham said on an 80-degree February morning. In this case, it was soccer weather. The sport moved a step closer to returning to South Florida on Wednesday, when Beckham confirmed he has exercised his option to purchase a Major League Soccer expansion franchise in Miami. http://www.seahawksfansofficial.com/phil-haynes-jersey/ . The phone hearing is scheduled for 4:30pm et/1:30pm pt. Winchester, who was not penalized for the hit, appeared to make contact with Kellys head early in the first period of Thursdays game in Boston. Marshawn Lynch Youth Jersey . LOUIS -- The New Orleans Saints looked like a team playing out the string. Chris Carson Seahawks Jersey . -- The boos poured down on Tom Brady and the New England Patriots at the end of a horrible first half. In the annual ACC/Big Ten Challenge, the leagues fight for the early-season ego stroke coveted by athletic directors and presidents more than any collective gains that may impact decisions in March. The NCAA selection committee does not reward teams according to conference affiliation.A North Carolina win over Indiana this week would not improve Wake Forests long odds of earning an at-large berth, and a Michigan State victory at Duke would not end Northwesterns term in postseason purgatory.But the ACC/Big Ten Challenge -- tied at 1-1 after Florida State defeated Minnesota and Northwestern held off Wake Forest on Monday night -- does create a platform to boost the individual résumés of the teams involved.?That results in the increase or decrease of their respective RPIs and affects quality-win opportunities for their opponents -- while answering some of the early questions about two of the nations top conferences.The ACC, which hasnt won the Challenge since 2008, owns the best conference in America title right now -- and its not close. The Big Ten needs a few significant wins to prove its still capable of matching the preseason hype.Lets explore the good, the bad and the ugly of both leagues thus far.ACCTHE GOODDukes depthJeff Capel should wear a tux and a bow tie on the Duke bench this season. The maestro of this talent infusion in Durham deserves more credit than he tends to receive for Mike Krzyzewskis impact in the one-and-done era.So we all knew Duke had enough talent to withstand the ongoing absences of injured five-star prospects Harry Giles, Marques Bolden and Jayson Tatum. But who knew the Blue Devils would play like this?The four-guard lineup featuring Matt Jones, Luke Kennard, Grayson Allen and Frank Jackson anchors the most efficient offense in America, per KenPom.com. Even without the size theyll have once the gifted freshman trio returns, Duke has connected on 47.3 percent of its shots against man-to-man schemes and 54.2 percent against zone, per Synergy Sports.Theyre playing without three potential lottery picks!This is ridiculous. Beautiful, but ridiculous.North Carolinas frontcourt Marcus Paige?departed after last season and North Carolina seemed destined to endure a few setbacks following its loss to Villanova in the national title game.Yet the Tar Heels now seem capable of challenging Duke in the ACC and finishing what they started in Houston last season, with the help of a dominant presence in the paint.Isaiah Hicks, Kennedy Meeks and Tony Bradley comprise the nations best frontcourt. Bradley is leading the nation in offensive rebounding percentage. Meeks is second.North Carolinas opponents have connected on just 41 percent of their shots inside the arc.Star power The league is stacked with studs this season. NC States Dennis Smith Jr. (19.8 points per game) is one of eight NBA prospects from the ACC listed in Chad Fords top 30 right now. Florida States Jonathan Isaac could evolve into a young NBA standout in the coming years. Tony Bradley is a force in the post.But veterans like Grayson Allen, Michael Young, Jaron Blossomgame, Joel Berry II and Andrew White III also help make the ACC Americas must-see league right now.The leagues unrivaled depth A lot could happen between today and Selection Sunday. But the ACC might lock down an abundance of NCAA tournament berths. Entering the week, five ACC squads were ranked among the top 10 in ESPNs Basketball Power Index, 11 were in the top 50 and 13 were in the top 60.Hard to find a bad team in the ACC.THE BADBlown leads In the NIT Season Tip-off in New York, Florida State surrendered a late 12-point lead in a loss to Temple. Thats a modest collapse compared to the 22-point edge Louisville gave up in its loss to Baylor in the Battle 4 Atlantis title game last week. Embarrassing finishes for both programs.Incomplete squads Yes, the ACC is Americas best league. But its not yet whole. Duke isnt the only squad thats ailing right now. Virginia will never know how Memphis transfer Austin Nichols might have helped the squad now that he has been kicked off the team.Theo Pinsons foot injury and indefinite absence has cost North Carolina a talented wing. NC States Maverick Rowan has missed the past five games with a concussion, and Omer Yurtseven is still serving a nine-game NCAA suspension for his time playing with a Turkish pro team.Syracuse freshman star Taurean Thompson was on crutches after suffering an ankle injury against Monmouth on Nov. 18. Hes back, but multiple ACC teams are either waiting for some of their best players to return or preparing to move on without them.THE UGLYEverything Virginias first six opponents tried to do Perhaps youve heard about the Cavs holding three consecutive opponents under 40 points. Impressive. But St. Francis (N.Y.), Yale and Grambling State aint exactly world-beaters, right? Well, in their next two games, the Cavs held Iowa and Providence to 93 points ... combined.Forget the box scores. Virginias opponents, thus far, have played with the facial expressions of folks whove been strapped into scary roller coasters without their consent. The No. 1 defense in America is making everything their opponents attempt look ugly.Big TenTHE GOODCaleb Swanigans growth Few players in America have matched the 6-foot-9, 247-pound forwards transformation since he landed in West Lafayette. The former 344-pound eighth-grader now looks the part of an NBA forward. His new body has helped him become one of the nations most promising frontcourt talents, a sophomore who has connected on 61.2 percent of his shots inside the arc. Hes the most complete player in the Big Ten, capable of scoring from the perimeter (5-for-8 from the 3-point line) or dominating in the paint. Fortunaate to coach guys like [Swanigan] who make me better, Purdue strength coach Josh Bonhotal recently tweeted.ddddddddddddHis drive and work ethic is off the charts!Showtime in Bloomington Tom Creans squad lost at IPFW last week, but the Hoosiers remain the Big Tens best shot at a Final Four trip, it seems. Why? Well, a staggering offense that connected on 48 percent of its 3-pointers in the teams season-opening win over Kansas in Honolulu is a sign that Indiana can still fill it up and tussle with any squad in the country.Northwesterns strides The Wildcats secured their first nonconference victory over a Top 25 team in the Chris Collins era when they defeated then-No. 22 Texas in last weeks Legends Classic. They lost to No. 18 Butler by just two points at Hinkle Fieldhouse.Under Collins, Northwestern has never finished among KenPom.coms top 50 in adjusted offensive and defensive efficiency in the same season, but right now the Wildcats are 44th and 51st, respectively. Theyve connected on 44 percent of their 3-pointers and 77 percent of their free throw attempts. And Vic Law (17.7 PPG, 54.5 percent from the 3-point line) could earn an all-Big Ten first-team slot at this pace. Only a fool would suggest Northwestern has no shot at its first NCAA tournament berth.THE BADFort Wayne Yeah ... that happened, Hoosiers fans. And star James Blackmon Jr. suffered a knee injury in the loss that could keep him in street clothes against North Carolina on Wednesday.Iowas limitations Peter Jok is averaging 25.3 PPG on a team thats 3-3 in its first six games. The Let Peter Eat philosophy would work well in a local rec league. But its not a great strategy for a Division I team that has failed to identify offensive weapons who dont wear No. 14.Ohio State at the free throw line The undefeated Buckeyes excel in critical areas of the game. But theyve connected on a putrid 59.5 percent of their free throws. Ugh.THE UGLYTurnover problems The Big Ten cant hold onto the ball. Per KenPom.com, Wisconsin (20.4 percent), Rutgers (20.5), Purdue (21.2), Iowa (21.4), Illinois (21.9), Michigan State (22.2) and Indiana (23.4) have all committed turnovers on at least one-fifth of their possessions. Thats half the conference. Only three teams (Minnesota, Nebraska and Northwestern) are ranked within the top 100 in offensive turnover percentage. Remember this stat throughout the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.Top 25 exit a good thing for Texas, Shaka Smart?Texas wanted Smart because it knew he could build something with a Longhorns program that enjoyed some rich years under former coach Rick Barnes. Smart has elevated talent throughout his career, so the idea was reasonable.But Smarts solid reputation probably inflated preseason expectations for a young Texas team that fell from the Top 25 this week after double-digit losses to Northwestern and Colorado in last weeks Legends Classic.The Longhorns are raw and troubled right now. Their 29 percent mark from the 3-point line and 17.2 defensive turnover percentage would represent career lows for a team coached by Smart. Now, however, talented young prospects like Andrew Jones and Jarrett Allen can focus on enhancing their chemistry with the returning underclassmen on Smarts roster without a magnified?national spotlight.The pressure is still real, though. The Texas team that struggled last week will finish in the bottom half of the Big 12 if it fails to address its flaws in the coming weeks.Lual-Acuils growth helps BaylorJo Lual-Acuil Jr. missed all of last season, after transferring from junior college, because of a problem with his heart. But the 7-footer has helped Baylor crack the top 10 this season and demonstrated few signs of any rust after that redshirt season. He has connected on 68 percent of his shots inside the arc and hes averaging 4.2 blocks per game.Baylor coach Scott Drew said the Sudanese prospects evolution has expanded the depth of a squad with wins over Louisville, Oregon and Michigan State. It is the nations best résumé right now.Our team depth has been really important to our success, Drew told ESPN.com. That and the players returning have all improved. Additions from Jo, Manu [Lecomte] and [Wendell] Mitchell have been big, too.The Fran Dunphy effectLets see ... missing three starters from last seasons 21-win squad? Still waiting for injured talents Josh Brown (8.3 PPG and 4.9 APG last season) and Trey Lowe (4.8 PPG, 79 percent from the free throw line in 2015-16) to play for the first time this season? Can you do anything with that, Fran Dunphy?Sure you can. Listen, Temple is not a great team. But the Owls do own a couple of good wins after last weeks surprising victories over Florida State and West Virginia in the NIT Season Tip-off.That rally followed a pair of losses to New Hampshire and UMass. But Dunphys squad achieved last weeks feat without his starting point guard (Brown). Not bad for an incomplete team picked to finish sixth in the AAC prior to the season.Lonzo Ball vs. DeAaron Fox is the point guard matchup we needWe dont deserve Saturdays clash between point gods Ball and Fox. UCLAs Ball is one of the most explosive and exciting players in the game. And Kentuckys Fox recorded a triple-double against Arizona State -- just the second triple-double in school history -- in the Bahamas on Monday night.This deserves as much hype as Buddy Hield vs. Ben Simmons in last years Oklahoma-LSU nonconference matchup. And those two didnt guard one another throughout the game.We hope to see Ball (16.0 PPG, 9.1 APG) and Fox (15.3 PPG, 7.6 APG) in one-on-one battles during Saturdays matchup at Rupp Arena. ' ' '