Posted by Mike Petraglia

For those wondering Where Trags? on the new site, we’ve migrated to various locations on the brand new WEEI.com.

The new Where’s Trags? is under construction and will soon re-appear on the new site. But that doesn’t mean my motor is idling.

You can still read my take on the Boston and New England sports scene and beyond on Green Street, Full Count, Big Bad Blog and It Is What It Is.

Thanks for your continued loyal readership!!!

Best,

Trags

Posted by Jessica Camerato

Thanks for stopping by. WEEI.com’s Celtics page has moved to Green Street on the newly re-designed site. Click to follow the links below for our in-depth Celtics coverage:

Green Street

Jessica Camerato

Paul Flannery

Mike Petraglia

Posted by Jessica Camerato

The Celtics Game Day Blog has moved to Green Street on the newly re-designed WEEI.com: http://greenstreet.weei.com/

Posted by Joe Haggerty

Hey everybody…we’ve moved the Pucks with Haggs Bruins blog over to a brand spanking new location at the Big Bad Blog over at the newly redesigned WEEI.com site. You can read everything from last weekend’s action over at the new site.

Drop me a line if you have any questions finding the new blog, and — as always — thanks for reading all our material on the Bruins.

Posted by Mike Petraglia

It is a scientific fact.

The middle of March has become the least productive time of year in corporate America. Even in these times of economic volatility and stress where’s there’s more pressure to produce, you can almost bet that every office has a pool of predictions as to who is going to advance in the NCAA Men’s Division I basketball championship.

And you can bet people are emailing, facebooking, texting and generally trash-talking each other’s teams, star players and of course, picks.

I might as well get in on the act. So here goes.

Five teams I love in this tournament:

1. Louisville. Rick Pitino knows what this time of year is about. His team was a machine at the Big East Tournament. They won 19 of 21 games this year in the best basketball conference in the country. Any questions?

2. Memphis. Yes they play in the Memphis Athletic Conference, also known as Conference USA, where they have won an amazing 61 straight games. Only Kentucky’s string of 64 versus SEC teams between 1945-50 is better. And they are on a 25-game winning streak. They ARE athletic enough to knock of No. 1 UConn in the West, if of course, they hit those pesky free throws.

3. North Carolina. Assuming Ty Lawson’s toe isn’t an issue, there’s ZERO reason to think he and Tyler Hansbrough won’t lead the Heels back to the Final Four in Detroit.

4. Villanova. These Wildcats are eight deep and it’s a quality eight. That is vital at tournament time because if one or two stars are off, someone needs to pick up the slack. As long as Scottie Reynolds doesn’t go 1-on-5 too often, they should advance to Boston.

5. Xavier. This team lost Josh Duncan, Drew Lavender and Stanley Burrell and everyone figured a step back was in order. All they did was reload with C.J. Anderson, B.J. Raymond and Derrick Brown. One of the most athletic teams in the tournament.

Five teams I wouldn’t bank on heading to the Motor City:

1. Syracuse. Great story. Seven overtimes. Two Big East Tourney wins, including a victory in arguably the most epic (certainly not greatest) college basketball game of all time. What does that get you? A No. 3 seed in the same South bracket as Oklahoma, North Carolina and Gonzaga and 15 sets of tired legs. Don’t be shocked if No. 14 Stephen F. Austin pulls the upset.

2. Wake Forest. Way too up-and-down from January on. Team looked like they were going to compete for a No. 1 seed and challenge UNC for ACC supremacy when they were ranked No. 1 early on. They lost at home to Virginia Tech when they were top-ranked and haven’t been the same since.

3. Boston College. They have been truly one of the fascinating stories of the college season. Al Skinner may not receive the national coach of the year but NO ONE did more to deserve it. He took a group that was picked to finish in the lower third of the ACC and rallied them to beat unbeaten and No. 1 North Carolina. Yes, we know who they lost to just days later but they also beat Duke and should have beaten them in the ACC tourney. But the fact is, they are bracketed with Michigan State, and Louisville in the Midwest, that is if they get by red-hot USC.

4. Duke. Why the hate for the ACC, Trags? Well, if you watched Duke lose at B.C. and you watched the game on Friday night at the Georgia Dome, you realize how flawed the Blue Devils are. If you don’t let Jon Scheyer kill you, you stand a really good chance of doing what VCU did in 2007.

5. Marquette. Sorry Doc Rivers. Another great early-season story. Then Dominic James broke the fifth metatarsal in his left foot. Season over. Jerel McNeal is a fabulously talented player, who can score from anywhere on the court and led a ferocious comeback against Villanova in the Big East Tournament. But there aren’t enough big bodies who score to sustain him in this highly intense environment.

Trags Final Four Take:

Louisville over Memphis in one national semifinal.

Villanova over North Carolina in the other.

Trags Final Take:

Louisville over Villanova.

Also of note:

The US Basketball Writers of America announced their All-Americans on Monday:

First Team
DeJuan Blair, Pittsburgh, F, 6-7, 265, So., Pittsburgh, Pa.
Stephen Curry, Davidson, G, 6-3, 185, Jr., Charlotte, N.C.
Blake Griffin, Oklahoma, F, 6-10, 251, So., Oklahoma City, Okla.
Tyler Hansbrough, North Carolina, F, 6-9, 250, Sr., Poplar Bluff, Mo.
James Harden, Arizona State, G, 6-5, 218, So., Los Angeles, Calif.

Second Team
Sherron Collins, Kansas, G, 5-11, 200, Jr., Chicago, Ill.
Luke Harangody, Notre Dame, F, 6-8, 255, Jr., Schererville, Ind.
Jodie Meeks, Kentucky, G, 6-4, 208, Jr., Norcross, Ga.
Jeff Teague, Wake Forest, G, 6-2, 180, So., Indianapolis, Ind.
Hasheem Thabeet, Connecticut, C, 7-3, 263, Jr., Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania

Posted by Steve Ciaccio

Okay, its 50 degrees out and I’m inside reading the all new WEEI.com.  You have to admit it, for all the crap he takes from Felger, Bradford and Murphy have done an awesome job on the new WEEI.com.  As I showed the wife, she summed it up pretty clearly, “Its easier on the eyes.”  I would have to agree, if I didn’t, all men would know what would happen, but also looking at it, it is easier on the eyes.  So I thought I’d add to the fun as the BBQ cooks my chicken.

Love the argument from Felger and Haggerty on the site.  Felger seems to be jumping back into the loserville mentality from 9-10 years ago.  Hey Felger, all these teams that rush out to a big lead seem to hit a skid at some point during the season.  In the last 8 games the Sharks are 2-5-1, are they doubting them as well in San Jose?  Correct me if I’m wrong Felger, Thornton and Marleau are much older, with more experience than the likes of Krejci, Lucic and Wheeler.  Stay positive babe, as you would say, and enjoy this little run they WILL put on come playoff time.

I would also like to do some boot licking here, I think that right here on WEEI.com we have several great writers.  Here it comes, pucker up Chach.  I always read Hags and Felger.  Both are witty and put in a great effort on their mailbags, and I’m not just saying that since I have been in both of their last bags.

We all want to see Nick Watney win the WGC at Doral, so we can say Heidi’s cousin Nick Watney.  But something tells me that a certain Tiger might be lurking.  He is 9 shots off, but at least we all know he will press, be creative and make some sort of run at the top spot.

I know it is only spring training, but it is always sweet to see the Yankees struggle.  Especially when your expected number 2-3 starter gives up 7 in 2 innings.  I can almost hear Frank from the Foxy crying on some strippers lap.  Lowell looked good at the plate as did Ortiz.  The curse of D and C continues as “our” guy Julio Lugo was taken out of the game, and was headed for an MRI.

Posted by Ian Meropol

4 thoughts heading into the weekend…..

1.  The Patriots rushed to trade Matt Cassel and we heard that there were going to be more moves to follow.  Aside from the draft picks I don’t see any free agents on the market that are going to come to New England and be difference makers.  Jason Taylor doesn’t get me fired up.  Felger has been right on when he says that every year the Pats go big in free agency they win and when they don’t, they don’t.   The Jets have improved as have the Bills.  Mike Vrabel had a down year but I don’t believe he is over the hill.  Yes, Jabar Gaffney had a lot of drops in 2008 but he will be missed.  The Pats get Tom Brady back, but have they improved this off-season?  I’m not sure.

 

2.  I’m willing to wait on Mikki More and Stephon Marbury — remember, PJ Brown was a late addition who looked lost in March and April.  But the C’s would not have won it all last year without the play of the wily vet.  Leon Powe and Big Baby are leap years ahead of last year and if Marbury can give them 12-15 minutes of turnover-less basketball I like this team against anyone in the East.

 

3.  4 teams that will surprise you in the Big Dance — Tennessee, Florida State, Western Kentucky, VCU

 

4.  My top 3 play by play guys that you will be watching this month — Mike Breen (as smooth as they come), Sean McDonough (every year he is not doing games for CBS he his missed more and more), Gus Johnson (his games have become must watch in the Tourney in a Ted Sarandis sort of way)

 

Enjoy the weekend…..

Posted by Gary Marbry

Before I get to Dice-K, I have a hockey question for you.  As a born and bred southerner, I’m not a terribly knowledgeable hockey guy (Gary dives behind the desk).  But the Hurricanes are a pretty big deal down here.  That is, they take up a lot of sports talk radio time locally.  Anyway, now that the season is heading into the home stretch, I’m told something like this each morning:

“The Hurricanes have moved into a 6th place tie but keep in mind that New York has two games in hand and Pittsburgh has one game in hand…”

Why doesn’t the NHL just use average points per game played as the basis for their standings?  As of yesterday morning, this is what those standings would look like in the Eastern Conference:

1 - Boston 1.40
2 - NJ 1.35
3 - Was 1.29
4 - Phi 1.26
5 - Mon 1.18
6 - Fla 1.149
7 - Pit 1.147
8 - NYR 1.134
9 - Carolina 1.130
10 - Buffalo 1.09

This seems so much clearer.  Carolina isn’t tied for 6th.  They are 9th.  I don’t get it.

———————————————————————————–

Enough of that, let’s get to Dice-K and look, Nuggetpalooza-style, at last season’s eighteen game winner:

DAISUKE MATSUZAKA – 167.2 IP in 2008 – 18-3, 2.90 ERA

* - Matsuzaka has allowed 2 or fewer hits (actually, exactly 2 hits) in 10 of his 61 career starts, the most such starts over the first 61 starts of any career in AL history:

10 – Daisuke Matsuzaka
 8 – Rich Harden
 8 – Juan Guzman

Eight of those starts came in 2008, the 2nd most starts allowing 2 or fewer hits in a single season in AL history (since 1956 anyway):

11 – Nolan Ryan, TEX, 1991
 8 – Daisuke Matsuzaka, BOS, 2008
 7 – 9 tied; Most recent by Johan Santana, 2004

Those 10 career 2 or less hit starts places Dice-K in a tie (with Luis Tiant, Derek Lowe, and Jim Lonborg) for 5th place in Red Sox history already:

24 – Pedro Martinez
24 – Roger Clemens
16 – Tim Wakefield
12 – Dave Morehead
11 – Earl Wilson
10 – 4 tied

* - Dice-K allowed a 1.37 WHIP (baserunners allowed per inning) last season, the 2nd highest in Red Sox history among pitchers with 150+ innings and a sub-3.00 ERA:

1.42 – Eddie Cicotte, 1911
1.37 – Daisuke Matsuzaka, 2008
1.34 – Mel Parnell, 1949

Only four Red Sox have pitched 150+ innings and allowed a sub-3.00 ERA and a WHIP above 1.25 in a season since 1970:

1.37 – Daisuke Matsuzaka, 2008
1.27 – Bruce Hurst, 1986
1.25 – Dennis Eckersley, 1978
1.25 – Bill Lee, 1973

Dice-K’s mark was tied for the 3rd highest (still among pitchers with 150+ innings and a sub-3.00 ERA) in the majors since 1970:

1.49 – Bart Johnson, CWS, 1971
1.43 – Wilson Alvarez, CWS, 1993
1.37 – Daisuke Matsuzaka, BOS, 2008
1.37 – Nolan Ryan, CAL, 1977

* - Over the last two seasons, Dice-K has allowed a .186 batting average with runners on base in road games (56 for 301), the lowest average allowed over that span (min. 200 such batters faced):

.186 – Daisuke Matsuzaka, BOS
.201 – Scott Kazmir, TB
.203 – Tim Lincecum, SF

Matsuzaka allowed a .199 average in 2007 in those situations and a really paltry .167 in 2008. 

Just For Fun:  The highest batting average allowed with runners on base in road games over the last two seasons (same mins.):

.368 – Nate Robertson
.361 – Zack Duke
.343 – Brian Bannister

* - Dice-K held #9 hitters to an AL-low .353 OPS (.115 AVG; .206 OBP; .148 SLG) in 2008 (min. 50 such BF):

.353 – Daisuke Matsuzaka, BOS
.370 – Boof Bonser, MIN
.390 – Dana Eveland, OAK

The .115 average allowed to #9 hitters by Matsuzaka was the 2nd lowest in a single season since 1974 by a Red Sox pitcher (same minimums):

.106 – Jeff Fassero, 2000
.115 – Daisuke Matsuzaka, 2008
.118 – Wes Gardner, 1988
.122 – Roger Clemens, 1991

Just For Fun:  Lowest Career Batting Average Allowed to #9 Hitters – Red Sox Pitchers Since 1974 – Min. 100 such BF:

.112 – Jonathan Papelbon
.153 – Daisuke Matsuzaka
.161 – Julian Tavarez
.171 – Wes Gardner

* - Dice-K allowed 4 unearned runs in 2008 (54 of 58 were earned) after all 100 runs allowed in 2007 were earned.  In his career, 97.5% of Matsuzaka’s runs allowed have been earned.  Only Curt Schilling (98.3%) has a higher percentage among Red Sox pitchers than Dice-K (min. 100 career runs allowed):

98.3% - Curt Schilling
97.5% - Daisuke Matsuzaka
97.4% - Jon Lester
96.0% - Josh Beckett

That says something about the quality of the Red Sox recent defense, no?

* - Over the last two seasons, Matsuzaka has 14 wins in starts where he has allowed 10+ baserunners, the most in the majors in that span:

14 – Daisuke Matsuzaka, BOS
11 – Brandon Webb, ARI
11 – CC Sabathia, CLE/MIL
10 – Cliff Lee, CLE

Hopefully, the Red Sox Review series is helping you get ready for opening day, just 24 days away!  Thoughts or suggestions?  Shoot me an email (gmarbry@weei.com) or leave a comment.

Posted by Joe Haggerty

David Krejci and Phil Kessel both missed Wednesday’s practice with minor bumps and bruises, but will be in the lineup against the Ottawa Senators tonight at the TD Banknorth Garden. Kessel appeared to injure his left arm during Tuesday night’s game against the Columbus Blue Jackets while Krejci took a shot off the foot during the game as well. Stephane Yelle will miss his third straight game with an “upper body injury.”

“They should be good to go,” said Julien of Krejci and Kessel. “Stephane won’t go.

Rookie Byron Bitz will again center the fourth line with PJ Axelsson and Shawn Thornton, a spot that he manned during the majority of his collegiate career at Cornell University prior to signing with the Bruins. The 6-foot-5, 215-pounder certainly gives the Black and Gold a bit more of a size and strength package up the middle with smaller centers like Marc Savard, David Krejci and Patrice Bergeron holding up the other pivot positions.

“I think he’s done a pretty good job there,” said Julien of “Bitz Cat”. “He’s done a good job because he’s played (at center) most of his career, and he played there a lot when he was Providence last year as well. This was the first year where they utilized him more at a wing and we wanted to see him play that game as well.

“It’s not much of an adjustment when you’ve played (center) most of your career,” added Julien.

–Julien also said that he doesn’t feel that his Bruins club is that far off after watching a solid win over the Chicago Blackhawks and tight, competitive losses to highly motivated hockey clubs in New York and Columbus.

“Anybody who has watched us closely knows that the effort has been there the last three games,” said Julien.  “It takes timely goals and timely saves that you hope to get along the way. We’re working on those situations and creating them, and our goaltender is trying to make that extra save we need.

“It doesn’t mean because we’ve lot a game that we’re playing bad hockey,” added Julien. “I don’t know that we’ve lost a game 8-0 or 8-2 like some of the teams at the top of the standings have done this year, so we can’t be that bad.”

Posted by Mike Petraglia

As first reported by WEEI.com and FoxSports.com’s Jeff Goodman, Boston University has fired men’s basketball coach Dennis Wolff.

Wolff just completed his 15th season in which his team finished 17-13 (11-5 in the America East Conference). The Terriers were eliminated for its conference tournament in the quaterfinals, Saturday, losing to the University of Maryland-Baltimore County. Wolff finishes his career at BU with a 247-197 record.

The school issued the following statement on its website.

Dennis Wolff will not return next year as head coach of the Boston University men’s basketball team, Assistant Vice President and Director of Athletics Mike Lynch announced today.

“We greatly appreciate the contributions that Dennis has made during his 15 years at BU,” Lynch said. “To a man, his student-athletes competed hard on the court, earned their degrees in the classroom and represented BU well in the community. We wish Dennis nothing but the best in his future endeavors.

“This decision was not made quickly or easily,” Lynch added. “However, after a thorough analysis, I believe that a change in leadership is in the best interests of our men’s basketball program.”

The head coach since the 1994-95 season, Wolff posted an overall record of 247-197. The Terriers finished third in the America East Conference this year with a 17-13 record, ending their season in the quarterfinals of the conference tournament.

During Wolff’s tenure, BU advanced to two NCAA tournaments (1997, 2002) and made three NIT appearances (2003, 2004, 2005). The Terriers won two America East championships (1997, 2002) and captured the conference’s regular-season crown five times (1997, 1998, 2002, 2003, 2004). He coached more seasons and won more games than anyone in the program’s 100-season history.

A national search for the next head coach will begin immediately.