Tag Archives: Boston Red Sox

Can We Leave Politics Out Of Sports?

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When people go to any sporting event in this case baseball, it’s a time when people come together to watch their team play and win. It’s a time during the game when the politics should stop and it’s all about cheering for your team. In this case players that go to Red Sox games from opposing teams some say they have heard racial slurs. It’s not right but doesn’t make the City of Boston racist cause of some stupid fan.

In regards to John Henry’s comments about the “Yawkey Way” sign, if your going to replace it in my opinion don’t say it’s because Tom Yawkey was racist and it hurts the image of the Red Sox. If it hurt the image of the Red Sox John you wouldn’t name a bridge after David Ortiz, probably wouldn’t even have signed him, and wouldn’t have signed Pedro Martinez.

It’s all about politics and the image. All I care about is winning games every night. Apparently that’s not what Henry cares about, he cares about a sign that has been a street name forever because it hurts the image of the Red Sox, give me a break. If the Red Sox lose and people stop going then that’s when the image will hurt them. It shouldn’t matter what a street name says.

When Tom Yawkey owned the Red Sox that’s was a long time ago when race was a problem, people will always find a problem some are just negative. It wasn’t right he was racist but like I said all that should matter is the performance on the field. Not some arrogant fan, or some street sign. When you go to a game all that nonsense should go away and just have fun.

I love sports and when I go to Fenway Park all that bad stuff around the world and this Country leaves the mind so you can enjoy a game and hope the Red Sox win. If Henry just came out and said we want to change the name of “Yawkey Way ” we would like to name it something a little more current then that would’ve been fine. Like be Bill Belichick with it don’t say something and bring up politics, you should just go back to you’re soccer team and watch Liverpool. Be quiet mouthed about it like he litterly told the paper what he said to the Mayor why? To draw controversy and to get people talking. He should’ve just kept it simple with the media like Belichick does but nope.

If they do take it down I saw on Twitter that they could name it “Jimmy Fund Way,” why don’t you just make it “David Ortiz Way,” or leave it the way it is. Whatever they decide makes no difference all that matters is the Red Sox win games.

 

 

How Badly Do the Red Sox Want To Win the World Series ?

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Is this the year that the Red Sox win the World Series?  Is it all or nothing this season or are we satisfied with just making the playoffs and taking our chances?  The Red Sox have one move that could possibly make them a scary contender for the post-season (and maybe for years to come). Could possibly mortgaging the future for winning right now pay off?  Let’s explore and see what you think.

Giancarlo Stanton To The Red Sox

Do I have your attention?  This move is a real possibility right now.  The Miami Marlins have placed the South Beach Slammer on waivers, which he has cleared.  The Marlins will transition  to a new ownership group (good thing because Lauria is a clown) that includes Derek Jeter and Michael Jordan.  I guess the reason that Stanton was placed on waivers is to reduce payroll.  At $30M per season, losing that salary would lower anyone’s payroll.  Stanton contract extends for another ten years so no fear of not having him under control, contract wise.

Worth The Cost?

This question really needs an answer.  What do the Red Sox have to give up to get this behemoth in a Sox uniform for some time to come?  There are a couple of options that the Marlins might bite on to make this deal a reality.  The key to the deal?  Not too many teams can handle the salary that they would have to take on.  That limits the teams in the running, which works in the Red Sox favor.

One of the options gives the Marlins Jackie Bradley Jr., Joe Kelly, and Xander Bogaerts.  Before all of you folks throw me under the bus, I don’t want to lose any players.  You have to give up something to get something and this would work.  Yes, you lose a great defensive outfielder but you have Benintendi and Betts along with the acquired Stanton.

The team would suffer some defensively, but remain pretty damn good if you ask me.  This deal would likely require Betts moving to center and slotting Stanton in right.  Playing Fenway’s right field takes some work, so you pick where Stanton should go.  Nunez could replace Bogaerts.  This would allow Pedroia to stay at second and Devers playing third.  This plan doesn’t look so far fetched now, does it folks?

Another more radical theory on how the Red Sox could make this deal work gives the Marlins David Price in exchange for Stanton instead.  This does not shave a ton off of the Marlins payroll, so they may be the roadblock to this type of deal happening.  With all of the drama between Price and Eckersley, this may be a more popular move with Sox fans than you might think.  As Dr. Phil has said many times “save the drama for your Mama,” and I agree wholeheartedly.

What Does Stanton Bring To The Lineup?

Inserting Stanton into this lineup gives you an incredible power bat that the Red Sox have been missing since Papi retired.  Stanton is not your average power hitter, but a perennial bomber for years to come.  He has power to all fields and could possibly make the Green Monster seats look like the flight path at Logan.  A mere 27 years old, just reaching the prime of his career, his best is likely not behind him.  Stanton looks like a fairly solid outfielder but not as solid as the current occupant.  He’ll look like a like a drop off, but honestly he should be fine.  Stanton sports a respectable .268 career batting average, so he is not just an all-or-nothing homer run hitter (looking at you now Aaron Judge).

The Stanton Safety Net

Having made the player shifts to acquire Stanton, the Red Sox order would look a little different then it does now obviously.  With the continued bench presence of Chris Young and Brock Holt, there is always the possibility of giving players the needed days off if required.  You lead off with with Betts, Benintendi, Hanley, Pedroia, Stanton, Moreland, Nunez, and Devers in whatever order you want.  Good luck to the opposing pitchers and managers facing that type of offense.

In the second scenario, if we actually send David Price to the Marlins, the team faces more of a challenge.  This year might be tough to cover but hopefully with the return of Steven Wright, the return-to-form of Porcello, and the crazy condor-like Chris Sale, the future looks not bad on the mound.  All of this and no drama between Price and Eckersley unless it’s a road game isn’t so bad either.

Pay to play

In closing, I think that the Red Sox should shake things up a little bit and take the plunge to challenge for the World Series title.  I believe that this deal makes them a contender for the present and the future with either scenario.  The deal would require Stanton to approve it since he has a movement restrictive clause in his contract.  By the sound of everything we’ve heard, Stanton just wants to win and the Red Sox would certainly fit the requirements.

I would be interested to hear other people’s ideas on this concept.  As you can see, it is not as far fetched as you might think.  Let’s see how ambitious the Red Sox are in pursuit of the scariest hitter in MLB.  Let’s Go Red Sox

Dombrowski Traded The Right Prospect

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Last year when Dave Dombrowski called up Andrew Benintendi and Yoan Moncada right before the trade deadline, it was pretty much a trial period for those two players. Benintendi came  up to the Majors and he shined, with a .295 batting average, 44 RBI, and eight home runs. He continues to produce this year:  .278 average, 17 home runs, and 67 RBI.

Moncada whiffs

Yoan Moncada, however, did not produce well last year when he got his chance. He produced a .211 average, zero home runs, and 1 RBI. So during the off-season President of Baseball Operations, Dave Dombrowski, traded Yoan Moncada to the Chicago White Sox for ace Chris Sale. Boy did that work out in the Red Sox favor.  This season, Moncada has a .205 average, with two home runs, and nine RBI. Compare this to Chris Sale, dominant this season for the Red Sox and proven to be the ace they needed. He has a 2.51 ERA, a 14-4 record, and 241 strikeouts.

Rookies with big bats

This season 20-year-old Rafael Devers was coming through the ranks in the majors and killing the ball. Dave Dombrowski called him up just before the deadline and he stepped up to the league like he owned it. He’s batting with a .339 average, 18 home runs, and 56 RBI.  It’s clear the young talent on this team arrives at big moments. Benintendi and Devers both turned in outstanding performances this past weekend at Yankee Stadium in a crucial series for the division.

Dave Dombrowski has been questioned in the past for trading prospects for mediocre talent. For example, trading Travis Shaw to the Brewers for Tyler Thornburg. Thornburg hasn’t thrown a pitch yet in a Red Sox uniform, While Travis Shaw is crushing the ball in Milwaukee. He’s batting a .292  average, with 25 home runs, and 78 RBI.  So Dombrowski was wrong on that one but made up for it with the Sale deal, not trading Devers, and adding Nunez at the deadline.

Comparing Devers to Moncada is like night and day. Devers was ready to come into the Majors like Benintendi. Yoan Moncada was not ready and still isn’t. Will Moncada ever work out on a Major League team? That answer still remains to be seen, but for Rafael Devers it’s clear that he’s the best shot for this team moving forward.

Dombrowski got it right trading the right prospect in Moncada, and keeping Rafael Devers, who even started a triple play for the first time since 2011 last night against the Saint Louis Cardinals.

WHERE IN THE WORLD IS XANDER BOGAERTS ?!

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Kansas City Royals v Boston Red Sox

By: Bill Murphy

Twitter: @B_Murph1021

Where is the X-Man?

As our Red Sox start to gain momentum and head into the last leg of the season with a full head of steam we have one important thing missing.   And that thing isn’t A THING at all — our starting short stop, Xander Bogaerts.

To say that Xander is struggling recently would be a complete understatement, as one of our most talented players has COMPLETELY fallen off the face of the earth. Let’s take a look at what Xander hasn’t done recently and why he needs to take a turn for the better in these coming weeks.

Take a look at the photo above (which I took from my fantasy baseball site) and you will see Xander has not exactly had great success since the All-Star break. Not only has he gone missing but it’s almost as if he is going to the plate with an imaginary bat in his hands! We are not talking about just some guy plugging a hole in our lineup and in the field.  We are talking about an All-Star short stop projected to hit 20 to 30 HRs and about 80-90 RBI per season.

New York Yankees v Boston Red Sox

 

Why it matters

At this point in the season, ALL the games truly do matter for this Red Sox team.   Momentum can be key when it comes to heading into the post season and more importantly, making a run in the post season. As previously stated, this Red Sox lineup has had its struggles this year and currently ranks LAST in Home Runs out of ALL TEAMS in the Major Leagues.

Xander remains one of my favorite guys to watch on this ball club offensively and defensively.  The guy is a dirt-dog and leaves it on the field every night, no matter how poorly he may be playing.  With that said, this offense will need him to step it up in a BIG WAY. Xander is one of the most important players for this team.  So his continued struggles truly do hurt this lineup. If X-Man can figure it out and turn it around in these next few weeks, then this team could be deadly in the post season.

 

Inside the Numbers (or Lack Thereof)

To break down this past month for X, lets go a bit deeper inside the numbers and see what he has done (or hasn’t done) at the dish since around the break. In the last month X-MAN has hit .174 (which is below his weight).  He has two RBI, ZERO HOME RUNS, two stolen bases, eight runs scored and a putrid .240 on base percentage.

Want another example of how bad it’s been? In his first 60 at-bats of his career, Rafael Devers has six HRs, the same HR total that Xander currently has, but in 417 at-bats! That stat alone is staggering and should leave most of Red Sox Nation scratching their heads and asking themselves, “Whats wrong with X?”

 

Time for Everyone to Pick Up X

Whether Xander is nursing an injury, or his hand is still bothering him from the HPB he took earlier in the season, we need Xander back and we need him back now! Luckily for the Red Sox we have had some unexpected heroes as of late in the form of Benny Biceps, Devers, and Eduardo Nunez.   Nunez stands out as one of the best pickups made at the deadline due to his knack for making contact and his versatility in playing multiple positions in the field. Either way we look at it one thing is certain, the bigger names need to pick up X and get this offense rolling. Yes, I am calling out guys like Mookie, JBJ, Hanley, and Peddy to step it up and lead this offense into the post-season

Finally…

All I have left is one question and one question only and if anyone knows the answer please feel free to hit my twitter and let me know the answer…

WHERE HAS XANDER BOGAERTS GONE?

What a Difference a Year Makes – Drew Pomeranz

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The Trade

Last July, the Boston Red Sox acquired Drew Pomeranz from the San Diego Padres for prospect Anderson Espinoza. Some expressed concern about giving away a highly touted prospect in Espinoza, who compared to Pedro Martinez.   The Red Sox sorely wanted one last push to make the playoffs with their elder statesman David Ortiz in his final season.

 

At the time of the trade, he brought an 8-7 record, with a 2.47 ERA, a 1.06 Whip, an impressive .184 Opp BA and averaging 10 strikeouts per nine innings. Last year that made a lot of sense.   Trade a prospect who was only in Lower-A Greenville, for an All-Star southpaw (Pomeranz made his first All-Star game in 2016 as a member of the Padres) who could anchor the back end of our rotation.  And locked up through the following season to boot.

 

Photo courtesy of ESPN

A Rocky Beginning

However, the buzz died quickly.  In his first start against the San Francisco Giants, he gave up five runs over three innings and surrendered two home-runs. He got a shellacking from the visiting team as well as the Fenway faithful as he exited the ballpark.

Pomeranz would rebound as serviceable the month of August.   But then he experienced two dismal back-to-back outings in September, where he managed only two innings and three and two-thirds, respectively. To add salt to the wound, he was taxing the bullpen and struggling with the long ball, giving it up in every game except one since joining the team.

He made one more outing before he was held out for 10 days due to soreness in his left forearm, a nightmare scenario for almost any pitcher.

Medical Concerns

This prompted medical concerns from the Red Sox organization.  They believed that the Padres did not disclose all the necessary medical information during the trade talks. Major League Baseball eventually investigated the claim.  San Diego Padres General Manager A.J. Preller was suspended by MLB for not fully disclosing the medical records of Drew Pomeranz.

Red Sox and Pomeranz Move On

The Red Sox stood behind Pomeranz, and moved him to the bullpen where he pitched in two games in the ALDS versus the Cleveland Indians.   His inconsistency lingered, going two-plus innings without surrendering a run, followed by a second outing where he took the loss in the final game of the series.

It’s a New Year, A New Pomeranz

 

They say, “Hope Springs Eternal” or does it? In a May game in Oakland after throwing 98-pitches through four innings, on the heels of two sub-par appearances, John Farrell yanked him. The two exchanged words in the dugout.

Turning Point

While Drew Pomeranz showed frustration, it may have created a turning point.  He went on to win the next 9 of 11 decisions. He is currently 12-4 with a 3.39 ERA, tying him for 8th in wins in all of MLB.   Arguably in the best season of his career, Pomeranz stepped up in the absence of David Price as the number-two man in the rotation.

In fact, after his performance against the Yankees this past weekend, where he bested Luis Severino, pitching another quality start, it just shows a year can make all the difference for a player.

Just ask Drew Pomeranz.