Tag Archives: Chris Sale

Early Impressions of the Red Sox Starters

Red Sox Starters so Far

Through the season’s first few games, the Red Sox are 4-1. They’ve received great pitching from their bullpen and starters. Their offense has been good, but a few players are off to slow starts. The big three of this Sox rotation, which had many questions, has been dominant. The Red Sox starters so far have shown why pitching could be this team’s strength.

Photo Credit: Maddie Meyer/Getty Images

Question Marks for the Red Sox Starters

Entering the season the Red Sox Rotation had two big questions. Could David Price return to his dominant form? Also, which Rick Porcello would show up in 2018? Price was dominant in his first start of the season against the Rays his former team. He threw seven shutout innings and did not walk anybody. Porcello did not shut out the Rays but he was also dominated as he only allowed one run. The performance of these two will be key as the season goes on. Two of these three have won a Cy Young and for Sale it’s only a matter of time. That’s how dominant they could be.

Photo Credit: Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire

Expected Reinforcements

In the coming weeks the Red Sox will see the return of Drew Pomeranz and Eduardo Rodriguez. Their replacements, Brian Johnson and Hector Velazquez, performed well in their first starts. Johnson allowed one run in six innings of work against the Marlins, and Velazquez allowed one run over five and two-thirds against the Rays. Once the Sox injured starters return, Johnson will go back to the bullpen, and Velazquez possibly the minors. They have shown in their first starts how deep this team can be.

(Photo/Lynne Sladky

What to Expect Going Forward

While the Red Sox pitching is off to a stellar start, they aren’t facing overpowering lineups. The Rays and Marlins are both not expected to make the postseason, and had franchise stars traded in the off-season. The true test for this pitching staff will come once they play teams such as the Yankees, Astros, and Indians. A good start is important, especially when they are missing Pomeranz, who is coming off a sixteen win season, and Rodriguez, who could be the best fifth starter in baseball. These early games have shown the potential of this rotation and just how dominant it can be.

Shohei Ohtani, Meet Chris Sale

Leave a reply

Sale for Home Run Derby

The 2018 season is underway, and so many things have happened so far. Xander Bogearts is off to a hot start, the starting pitching has been good, Chris Sale is hitting bombs… Wait, what? Yeah, you read that right.

The Red Sox, who will be going to Miami after Sunday’s game, will have starting pitchers in the batting order for the two games against the Marlins. You might as well start getting ready as early as you can. Red Sox beat writers posted a video of Boston’s ace pitcher taking BP. You can see him pimping one and having an epic bat flip.

Shohei Ohtani? Who’s that? Not only is Sale hitting balls to the moon, but he’s also doing bat flips that will make José Bautista jealous. Cora apparently has yet another bat he will have to figure out to get into the lineup. I’m going for the over on 40 homers for Sale this year. Watch out, Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge.

Cover image courtesy of the WCVB.

Alex Cora Is Ready

Leave a reply

A Long Awaited Opening Day Is Here

The Boston Globe via Getty Images.

Today is the day, freshly cut grass, springtime, and the smell of baseball is in the air.

Red Sox fans and players have been waiting for this day to come since the season ended in October. There’s one person though who is really excited to begin his manager debut today: Alex Cora. Cora comes in as a new voice in the clubhouse and a fresh young vibe. This spring he’s already built a good relationship with most of his players, and the whole team went to dinner the other night. It was a night he’ll never forget. He’s even said he wants to bring a World Championship to Boston because nobody cares about division titles.

Today’s Opening Day lineup as follows:

1. Mookie Betts, RF

2. Andrew Benintendi (L), LF

3. Hanley Ramirez, 1B

4. J.D. Martinez, DH

5. Xander Bogaerts, SS

6. Rafael Devers (L), 3B, OR Eduardo Nunez, 2B

7. Eduardo Nunez, 2B, OR Rafael Devers, 3B,

8. Jackie Bradley Jr. (L), CF

9. Christian Vazquez, C

Alex Cora Is Ready

Via MassLive.com

Chris Sale will get the ball to begin the 2018 season. Cora told the Boston Herald yesterday, ” I told my daughter the other day, she asked me ‘Are you nervous?’” I said, ‘Not really.’ She’s like, ‘Dad!’ She’s more nervous than me. Obviously, tonight is going to be interesting how much sleep I’m going to get.” I’m sure Cora got very little sleep last night ahead of the opener today. Chris Sale is making his first opening day start for the Red Sox saying yesterday ” It fun, it’s exciting, and I’ve done it a couple times before. This would be obviously my first one here, which is special. Boston, obviously, is a great city for sports, a great city for baseball, and to be named Opening Day starter for this organization is not something I take lightly and I’m actually really excited about.”

So here we go. Game one of 162. It will be an exciting season and should be a great atmosphere at Fenway Park all year. The Red Sox will be in the hunt for a playoff spot, and the rivalry with the Yankees could actually be interesting again. David Price being on board with the manager is great too. Everybody seems to like the manager and seems a lot more relaxed than last season.

Red Sox Baseball Is Back

Leave a reply

Red Sox Baseball Begins Thursday

Apr 15, 2017; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Chris Sale delivers a pitch against the Tampa Bay Rays during the first inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports

The 2018 baseball season is Thursday, but the buzz around the Red Sox seems to be very quiet. Yes, there’s a lot going on with the Patriots, Celtics, and Bruins. But the Red Sox are staring their season Thursday. Alex Cora, as his first year as manager, has been clear divisions don’t mean anything winning a World Series does. Alex Cora has built a great relationship so far with his players. David Price seems to like him too, as there was a disconnect between him and John Farrell. Dustin Pedroia even told WEEI there was a disconnect between Farrell and the players last season.

This season is totally different with a new manager and coaches on the staff. The Red Sox come in with mostly the same team, besides adding J.D. Martinez, who is the power hitter they needed going forward to compete with the New York Yankees. Hopefully, Dustin Pedroia won’t be a baby and start being the leader he says he is in the clubhouse as well. The starting rotation looks good with Sale starting Thursday, followed by David Price, Rick Porcello, Hector Velazquez, and Brian Johnson.

Alex Cora Sounds Confident

(Fort Myers FL, 02/22/18) Boston Red Sox catcher Blake Swihart and second baseman Brock Holt celebrate with manager Alex Cora after scoring on Austin Rei’s double in the first inning of the Spring Training game against Northeastern University at JetBlue Park on Thursday, February 22, 2018. Staff photo by Matt Stone

Alex Cora had comments today and said, “Besides the freakin’ best record in baseball?” The Red Sox had the best record in baseball in Spring Training which at the end of the day means nothing. Cora also said today that he’s seen some players step up without saying any names. Alex Cora did say at the end to not to pay attention to spring training records they don’t mean anything.

John Farrell Speaks About Firing

The Red Sox have the talent to compete with the Yankees but do they have enough to win another division? That remains to be seen. Old manager John Farrell spoke yesterday about how he knew his time was up with the Red Sox late last season, saying,

“If you finished in first place last year, you were twice as likely as to be fired as if you finished in last place. So from that perspective, yeah, a little bit surprised a change was made, I do know Dave came in and he inherited me, So he felt like there was a change that was needed because we made quick exits the two years consecutive going into the postseason. The expectation as it is every year, whether it’s New York or Boston, LA, Chicago, to go deep into the October run, we didn’t do it. So I wish Alex Cora and everybody all the best there going forward.”

Farrell is a scout for the Cincinnati Reds, and currently will serve as an analyst for Baseball Tonight on ESPN. Get ready for the long baseball season. This should be an exciting one for sure.

Dustin Pedroia Needs to Be Traded

Leave a reply

The injuries, inconsistencies, and offensive struggles can’t justify his elite defense anymore. It’s time to cash in on the former AL MVP Dustin Pedroia.

Although it pains me to say this, trading Pedroia something that needs to happen. Can he really come back from surgery, ready to put all of the DL stints behind him? The former All-Star has missed 134 games within the last three seasons. Until the 2021 season, the Boston Red Sox owe him $56,500,000. That’s crazy for a 34 year old infielder.

While never expected to hit for a lot of power (140 career homers), Pedroia is expected to get hits. He has a combined 431 hits in the regular season since 2015. Compared to 38 year old Adrian Beltre, the stats differ. Both are well-respected to the game, and are huge stars to this day. Beltre since 2015 has missed only 96 games, while collecting 444 hits. While offensive numbers are near equivalent, Pedroia has superior defense compared to Beltre, but he’s four years older. They both play different positions, so they are relied upon differently. So overall this is open to interpretation.

As he showed last season, Pedroia is not going to be the leader Big Papi was. With guys like Mookie Betts, Chris Sale, and David Price with the team, there’s no need to fill that role. That void will be filled by Ortiz as he is a player consultant for the team. His visits at Fenway South have already shown he is eager to share his wisdom.

Dustin Pedroia has had many great moments that will forever make him a Red Sox legend. His defensive percentage alone should make him a first ballot Hall of Famer one day. With guys on the team like Eduardo Nunez, the Red Sox have a reliable replacement. Plus, there could be a sizable return in a potential move.

Potential Trade Suitor: The Atlanta Braves

A team like the Braves could offer a good starter like Mike Foltynewicz, and a decent prospect or two. A good chunk of Red Sox talent are slated for extensions or free agency. The team needs to look ahead. With Dustin Pedroia likely out after the end of the contract, now would be the time to take a look. I could sleep well at night knowing that if the team traded him, the reward outweighs the risk.

Boston Sports Extra’s MLB Award Predictions

Leave a reply

With the Major League Baseball season almost upon us (finally), our baseball writers have collaborated to make our picks for the coming season. In this article we detail who will win the major awards for 2018; Most Valuable Player, Cy Young and Rookie of the Year for both leagues. We will follow this one up with a part two article covering our picks for the division winners and the postseason.

American League Most Valuable Player

Scott Frizzell – Mike Trout is my pick for this year’s MVP winner because he is awfully hard to pick against. Trout is the best player in baseball, and his first six seasons match up pretty favorably with just about any player in the game’s history. He could be a top ten player of all-time once he hangs them up. Dark Horse Candidate – Francisco Lindor

Matt O’Halloran – Mike Trout seems like the best pick, as he has been for the past five years. He won the award in 2014 and 2016, and has been close to winning it in the other years. The Angels missed the Wild Card by five games in 2017, and a playoff run combined with a healthy season should guarantee a third MVP for the outfielder. Runner up – Jose Altuve

Kyle Porch – Mookie Betts will win MVP this year because he has a lot to prove. Simply put, he got robbed of the award two years ago by Mike Trout, and he needs the numbers to get the extension he wants. With a third straight gold glove award in sight, the five tool player can rip it up offensively to which we have seen the last two seasons.

Justin Gonzalez – It has always been Mike Trout’s award to lose ever since he stepped foot in the MLB. Widely renowned as baseball’s best player, Trout seems to be catapulting himself towards a first ballot hall of fame vote already at the age of 26. Last year was seen as a down year for him since he only played in 114 games but was still able to post a 1.071 OPS, 33 HR, 72 RBI, .306 batting average while swiping 22 bags. Now batting in the best lineup he has ever been in, it is time for Trout to show us what he is truly capable of and all we can do is sit back and enjoy the show.

David Latham – It’s Altuve’s world, and we’re all just living in it. I’ve been a huge fan of Altuve ever since he entered the league, and outside of Mike Trout, there’s no other player I’d rather have on my team. He’s everything you want in a baseball player: he can hit for average, power, he’s a great athlete, and he gives 110% every single play.

Brandon Fazzolari – Carlos Correa is in the middle of a lineup that tests pitchers every step of the way, setting Correa up to produce huge numbers.

National League Most Valuable Player

Scott Frizzell – Bryce Harper has more or less become the player he was supposed to become over the last three seasons. Last year, his season was derailed by injury, but he was putting up big numbers before he went down. Now entering his first contract season, expect Harper to play as well as he ever has. I think numbers similar to his 2015 campaign are within reach. Dark Horse Candidate – Christian Yelich

Matt O’Halloran – Nolan Arenado has been consistently great during his career, but never really talked about. It could be the Colorado market or blind fans chalking up the success to Coors, but that silence changes this year. Arenado is in a contract year, which should bolster his already impressive stats. The young third baseman is an outstanding defender and great hitter (even out of Coors). The Rockies made the wild card game last year, and another postseason berth combined with impressive numbers should get him the MVP. Runner up – Corey Seager

Kyle Porch – Nolan Arenado will win the NL MVP award simply because of a continuation from last season. The Rockies third baseman will continue on his upward trend while earning a massive payday next season.

Justin Gonzalez – It must really suck to be Harper. I mean think about it: he has luscious hair, a beard that a lumberjack would approve of, a career WAR that is one point higher than his actual age (26 over 25), and is heading into one of the biggest contract years ever. Okay, maybe that doesn’t suck, but what I was getting at is imagine a baseball world without Mike Trout. We would be talking about Harper like he was the second coming of Ken Griffey Jr. I believe that this contract year for Harper is what will put him on the map clearly as the second best baseball player in the world.

David Latham – There are very few baseball players more talented than Washington Nationals right fielder Bryce Harper. Another guy that can do it all, Harper is set to hit unrestricted free agency at the end of 2018. Look for Harper to have an absolutely crazy 2018 before breaking the bank in 2019.

Brandon Fazzolari – Bryce Harper is a versatile performer that can hit for average and power from the left side. Barring injury, this award should be his.

Photo by Patrick Smith

American League Cy Young Award

Scott Frizzell – I like to dig a little deeper on AL Cy Young oftentimes, so my pick is going to be Lance McCullers this season. McCullers just needs to stay healthy, as he has never pitched more than 22 games in a season. His first two seasons he had a 3.22 ERA, and he struck out 11.8 batters per nine in 2016. When he went down with an injury last June, McCullers had a 2.58 ERA and 10.4 k/9. He pitched well in the postseason and so far this spring he has been lights out. Dark Horse Candidate – James Paxton

Matt O’Halloran – Justin Verlander posted a 1.06 regular season ERA after he was traded to the Astros on August 31st. The ace was a big part of their world series run and should put up impressive numbers again. He won the award in 2011, and was a runner up in 2016. He has been consistently dominant since he entered the league in 2006, and there is no reason to believe that will stop. Runner up – Chris Sale

Kyle Porch – Chris Sale will give hitters deja vu of his 2017 season to win the award. While working out with Jason Groome over the offseason, he has built muscle and the velocity has improved while under-exerting himself during spring training.

Justin Gonzalez – The 2017 Cy Young award runner up has some unfinished business to take care of in 2018. He got his inaugural Red Sox season out of the way and is looking to take back what was clearly his in the first half of the season. Sporting the highest career SO/W (strikeout per win) figure in MLB history, Sale does two things extremely well: strikeout batters and win games. Pitching in front of a better lineup than last season, he has a chance to have a career year. Pair all of this with his longevity boosting workout regimen and he is really in line for another spectacular season.

David Latham – For the first four months of the 2017 season, this award was Sale’s to lose. Unfortunately, fatigue set in and Sale had a rough end of the season. He ended up finishing second for the award, behind Cleveland Indians ace Corey Kluber.

Brandon Fazzolari – Chris Sale is the consummate power pitcher. He shows no signs of slowing down in his prime.

National League Cy Young Award

Scott Frizzell – Sticking with my theme of underdogs for Cy Young, I am taking Noah Syndergaard to win in the NL this year. Syndergaard isn’t quite the underdog McCullers is, but anyone not named Kershaw or Scherzer in the National League seems like a bit of one. After missing most of last season, Syndergaard is healthy and strong for this season. He came out firing 100 miles per hour early in spring. Dark Horse Candidate – Aaron Nola

Matt O’Halloran – I could have flipped a coin between Kershaw and Max Scherzer. It is a two man race barring a major injury because they are the only best pitchers in the NL and whoever is third is a distant third. I predict Kershaw just because the Dodgers should finish ahead of the Nationals in the standings. He won the award in 2011, 2013, 2014, and was a runner up in 2017. Runner up – Max Scherzer

Kyle Porch – Clayton Kershaw will continue his dominance by winning another Cy Young award. The Dodgers pitcher could opt out and with his 4th award he can get a huge payday.

Justin Gonzalez – Want to read a preposterous sentence? Clayton Kershaw could possibly have a better career than Trout when it is all said and done. Everyone knows that he is the best pitcher in baseball (you do know that, right?) but just how good is he? Well for starters, he hasn’t had an ERA over 2.50 since 2012 (2.53) and has only had an ERA over 3.00 ONCE in TEN seasons (his rookie year). Get my point? He already has a career WAR of 60.6 and is heading into a contract season. His recent injuries would be the only thing that would stop him from winning the award for the 4th time, but then again, injuries could happen to anybody on this list. I would be absolutely floored if Kershaw didn’t run away with the award yet again.

David Latham – Clayton Kershaw is the best pitcher in baseball, and it’s not even that close. Until someone dethrones him as the best, this award will always be his to lose.

Brandon Fazzolari – Joining most others, I am picking Clayton Kershaw to win this award. It’s hard to believe Kershaw is still just 30 years old because he has been so good for so long.

Clayton Kershaw during the first inning against the Colorado Rockies, Wednesday, April 19, 2017. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

American League Rookie of the Year

Scott Frizzell – Shohei Ohtani seemed to be the clear favorite for this award before his lousy spring training. I wanted to go elsewhere with this pick anyways, Ohtani was too easy. Willie Calhoun of the Rangers is starting the season in the minors, but I think he will be up by the end of April. A former fourth round pick, Calhoun batted .300 with 31 home runs in AAA last season. In a hitter’s paradise in Arlington, Calhoun should make his mark this season. Dark Horse Candidate – Austin Hays

Kyle Porch – Willie Calhoun has great speed not only in the outfield, but on the base path as well. If he can continue his hot hitting from the minors, he should be a lock for Rookie of The Year.

Justin Gonzalez – Eloy Jimenez ranks as the number four prospect in all of baseball and seems to be overshadowed by another soon to be star, Yoan Moncada. Originally from the Cubs organization before being traded to the ChiSox in exchange for Jose Quintana, Jimenez seems to be a player that can really be a pivotal piece towards the White Sox rebuild. The 21 year old has an eye-popping OPS of 2.381 in his first Spring Training. Jimenez recently got optioned to double-A, but there should not be any reason why the White Sox wouldn’t promote him at some point during the season.

David Latham – If Rafael Devers were eligible, I’d pick him here. However, he’s not, so the award goes to Texas Rangers outfielder Willie Calhoun. Calhoun is a power bat on a popular organization that should be average at least, so why not him?

Brandon Fazzolari – There’s a lot to like about the multi-talented Ohtani, but mostly that he’s in a lineup alongside Mike Trout.

Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

National League Rookie of the Year

Scott Frizzell – It is hard to pick against Ronald Acuña at this point. He will start the season in the minor leagues, but that is only to extend his years under team control. Acuña will be up before long and he is one of the most talented prospects to come up in sometime. Acuña has some all-around ability to his game in the vein of Mike Trout. In three stops last season. Acuña batted .325, hit 21 home runs and stole 44 bases. So far this spring, he has batted .432 with 4 homers and 4 steals. Dark Horse Candidate – A.J. Minter

Kyle Porch – Ronald Acuña has flown through the Braves minor league system. Their number 1 prospect is expected to branch out in the majors this season.

Justin Gonzalez – J.P. Crawford seems to be one of the more overlooked players to get excited about in today’s baseball world. In a league where shortstop seems to be a position abundant with raw talent, it is hard to get noticed. However, Crawford will be the everyday shortstop for a Phillies team that has suddenly become decent. The acquisition of Carlos Santana, a full season of Rhys Hoskins and a hopeful season for Maikel Franco will really help Crawford out from the get go. His patience at the plate along with his ability to hit to all fields as well as his plus defending makes him one of the early front-runners for the NL Rookie of the Year.

David Latham – The Dodgers will be good this year, and Walker Buehler should be a big part of that. He won’t be the top arm in the rotation, which honestly should help his win total. He’s got a lot of talent, making it to the majors after undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2016.

Brandon Fazzolari – If spring training is any indication, Acuña should win this award in a cakewalk.

The Red Sox Are in Win Now Mode

Leave a reply

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

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

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

The Roster Is Here to Play

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

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

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

2018 Outlook for Rick Porcello

Leave a reply

Porcello’s Career in Boston so Far

Rick Porcello has experienced his fair share of highs and lows since arriving in Boston. The Red Sox acquired him in the winter of 2014 from the Tigers in exchange for outfielder Yoenis Cespedes. In his first season following the trade, Porcello had fifteen loses and ERA of almost five. His second year in Boston was the complete opposite, as he won twenty-two games and the AL Cy Young award. Last year he struggled again and was unable to repeat his Cy Young performance. He lost a career high seventeen games and again had an ERA above four. This season will be his fourth year in Boston, and it should be an interesting one.

Photo Credit: Maddie Meyer/Getty Images

2017 Struggles

Unlike Sale and Price, Porcello is not a strikeout machine. He is a sinkerball pitcher who pitches to contact. Last year he allowed a career high thirty-eight home runs and a career high two hundred and thirty-six hits. This was a result of a couple of factors. Last year his signature sinkerball pitch didn’t have the same effect. He pitched more up in strike zone making his pitches easier to hit. He does not throw the ball very hard which means he can’t just blow people away. What makes Porcello effective is when he’s able to stay out of the upper part of the strike zone. This makes it harder for hitters to barrel up the ball and induces ground balls.

Photo Credit: Adam Glanzman/Getty Images

2018 Expectations for Porcello

Porcello is not as bad of a pitcher as he showed last year. He also is not a perennial Cy Young award candidate. With Price, Sale, and Pomeranz atop of the Red Sox rotation they don’t need him to be. In 2018 he will likely be the fourth starter, which could work out very well. When the former Tiger first came to Boston he was expected to be the ace. That didn’t workout and he had his breakout season in 2016 when the Sox signed David Price to be their ace. Porcello may not win twenty-two games a year, but he Is capable of pitching too a sub 4.00 ERA. He does not have the stuff to be an ace but does have the stuff be a consistent and at times an above average pitcher.

Photo Credit: Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images

Why Porcello Is Key

If he can regain his signature sinkerball pitch then the Sox could have the best fourth starter in baseball. There won’t be as much pressure on him to carry this team which gives him a better chance to succeed. I expect Porcello to win between thirteen and sixteen games with an ERA under four. The sinkerball pitcher will be looking to rebound, and he will have the perfect opportunity to do that.

The Boston Red Sox Have No Ceiling

Leave a reply

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

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

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.

The Red Sox Are Trying Something New

Leave a reply

When you think of the all-time great Boston Red Sox, there are many players that come to mind. The organization has been blessed with an absurd amount of legends in its long history, from Ted Williams, to Carl Yastrzemski, to Carlton Fisk, to David Ortiz, and countless more. While all those legends are separated by decades, there is one thing that most of them share in common. Outside of Pedro Martinez, the best Sox players were always hitters. Looking at 2018, that probably won’t be the case. The Red Sox are trying something new this season – and that’s ok.

The Red Sox Are Trying Something New

It may not look like the normal Red Sox team, but there should be a lot of dancing this season

Image credit: SI.com

Historically, the Red Sox have never made acquiring top pitchers their main priority. Of course, they’ve never turned down signing a good pitcher if one fell into their lap, but generally speaking the organization has always put the focus on getting the best bat instead of the best arm. In 2016, the Red Sox took a turn from history and put more of the focus on pitching. With Ortiz retiring, they knew there would need to be a change in organizational philosophy.

With Ortiz’ departure imminent, the Sox went all in on pitching. Within two years, the Sox had remade their starting rotation. Boston added Chris Sale, David Price, and Drew Pomeranz to join Eddie Rodriguez and Rick Porcello. Additionally, the bullpen has added a series of hard throwing late inning arms to replace the likes of Jean Machi and the corpse of Junichi Tazawa.

Despite winning 93 games and the division title, the Red Sox 2017 season didn’t go as planned. Overall, the pitching held up its end of the bargain, but the offense lacked pop due to the absence of Ortiz along with some regression from the young core. Meanwhile, the Yankees young core had spent all of 2017 destroying baseballs, coming one game shy of the World Series.

Red Sox Nation freaked when the Yankees acquired NL MVP Giancarlo Stanton. The most power happy offense had added the best power hitter from the 2017 season. With all that firepower, there’s no way to think that the Red Sox can produce an offense that could match the Yankees. They can’t, but that’s fine. The Red Sox aren’t trying to, and they shouldn’t.

Where the Red Sox Stand Now

Adding J.D. Martinez would help Boston, but it’s not going to make or break the season. With or without him, Boston will not be able to match the Yankees lineup bat for bat. That’s where the pitching staff comes in. The Sox have a rotation led by two true aces in Chris Sale and David Price. Drew Pomeranz put together a great season last year, and Alex Cora should be the fix that lets Eddie Rodriguez make the leap. Rick Porcello is just one year removed from a Cy Young and will probably be better this year than last.

The bullpen is looking great too. The Sox should look to add another late inning arm, but the bullpen still figures to be a big strength. Craig Kimbrel was the best closer in baseball last year, and Carson Smith looked good in a small sample size. Tyler Thornberg still exists and will be pitching at some point. Joe Kelly and Matt Barnes should never be the top arms in the bullpen, but they’re great depth to have.

The Winning Strategy

Chris Sale’s arm will play a big role in this teams success

Image credit: NESN.com

The pitching will be enough to keep games close, so the offense doesn’t need to be a juggernaut to win games. Let’s assume the worst case scenario that Martinez doesn’t sign and nobody else is brought in. There would be a relative lack of power, but the Sox would still be in good shape.

Mookie Betts is an annual MVP candidate and will almost certainly be better in 2018 than 2017. Jackie Bradley Jr is streaky, but when he’s hot, he’s nearly unstoppable. Xander Bogaerts won’t ever hit 30 home runs, but he’s got amazing hands and is one of the best at making solid contact and getting on base. His innate ability to get on base and hit to all areas of the park makes him a great fit for the lead-off or second spot. On top of that, his annual second half slump could be a thing of the past now that the Sox have a manager that actually knows when a player needs a rest day.

Young Reinforcements

Expect this guy to become a household name before long

Image credit: Boston Globe

The established players should bounce back, but the younger players should add a kick of their own too. Andrew Benintendi played incredibly well for a rookie, but he did have his ups and downs. With a full year of the majors under his belt, he should continue his upward trajectory and could even push for the MVP if everything breaks right.

Third baseman Rafael Devers had a steep learning curve in 2017 and played incredibly well. Devers was promoted to the majors after just a week in Triple A after spending the first half of the season in AA ball. Somehow, the jump from AA pitching to major league didn’t affect him. Devers was one of the best power hitters on the team last year, and was responsible for some of the best moments of the season. His defense needs work, but his bat and athleticism have unreal potential.

All in all, this shapes up to be a good offense without accounting for Martinez or another power bat. It’s certainly an offense that’s good enough to compete with a good pitching staff to compliment it. When paired with a great pitching staff, it’s downright scary. It’s not a lineup that looks like a typical Red Sox lineup. It’s something new, but it’s something that should lead to serious World Series contention.

Cover image courtesy of Boston.com.