Author Archives: @eljgon

Pomeranz, Sale, and the Gang

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The 2018 season is underway and we have some players to praise, some to keep a watchful eye on, and some to still anticipate their spring debuts. Also, Drew Pomeranz has his injury diagnosed via MRI, and discussions about Chris Sale’s refurbished workout program to induce longevity.

The first ten games of the 2018 spring training had some expected and unexpected results for the Red Sox. MVPs of spring training so far include Blake Swihart (21 AB, .429/.500/.810, 3 SO and 8 RBIs), Rusney Castillo who continues to put up attractive numbers from Pawtucket and Caguas (18 AB, .333/.400/.556, 3 SO and 4 RBIs) and Marcus Walden (5.0 IP, .143 against, 0.8 WHIP and 0.00 ERA). Players who haven’t been impressing as of yet include Mookie Betts (14 AB, .000, 5 SO, .176 OBP), Hector Velazquez (4.1 IP, 6.23 ERA, 2 SO, .316 against) and Deven Marrero (17 AB, .176, 8 SO, .263 OBP).

Mookie Betts is starting to gain my attention, since he is known to rarely strikeout (11.5 K% since 2015). He is on pace to have the highest amount of strikeouts of his Spring Training career. This could be an indication of offensive players taking some time to warm up. It will be extremely shocking to see his Spring Training woes continue into the regular season. Also, Blake Swihart is really soaking in the spotlight and making Alex Cora’s job a whole lot harder by seeming to be his best choice at opening day catcher. His hitting has been outstanding as well as his plate discipline. He can make a serious case to be one of the two catchers when the regular season arrives.

Drew Pomeranz Update

Pomeranz left his first Spring Training start against the Cardinals on Friday, March 2nd, due to forearm tightness. He received an MRI on Saturday afternoon and was diagnosed with a mild flexor strain of the forearm. Alex Cora told the press that there is no structural damage. However, Pomeranz will be shut down and re-evaluated on Tuesday. This makes the gap in the rotation much wider, as there are now two spots that need to be questioned. As I mentioned before, the Red Sox shouldn’t be looking at an outside source for a starting pitcher. That scenario may change now, depending on how this Pomeranz injury pans out.

What to Do If Things Get Serious

Not to be redundant, but the best free agent options for starting pitcher remain: Jake Arrieta, Alex Cobb and Lance Lynn. At this point, players who don’t have a job yet should be willing to take a one year deal and then try again next season.

The Red Sox seem to be in a position to offer at least Lynn or Cobb a one year contract. Mind you, there are two holes in the regular season rotation. That’s banking on the hope that Price, Sale and Porcello will be healthy all year long. On top of all this, offering a one year contract to a starting pitcher presumably won’t put the ball club into the next luxury tax tier. If one more pitcher goes down, this rotation could fall apart quickly. Dave Dombrowski will likely strike while the iron is hot and there are still some options available.

Meanwhile, in Chris Sale Land

For those who don’t know, Chris Sale has been working with Alex Cora and pitching coach Dana LeVangie in regards to developing a workout regimen that won’t tire the 2017 Cy Young runner up too early. Longevity is Sale’s main goal this season and as it should be. He is known to be a stellar first half pitcher with down to earth numbers in the second half.

“We’ve all got together and talked about coming up with a formula for longevity and building up. I think last year, I came into spring training kind of too amped up, too ready to go and I think we’re kind of looking for more of a gradual buildup.” – Chris Sale

Sale was involved in a variation of a simulated game at a back field behind JetBlue Park, in which he threw 52 pitches. Each inning had a mandated amount of pitches. He pitched 15 for the first, then 12, 12 and 13 for the subsequent innings. Of his 52 pitches, 35 were strikes and he induced five strikeouts (four of which were swinging). This could be the answer to Sale’s season long endurance issue. Everyone is itching to find out how this regimen pans out.

Find me on Twitter @ELJGON

Featured Photo Credit: Official Red Sox MLB Page.

Bidding Adieu to Yawkey Way

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Wave goodbye to the past; moving on to…the past? Red Sox file a petition to the City of Boston to change Yawkey Way’s name back to Jersey Street.

We all know the reputation that Boston holds when it comes to the topic of racism. Unfortunate, because being of Cuban decent I love Boston. I would live there for the rest of my life if I could. The people of Boston have been about as open armed and welcoming every single time I have gone. To call the City of Boston racist as a whole is the incorrect take. The fact is, racism still exists everywhere in this country, and it is something that needs to be acknowledged. With the most recent story that came to surface in 2017, when Adam Jones was subjected to racial slurs while manning center field. To reiterate, baseball is an all-encompassing, multi cultural sport, and a celebration of many cultures coming together to play the greatest game ever.

How Does Yawkey Fit into This?

So where does Yawkey Way, or more specifically Tom Yawkey, come into play here? Well a background check on Tom Yawkey will reveal that his reputation is extensively shrouded in controversy and discrimination. Coined by Jackie Robinson (who got turned down by the Red Sox after a tryout in 1945) as “one of the most bigoted guys in baseball”.

The Red Sox at the helm of Yawkey were the last Major League team to integrate, when they promoted their first African-American player by the name of Pumpsie Green. Granted, at one point all teams were non-integrated and this was considered “the norm”. However, the fact that Yawkey deliberated for so long to include African-Americans into his Major League team says a lot. Thus, naming a street after himself in 1977 truly coincides with Robinson’s view on the former owner. He was a discriminate, egotistic, selfish person. He should be used as an example of how not to treat others in everyday life, let alone the sports world.

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Photo Credit: Getty Images (2013)

The Red Sox have petitioned to change the name back to Jersey Street, which is what the famous street was called before Yawkey Way. To be honest, I’m not so sure of this move. Not changing it from Yawkey Way, but changing it back to a street name that was there since John I. Taylor bought the grounds in 1911 is not much of an improvement. In other words, the name Jersey Street was around for 66 years, and at least 54 of those years were during America’s segregation period. In a way, it also represents discrimination in a way that the name Yawkey Way has.

Possible Replacement Names

I have thought about this for a while and have come across great replacements for the street name. But I (as well as Jared Carrabis of Barstool Sports) cannot think of a better way to honor the Red Sox and Fenway Park than to name the street after Ted Williams, who took a break during the prime of his baseball career to serve in WWII and the Korean War. Williams, a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, is the best player the club has seen in its 110 year history. He’s a true legend of the game. Looking at the bigger picture rather than the game of baseball, he fought for our country, our freedom and our honor. In short, to have a tunnel named after him simply isn’t enough. It is something that should have been done decades ago rather than now.

This is not the be-all and end-all decision that will wipe racism from this country forever. However, it is definitely a step in the right direction. Could these fixes be improved further? Absolutely. But that’s the thing- it is important to keep the fight against racism continual and on-going. Also I admit, this move seems like something that the Red Sox were forced to do after the Adam Jones incident occurred. I guess late is better than never. As the famous Martin Luther King Jr. once said “The time is always right to do what is right”. And this is something that should be engraved into, not only Bostonians, but to everyone around the world.

Featured Photo Credit: Boston Magazine (2012)

The Battle for the Fifth Rotation Spot

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With Steven Wright (Knee) and Eduardo Rodriguez (Knee) doubtful for Opening Day, the options for the last spot of the rotation is an internal option. 

On Sunday, Dave Dombrowski hinted to the notion that Steven Wright would not be ready for Opening Day 2018. He is also confident in what the Red Sox have internally with Roenis Elias, Brian Johnson and Hector Velazquez. Dombrowski was quoted by the Boston Herald as saying “If (Wright) is not ready, no, we feel comfortable with our internal options.”

This is the right move from the acquisition trigger-happy Dombrowski. There are viable options available to fill in that last spot of the rotation in free agency (Arrieta, Lynn, Cobb etc.). However, having a competition for the final spot is the best thing possible for the club. Acquiring another pitcher in free agency will likely bump the club into the next tier of the luxury tax threshold. This would increase their tax to 62.5%, as well as have their first round draft pick moved back ten spots. Elias, Johnson and Velazquez have what it takes to fill that void.

The Front Runner

As of now, contractually, Brian Johnson seems to be the front runner to snag the last rotation spot. He will be designated for assignment if he is left off of the Opening Day rotation. Elias and Velazquez both have options to start the season in Triple A.

In 2017 Boston caught lightening in a bottle when Johnson pitched a shutout on May 27 against the Seattle Mariners. However, his other four starts were nothing special as he gave up 3+ runs to the Phillies, Blue Jays (twice) and Tigers. If they do well in Spring Training Cora might take Elias or Velazquez. It will be early enough in the season where this decision isn’t pivotal as Rodriguez and Wright are already close to pitching off a mound. Comparing the three pitchers over the spans of their respective and young Major League careers, we find some similar results.

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All three pitchers have similar SO9, BB9 and SO/W numbers, as well as WHIP figures that aren’t so great. Elias clearly is the most seasoned member of the three, with 287 Major League innings pitched compared to 31 from Johnson and 24 from Velazquez. If Cora picks Elias, we will probably know what we are going to get from him. He is a below average starter that does not strikeout a whole lot of batters. Elias and Velazquez, however, still have yet to show us who they really are. The sample size of the amount of innings they’ve pitched in the majors doesn’t give an accurate representation of the kind of player they are or can be, but it’s a start. The point is that the Sox just need a decent starter until either Wright or Rodriguez is fully ready.

What to Expect from Eduardo Rodriguez and Steven Wright

In 2017 Eduardo Rodriguez posted a 4.19 ERA with a 1.2 WHIP in 24 starts, which is far more superior to Steven Wright’s 8.25 ERA and 1.8 WHIP in only five starts. Rodriguez will be the front runner for the last spot in the rotation once both players are healthy. He has a lot of potential being only 24 years old, and has a higher ceiling for success than Wright.

Granted, Rodriguez will be on a short leash. Although Wright doesn’t have the most appealing numbers in the world, he has also shown instances of brilliance with his Phil Niekro-like knuckleball. Wright brings a lot of variety to the table with the potential for maximum longevity and a unique arsenal of pitches that batters don’t tend to see in today’s game. This Red Sox rotation has a lot of potential to be the best rotation in the Majors, but they have to bring their A game this season.

 

Don’t Expect a Typical Lineup for the Red Sox

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The Red Sox Might Change Things Up

J.D. Martinez is a Red Sox and everyone that has been following this team is aware of it. Granted, he hasn’t been officially introduced yet, but Sox Nation shouldn’t be worried. Martinez was seen on Wednesday the 21st reporting to camp in Fort Myers. So now that Dave Dombrowski has finished his 2017/2018 offseason campaign, it’s time to take a peek into what we are in store for once the season gets rolling.

It seems Alex Cora is going to take a less analytical approach when constructing his lineup, as opposed to a lineup that favors a lefty or righty starting pitcher. Cora was quoted as saying “if you can hit, you can hit.” When asked about how he will construct the lineup, he gave a very uncomplicated answer.

“You put the best lineup out there. I hate reiterating last year because I want to turn the page, but you saw what happened at the end. We had five righties. And it didn’t matter.”

Given, nobody really knows if that success will translate over to the Red Sox lineup. However, if it has worked before, maybe Cora can replicate those winning ways by building the lineup that will hit and get on base regardless of who is on the mound.

Batting Order

A probable lineup for opening day could look something like this:

  1. Mookie Betts
  2. Andrew Benintendi
  3. Hanley Ramirez
  4. J.D. Martinez
  5. Xander Bogaerts
  6. Rafael Devers
  7. Eduardo Nunez
  8. Jackie Bradley Jr.
  9. Christian Vazquez

Eagle eye viewers of this article will notice something strange. Hanley is hitting in the third spot of the lineup. Alex Cora has confirmed this move and believes that the former slugging shortstop can be a flash in the pan that this team has been missing since David Ortiz retired. In 2016 when he batted fifth behind Ortiz, he produced a .290/.363/.506 slash line. In 2017 when he batted in the same slot, he scraped up a very bland looking .264/.344/.429 slash line. Thus, Ramirez seems to produce better numbers when there is a power bat in the same lineup.

If Hanley does not get to a flying start when the season begins, don’t think that Cora will hesitate to move Hanley from 3 to 5 before totally giving up on him. Hanley will need to begin the season like his hair is on fire. Otherwise his playing time could be about as minimal as it has ever been.

Other notes on this lineup include the speed towards the tail end of the lineup (Nunez batting 7th, JBJ batting 8th). This gives the lineup a unique element since speedy baserunners tend to usually bat first (however we are seeing the birth of a reborn leadoff stigma. See: Charlie Blackmon, Anthony Rizzo, Kyle Schwarber, George Springer among others). The lineup this way is front heavy but not necessarily lacking talent at the end. All in all, it is a very well balanced lineup for many reasons and could possibly stay similar for the entire season. For that to happen though, the players need to show the baseball world what they are really capable of putting together as the young, talented, athletic bunch they are.

 

Featured Image Credit: Boston Herald (2018)