Tag Archives: Barnes

Projecting the Opening Day Roster

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Based off of the quiet offseason Boston has had, many fans may think the transactions may be far from done. It is still possible that Dombrowski goes and resigns Craig Kimbrel, and it’s also possible he cooks up a trade to bring in a reliever. That aside, the roster is all but set. A couple guys are going to be fighting for jobs in March and that will be very interesting to watch. Without further ado, this is the best projection I have for what the 25 man roster might look like on April 9th vs. Toronto.

Catchers (2)

Christian Vazquez, Blake Swihart (starter in bold):

This is a three horse race for two jobs. Somehow Boston went all of 2018 with three catchers on their roster and it never really hurt them. They were never down a utility bat or a pitcher in the bullpen due to having three catchers, so they got away with it. 2019 won’t be the same case. Dombrowski has already said they want to make a move, with any of the three catchers available.

Sandy Leon is likely going to be the odd man out. If the Red Sox don’t find a suitor for him on the trade market, he’ll likely see himself cut before opening day. Personally, I would keep Leon to backup Vazquez (who’s bound to bounce back) and use Swihart as trade bait, but hey that’s just me.

Infielders (7)

Mitch Moreland, Steve Pearce, Dustin Pedroia, Brock Holt, Eduardo Nunez, Xander Bogaerts, Rafael Devers:

This situation isn’t as cloudy as the one behind the dish. The left side of the infield is locked in. Raffy will look to make strides at third while Xander head into a contract year at short. Dustin Pedroia will start at second, barring any setbacks with his knee. If he isn’t good to go for opening day I would give Brock the nod over Nunez at second. Then we turn to first base where there isn’t one starter, as it’s more of a platoon situation. Mitch Moreland is my projected opening day starter, since Marcus Stroman is likely to start for Toronto and he’s a righty. Steve Pearce is more than capable to hit against righties, but will likely start the season facing mostly left-handed opponents.

Outfielders (3)

Andrew Benintendi, Jackie Bradley Jr., Mookie Betts:

With J.D. essentially serving as the DH/fourth outfielder, the Red Sox will only carry three natural outfielders on their roster. This was the case in 2018, and worked better than anyone could have imagined. J.D. was able to fill in the outfield at various times to give some of these guys a day off here and there, and will look to do the same in 2019.

The key part for this outfield this season is how they all blossom. Can Mookie Betts repeat his MVP caliber season? Can JBJ find a consistent bat and carry over his success from October? Can Andrew Benintendi take the next step towards being an MVP candidate-type player?

Designated Hitter (1)

J.D. Martinez:

Unfortunately if you came here hoping to see Allen Craig, or Rusney Castillo, you are going to be highly disappointed. The only man for this job is Julio Daniel. Martinez had an MVP level season in 2018, and now has a chance to repeat it in 2019 and possibly opt out after this season. This will be a huge season on many fronts for future salaries for these Red Sox players and for the front office. Seeing if J.D. regresses or not is going to be a huge factor to whether he opts in or opts out following 2019. However, J.D. is the man, has a relentless approach, and is always trying to get better. I think he’s due for more of the same in 2018.

Rotation (5)

Chris Sale, David Price, Nathan Eovaldi, Rick Porcello, Eduardo Rodriguez:

The rotation for Boston is five deep. They are loaded and nobody seems to talk about it. Everyone wants to talk about Severino/Paxton/Tanaka in New York or Corbin/Scherzer/Strasburg in Washington. Both sets of trios are certainly worthy of being the best in baseball. As far as the entire rotation goes, Boston might take the cake. Sale, Price and Eovaldi are all legit studs at this point. Price and Eovaldi will likely carry over to 2019 the huge postseasons they had. You know exactly what you’re going to get from Rick Porcello, 190 innings and an ERA around 4. The biggest wild card is Eduardo Rodriguez. If he can finally stay healthy and put together a full season, he could really breakout as an All-Star caliber pitcher in this league.

Rodriguez

Bullpen (7)

Matt Barnes, Ryan Brasier, Brandon Workman, Heath Hembree, Steven Wright, Hector Velazquez, Brian Johnson:

This is the only segment of this article that can still drastically change. Not only are their outside factors still affecting it (Kimbrel, trade, etc.) but there also internal competitions. At least two pitchers who pitched a significant portion of innings in 2018 for Boston could be sent packing after Spring Training, possibly more if another external option joins the club.

Matt Barnes is a lock, and in this scenario, would be my choice for the closer. I’m still hopeful on Kimbrel coming back on a reasonable deal, but for now, Barnes in the ninth. The other locks, Brasier, Hembree, Wright and Johnson. Brasier is the Red Sox second best reliever as of right now. Hembree and Wright both showed their value at times last season, and have earned spots in the bullpen in 2019 barring injury. Brian Johnson is the lefty out in the pen, so I also believe he’s a lock to make this team.

Then we turn to a few names competing for two spots. Workman and Velazquez have the spots in my books, but Tyler Thornburg, Bobby Poyner, and Colten Brewer will also compete for those two jobs. A couple other names I’d keep on eye on, depending on their spring performance, Carson Smith, Marcus Walden, William Cuevas and the kid, Durbin Feltman.

If Craig Kimbrel were to sign, or another reliever was brought in, I believe Workman is the pitcher who gets pumped from this 25 man roster. A lot of things could change on this list, but for the most part this is what the roster is going to look like going into 2019. Looks fairly similar to a roster that didn’t do half bad in 2018.

Taking a Look at the Remaining Options for a Closer

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Where do the Red Sox turn now for a closer? David Robertson, Joakim Soria, Joe Kelly and Andrew Miller were all candidates who signed elsewhere. Now, however, crunch time begins for the Red Sox, with relievers flying off the board left, right and center.

It’s not yet time for panic or concern, but the budding problem regarding the closer is the only pressing ‘issue’ remaining. Nathan Eovaldi and Steve Pearce are back, so is Eduardo Nunez, with Joe Kelly and Ian Kinsler having gone their separate ways. So, let’s finish the offseason off smoothly by finding ourselves a closer, okay?

Browsing the Free Agent Market

As far as free agent candidates that remain, there’s only one guy that I love.

Adam Ottavino was a certified stud last year. He looked great even in a tough pitching environment in the altitude of Coors Field. His off-speed stuff is unquestionably filthy and dominant. I think if you give him a contract, it gives you the option to pitch him whenever you want, but it would make him the early favorite to close games.

Other attractive options come from a couple of other guys, who may not have been first choice closers for Boston, but after some in-depth analysis, might be worth a look. Both Brad Brach and Kelvin Herrera have pitched in big moments before, and have both been closers at times. Is their stuff a little diminished? Probably. However, a short-term deal for either of the two could provide them a veteran stopper at the end of the bullpen who is still good for 30+ saves.

Bring Craig Home?

Obviously, this section shouldn’t technically include Craig Kimbrel, but he was ours last year, so for argument’s sake let’s say he’s still an in-house option.

Kimbrel was thought to be long gone, his return a pipe dream, on the basis that he simply wanted too much money for too many years.

Now we sit here, first week of January, and Craig Kimbrel doesn’t have a deal. Not only that, we haven’t heard of much interest in the esteemed closer, especially not at his asking price. That breeds the questions, could Kimbrel come home? Who really wouldn’t want four more years of a sub-2.50 ERA?

People can say he’s been shaky. Or that his velocity has dropped. Or that he’s become a ‘heart attack closer’, but come on people. This guy is dominant, he is one of the best closers in the league, if not THE best. Who else would you take over Kimbrel?

Thornburg

Internal Options

The Sox have other internal options, such as Matt Barnes and Ryan Brasier. Both of whom wouldn’t be my first choice for the ninth, but believe it or not I do actually think they’d both succeed. We need to see more from Brasier to prove last season wasn’t a fluke. Matt Barnes home run and control issues can at times be frustrating, but they are both cheap and viable candidates.

One final name I know people love to discuss is Durbin Feltman. Feltman was a third rounder just a year ago for the Sox, and he was one of the top college closers in the country coming out of TCU. He looked good in his stints in 2018, and will likely progress to at least Portland to begin the season, with Pawtucket and Boston surely on the horizon. He won’t start the season as the closer, but if whatever experiment the Red Sox use in the 9th doesn’t work AND Feltman progresses well, he could get this job a lot sooner than he originally thought.

Could Joe Kelly be the next Red Sox Closer?

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“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 bullpen. And I’m not saying Joe Kelly is the answer, but he’s definitely an admirable candidate.

Joe Kelly has firmly planted himself in Red Sox lore. From fighting Tyler Austin and the Yankees in April to pitching tough as nails in October, to dropping the puck at a Bruins game in November. Kelly has been endearing himself to the fans all season long, myself included. How can you not love this guy and the attitude he brings?

Admittedly, Kelly did struggle in the dog days of summer. Every time he came in the game, he was allowing inherited runners to score or giving up runs left, right and center. If he struggles like that in the ninth inning of games, in Boston, the seat will get hot real quick. So is it worth paying Kelly a good chunk of change to close out games? Personally, I think it’s a safe bet. He obviously won’t command the 4-5 years at 70+ million that Kimbrel likely will. This is huge for a Red Sox team who’s trying to make other moves.

Joe Kelly Has The Boston Mentality

He’s never been short of confidence. Having this persona, allows him to be a guy with the guts to get the job done in the tough moments. Closing out games in one of the biggest sports markets isn’t easy. It requires these aforementioned guts to get the job done. The light shines brighter than in almost any other city in America. Putting money in the wrong place for the man to fill the job could be costly.

Despite the temporary summer struggles, I’ll take the grit of Joe Kelly any day of the week. If he comes back it would almost certainly be as the closer. Many other teams in the league could use an upgrade at the position and likely could also pay more than Boston can. Selling Kelly on having the closer’s role would likely be a huge factor in pleasing Joe, and keeping him with the Red Sox for the foreseeable future.

There are other options on the table via trade and via free agency. If the Red Sox choose to spend their money in other ways, I could see Matt Barnes also taking over the reins. Whatever ends up happening, if Joe Kelly does in Boston it’ll be as the closer. After October, I think that should be a comfortable feeling.

 

Alex Cora’s Secret Weapon: Nathan Eovaldi

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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 media was in a frenzy over the state of the Boston bullpen. Friendly reminder, I wasn’t. However, we’re here now, and the relievers have been nails. Joe Kelly, Matt Barnes, Eduardo Rodriguez and Craig Kimbrel all join Eovaldi, as having allowed ZERO combined runs in the World Series. Yeah it’s a small sample size, but the uptick of Kelly and Kimbrel has been huge. The biggest part of this revived bullpen has got to be nasty Nate however. He pitched back to back clean eighth innings in games one and two of the World Series. Which is no easy feat. Joe Kelly pumps gas out on the mound, but Eovaldi is like a more commanding version of him. Nathan’s been out there throwing 100+ and mowing guys down to setup Craig Kimbrel. It seriously looks like he’s been doing it his whole life.

What’s Next for Nate:

The future is so insanely bright for Eovaldi. His dominance could not have come at a better time, for both the Red Sox’ sake and for his. Cora has loved being able to turn to Eovaldi for a tough out all playoffs long. He’s also counting on him for a couple solid starts as well. For Nathan himself, he’s set to be a free agent. After the postseason he’s had, he has driven his own value to an all time high. Whether it be with the Sox, and as a reliever or starter, he will command a fairly sizeable contract over a multiple years. Without looking too far ahead, Eovaldi also has a good chance to be the World Series MVP. If he turns in a good start in game four or five, or trots out of the pen and dominates a couple more times, I’d give it to him.

 

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Three Keys to Winning the World Series

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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 baseball fans had written off the bullpen, saying that there wasn’t any reliable options to bridge to Kimbrel. Rather the opposite has been the case, the bridge of Matt Barnes, Ryan Brasier and Joe Kelly has been formidable. It has been Kimbrel who’s had the issues. However, Craig Kimbrel seemed to find his form in game five, as he closed the Astros out fairly easily, with some of his throwback stuff. If the middle inning guys can continue to pull their weight, it would make this series a lot easier on the stress levels of Sox Nation.

The Manager:

Everyone in Boston and their grandma loves Dodgers manager/Red Sox hero Dave Roberts. However, the man that matters most this series, is Alex Cora. Through the two beatdowns the Sox have delivered in New York and in Houston, their manager has continued to look genius. Every decision has been genius when deciding between Brock Holt or Ian Kinsler, or Eduardo Nunez or Rafael Devers. Or even behind the plate, between Sandy Leon and Christian Vazquez. Every decision has been well calculated and every decision has paid off. If Cora continues to pull strings like this, and when managing his bullpen, the Sox are going to be damn near unstoppable.

The Game 2 Starter:

Just like I predicted, David Price showed up in his second start of the ALCS and he dealt. He shook the monkey off his back and has turned his postseason narrative right around. To solidify this newfound reputation and to grow his legacy more, the start in game two of the World Series is crucial. Whether Chris Sale can overcome his “stomach issues” and pitch well in game one or not, game two will be huge. Either Sale pitches well, and it’s on Price to get the series to the west coast with the Sox up 2-0. Or Sale struggles, and then David Price is pitching to save the Sox season from going to L.A. down 0-2. Whichever way it pans out, the start from Price will be a turning point in this series.

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The Bullpen is Going to be Just Fine

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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.

(Wikimedia Commons)

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 Matt Barnes is crucial, and we should get that at least by the playoffs. People can say what they want about Barnes and his control, but it’s no coincidence that he’s sixth out of all relievers in baseball with over FOURTEEN strikeouts per nine. When Matt Barnes is 100%, he’s got 100% of my trust. If he isn’t quite healthy yet then turn to Ryan Brasier. He’s been more than the Sox could’ve dreamed of when they called him up in July. He revitalized his career in Japan, now he’s pumping gas out of the Boston bullpen with a 1.80 ERA. Brasier is going to be key in the postseason, no matter what his role is.

(Keith Allison/Flickr)

The Middle of the Bullpen

A few other guys who are going to work their way into the middle of the game for the Sox are also going to play a crucial role. Joe Kelly has looked a little shaky at times, but that dude has the right mentality to be pitching in the postseason in front of 40,000 screaming Yankees fans in NYC. Knuckleballers tend to frighten fans at times, but Steven Wright has been criminally underrated this year. If that knuckleball can dance in the playoffs like it has been all year, we might have the second coming of Tim Wakefield.

Brandon Workman has been solid this season, and he’s also done the whole World Series thing before. I would feel confident if he were to trot out for the 7th inning in a tight ballgame. The last name I’m going to toss out there is a huge x-factor, seeing as he might be the only lefty in the pen, and that is Bobby Poyner. Don’t sleep on Poyner playing a large role in specific matchup situations for Cora. However, when he is on, he has as good of stuff as anyone out in that pen.

(Keith Allison/Flickr)

Feel reassured yet? You should! This bullpen only gets flak because it’s the only glaring “weakness” on a team with 100+ wins. They have one of the best closers on the planet mixed with multiple, reliable options to get from the starters to the closer. Everybody just relax and breathe, this bullpen is solid and this team is set for a deep run.

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Who Should Be the Red Sox 8th Inning Guy?

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The Boston Red Sox are the best team in baseball right now. They are 10 games ahead of the second best team in baseball at the moment, and it seems like nothing can go wrong. The Red Sox lead the league in batting average, runs scored, hits, and many more. They also are second to only Houston in ERA with 3.48. However, there are a few questions for the Sox heading into the postseason. One of those questions is who is the setup guy in the 8th inning for the Red Sox before Kimbrel comes in. This article will look at three candidates to be the 8th inning guy for the Boston Red Sox.

Matt Barnes #32

The first candidate for this role is right-handed pitcher, Matt Barnes. Barnes has been with the Red Sox since 2014, and has a career ERA of 3.93. He has the lowest ERA for any qualifying reliever on the Sox with a 2.60 ERA. Barnes also leads all Red Sox relievers, other than Craig Kimbrel, in WAR with 1.7. In the first half of the season, Barnes was a solid option in the bullpen with a 2.36 ERA through 42 IP.  July was the best month for him, with a 1.46 ERA while holding opposing batters to a .188 batting average. He’s also good with men in scoring position, allowing only seven hits against 58 batters.

Barnes’ August so far has not been anything too good. In five IP, Barnes has allowed three ER to get him a 5.40 ERA for the month. Overall, Barnes has been the most steady option in the bullpen other than Kimbrel, throughout the entire year.

Ryan Brasier #70

If you have never heard of Ryan Brasier, you have now. He entered the MLB in 2013 for the Angels, and since then he played in the minors for Oakland and in the Japan Central League. Before the 2018 season, the Boston Red Sox signed him to a minor-league deal, and he spent most of his time in Pawtucket. While he was in Pawtucket, Brasier had a 1.34 ERA and 22 strikeouts in 25 IP.

In July, Brasier was called up to the Red Sox, and has since appeared in 15 games for the team. In those 15 games, Brasier has a 1.13 ERA and a 0.813 WHIP in 16 IP. He can get out of tough situations. With men in scoring position, Brasier has held opposing batters to a 0.77 batting average, and two runs against 14 batters faced.

Overall, Brasier has been a great addition for the Boston Red Sox. He has shown what he can do since he has been called up, and if he stays hot, he should get the role in the 8th inning.

Joe Kelly #56

Joe Kelly has had a roller-coaster of a season for the Red Sox. It seemed like Kelly had the 8th- inning role locked down early in the season. In March/April, Kelly had a 3.09 ERA, and held batters to a .150 batting average. Things only got better as had a 0.63 ERA through 14.1 innings pitching. At the time, many people believed he was an All-Star candidate, but things changed. In June, Kelly had an 8.31 ERA, followed by a 8.38 ERA in July.

Kelly has seemed to turn things around this year. So far in the month of August he has a 1.80 ERA through five IP. If the Sox can get Kelly back to his May stats, they will give him the 8th inning role.

Final Verdict:

As of August 16th, Ryan Brasier is the best guy in the bullpen other than Craig Kimbrel. He has shown in high-pressure situations he can get guys out, and has really helped the Red Sox since he arrived here.

Even though the Red Sox are by far the best team in baseball, they still have their problems. If they can get their 8th inning situation figured out, they will only get better.

The Resurgence of the Boston Red Sox

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Since the trade deadline (July 31, 2017), the Boston Red Sox seem unstoppable.  Since then, they stand 12-2 and have outscored their opponents 85-52 (+33 run differential). They have the highest runs scored per game in the league at 6.15.

Three of those 12 wins have resulted from a walk off.  Christian Vazquez hit a three run homer on August 1st against the Cleveland Indians, possibly the greatest game this season.  Mitch Moreland hit a solo shot against the Chicago White Sox on August 4th, and Mookie Betts blasted a two RBI double against the Green Monster on August 16th against interleague rival, the St. Louis Cardinals.

The Sox have definitely undergone a facelift.  With the addition of Eduardo Nunez from the San Francisco Giants and the calling up of Rafael Devers, the lineup has been impressive.

Big Bats

In just 17 games with the Red Sox, Nunez is batting .372 with four big home runs, 13 RBI’s, six doubles and only striking out 12 times in 78 at bats.  Since joining the Red Sox on July 28th, they have a 14-4 record.  In the previous 18 games, the Red Sox were 7-11.

Rafael Devers, A.K.A. The Prophecy, has been my favorite player this year and he’s only played in 18 games. At the age of 20, he’s posting ridiculous numbers, currently batting .348 with six home runs, 13 RBI’s, four doubles, and an OPS of 1.082.  Also, he’s currently on a six game hitting streak, going 9 for 24 (.409) with three home runs and six RBI’s.

Andrew Benintendi has been on fire this month. In 12 games, he’s batting .413 with five home runs, 13 RBI’s, three doubles, and has scored 13 times. He also has the best flow in the game. *Cough. Rookie of the year! Cough *

Starting Five

The starting rotation has also been a huge factor in the recent success.  Since July 31st, Red Sox starting pitchers have pitched a combined 69.0 innings and have struck out 78 batters (Chris Sale, Drew Pomeranz, Rick Porcello, Eduardo Rodriguez, and Doug Fister).

Chris Sale is 3-0 during that span posting a 3.60 ERA (high because he let up seven earned runs against the Indians), struck out 30 and has only allowed 14 hits in 20 innings.  Opponents’ batting average — just .187 in three games.

Drew Pomeranz has really proved to Red Sox Nation what he can do. Since July 31st, he’s 2-0 with a 2.77 ERA and has struck out 13 in 13.0 innings.  Opponents’ batting average is a little high at .264 but he’s only allowed four earned runs.

The Pen

Other than the big bats and the resurgence of our starting pitchers, the bullpen has been WOWZA. Lights out. Amazing. Couldn’t ask for anything more.  This season the Red Sox bullpen is 22-13 with a 3.01 ERA (3rd best in the MLB). Craig Kimbrel and Matt Barnes have really caught my attention.

In his past seven games, Kimbrel has gone 3-0 with 14 strikeouts in 7.1 innings, and allowed two earned runs against the Indians on August 1st (nothing since then).  It’s pretty much a guaranteed win/save every time he pitches.  He’s 5-0 on the season with a 1.41 ERA and 94 strikeouts in 51.0 innings.

In the month of August, Matt Barnes has pitched 8.1 innings, striking out eight and only allowing one run on just two hits.  Opponents’ batting average this month is just 0.080.  During that span, he has faced 30 batters and 22% of outs have been line drives, 11% pop ups, and 27% have been strikeouts.  He’s allowed two inherited scores this season (both on April 3rd) and hasn’t allowed any in August and has only allowed three inherited runners on base.  Barnes has also lowered his ERA from 3.60 to 3.24 in eight games.

Hopefully this resurgence continues all throughout August and into the Fall Classic.  With the heavy bats now in our lineup and the solidity of our starting pitchers and bullpen, I believe this team can go very far, if not all the way.