BSJ Daily Briefing 06.20.18: Why do the Red Sox hate Chris Sale? Plus, Brady's retirement game

Good morning!

A few random thoughts while I brush up on my Spanish in anticipation of Tom Brady's next Instagram comment ...

• Red Sox' record in starts by Eduardo Rodriguez: 12-1. Chris Sale? 8-8 after last night's terrible 6-2 loss to the Twins.


• Sale was near his filthiest in Minneapolis — he had a perfect game into the fifth inning, struck out 11 and allowed just two runs — yet the light-hitting Red Sox left 11 runners on base and were 2 for 13 with RISP.


• And yet Jackie Bradley Jr., who butchered the game-winning hit, is still in the lineup batting .182.


• At least Sale is being nice about it: “I’m not going to hang my head about it. I know these guys want to win. I know they’re not doing anything different on my day. Maybe I’ll bring popsicles for the boys (next time).”


• But I don't know how the Sox hitters look Sale in the face. The ace has a 2.74 ERA, has struck out 140 in 102 innings, and his WHIP is 0.941. He's 6-4.


• Not exactly Alex Cora's finest game last night. Robby Scott had no business being in that game at that point.


• Sale has a good head on his shoulders so I'm not worried about this, but sometimes when the offense isn't producing in a pitcher's starts, he can start to press and try to be too fine. I just think Sale will get even better, but it'd be nice to get him a few runs once in a while.


• So Tom Brady apparently commented on an ESPN Instagram post Sunday by writing "Cuarenta y cinco."


• The longer this goes on without a definitive resolution, the more I think Brady's just using his leverage to try to get exactly what he wants (whatever that might be, likely Alex Guerrero back into the fold).


• For all Brady's posturing on when he's going to retire — from his final Tom vs. Time comments, to "sooner rather than later" with the Big O — keep this in mind: Brady has a book/lifestyle/treatment clinics to sell. You can't release a book, talk about how you have all the answers/feel better now than ever before, go on with Oprah (which was definitely all about selling books to her legions of self-help-seeking followers) and then retire after this season. No way. He'd be a huge fraud.


• If you're trying to position yourself for a post-playing career where you're preaching your TB12 gospel, you don't retire at age 41, 42, or 43. Much more ordinary quarterbacks like Brett Favre (41), Doug Flutie (43), Warren Moon (44) and Steve DeBerg (44) did that. That's nothing. Might as well buy DeBerg's book, or see his trainer.


• No, Brady needs to play until 45 at a high level to truly be the revolutionary player in retirement he obviously intends to be — or die trying.


• So, no, I'm not worried about Brady retiring anytime soon.