Author: @johnmprincipe

What Mike Napoli Meant To Boston

What Mike Napoli Meant To Boston

Posted by | Dec 10, 2018 | ,

His journey through Boston didn’t need to be a long one.  Mike Napoli had left his mark on the city.  The slugger announced his retirement this past weekend, and for many fans of the 2013 championship team, it called for a chance to reminisce. He only spent a little over two seasons with the team, but he was a very impactful, lovable character.  He’ll mainly be remembered for his bushy beard and clutch heroics throughout the 2013 season.   But most importantly, for helping bring a championship to a city that truly needed it, after their darkest time. How The Era...

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Paul Goldschmidt – Future Red Sox player?

Paul Goldschmidt – Future Red Sox player?

Posted by | Dec 4, 2018 | ,

The winter is in full swing in the baseball world. We’ve seen blockbusters already happening. From James Paxton, to Jean Segura to Robinson Cano, big names have already been on the move everywhere. The Red Sox more than likely won’t make an acquisition of that proportion, but let’s dream for a bit shall we? Paul Goldschmidt is going to be huge splash, wherever he lands. He’s an MVP caliber player, who’s on a benchwarmers salary next season. Seeing as it would only be a one year rental for Goldschmidt, the Sox may shy away from wanting to move multiple...

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What Role Can Dustin Pedroia Still Play?

What Role Can Dustin Pedroia Still Play?

Posted by | Nov 26, 2018 | ,

He’s two years removed from playing a full season and clearly his knee has been an issue. However, Dustin Pedroia still has a lot of skills and traits that can still be useful to this team. He’s still locked up for a fair amount of time. He’s going to make roughly 40 million dollars over the final three years of his contract. Can he still produce at a level that merits having that contract on the books? That is yet to be determined, but first and foremost, Dustin has to get healthy. The now 35-year-old second baseman is fortunate...

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Could Joe Kelly be the next Red Sox Closer?

Could Joe Kelly be the next Red Sox Closer?

Posted by | Nov 17, 2018 | ,

“I still feel like that’s where I’m gonna be for the rest of my career.” Joe Kelly’s recent comments have made it clear how he feels about Boston. Are the Red Sox going to grant him his wish of being with the team the remainder of his career? With Eduardo Nunez and Steve Pearce both locking themselves in with Boston for 2019, the money is starting to go on the books. Craig Kimbrel returning is seeming more unlikely by the day. So, going forward, the champs are going to need someone to hold down the back end of the...

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The Mookie Betts Scenario

The Mookie Betts Scenario

Posted by | Nov 11, 2018 | ,

Almost two weeks have passed since the 2018 Boston Red Sox were finally crowned champions of the World. We now have to begin to look towards the future, both short term and long term. Short term, Mookie Betts isn’t going anywhere. His entry level contract runs through 2020, making him eligible to roam free following that season. At that time Betts will be looking ahead to his age 28 season. Which most see as or close to, the prime of one’s athletic ability. He already has two MVP caliber level seasons in the books. So now is the time...

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Which Sox Players are Going to Win Awards?

Which Sox Players are Going to Win Awards?

Posted by | Nov 4, 2018 | ,

The biggest trophy of them all was already captured by the 2018 Red Sox. However, there is still some hardware yet to be determined for members of our World Series team. From the major awards like MVP and Cy Young, to the position based awards like the Gold Glove and Silver Slugger, Boston has candidates. They have guys that should be locks to win awards, and they also have dark horses that could end up taking home some of these awards too. For a team that won 108 games, they were bound to have some of the best players...

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One Huge Move the Sox Have to Make

One Huge Move the Sox Have to Make

Posted by | Oct 31, 2018 | ,

Well, we did it. The team we all knew would eventually flourish as champions, did. With the rings from 2018 secured, it is time for us all to start looking ahead at the possibility of repeating. There won’t be a huge roster overhaul, but there are some key players likely departing. For general manager Dave Dombrowski and the Red Sox, they’ll have to pick and choose who they want to move forward with, and who they’re okay with losing. Big names like Craig Kimbrel, Joe Kelly, Ian Kinsler and Steve Pearce all face pending free agency. There is a...

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Alex Cora’s Secret Weapon: Nathan Eovaldi

Alex Cora’s Secret Weapon: Nathan Eovaldi

Posted by | Oct 26, 2018 | ,

Back on July 25th, Red Sox general manager Dave Dombrowski went out and bolstered his rotation depth. He traded for the hard throwing righty, Nathan Eovaldi. In the dog days of summer, I don’t think any of us imagined Eovaldi was the eighth inning guy in the World Series, but here we are. Eovaldi has been clinical all postseason long. It started against New York or Houston when Eovaldi was starting, but now that he’s shifted into a setup role, it has broadened the horizons for manager Alex Cora when deciding on a reliever. Coming into the playoffs, the...

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Three Keys to Winning the World Series

Three Keys to Winning the World Series

Posted by | Oct 22, 2018 | ,

The Sox are just four wins away, and we now know the final opponent is the Los Angeles Dodgers. Boston has played near perfect baseball throughout the postseason and are positioned to win the franchise’s ninth World Series championship. With the Dodgers returning to the Fall Classic for the second straight year, they are no easy foe. Many small factors can provide a big swing in this series, and there is a few the Sox ought to hope go their way to help capture another World Series. The Bullpen: So far in October, the bullpen has been tremendous. Most...

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Why David Price Has Earned Another Start

Why David Price Has Earned Another Start

Posted by | Oct 15, 2018 | ,

Much has been made over the years, into this postseason, about David Price. It goes without saying that he hasn’t been Sandy Koufax or Madison Bumgarner in the playoffs. However, there were many elements of Sunday night’s start that provide us with signs that Price has turned a corner. For the first time in his career, his team won a game that he started. It goes deeper than that, from pitching out of jams to limiting damage. Game Two: Last night, David Price wasn’t perfect, but he was good enough. The walks were a little concerning, but the overall...

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Mookie Betts: The Five Tool MVP

Mookie Betts: The Five Tool MVP

Posted by | Sep 27, 2018 | ,

Throughout the history of baseball, only a select handful of men have ever been regarded as a five-tool player. Even fewer were able to provide sustained success. The original example is the Say Hey Kid, Willie Mays, and then we go to legends like Barry Bonds, Ken Griffey Jr. and Alex Rodriguez, along with the new kids on the block like Mike Trout and Bryce Harper. So we turn to this year and the culmination of what has been building for a while for Mookie Betts. We take a brief look at each of his five tools, and how...

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The Bullpen is Going to be Just Fine

Posted by | Sep 19, 2018 | ,

A lot has been made recently of the apparent “bullpen issues” for the first place Boston Red Sox. I’m here to calm everyone’s worries and remind you that this team is on a historic pace for a reason. Yeah, maybe the bullpen has faltered at times. Yeah, there definitely are some pitchers that you don’t want to see come running to the mound in October. However, with all that said, this bullpen has many valuable members. Many of whom have played a significant role in the double-digit division lead. The Back End Let’s start with the anchor at the back, Craig Kimbrel. While it may not be his most dominant season, he is still an elite closer. That is a huge asset to have in the bullpen come postseason time. He’s one of the most overpowering relievers in the league, and his strikeout numbers prove that. He’s easily handled all of his saves in September and has posted a 1.29 ERA over his last 7 appearances. The strength of this team has been the offense, and with the team being up a significant amount of runs, Kimbrel has been able to stay nice and rested. He’ll be fresh in the playoffs. The Set Up To the eighth inning we head, and Alex Cora has multiple studs out in the bullpen that can bridge the game to Kimbrel. A healthy...

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