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Boston Red Sox vs Toronto Blue Jays Recap

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In the final leg of the road trip, the Red Sox head north to face the Blue Jays for a three game series before heading back to Fenway. Cora made the announcement that Dustin Pedroia and Tyler Thornburg will be playing on Monday and Tuesday for rehab assignment in Pawtucket. David Price is also back with the team after missing a game to get x-rays on his hand in Boston. Chris Sale, Davis Price, and Drew Pomeranz will be the starting pitchers in this series.

Sale vs Sanchez – Toronto Takes the Win

Chris Sale pitches his best game of the season. Fifteen strikeouts in nine innings. Xander Bogaerts hit a homer towards center field to bring the score 2-1 Sox leading in the second. The Sox ultimately fell to the Blue Jays 5-3 in 12 innings. Sandy Leon struck out swinging, but the ball bounced back, allowing Brock Holt to score coming from first base. Chris Sale struck out 15 of the Blue Jays and let up zero walks. He joins Pedro Martinez and Roger Clemens as only the third pitcher in Sox history to do so. Jackie Bradley Jr. sat out for his third straight game to hopefully get him out of his slump. He is expected to be in the lineup the next day.

“That was impressive,” Alex Cora said. “That slider was the best of the season. He was outstanding. ”

“You’ve got to tip your cap, he had himself a heck of a night. “

Price vs Estrada – A Comeback win after Injury

David Price made his first appearance since the x-rays we’re taken on his hand to discover that he had Carpal Tunnel. The Sox took the lead 5-2 for the game win. In 93 pitches, Price let up: five hits and three walks. He struck out six Blue Jays. Hanley Ramirez hit a two run homer, after Andrew Benintendi hit a double to bring in Rafael Devers and Mookie Betts. Ramirez had himself quite a game, racking up three home runs and seven RBIs in the last four games. The Sox scored at least five runs for the 24th time this season, which is the most in the MLB. Both Hector Velazquez and Joe Kelly pitched scoreless innings before Kimbrel entered the game. Craig Kimbrel came out to get his 11th save of the season.

“I saw something different in the way he pitched today. Everything. There was a difference in speeds. Mixing up the breaking ball is very important. He induced some weak contact. They hit a few balls hard too. But I think he pitched great ” – Cora on Price’s performance

“It was good to get back out there,” Price said. “The more I threw, the better I felt. To me, that’s always a good sign.”

Pomeranz vs Biagini – Sox Return Home with a win in Toronto

All players in the MLB wore pink in honor of Mother’s Day on Sunday. Hanley Ramirez, although he wasn’t in the lineup, had on catchers gear and was ready to play. A loose Hanley leads to a fun and much looser Red Sox lineup. Drew Pomeranz let up three runs and four hits, while only making it under six innings. Toronto was up 5-3 in the fifth as Hector Velazquez came in to replace Drew Pomeranz. J. D. Martinez homered and had three RBI’s, while Mookie Betts made the unbelievable “deal catch” to prove that he really is a Gold Glove player. Joe Kelly racked up his second save of the season Sunday afternoon.

“He’s becoming a force, not only the field but in the clubhouse, in the dugout,” manager Alex Cora said. “He’s becoming a leader. It’s fun to watch. On a daily basis you’re expecting something great and he’ll do it.”

“To come out of a road trip like that is definitely something to be proud of,” said reliever Joe Kelly.

Up Next

The Red Sox will be back home at Fenway to face the Oakland Athletics Monday through Wednesday. Then the Orioles will come to town for a four game series. Dustin Pedroia will start his rehab assignment on Monday in Pawtucket with Tyler Thornburg. Pedroia hopes to return during the end of May.

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Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees Series Recap

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The long-awaited face off has arrived since the early April bench clearing brawl. The Red Sox and Yankees rivalry was in full blast as Joe Kelly and Tyler Austin went at it after Austin was hit by a pitch. The meeting of the two teams was highly anticipated by all.

Pomeranz vs. Severino

Tuesday night, the Sox fell to the Yankees 3-2, allowing the two teams to tie for first place. Betts and Benintendi made it on base to lead to the Sox first run of the game. In the second inning, Drew Pomeranz broke a nail, causing some concern to bring the trainers out. Giancarlo Stanton hit two solo home runs. Luis Severino struck out 11 players against Drew Pomeranz’s six strikeouts. Mookie Betts hit an RBI triple in the seventh to tie the game. Joe Kelly came in to a sea of boos and chants from all of Yankee Stadium. Kelly came out as the Yankees loaded the bases with only one out to prevent more runs. The Yankees are now on a 16-1 win streak, and are showing true competition for first place as Porcello will face Masahiro Tanaka.

“They’re good hitters. They were fighting off a lot of pitches. They have a great team. I was trying my best, but I was battling.” -Severino on the Sox at bat

“We’re playing good baseball, doing it a lot of different ways. Tonight was tough. Boston is really good. They battle, battle, battle; kind of hung around. ” -Manager Aaron Boone on the win against the Yankees biggest rivalry

The 24 Hour Yankees AL East Lead Porcello vs. Tanaka

Rick Porcello pitches a game earlier than normal, as David Price was sent to Boston for x-rays. In the past few games, he had experienced problems in his hand, causing the x-rays to be needed. Later we found out that Price was okay and would be pitching in the upcoming series. Hanley Ramirez, Andrew Benintendi, and Mitch Moreland all hit homers on Wednesday night. But it was nothing compared to the electric eighth inning that the Yankees had. Brett Gardener hit a triple allowing two to score, and Aaron Judge’s 117 MPH homer allowed the Yankees to go up 9-6. Rick Porcello only struck out three players, ending Wednesday with a 2.79 ERA. The Yankees have taken the lead over the Sox to be in the AL East first place. Tomorrow Eduardo Rodriguez will face CC Sabathia in the series finale.

“It got my attention. I looked around a little bit that inning. It’s May and it’s bedlam.” -Aaron Boone on the win to bring the Yankees into first place.

The Sox and Yankees are Tied Again Rodriguez vs. Sabathia

The rain never stopped the Red Sox as they were 4-0 at the delay in the fifth inning. The Red Sox escaped a Yankees sweep with a 5-4 win on Thursday night. The Yankees scored four runs in the seventh to tie the game, but Martinez wanted the win and hit a homer in the eighth to take the win. Joe Kelly came in again to clean up the mess of players on base and got Giancarlo Stanton out on a grounder to retire the side. Craig Kimbrel has his 110th save. Ramirez hit a homer to the visiting bullpen to allow the Sox to reach the rain delay with a lead.

“Definitely. You saw it today. They don’t give up. I’m very confident in what we’ve got. This is our team right here and we’re concentrating on what we can do and see what we can do better to keep winning.” -Hanley Ramirez when asked if the Sox and Yankees rivalry is the best in baseball

“I hit it, and I was like blowing, praying, doing everything I can to push it over. I knew it had a chance.” -J. D. Martinez on his homer that won the game

Up Next for the Sox

The Red Sox will travel to Toronto to face the Blue Jays before heading back home to play the Oakland Athletics. Up first in the series against Toronto will be Chris Sale and Aaron Sanchez. David Price will return to pitch this series after x-rays in Boston. Alex Cora also reported that Jackie Bradley Jr. will be back in the Saturday line up while Brock Holt will return on Friday.

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Jackie Bradley Jr. Has To Go!!!

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While his outstanding defensive plays keep us in awe, this experiment has to end at some point.

Jackie simply cannot hit the ball, need I say it again?? While after every at bat that becomes an out, we all think it. Sure his catches and amazing arm is very helpful, there’s others who can replace him. Without him, the outfield is still strong. With Mookie Betts and Andrew Benintendi in the corners, we could always use another fierce hitter in the lineup.

The red sox had that opportunity. Back in July, rumors came about that the team turned down a swap with outfielder Kyle Schwarber of the Chicago Cubs. That lineup would’ve been scary. This is his sixth season in the major leagues, hearing a streak of 5 for his last 50 at bats are getting old. While he had the 29 game hitting streak stun the entire league, it was also two seasons ago!!!

While looking for a replacement deems impossible, they have one on the roster already. Enter Blake Swihart. The catcher turned utility player was the hottest hitter for the Red Sox in spring training, if not one of the best in all of spring training. With growing experience, he could revitalize his career with an opening such as this one. Throughout his injury plagued career, Blake finally has his chance as an every day player.

With a highlight reel type player like Jackie there is still a great demand for a player with his skill set. Mainly national league teams would line up and pay a small fortune for his services. Also having one more option increases his value even more. Thus saving money for a free agent that also plays the outfield. ( Bryce Harper) Sorry Red Sox nation, but in order to put the best lineup game in and game out, the Red Sox need to trade Jackie Bradley jr.

Red Sox – Royals Series Recap

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Monday- The Royals fall to the Sox in Game 1

In their 21st win of the season, the Red Sox won 10-6 over the Kansas City Royals on Monday night. Xander Bogaerts hit his second grand slam of the season, and sixth for the team. Mitch Moreland hit a solo home run, going three for four with a homer, a double, three runs, and two RBIs. Andrew Benintendi hit a sacrifice fly into center field to drive in Jackie Bradley Jr. in the bottom of the fourth. Eduardo Rodriguez didn’t have a fantastic start as he pitched five hits, five runs, three walks, and striking out only six in the Royals lineup. Hector Velazquez hit the pitcher’s mound after Rodriguez and only allowed one hit. Mookie Betts was still not present in the lineup, but Cora said that he should be playing tomorrow.

“He’s been pretty amazing for us all year, obviously with the injury, not knowing what to expect coming back, but he’s picked right up where he left off… it was a nice night”. Said Moreland on Bogaerts performance

“I didn’t hit a grand slam in my career, so it’s not because of me”, said Alex Cora on the 6 grand slams hit since he became manager

Tuesday- Sox Fall on Sale day

The Red Sox fell to the Royals 7-6 on Tuesday night. Eduardo Nuñez homered in the 12th inning to tie the game. Royals reliever Kevin McCarthy pitched three scoreless innings to allow the Royals to gain control. A wild pitch in the seventh allowed Benintendi to run home and lead for a portion of the game. Tuesday night’s game was only Benintendi’s second time batting lead off in his career, as Mookie was still on the bench. Sale added another loss after pitching seven innings, allowing two runs, two walks, and only six strikeouts. Matt Barnes pitched a scoreless eighth inning and allowed the Sox to keep the 3-2 lead. Ultimately, the Royals won the 13th inning game. Tomorrow Drew Pomeranz will pitch for the second time this season at Fenway against Kansas City’s Danny Duffy.

Wednesday- Sox take the Series against Royals

With it being nearly 90 degrees in the city, it felt like a typical summer baseball game. Mookie Betts again proved why he’s the lead-off man for the Sox. Betts surpassed Ted Williams to hit the most three home run games in franchise history. The Gatorade shower made an appearance, and Mookie definitely deserved the spotlight. The Sox beat out Kansas 5-4 to take the series. J.D. Martinez also hit a two run homer to tie the game in the third. Drew Pomeranz picked up his first win of the season. He is showing improved velocity and an improved curveball since his time on the disabled list. Joe Kelly also returned from his six game suspension from the bench clearing brawl against the Yankees. He pitched a scoreless seventh inning to show that his time off did no harm.

“It was pretty cool, I’m just trying to shut them down long enough to let Mookie get at-bats. When he gets hot like that, we’re all cheering for more at-bats for him. They keep throwing him pitches, but he keeps sitting on everything they throw him. It’s pretty awesome to watch.”-Drew Pomeranz on Mookies performance

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Red Sox Take Series Against Toronto

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Tuesday- Porcello vs. Happ

Porcello took the mound for his fifth start against Toronto’s J. A. Happ. Unfortunately, today’s game didn’t end in the Sox’ favor. Rick Porcello pitched another great game ending with a 1.93 ERA. Hanley Ramirez and Rafael Devers both hit singles to get on base. This allowed Eduardo Nuñez to hit and RBI single into left field. With bases loaded, Brock Holt hit to left field, which forced the game into extra innings. The Toronto Blue Jays eventually took the win as Craig Kimbrel let up his first run in the 2018 season.

Wednesday- Rodriguez vs. Sanchez

It was another night of the Mookie Show for the Sox. The Toronto Blue Jays lost 4-3 against the Red Sox Wednesday night. Hitting two homers, one in his first at bat of the game, Mookie smashed the losing streak. In an interview later that night, Alex Cora compared them to the likes of Altuve and Trout. Brock Holt had three hits, to raise his batting average to .327. Eduardo Rodriguez pitched nearly seven innings and only let up six hits. He extended the Red Sox lead to 18-5. It also happened that the Bruins were playing the same day, and there is a large support system coming from the Sox. Both teams are seen often cheering for the others. Tomorrow is Sale day and with the losing streak gone can he add a win under his belt.

“Two good swings. The one to the opposite side of the field, that was great.” – Alex Cora on Mookie Betts

“Good win for us. Good win for the Bruins. Everybody is pulling for them over here. Mookie did his thing… again” -Hanley Ramirez on the win

Thursday – Sale vs. Estrada

J.D. hit the ball to right center to allow three runs with only two outs in the fifth inning. Chris Sale let up a run in the first inning causing Toronto to give Sanchez the run support Sale wanted. With Joe Kelly serving his suspension, Matt Barnes was brought in. With the Sox only leading Toronto by one run in the seventh inning, Barnes struck out Maile, avoiding a run to tie the game. I’m the eighth inning, Toronto was ready to rally and the Sox had to make a great play. Brock Holt had to throw the ball to Moreland at first, to get Grichuk out. Toronto challenged the call, but luckily there was not enough evidence in their favor. Tomorrow Xander Bogaerts with return from the disabled list and Drew Pomeranz will pitch at Fenway for the first time this season.

You know, even when he’s struggling, you think he’s one adjustment away to do damage.” -Alex Cora on J. D. Martinez

“That’s the kind of guy he is. He does some pretty incredible things with that bat, and I’m appreciative of it tonight. ” – Chris Sale on J. D.

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Mookie

Red Sox Beat New York In Round One

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The battle of David vs. Goliath was more of a thrashing, as Mookie, and Chris Sale lead the charge and beat the Yankees 14-1 .

While both teams sent their aces out in the first match up of the year, Luis Severino didn’t have a shot. Chris sale mowed down 8 while lasting 6 innings in a monstrous 14-1 win. This brings their season record to 9-1 while New York is sitting at 5-6 ( 4.5 games back.)

Mookie Betts went 4-4 while hitting a grand slam and collecting 4 rbis and drawing a walk. Hanley extended his hit streak to 8 games with a pair of hits and grabbing 3 rbis. To round off the top three hitters Andrew Benintendi went 2-3 with a triple and 3 rbis.

Luis Severino (2-1) now posts a 3.50 era with 20 strikeouts on the season. He had a rough night from the jump, his command was never well placed, and he never had the Red Sox hitters second guessing. His opponent, Chris Sale (1-0) now sports a 1.06 era while tallying 23 strike outs on the season. Sale had a polar opposite night than Luis, with great command and sending multiple Yankee fans home depressed.

Aaron Judge hit the Yankees only run in a 444 foot home run over center field. Giancarlo Stanton went 2-4 while striking out twice and notching a double out by the Green Monster. With Xander Bogaerts slated for the 10 day dl, Brock Holt and Tsu-Wei-Lin stepped in for the shortstop. Both infielders  providing great defense in tonight’s win.

Wednesday’s match-up is slated for 7:10 pm with the Sox sending David Price ( 1-0) 0.00 era, against New York’s Masahiro Tanaka (1-1) 2.92 era in what should be a good match up.  With Alex Cora keeping his powerful lineup well rested, it’s only a matter of time until we see which line up is sent out to the field tomorrow night. It’s Boston vs. New York round 2, with only 18 more meetings on the season, every game counts towards first place.

Opening Weekend 2018 was a Success for the Sox

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Red Sox Home Opener- Thursday

Opening Day at Fenway finally arrived. David Ortiz and Aly Raisman yelled “play ball”, and Sox Nation rose to their feet. David Price had yet another successful game. Still with a 0.00 ERA, he held off runs for all seven innings he pitched. The frigid temperature couldn’t hold the Sox back from winning their home opener. The game was lacking any action until the seventh inning, when Tampa scored two runs. Then the eighth inning rolled around, and the Sox were running out of time… or so you thought. The Red Sox came back in the eighth inning to tie the game. Extra innings approached, and Fenway was still alive. Now into the 12th inning, Fenway started to heat up. Bases were loaded with Hanley Ramirez up at bat. Hanley hit a fly ball towards center field to carry in Mookie Betts to win the game 3-2. Bobby Poyner made his first appearance and struck out three Rays.

The Sox Grand Slam Has Arrived – Saturday

Xander Bogaerts has been on fire. He ended Saturday’s game with six RBI’s, and the coveted honor of hitting the first grand slam since September of 2016. Then, J.D. Martinez finally hit a long-awaited home run over the Monster. The defense was playing in a way that is something the organization could get used to. Jackie Bradley Jr. continued to show his strength in the outfield, along with a solid resume for a Gold Glove. Rick Porcello continued the great pitching from the starters, striking out seven of Tampa Bay Rays players. With Bogaerts’s grand slam, the Rays began to run through their bullpen. Ending the game at 10-3, the Red Sox were up 7-1 and still first in the AL East.

“He’s been an unbelievable hitter every year, Now he’s doing it with power. He’s a big threat at the plate. He always had that ability.” said Rick Porcello on Xander’s hitting.

“We can do that often. We feel we have a good offensive team. It’s just a matter of time,” said Alex Cora on the Red Sox defense.

The Best Comeback – Sunday

Eduardo Rodriguez made his official debut for the season. And Boston came back from a five run deficit. Up until the eighth inning, the Sox lineup had only gotten four hits. With six runs in the eighth, the Red Sox took the lead. Andrew Benintendi finally had his game winning moment. Hitting an RBI to bring in Mookie Betts, Benintendi hit to the warning track. For the first time in franchise history, the Red Sox are on an eight game win streak, with an 8-1 record so far. A final score of 8-7 the Sox swept the Rays at Fenway to prepare for the Yankees. Unfortunately, Xander Bogaerts was taken off the field with an ankle injury, which placed him on the DL, and Tzu Wei Lin was called up.

“First of all we pushed them to bring him in early. After that it was good at-bat after good at-bat. It was fun to watch.” said Cora.

“He’s human, so everybody can kind of go through a stretch. But we’re some good hitters, too,” Betts said. “I think it’s a mix of us putting together some good at-bats and putting some pressure and making him make pitches.”

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The Top Left Fielders Long-Term

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Lists have been created this offseason determining the top ten players at each position for right now. I have been writing my own series on top tens; except instead of doing them for just the here and now, mine factor in age and determine who the best players are to own for the long haul. These lists obviously differ from others, as someone in their mid-30’s isn’t nearly as valuable in the long run. So, when I put a young guy ahead of someone in their 30’s, I’m not necessarily saying I think he is going to be better this year.

1. Andrew Benintendi

I know, this takes a leap of faith on my end to think Benintendi is number one. There is another player in his 20’s who had a breakout season last year and was truly a star. So how can I put Benintendi above him? Whereas I do believe in that player’s breakout, I do not believe in the extent to which he broke out. Benintendi will only improve upon his rookie season. It might be hard to justify putting him in this spot based on what’s happened so far, but if I am holding true to myself, this is where I put him. I believe Benintendi is a star for years to come and will have more long-term value.

Benintendi is an all-around player, posting the first 20-20 season by a rookie left fielder since Barry Bonds 30 years earlier. He has a sweet swing, often drawing comparisons to Fred Lynn. He is an excellent fielder, looking incredibly smooth playing the monster in left and getting the ball quickly back to the infield. Benintendi had 11 assists from left last year, leading the league. Benintendi batted .271 last season, but was a .312 career hitter in the minors. He also drew plenty of walks, a rare quality in someone so young, leading to a .352 on-base percentage.

Based on his minor league numbers and his stature as the best prospect in baseball, I expect a lot more from Benintendi in the near future. Maybe he won’t be the best left fielder as soon as this year, but I think he will be closer than some expect. I think in the long run he is a .300 hitter with a .370-.380 on base percentage. With this would come a 25 home run bat and 20 steal potential on the basepaths. Oh, and don’t forget about that glove. Benintendi will be a star in the near future.

2. Marcell Ozuna

Ozuna is the player I referenced above. He was the best left fielder in baseball last year, and did it at the age of 26. It makes sense at that age that he would take a step forward, I’m just not sure I’m buying how much he did so. Ozuna was a career .265 hitter before last season, when he batted .312. He did have power, homering 23 times in a season twice. 37 is a large leap from 23 though. His at-bats per home run dropped from a previous best of 24.2 down to 16.6. Ozuna’s previous best ratio of home runs per fly ball was 12.6% in 2014. Last year, that number jumped from 10.3% in 2016 to 16.5% of his fly balls going for home runs last season. With the juiced balls in play, is that number sustainable moving forward if the balls are normalized?

All that said, I like Ozuna. He had shown signs of a breakout early in 2016, batting .307 with 17 home runs in the first half. It makes me believe in his breakout as a hitter, I just don’t see him hitting .312 with 37 homers again. He strikes out more than the league average hitter, so such a lofty average will be hard to maintain. He also had a .355 BABIP, higher than his career average of .318 to that point. I see Ozuna as more of a .280 hitter with possible 30 home run power. That’s still an excellent player. He also is a good fielder, taking home the Gold Glove for the position last season. Ozuna hadn’t been a good fielder prior, but he had been playing center field. He seems to have found a home in left.

3. Christian Yelich

Back to back Marlins from last year, now on different teams. Yelich played center in Miami, but in his new home of Milwaukee will be manning left field. His defense should play up in left field with less ground to cover. He is 30 defensive runs saved above average in his career as a left fielder, against a -13 total in center. He also should benefit from his new home park, which is much friendlier to hitters. Yelich is a career .280 hitter at Marlins Park, with just a .398 slugging percentage. On the road he bats .300 with a .462 slugging percentage. In his new park, and with good hitters around him, I expect we will see a full season of that road version of Yelich.

4. Justin Upton

Justin Upton is still only 30 years old, after breaking in as a teenager back in 2007. He is a notoriously streaky hitter and can be inconsistent from year to year. Two years ago he struggled all year long, then hit 13 home runs in September. Last season, he followed up a two homer July by hitting 11 home runs in August. This is a pattern he has shown his whole career. What it usually plays out to is a mediocre average with 30 home run power.

Upton is one of the biggest strike out hitters in the game, whiffing in 28.5% of his at-bats over the last two years. He isn’t going to suddenly hit for average. But he does draw some walks, and he’s likely going to threaten 30 home runs for the third straight year. Getting to bat near Mike Trout shouldn’t hurt. Upton has stolen 20 bases a couple of times, though those days might be in the past, he did steal 14 bags last year.

5. Yoenis Cespedes

Cespedes has improved mightily as a hitter the last few years. He is still a little free-swinging, but he has cut down his strike out rate some and improved his home run rate. With it, his average has climbed. A .251 hitter between 2013 and 2014, Cespedes has batted .287 over the last three years. His strike out rate the last two years has been below 20%, which is better than average. Before injury, Cespedes was well on his way to a third straight 30 home run season last year after never reaching that mark in his first three seasons.

Cespedes is dropped some because he is coming off an injury plagued season and is now 32 years old. If I were doing this list for just 2018, he might be number one. But how much longer will his body allow him to perform at a star level? He missed extended time twice last year with leg injuries.

6. Rhys Hoskins

Hoskins is the new guy on the scene, and at a new position. Hoskins played first base throughout his minor league career, but the Phillies have decided to move forward with him as their left fielder. Time will tell how he handles the position. His bat is a force to be reckoned with though, and that’s why the Phillies are making a spot for him. Hoskins hit 38 home runs in AA in 2016, posting a .943 OPS. He kept it up last year, hitting 29 home runs in AAA before his call-up. Hoskins then went on a rampage, hitting 18 home runs over 170 Major League at-bats, posting a 1.014 OPS. That’s 47 home runs between the two levels.

Can Hoskins hit like that for a full season? He has the right approach, taking pitches and working walks. He walked 37 times last season, giving him a stellar .396 on-base percentage despite a .259 batting average. His walk rate wasn’t quite that high in the minors, but he did draw walks. It seems that even if he bats .260, he could put up a nice .360-.370 on-base percentage. Couple that with his power, and Hoskins might be a star in the making.

7. Trey Mancini

Trey Mancini seems to be that type of player that scouts never love, but he just performs every year. Mancini never made a top prospects list, despite hitting at every level. In 2015, he batted .341 with 21 home runs, including a .359 average at AA. He hit .306 for his minor league career, and the production has continued into the majors. In his first full season, Mancini batted .293 with 24 home runs last season. He continues to prove his doubters wrong.

There are a couple of things he could improve upon. Last season, Mancini struck out 139 times against just 33 walks. Both rates were worse than the league average. Given more experience, he could improve that contact rate though, he was a rookie. Given his power and his minor league numbers, I am not going to doubt him.

8. Eddie Rosario

Rosario broke out in a big way last season, but he’d shown promise before then. Rosario led the league with 15 triples in his rookie season of 2015. Problem was, he also walked 15 times. The next season, he again posted solid numbers, except for walks. So what made his breakout last season when he batted .290 and hit 27 homers? Well, it wasn’t luck. His first two seasons, Rosario had a .335 batting average on balls in play. Last year, that number actually dropped quite a bit, down to .312. Part of that has to do with his increase in home runs. Rosario cut his strike out rate from over 25% down to 18% while modestly improving his walk rate. So he is showing strides at the plate.

There is some pedigree to Rosario too, as he was a career .294 hitter in the minor leagues with an .825 OPS. His .836 OPS last year looks to be pretty well in line with what he did down on the farm. He also clearly exhibited extra base ability before last season, and it would stand to reason that as he filled out some he would hit a few more home runs. Rosario is never going to walk a lot, but he should hit for a decent average with some pop.

9. Adam Eaton

At 29, Eaton is coming off a torn ACL that cut his debut season with the Nationals short. It happened early in the season, and Eaton should have no problems being back to his normal self this year. That player had been a very consistent one, posting nearly identical numbers in both 2015 and 2016.

It would certainly seem reasonable to expect stats similar to those again. Eaton doesn’t excel at any one thing, but he is a pretty solid across the board contributor. He was not cut out for center field, consistently putting up below average defensive statistics there. However, he should be a good fielder in left where he doesn’t need as much range. Eaton was 22 defensive runs saved above average as a right fielder in 2016. He’s never quite been the stolen base threat he was expected to be, but he can still steal a few bases. Eaton will give you a little bit of everything.

10. Kyle Schwarber

Schwarber’s play last season doesn’t merit a spot here, but I believe there is a lot better hitter inside him. He was coming off a big injury, and didn’t have much development time before then. Schwarber was the fourth overall pick in 2014 and proceeded to post a 1.061 OPS over half a season in the minor leagues. He again had an OPS over 1.000 the next year at the time of his call-up. The guy could flat-out hit; he had power, he didn’t strike out too frequently and he put up huge numbers. Up in the big leagues the year after he was drafted, Schwarber hit 16 home runs in 69 games and posted an on-base percentage over 100 points higher than his average. He was all the rage heading into the next season, which was over practically before it started.

It is much too early to give up on Schwarber. Everyone was in love with the guy, then after a catastrophic injury and one down season everyone wants to throw in the towel. Yes, he hit .211, but he again had an on-base percentage over 100 points higher. He also homered 30 times, and posted a solid .782 OPS. Maybe he will never hit for average like he did in the minors, but I doubt he will strike out 30% of the time and bat .211 again. He could easily win some people back this season by hitting .250 with a .350 on-base percentage and 30 home runs. I have him in the ten spot because I believe he can be a force at the plate again. Please, get the man out of left field though, he does not belong out there.

Honorable Mentions:

Adam Duvall, Marwin Gonzalez, Michael Brantley, Yasmany Tomas, Brett Gardner

 

Feature picture from wbur.org

The Boston Red Sox Have No Ceiling

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The Boston Red Sox won 93 games and a division title last season, and they’ve only gotten better. The offense underachieved last season, and just about every player will probably increase their production in 2018. They’ve replaced John Farrell with a younger manager who better fits the team in Alex Cora. This alone guaranteed the Red Sox would be a good team in 2018. After bringing on JD Martinez, the 2018 Boston Red Sox have no ceiling

The Missing Power

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JD Martinez is finally a Red Sox!

Image Credit: Yahoo Sports

The Boston Red Sox put up the sixth most runs in the American League last season, but the offense as a whole didn’t feel that great. This was due to the fact the Red Sox finished dead last in the AL in home runs. They could mash singles and doubles, but they lacked a guy that could change a games outcome with just a swing of a bat.

After a long and tedious offseason, that need has finally been met. The Red Sox signed the best power hitter on the market, JD Martinez, to a very reasonable five-year deal for $110 million. It’s no secret that the Red Sox wanted him from the start of free agency, but they played their cards right. Instead of overpaying, they got their top free agent on a deal that won’t burden the team years down the line.

And boy does Martinez fill a need. Martinez has hit 105 home runs in the past three seasons. By comparison, Mookie Betts is the next closest on the Red Sox with 73 homers. Martinez is more than a one-trick pony, as his average slash line over the past three seasons has been .297/.364/.586. He’s not just a great power hitter, he’s a great all-around hitter. Players capable of hitting for power and average are becoming increasingly hard to find, and the Sox found one.

Internal Offensive Improvements

As mentioned earlier, the Red Sox offense as a whole regressed in 2017. Just about everyone underperformed from their previous seasons. The Red Sox young core of Mookie Betts, Xander Bogaerts, and Jackie Bradley Jr. are projected by just about every source to improve on their 2017 season. Hanley Ramirez has changed his offseason workout regimen, and there’s plenty of reason to believe he’ll have a great bounce back year.

While the established players should bounce back, two very young players should continue to improve. Left fielder Andrew Benintendi and third baseman Rafael Devers are entering their second full year in the pros, and should play huge roles in the team’s success.

Benintendi had a good 2017, finishing second in the rookie of the year voting to Yankees slugger Aaron Judge. However, his season was streaky and he went through the normal highs and lows of being a rookie. Those lows shouldn’t be as low or last as long with a full year under his belt. Outside of Mookie, Benintendi could be the best all-around player on the Red Sox. He could even make an MVP push if everything breaks right.

The Devers Factor

Devers could make an even bigger impact. The third baseman was promoted to the majors at age 20 after just one week in AAA Pawtucket simply because the Red Sox third base situation was that bad. Most any other player would struggle given such a drastic rise in competition, but Devers thrived. His major league career began with a home run, and he never slowed as the season went on.

Devers became arguably the best power bat on the 2017 Red Sox. In just 58 games, the Red Sox rookie hit 10 home runs with a .284/.338/.442 slash line. He had a knack for big moment plays, most notably his homer against Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman and his inside the park homer against the Houston Astros in the playoffs. This is great production for any rookie, nevermind a 20-year old who got called up primarily out of desperation.

His fielding needs some work, but that should improve with time. He’ll never win a gold glove, but he should figure out how to be a major league fielder. Obviously, major league players hit the ball a lot harder than the AA guys he faced the first half of the season. He made a few great defensive plays his rookie year, and his mechanics should improve with time.

Even if you don’t believe Devers can match his rookie production, there’s no way he can be worse than what the Red Sox sent out in 2017. In his half season in the pros, Devers compiled a respectable 0.9 WAR. By comparison, the primary third base options in the beginning of that season (Tsu-Wei Lin, Devin Marrero, Pablo Sandoval, Brock Holt) put up a combined -0.8 WAR. By default, Devers at third will be better than whatever the alternative is.

The Starting Pitching

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As great as the lineup is, the rotation is just as good

Image credit: Boston Herald

While the offense struggled in 2017, the starting pitching was mostly dominant, and most of those pieces are returning healthier than ever. Chris Sale and a now-healthy David Price are arguably the best one-two combination in baseball. Sale is a top-five pitcher, and should be in the Cy Young running again. Price isn’t what he was, but he’s still a great pitcher who would be the ace on most teams. His elbow is a concern, but as long as he’s healthy he should remain one of the best #2 starters in baseball.

The crew behind that duo is pretty impressive. Drew Pomeranz probably won’t be able to match his 2017 production, but he’s still a safe bet to finish the season with a 3.50-3.70 ERA and get six to seven innings a start. That’s the recipe for a good third starter. Contrarily, Rick Porcello will almost certainly not be as bad in 2018 as he was in 2017. He probably won’t win the Cy Young again, but he doesn’t need to. Expect Porcello to finish the season with an ERA around 4 and eat at least six innings every time he gets the ball.

The biggest wild card here is what Eduardo Rodriguez can do. He’s flashed his huge ceiling ever since being called up in 2015, but injuries and inconsistency have plagued the pitcher. He will miss part of the season with a knee injury, but expect big things when he comes back. A new manager might just be the change E-Rod needs to finally break out and become the pitcher he’s capable of. If he can do that, he immediately becomes the #3 guy in the rotation.

The Depth Starters

The Red Sox have their top five set in stone, but all five won’t be healthy for all 162 games. Fortunately, the Red Sox are pretty well set with their backup plans. Knuckleballer Steven Wright has performed well in the past as a starter, and will likely take E-Rod’s spot in the rotation while he gets healthy. It looks as though Wright has finally put his shoulder injury behind him, which bodes well for the Red Sox. The last time Wright was healthy was in the first half of 2016, when he earned a spot at the All-Star game.

The Red Sox are pretty well set even if calamity strikes and they need two spot starters at once. Both Hector Velasquez and Brian Johnson have shown they’re capable of performing adequately when their number is called. While neither player should be used as anything other than a last resort, they’re both capable of starting a major league game and keeping the Sox in it.

The Bullpen

This is arguably the weakest part of the Red Sox roster, which says a lot about how strong every other part of the Red Sox is. The Sox still have a top-five closer in Craig Kimbrel, and it sounds like Cora is willing to use him in more than just save situations. Kimbrel has been one of the best relievers in baseball for years, and that shouldn’t change now.

Addison Reed left in the offseason, but the duo of Carson Smith and Tyler Thornberg will fill his role. Smith looked as advertised in limited outings last season, and Thornberg had a great 2016 with the Milwaukee Brewers before missing all of 2017. All three aforementioned arms can blow up the radar gun and could prove to be a dominant grouping in the final three innings of the game.

The guys behind the top three aren’t bad either. Joe Kelly, Brandon Workman, and Matt Barnes all have their flaws and limitations, but each has shown flashes of brilliance. Each can come into a game early and keep the now-explosive Red Sox offense in it. Of this group, Workman has the highest upside.

Injuries robbed Workman of his 2015 and 2016 seasons after a failed attempt at being a starter in 2014. Workman faltered down the stretch, posting a 6.10 ERA in September and October. Before that, though, Workman put up a very impressive 2.15 ERA in 29.1 innings of relief. Workman’s late season skid was probably due to fatigue; he hadn’t pitched in the majors since 2014. If Workman can come back and last a full season, the Red Sox have yet another dangerous arm.

The Competition

The Red Sox are a very good team and could very easily break 100 wins if everything goes their way. However, don’t plan the World Series parade yet. The AL is stacked with high talent teams, and 2018 should be a great season for baseball.

The reigning champion Houston Astros are the team to beat, and they’re not going anywhere. Superstars Jose Altuve and Carlos Correa will wreak havoc on the league for the next decade. Their championship wasn’t a fluke, and it wouldn’t surprise anyone if the Astros went back to back.

The New York Yankees have an impressive young core of sluggers, and just added NL MVP Giancarlo Stanton. The Cleveland Indians remain an incredibly difficult team to beat as long as it’s not an elimination game. Just like 2017, these three teams and the Red Sox should make up the top four American League teams.

The Red Sox are now on that level. Sure, they won the division last season, but everyone knew what was awaiting them in the playoffs. This year, a division title isn’t the best case scenario. With a new power hitter, offensive improvements from within, and a great group of pitchers, these Red Sox are ready to challenge for a World Series title.

 

Cover image courtesy of MassLive.com.

Where Does Benintendi Fall in Top 10 Left Fielders?

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Before we begin, the dissection and determination of the overall value of one MLB player compared to others is no easy task. It takes a deep in-depth look at several facets of their individual impact. The player can have tremendous talent and outshine their teammates or fit well in a system giving them opportunities constantly to produce. Without continuing to skate around the point, ranking players ahead of others isn’t always easy. There is a way of looking at the personal statistics a player can produce, but there always must be a situational and big picture perception.

In an article written by Mike Petriello, he broke down the top ten left fielders in all of the MLB based off of The Shredder’s list. This would be the official ranking of Top 10 Right Now. Andrew Benintendi was placed on this list, which wasn’t a shock to me at all, although the order may leave some to question. Given Benintendi seems to be a staple of this organization for years to come, it is fair to comment on the results of The Shredder list as well.

The Shredder’s List- Left Fielders

1. Marcell Ozuna (STL)
2. Yoenis Cespedes (NYM)
3. Justin Upton (LAA)
4. Ryan Braun (MIL)
5. Trey Mancini (BAL)
6. Khris Davis (OAK)
7. Adam Eaton (WAS)
8. Andrew Benintendi (BOS)
9. Marwin Gonzalez (HOU)
10. Brett Gardner (NYY)

Eric Goudreau’s Thoughts & List:

I will not go into strong details about each individual player as that would take the plot away from this article. I will give my list below, but the objective and purpose of this piece are to justify my positioning of Andrew Benintendi and to argue the list above. Yes, I am a Red Sox fan by heart, yes I sleep under a signed picture of Andrew Benintendi every night, but this will not promote any objectivity. I am a fan of this game first, and when I see a glaring injustice done to a player of Benintendi’s value I speak. Or type.

1. Marcell Ozuna (STL)
2. Yoenis Cespedes (NYM)
3. Justin Upton (LAA)
4. Andrew Benintendi (BOS)
5. Marwin Gonzalez (HOU)
6. Rhys Hoskins (PHI)
7. Adam Eaton (WAS)
8. Ryan Braun (MIL)
9. Kris Davis (OAK)
10. Brett Gardner (NYY)

Andrew Benintendi Explanation: 

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There needs to be a constant reminder when looking at each of these players on my list. I am evaluating player performance as well as what the team’s style seems to be. The player succeeds when the system surrounding him can play to strength and weaknesses. Also added to this is the player’s potential growth in those systems. This is based on their skill set relative to team needs/concentrations.

Andrew Benintendi finished his long rookie season coming just shy of the AL Rookie of the Year award. Maybe just shy is not the word when comparing him to the MLB The Show 18 cover boy. Second place will not be ignored. For me, this completely negates Trey Mancini on The Shredder’s List. Yes, Trey Mancini has shown growth with outstanding power and surprising defense. With a career total of WAR for 3.1 to Mancini’s 2.5 and the RoY standings being what they were, I don’t put him ahead of Benintendi.

Andrew’s Age:

What will push Benintendi (age 23) over the likes of Adam Eaton (age 29), Khris Davis (age 30) and post PED use Ryan Braun (age 34) is sheer age and potential. It has been a universal agreement and observation that in baseball the prime of a player’s career is around the ages of 26-29/30.

A player like Andrew Benintendi being in these talks around the age of 23 for a top player at his position does not come very often. A player passing through the ranks of AAA to a major league diamond to create an impact like Benintendi did in 2016 does not come very often. Now if you want to argue that I’m basing Benintendi to be better LONG TERM compared to these players, I can see a point to be made. But if we want to even look at the numbers last season, it’s important to back to the statistic that does not lie.

WAR

1. Andrew Benintendi- 2.6
2. Khris Davis- 2.5
3. Ryan Braun- 1.2
4. Adam Eaton- 0.4

I gave the edge to Benintendi for my last criteria, which is the system. Personally, I believe there was a misuse of players in the 2017 Red Sox system. The argument could even be made for the 2016 team as well. Both teams Benintendi has been a part of/still excelled in. John Farrell’s firing could be the best thing that has happened to the grooming and maintenance of players in Boston. In Benintendi’s situation a new young manager, Alex Cora, will only benefit his career. At times Cora has dealt with young talent both in playing years (Dustin Pedroia) and his one year in Houston.

I look to the development of Marwin Gonzalez (HOU) as an example. It may surprise most that Marwin Gonzalez at the age of 28 came in 19th for AL MVP last season. A player who has never mentioned in such conversation in past years. Although Alex Cora may not have been the main cog of Marwin Gonzalez seeing success, Cora witnessed it happen at the position. With a mold like Andrew Benintendi and a manager like Cora who has quite an eye for talent, I believe Benintendi’s ceiling is massive for 2018.

With all that said, the entire argument’s based on statistics and some “I believe”. The flurries of opinions are what makes the MLB community great. Ultimately I want you to let me know how you are feeling in the comments.

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