Jason McCourty: Just What the New England Patriots Needed

So far, free agency has been a complete and utter frenzy for the New England Patriots. After losing Super Bowl LI, everyone in Patriots Nation wanted New England to get a big name cornerback. When that fell didn’t happen, hot takes were everywhere. Belichick was asleep at the wheel, and the 2018 Patriots defense was already a failure. However, the Patriots acquired longtime cornerback Jason McCourty from the Cleveland Browns, and he is just what the Patriots need.

Jason McCourty is Just What the New England Patriots Need

What the Patriots Need

With the departure of Malcolm Butler, there was no denying the Patriots needed to look into acquiring a cornerback to start opposite Stephon Gilmore. However, that need was a little overblown among Patriots fans due to how ugly the Super Bowl was. Yes, Eric Rowe struggled against Philadelphia Eagles receiver Alshon Jeffery, but once he switched off him he had a really good game.

The front seven and poor coaching decisions were the main reasons the defense played so poorly, so signing a top-tier cornerback wasn’t a necessity. If New England could get players to fix their front seven, then a typical number two cornerback would easily suffice in the secondary.

What Jason McCourty Brings

He’s not a superstar along the lines of Aqib Talib or Richard Sherman, but McCourty is still a quality starting NFL cornerback. Initially selected as a sixth-round pick in the 2009 NFL draft, McCourty has carved out a nine-year NFL career as a defensive back.

While the Cleveland Browns were terrible in 2017, McCourty was not. He had moments where he looked like a true number one cornerback, and finished the year as the 27^th ranked cornerback in the league, per Pro Football Focus. By comparison, Malcolm Butler finished the year ranked 51^st among cornerback. If McCourty can have a similar 2018, the Patriots should have one of the better cornerback duos in football.

Additionally, McCourty’s style of play is a perfect fit for the New England Patriots. McCourty is at his best when he’s playing press coverage, which perfectly aligns with what Gilmore excels at. When Gilmore and McCourty, the Patriots can run tough, physical man coverages and don’t have to worry about the corners getting beat off the line.

Lastly, McCourty does the little things well. Just like his twin brother and teammate, Devin McCourty, Jason McCourty is a great tackler. He’s not afraid to play the run, lower his shoulder and do the dirty work. Some cornerbacks shy away from making tackles, but McCourty is not one of them. Nobody values fundamentals more than Bill Belichick, which just gives McCourty more value on the Patriots.

Money Talks

While it would have been great to see Sherman, Talib, or Trumaine Johnson in a Patriots uniform, it would have taken a lot of money to make that happen. Per @patscap, The Patriots currently only have a bit over $21 million in cap space. Signing any one of those players would have taken up a sizable portion of that cap space.

Instead, the Patriots got the significantly cheaper option of Jason McCourty. McCourty only has a $3.6 million dollar cap hit in 2018. This minimal hit on the salary cap means that the Patriots got a good player without sacrificing roster depth.

Additionally, it cost nothing to get McCourty. The Patriots swapped their late sixth-round pick for the Browns early seventh. That small drop in draft positioning makes it such that the Patriots got McCourty essentially for free.

Had they signed a free agent, this would not be the case. Currently, New England will probably receive two third round compensation picks and an additional sixth rounder for the departures of Solder, Butler, and Lewis. If the Patriots had signed a free agent cornerback, that would affect their compensatory pick formula.

Obviously, there’s no way to know how much a free agent cornerback would have affected New England’s compensation picks, but now there’s no need to worry about that. Free agent signings are the only factors that play into the compensation formula. Since McCourty was acquired via trade, he has no effect on how the compensation picks are determined.

Cover image courtesy of NBC Sports.

Hobey Baker Award Finalists

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March is here, therefore it is time to announce the ten finalists for the Hobey Baker Award, given to the best player in College Hockey. Before I list the ten finalists, I think it is important to clarify what it means to be the best player in all of college hockey, and how Hobey Baker’s legacy stands today.

Hobey Baker

Today, Hobey Baker, is synonymous with the award sharing his name. However, not many fans know much about him. It is easy to just assume Hobey Baker’s skill at the game is why the award is named after him. It is basically an “MVP Award” for college hockey. In many ways that is true. However, Hobey Baker is also one of the most tremendous athletes in American history. Hobey Baker is one of the United States’ first great hockey players. Playing at the legendary St. Paul’s School in Concord New Hampshire, Baker represented the team with poise and class. Hobey Baker’s game was speed, endurance, and stickhandling. These traits led him to Princeton.

Baker’s fame on campus matches was that of Jack Eichel at Boston University. Throughout all this, Hobey Baker never let the fame go to his head. Not to mention being named the, “King of Hockey.” He stayed true to himself as a humble gentlemen. His fame and gentlemanly persona made him a target by opposing teams. Many players, Wayne Gretzky especially, faced similar obstacles. Nonetheless, Hobey Baker always went to opposing locker rooms to shake hands with other players.

Finalists

There is not much controversy regarding this season’s Hobey Baker Award Finalists. In alphabetical order the finalists are, Henrik Borgström (Denver), Ryan Donato (Harvard), Matthew Galajda (Cornell), Adam Gaudette (Northeastern), Dylan McLaughlin (Canisius), Cale Morris (Notre Dame), Colton Point (Colgate), Jimmy Schuldt (St. Cloud State), Dylan Sikura (Northeastern) and CJ Suess (Minnesota State).

The way the voting process takes place is the 60 head coaches of Division 1 teams vote, as well as online voting. This is the beginning of the voting process. Now, the member selection committee and more online voting ends the process. The winner is announced during the Frozen Four, on April 6^th. Last season, the honor went to Will Butcher of Denver, currently part of the New Jersey Devils organization.

It is hard to pick a winner of such a prestigious award. Most Hobey Baker Award winners go on to great success. Not just in the NHL, but throughout the entire hockey world. These winners also go on to great financial success, just look at Johnny Gaudreau. In my mind, I believe this award should belong to Adam Gaudette. Although Dylan Sikura contributes exceptionally to the Huskies success this season. Gaudette is the face of the team. A new Beanpot legend, if Gaudette adds the Hobey Baker Award to his trophy shelf his future knows no bounds. Even if he does not win the prestigious Hobey Baker Award, his future is bright. But this could mean so much for his career with the Canucks.

Follow Matt McGurn on Twitter: @MickGurn

Cover Image courtesy of WCHA.com.

The Ruination of Baseball: Pace of Play

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On Wednesday March 14th 2018, Minor League Baseball announced changes made to the rules in regards to “speeding up the game”. These changes include mound visits, a 15-20 second pitch clock, and most importantly: beginning every half inning with a man on second base in extra innings. These changes naturally do not settle well with avid baseball fans, let alone baseball purists. To change the sport to fit the needs of an audience that it was never meant to target in the first place is unethical and quite simply not the right move.

Patience is Key

Baseball has always been the sport for the patient man. To outsiders, it is a sport like any other. The team that achieves the most runs (I hate the word “points” when talking about baseball) will win. Basically view it as a shootout. Although, when it comes to baseball, patience has a lot to do with how a team accumulates runs.

Think about it like a chess match; there are intricate strategies, statistics that could change the way a pitcher operates uniquely for each batter, signs for plays, warm ups between each half inning, among others. It is a sport for someone who realizes something new could happen in any game. Now I understand times and people change and some things should be tweaked for the sake of not having a rule from 1839 in 2018, but it has gone too far.

The Good

Just to clarify, I like the limitation of mound visits in all levels of the game. In Triple-A each team gets six visits, Double-A is eight, Single-A is ten, and unlimited for short season and rookie league. I can’t help but chuckle when I see Gary Sanchez go out to Masahiro Tanaka during a game. What could they be saying? Does Gary speak Japanese and nobody but those two know it? On a serious note, there doesn’t have to be a mound visit from a catcher between every single pitch. They may last 20-30 seconds, but they could add up quickly and disrupt the natural flow of the game if abused. Limiting mound visits is good.

The Bad and the Ugly

Let’s now discuss the bad. The MILB also dropped a bombshell on fans when they announced extra innings will begin with a runner on second base. Whoever is poised to leadoff the inning will have the previous batter be the second base runner. Basically it works like this: It’s the top of the 10th and your number seven batter is up to bat. The number 6 batter will be the extra inning runner. That extra inning runner is deemed to be a runner that has reached base by way of a fielding error. However, an error wont be charged to the opposing team or an opposing player. Which means they will not count as an RBI as per rule 9.04 (b,2). Also, it will not affect the opposing pitcher’s ERA as per rule 9.16 (b,3).

Think about this though: a 9 inning game could, in theory, last infinitely in regards to time. There have been 9 inning games that have reached four hours. So I am baffled as to how randomly adding a base runner in extra innings improves pace of play. Even still, both teams would be deadlocked once extra innings begin, but they are both still competing evenly. Extra innings could resume if both extra inning runners score resulting in a continued game.

Being on Base Is Earned

In my eyes, this is the first time base runners will consistently reach base and not earn it. Players earn the right to reach base by hitting, walking, hustling to first on a called third strike in the dirt, etc. The point is that it is almost always earned.

This also would disrupt the strategies of many managers. For instance, say you have your number one hitter due up in extra innings, and your pitcher is due to be the extra inning runner. Being that, I have been witness to one of the pitchers on my team injure himself when he was used as a pinch runner. Thus negatively effecting his season (Stephen Wright), this is not ideal. Sure, you could use a pinch runner but then that pinch runner will be gone unless he scores. Thus possibly making managers expend their bench players at a faster rate.

I get it, baseball is really trying to make the game more interesting for those who can’t sit still for more than two hours at a time. But maybe that innocence should be preserved for someone like me, who appreciates every moment of baseball possible. This rule should never even be considered to reach the Major League level and fans of the game should fight for it’s best interest. The game hasn’t lasted this long for no reason, after all.

@ELJGON

Featured Photo: Jeff Curry – USA Today Sports

Division Predictions: NL Central

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The National League Central should be interesting this season. From the huge additions in Yelich and Cain by the “Brew Crew”, the signing of Marcell Ozuna in St. Louis, and to a very talented Cubs team. They will draw some attention this season as it looks the division just got more competitive.

St. Louis Cardinals

The Cardinals definitely upgraded with the acquisition of Marcell Ozuna in the trade with Miami. Ozuna adds power to a lineup which includes the likes of Matt Carpenter and Dexter Fowler. Martinez is the anchor of the rotation, which includes Michael Wacha and Adam Wainwright. The Cardinals added a huge piece in Ozuna and could turn a lot of heads this season.

Pittsburgh Pirates

The losses of Andrew McCutchen and ace Gerrit Cole definitely have taken a toll on the Pirates. The loss of the two stars puts a damper on their hopes of succeeding within the division this season. Josh Harrison is leading a lineup that has certainly lost a lot of spunk with the loss of McCutchen. However, Starling Marte and Gregory Polanco may provide a little help for Harrison in the long run. Jameson Tailon and Ivan Nova will look to take the heap of the load in regards to the pitching staff with the loss of Gerrit Cole.

Cincinnati Reds

The only name to focus on in regards to the Reds is Joey Votto. Votto, coming just two points shy of the NL MVP last season, is looking to have another how you say a very “Joey Votto” type of year. Last season, he slugged 36 homers and 100 RBI’s while compiling an average of .320. He’s definitely capable of topping off numbers like that this season as he possibly may have a shot at another MVP in the future before he finally calls it quits. They also have Billy Hamilton and I heard that he’s the fastest guy in the league or something.

Milwaukee Brewers

Watch out for the Brew Crew this season. Milwaukee added two HUGE additions in Christian Yelich and Lorenzo Cain. This will definitely provide a large impact in the lineup which includes Eric Thames (31 Home runs in 2017) and “The Mayor of Ding Dong City” himself Travis Shaw. The Brewers lineup looks scary this season which is going to be very exciting to watch. All they need is the right pieces in the pitching staff and you have a club that could go deep into the postseason.

Chicago Cubs

Straight up, they’re going to win the division this year. It’s almost no contest if you don’t take the Brewers lineup in account. The addition of Yu Darvish is simply a luxury as it only makes them even better than they already were. Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo return as the big threats of a very talented lineup. Which is also compiled of Javier Baez, Kyle Schwarber, Addison Russell, Wilson Contreras, and Jason Heyward. Ben Zobrist and Albert Almora Jr. (who is entering his third season after hitting .298 last campaign), look to provide their talents in a big way per usual. With a rotation of Jon Lester, Kyle Hendricks, newly acquired Yu Darvish, José Quintana, and Tyler Chatwood there is no doubt at all the Cubs take the division again this season.

Final Standings

Chicago Cubs

Milwaukee Brewers

St. Louis Cardinals

Pittsburgh Pirates

Cincinnati Reds

The Red Sox Are in Win Now Mode

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With free agents and extensions not being a huge priority by Dombrowski and company, this roster has officially entered win now mode. But can they win?

Guys like Chris Sale, Craig Kimbrel, Mookie Betts, and Xander Bogaerts are the core of this Red Sox lineup. One has to ask- will they all remain on the roster? With only a handful of years and options combined, who’s getting paid, and who’s getting the boot? With a depleted farm system, and only so much cash to go around, the time to win a championship is now.

They have one of the best lineups and rotation around. With a talented manager and coaching staff to back it all up. The best part, we finally have a manager who can deal with David Price! With other powerhouses such as the Astros, Indians, and Yankees all fighting to play in October, this postseason will prove to be a heavyweight bout.

The Roster Is Here to Play

Having dominant pitching can help any team win at Fenway, the smallest ballpark in the league. Porcello and Price need a bounce back season. The continued success of Sale and Pomeranz can set the tone of the bullpen. After being bounced out of the first round the last two seasons, the motivation, drive, and identity of the team has significantly changed.

It took two months of waiting for J.D Martinez to officially sign with the club. His boast of confidence was felt through not only Red Sox Nation, but throughout the entire spring training clubhouse. As he wants to win multiple titles with the organization.

As long as their infield defense, pitching, and especially offensive power comes to play this season, there are no doubts that they can bring it to the postseason. With 162 games still to go, there are a lot of pieces still involved before postseason talks are even considered. With that being said, all we can do as fans is observe, and hope that this is the year.

Malcolm Butler Got His Wish

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Malcolm Butler Is on to the Titans

Jan 21, 2018; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots cornerback Malcolm Butler (21) celebrates against the Jacksonville Jaguars during the AFC Championship at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY SportsThe Super Bowl hero three years ago finally got his wish last night and got paid. Malcolm Butler is headed to the Tennessee Titans on a five year $61 million dollar contract. The controversy surrounding why he didn’t play in the Super Bowl is obvious. Belichick thought he could win without him. The Patriots have some questionable things going on this season, and Butler not playing has been the final straw.

Money Wasn’t an Issue

Via USA Today

The Patriots made an offer to Butler last season for 6 years and $66 million, according to Field Yates. Also that would be about $25.5 million guaranteed. Altogether, it was five seasons added to the free agent tender he singed last year for $3.9 million. According to 247 Sports, Butler would’ve made $62 million from 2018-2022. That is more than the Titans contact. One thing is for certain- money wasn’t the reason why he left. He, like the rest of the Patriots, are sick of the dictatorship at One Patriot Place. They would rather have fun and be on a losing team and make millions. I say go ahead. If you don’t like to win Super Bowls, then the Patriots aren’t for you.

Butler Now Gets Paid

FOXBORO, MA – OCTOBER 22: Malcolm Butler #21 of the New England Patriots breaks up a pass inteded for Julio Jones #11 of the Atlanta Falcons during the fourth quarter of a game at Gillette Stadium on October 22, 2017 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

Butler was mad that the Patriots gave that huge contract to Stephon Gilmore, who had a down year this season. Belichick thought Butler didn’t have a good week of practice leading up to the Super Bowl. He did what he thought was best; to bench Butler for the entire game. Honestly, not putting him in for one play says a lot. As long as you have Brady he’ll make the plays to win the game. However, it didn’t work in this Super Bowl against the Eagles. For Malcolm Butler, he can be free and be himself. He doesn’t have to worry about sitting the bench and crying on the sidelines.

Pace of Play in Major League Baseball

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MiLB is now a testing ground for everything baseball related. This ranges from players to umpires. Not to mention, future big-league executives. In recent seasons Minor League Baseball has become test subjects for rules that the major leagues might employ in the future. Pace of Play is a big debate in baseball. The addition of a pitch clock in MiLB and Spring Training games is the root of the changes so far. It is yet to appear in the Big Leagues due to player backlash. Today, Commissioner Rob Manfred announced some new rules that will be in effect this upcoming season.

Manfred announced the following rules: placing a runner on second base to begin extra innings, limit of six mound visits, and a clock for between innings and pitching changes. The last rule was also in effect last season. These rules stir the pot between players, fans, and front office executives. Many “pure” baseball fans hate seeing our game changed. Many of the players hate rules limiting their “rituals” and processes they go through. David Ortiz’s comments on rule changes a couple of seasons ago reiterate this.

Many high up executives and some “fans” think games are too long. Michael Felger wants every possible second saved when watching a game.

Why the Change?

If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. While many news outlets and baseball haters argue that Major League Baseball is struggling to make money, this is just not true. Major League Baseball is a $9.5 Billion Industry. Nearly three times what the National Hockey League is at $3.7 Billion. Yet so many, like Commissioner Manfred, find the need for change. While games are certainly long, why is this such a terrible thing? If a family is going to a 1:05 Red Sox afternoon game, they plan a day out of it. They plan on the game ending sometime around 4:30.

Yet so many team executives find the need for drastic change to America’s Pastime. So many ideas are flying around the Major League Baseball offices looking to shave every conceivable second off game time. Bullpen carts, pitch clocks, limiting mound visits, not being allowed to leave the batter’s box are all considered “time savers”. But how much time do they save? What, 10-15 minutes off the game? Thank goodness, I really need those 15 minutes off the game or else it is just unwatchable. Why ruin a beloved sport for the sake of 15 minutes? It just does not make any sense.

New Rule

The rule of adding a runner to second base at the start of extra innings is unbelievably stupid. How can you lose a game because of a runner you did not put on base? How will this affect a pitcher’s earned run average? There are so many unanswered questions regarding this rule. The rule somewhat makes sense in the minor leagues where winning is not the most important thing rather the experience the players are getting. However, in Major League Baseball the rule should never be allowed. Extra innings are magical in baseball. Every swing, pitch, catch, play is amplified. Why ruin that? Yes, there are some games that go 19 innings, but is that really such an epidemic in baseball? That will, at most, happen twice a season. Many fans who stick it out are proud of such an accomplish meant.

With all these changes it seems that no game will ever come close to the 33 inning contest between the Pawtucket Red Sox and the Rochester Red Wings. Today, that game is celebrated as one of the biggest events in Baseball history, many fans who were there, wear it as a badge of honor. I wish I were one of the lucky few who went.

Follow Matt McGurn on Twitter: @MickGurn

Cover image courtesy of USA Today.

National League West Division Predictions

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National League West Predictions

With the season approaching, I think it’s time to start dishing out my division predictions for 2018. I’ll go through each division looking at their pros and cons with my final standings at the end. So here we are starting off with the National League West.

I have to be honest, I was surprised when Eric Hosmer decided to sign with the San Diego Padres. Leaving Kansas City, where he was idolized as their ideal franchise player, was honestly a bold move by Hosmer. He left Kansas City to become the new golden boy of the Padres. Sorry Wil Myers. Signing Hosmer for an eight year deal is not only a great addition for San Diego, but the NL West as a whole.

Los Angeles Dodgers

The Dodgers are heavily favored to once again win the division with basically everyone returning, with the exception of Darvish. They bring back a young ball club lead by the likes of Corey Seager, Yasiel Puig, and reigning ROY Cody Bellinger. Their rotation once again is led by Clayton Kershaw, who is expected to be dominant once again, while reigning NL Reliever of the Year Kenley Jansen takes the helm of the bullpen.

Arizona Diamondbacks

J.D. Martinez signing with Boston was not a huge hit for the Diamondbacks. Arizona is ready to compete for another postseason berth in 2018. The rotation of Zack Greinke, Robby Ray, Taijuan Walker, Patrick Corbin, and Zack Godley will be a key component toward the team’s overall success. Archie Bradley is currently looking to contend as the team’s closer role along with Brad Boxberger and Yoshihisa Hirano. The signing of Alex Avila strengthens their catching core, while Goldschmidt and Lamb will continue to add intimidation in their lineup.

Colorado Rockies

Colorado is also looking to get another taste of the postseason in 2018. After signing CarGO to a one-year deal, the Rockies seem to be aiming to continuing to maintain power within the lineup along with Arenado, Story, and LeMahieu. The concern with the team once again will be pitching. Hopefully the team can boost their rotation before the deadline, but don’t hold your breath.

San Francisco Giants

With the additions of McCutchen and Longoria, the Giants are looking to bounce back at the top of the division after suffering a disappointing 2017. The two newcomers will definitely bring a spark to the lineup, which includes returners Buster Posey, Brandon Crawford and Hunter Pence. Mad Bum, Johnny Cueto and Jeff Samardzija will anchor the staff with a strong bullpen led by Mark Melancon and Hunter Strickland. Simply put, don’t sleep on San Fran in 2018.

San Diego Padres

Finally with San Diego, there’s really not much to say. Signing Hosmer, however, is a huge step forward for the ball club. The fact they posses the #1 farm system in baseball doesn’t hurt either. Freddy Galvis and Wil Myers are looking to stay consistent this season in attempting to spark the offense. The return of Chase Headley brings a familiar face to the ball club and Carter Capps is looking to continue as the anchor out of the bullpen. Don’t expect the Padres to make much noise this season, but they are going in the right direction.

Final Standing Prediction

Los Angeles Dodgers
San Francisco Giants
Colorado Rockies
Arizona Diamondbacks
San Diego Padres

Hanley Ramirez Can Be the Next Nelson Cruz

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Hanley Ramirez has every opportunity to turn his below average 2017 season in Boston around. As he continues his “bat first, glove last” career approach, another name came to mind for finding a fair prediction of the kind of player Ramirez could be. Clearly, the better hitter of the last 3-4 years has been Cruz. However, comparing their age 31-33 seasons (the point of their careers where their glove becomes a liability) may not be so crazy.

Ramirez and Cruz

Nelson “Boomstick” Cruz, one of the more intimidating bats in the league, has been a pleasure to watch since he started playing consistently in 2009. Even in his age 36 season, he managed to hit 39 homers in one of the leagues least hitter-friendly ballparks. For the past three years he hit 40+ homers. The main focus on hitting and a neglect for defense could be a successful contributor to why he is one of the most prolific home run hitters at his age. Sound familiar?

Hanley Ramirez was always known as a bat first kind of shortstop, but his overall defensive career in Boston has been riddled with confusion and frustration. His first season with the Red Sox, when he was thrown into the outfield for 92 of his 105 games played, was like watching someone with no legs try to catch fly balls on ice. It was woeful and everyone knew it. The next experiment was to put him at first base, where all of the aging sluggers eventually go to before transitioning to a full time DH player (see: David Ortiz, Albert Pujols).

Hanley achieved a -13 dWAR figure, which puts him towards the bottom third for all first basemen in 2017. Now I’m not saying his defensive time at first base is anywhere near the horrific display in the outfield. But, when similar aging first basemen such as Joe Mauer, Chase Headley and Miguel Cabrera are achieving dWAR figures that are twice as good as Hanley’s, it could be a sign for the future. Simply, Hanley Ramirez is just not meant to be a positional player anymore. This is not a bad thing being that this is what the DH position is turning out to be, and Hanley seems like the perfect mold.

Similarities

It seems like Hanley can turn into the kind of player Cruz has become of recent. For starters, both players are 6’2″ and Cruz only weighs five more pounds. Hanley has a career WAR of 37, Cruz has 30. For what it’s worth, both hail from the Dominican Republic. The comparison can get deeper. This is what I found when I compared both player’s age 31-33 seasons:

AVG: Cruz (.266) Hanley (.261)

OBP: Cruz (.327) Hanley (.328)

SLG: Cruz (.497) Hanley (.457)

HR%: Cruz (5.1%) Hanley (4.5%)

BAbip: Cruz (.295) Hanley (.284)

Here’s the kicker to all of this (as there are many): Hanley is getting paid three times more than Cruz was in his age 31-33 seasons. Naturally, everyone expects Hanley to hit the ball three times as well as Cruz did, which is impossible. Also, the acquisition of J.D. Martinez will greatly limit Hanley’s appearances at DH. Platooning with Mitch Moreland at first base will likely do the same. Looking at average exit velocities over the last three years, Cruz has been able to stay in the 92+ mph range (92.9, 94.5, 92.8) while Hanley’s has declined (90.1, 90.3, 88.4). However, don’t lose hope in Ramirez, as it seems he will be starting the season hitting third in the Sox lineup. He has every opportunity to have one of the best offensive years of his career. Personally, I can see him being a carbon copy of Nelson Cruz. Being that Hanley plays in a more forgiving venue, offensively, he can definitely take advantage.

Plus, the TB12 workout helps as well.

Follow me for more Red Sox takes @ELJGON

Cover image courtesy of The Boston Herald.

The Boston Red Sox Don’t Need a Lefty Reliever

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The regular season hasn’t begun yet, but new Red Sox manager Alex Cora is already making sweeping changes within the organization, specifically with the bullpen. Cora recently announced that he has considered the idea of going with an all-righty bullpen, which would be a major shift in the typical team-building philosophy. However, Cora’s unconventional thinking is exactly what Boston needs. The Red Sox don’t need a lefty reliever, and Cora should be credited for his outside thinking.

Lefty Relieve: The Boston Red Sox Don’t Necessarily Need It

The Current Bullpen

The top of the bullpen is set. The depth…not so much

Image credit: SI.com

Barring injury, three of the bullpen roster spots will belong to Craig Kimbrel, Carson Smith, Matt Barnes, and Joe Kelly. Assuming Tyler Thornberg won’t be ready for the regular season, that probably leaves three remaining spots in the bullpen.

The contestants for those spots are Heath Hembree, Brandon Workman, Robby Scott, Austin Maddox, and Brian Johnson. Of those five, Scott and Johnson are the only lefties. Johnson can be taken out of the equation, as injuries to Steven Wright and Eduardo Rodriguez thrusted him into the starting rotation. Essentially, Scott is the only lefty option for the bullpen.

What Does Robby Scott Bring?

2017 was Scott’s first season consistently in the majors, and served as the teams primary lefty arm in the bullpen. Scott got plenty of playing time, appearing in 57 games and pitching 35.2 innings. While he’s only been in the majors one year, there’s plenty of data and tape to determine what kind of player Scott is.

On a positive note, Scott was highly effective against lefties. His sidearm delivery naturally works well against left handed hitters, and Scott was very reliable against left handed hitter. In 20.2 innings, Scott held lefties to a slash line of just .119/.224/.303.

On the negative side, Scott struggled mightily against righties. While his aforementioned sidearm motion made him a nightmare against lefties, righties ate his motion up. In 15 innings against righties, Scott gave up a far less impressive slash line of .241/.323/.494.

Basically, Scott showed that he has the potential to be a good lefty-only bullpen arm. While there’s certainly value in that type of player, he’s basically only good for one batter a game. The league has steadily evolved to the point where the bullpen is more important than it’s ever been. It’s not uncommon for the bullpen to be utilized the first second a starter starts to struggle, so teams need guys that can go longer in games than just one batter.

With that in mind, the Red Sox still need somebody that can consistently get lefties out. The top bullpen options, like Kimbrel and Smith, can get anybody out, but what of the other guys? Can any of Workman, Hembree, or Maddox consistently get lefties out if they need to?

The Non-Robby Scott Options

Could Austin Maddox be the bullpen’s secret weapon?

Image credit: WEEI

If Cora’s looking for a righty that can get lefties out, he may look towards Austin Maddox. Maddox, admittedly, has a very small sample size against lefties, but he has promise. Maddox only faced six innings worth of lefties last season, but he held said hitters to a .280/.280/.440 slash line. That’s pretty promising, especially considering he does his best work against righties.

Scott could only face one or two batters at a time, whereas Maddox could go as long as he needed to. Sending Scott to Pawtucket allows the major league bullpen to remain fresher, longer, and it might not cause a drastic drop off in performance against lefties.

Additionally, Cora has stated that he believes in putting his best pitchers in during the games biggest moment. In previous years, former manager John Farrell had always reserved his best bullpen arms for the very end of the game. While that’s great in theory, there’s no point having your best arms available late if you’ve already blown a lead.

Cora has already announced that he won’t shy away from using his best arms in the biggest moments. Perhaps, instead of turning to Robby Scott or Robby Ross Jr. to get a lefty out in the sixth, Cora will turn to Carson Smith. There’s enough talent in this bullpen for one of the other relievers to handle later innings, so Cora shouldn’t shy away from using his best arms when the game matters most.

What to Expect on Opening Day

At the end of the day, Scott will still probably end up on the Opening Day roster, and frankly, that’s probably the right move. Maddox has a very limited workload, and he should probably get more time to develop in Pawtucket. Chances are the three final bullpen spots will go to Hembree, Workman, and Scott.

However, the fact that Cora is looking at unconventional ways to make the best team possible is fantastic news for the Red Sox. The game of baseball is constantly evolving, and you can’t afford to fall behind the curve. The previous Red Sox administration relied too heavily on outdated thoughts and ideas, and it’s a breath of fresh air to see new, out of the box thinking.

Cover image courtesy of WEEI.