Tag Archives: Drew Pomeranz

Brian Johnson

2018 Outlook for Brian Johnson

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Injured Starters

With Injuries to Drew Pomeranz and Eduardo Rodriguez, left-hander Brian Johnson will start the season in the rotation. He was expected to start the season in the bullpen since he is out of options. It has been a long and difficult road for Johnson. The Red Sox drafted him in the first round of the 2012 MLB draft 31st overall. Johnson was once considered a top prospect. He seemed poised for big things after going 10-2 in his second season in the minors. Since then, he has not had any easy road to the big leagues. Now he has his chance to show baseball why the Red Sox have stuck with him.

Brian Johnson

Photo Credit: Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images

Brian Johnson’s Journey

When the Sox drafted Johnson they had high expectations. Since then Johnson has had an eventful career. In his fourth minor league start, the former first round pick took a line drive off the face causing multiple fractures. Three years later Johnson made his MLB debut against the Houston Astros, only to leave that start because of numbness in his hand. This injury prevented him from making his case to be in the Red Sox 2016 rotation. Then baseball became secondary, as while at home he was the victim of a car jacking in which a gun was shot at his feet. With Johnson’s place in the organization up in the air he developed an anxiety disorder. This caused him to step away from baseball for six weeks and seek treatment.

Brian Johnson

Photo Credit: Charles Krupa/ AP Photo

Brian Johnson Bounces Back

The former first round pick returned to the Sox after almost retiring. Last year he was impressive in his limited opportunities. 2017 was not easy for Johnson, as in the minors he was again hit by a line drive in the head. But he didn’t miss a start. He appeared in five games, including two starts. In his Fenway Park debut he pitched a complete game shutout. The only other Red Sox pitcher to do that is a guy by the name of Pedro Martinez. Johnson doesn’t overpower hitters as his fastball tops out at 90 MPH. During Spring Training he has shown the Red Sox he could work the strike soon and had a 2.35 ERA the lowest on the team.

Brian Johnson

AP Photo/Derik Hamilton

What to Expect

Johnson is not expected to stay in the rotation all season. He will return to the bullpen once Pomeranz or Rodriguez are healthy. The Sox expect him to be a big part of the bullpen and make occasional spot starts. If the Sox had elected not to add Johnson to the Opening Day roster, they could have lost him to another team. Johnson has earned his spot with his performance. Johnson’s path to the big leagues is truly remarkable. He doesn’t take anything for granted, and will be motivated next year as he looks to add another chapter to a career that seemed like it could be over.

http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/red_sox/2017/08/red_sox_reward_sam_kennedy_with_extension_and_promotion

The Red Sox Are in Win Now Mode

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

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

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

The Roster Is Here to Play

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

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

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

What If Another Starting Pitcher Gets Hurt?

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It’s only spring training, but the Boston Red Sox starting rotation has already has its injury woes. Last week, manager Alex Cora announced that both Eduardo Rodriguez and Steven Wright were not likely to be ready for Opening Day. To make matters worse, Drew Pomeranz recently left his first spring training appearance with forearm tightness. Pomeranz says he’s fine, but what if another starting pitcher gets hurt? Do the Red Sox have the depth to handle such an injury?

What If Another Starting Pitcher Gets Hurt?

This article may read like an overreaction, simply because Pomeranz said he’s fine. There’s no reason to doubt him, so right now he probably is. However, Pomeranz has a history of arm injuries and fatigue, so it’s still worth looking at what the Sox would do without him. Right off the bat, it seems like the Sox have two main options: stay the course or sign a free agent.

Option One: Stay the Course

As things currently stand, the Red Sox will need one of Brian Johnson, Hector Velasquez, or Roenis Elias to take the fifth spot in the rotation. Each one has their pros and cons, but the Red Sox can likely survive in spite of the spot starter.

If the Red Sox need two spot starters, this task becomes considerably harder. Pomeranz isn’t a Cy Young caliber pitcher, but he’s leaps and bounds better than Johnson, Velasquez, or Elias. More pressure would fall on the offense, as they’d probably have to bail out the pitching to an extent two out of every five games.

Johnson and Velasquez both have proven that they can keep the Red Sox in games, so having both in the rotation wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world. However, relying on two minor league caliber pitchers isn’t ideal, and the Red Sox will likely check out the open market.

Option Two: Sign a Free Agent

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Jake Arrieta is a free agent, but probably won’t be a Red Sox

Image credit: NBC Sports

The Red Sox organization is very adamant about staying under the luxury tax, which means Jake Arrieta will not be a member of the team. Boston has roughly $8 million dollars to spend before hitting the luxury tax threshold, and Arrieta won’t sign for that.

Alex Cobb and Lance Lynn are the only other solid starters left on the market, but both would likely force the Red Sox to exceed the luxury tax. If they do that, they’ll drop ten spots in the upcoming MLB draft. Additionally, both players have received qualifying offers, which means signing one of those two would make the Sox forfeit their third highest draft pick.

Depending on how desperate the Red Sox are, they might bite the bullet and sign one of those three regardless. However, if the Red Sox truly want to stay under the luxury tax, they’d have to get creative.

Getting Creative

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Clay Buchholz would be the return nobody asked for

Image credit: ESPN

The Red Sox could look into acquiring former Sox John Lackey and Clay Buchholz, but both guys have their limits. Lackey is 39 and coming off one of the worst seasons of his career. He’s openly debated retirement before, and might not have anything left in the tank. As for Buchholz, the Red Sox should avoid him at all costs. Red Sox Nation was on that roller coaster for the better part of a decade, there’s no need to get on that ride again.

Kyle Kendrick is also an option, albeit a very low upside one. The Red Sox thought enough of him to bring him in last year, but he woefully underperformed. In a year where the Red Sox constantly needed a spot starter, Kendrick was unable to step up. He fell behind Johnson and Velasquez on the depth chart, but he does have a record of major league success. If the Red Sox believe last year was a fluke, then perhaps they’ll bring him back.

There aren’t many good options outside the organization, but one player they could check out is Brett Anderson. Anderson once had a very promising career, and was actually traded to the Colorado Rockies for Pomeranz back in 2013. He had success with the Oakland Athletics and the Los Angeles Dodgers, but injuries have limited him. He’s only pitched 66.2 innings since 2015, and he hasn’t looked that great in any of them. Still, the Sox could kick the tires to see if there’s any magic left in the 30-year old.

Which Option Is Best?

Truthfully, the best option is to stay the course. Getting creative is asking for trouble, as all of those options are high risk. The need for starting pitching depth isn’t large enough to justify the cost of Arrieta, Cobb, or Lynn. Having two spot starters in the rotation isn’t ideal, but this Red Sox team is built well enough to survive. As long as the starter can keep the game competitive for the first five innings, the rest of the unit should be able to pick up the slack.

 

Cover Image: SI.com

Drew and Improved

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Drew Pomeranz’s 2016 season

On July 14th, 2016 the Red Sox acquired left-handed pitcher Drew Pomeranz in a trade with the San Diego Padres. To that point, Pomeranz was putting together a fine season. Drew went 8-7 with a 2.47 ERA in 17 starts with San Diego. He also only allowed eight home runs in those 17 starts. Personally, I thought it was a decent trade. It was exciting to see another talented pitcher join the rotation. I thought the move provided Boston with serious rotation depth as Pomeranz was joining a group that already featured quality pitchers such as eventual Cy Young winner Rick Porcello, David Price, Steven Wright and Eduardo Rodriguez.

The numbers were clearly good, but Red Sox fans were displeased with the move. Red Sox Nation was uneasy about getting rid of the highly talented pitching prospect Anderson Espinoza. This put a lot of pressure on Pomeranz and unfortunately it did not work out well. Pomeranz went just 3-5 with an ERA of 4.59 in 14 starts. His HR/9 rose from 0.7 to 1.8, not pretty. Red Sox fans became displeased with the front office for getting rid of Espinoza for a back end starter.

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Slow start to 2017 for Drew

Sox fans entered the 2017 season indifferent about the rotation. There was plenty of confidence in newly acquired Chris Sale and Cy Young winner Rick Porcello. However, many were concerned about the rest of the rotation. Would E-Rod and Price stay healthy? Will Steven Wright’s knuckleball “knuckle” this year? Will Pomeranz pitch as poorly as he did in 2016? Tremendous pressure was on Pomeranz’s shoulders, he had yet to prove he could pitch in the stacked AL East. It was a rough start to the season for Pomeranz as he posted an ERA of 4.97 through his first eight starts. His poor performance made him one of the least popular players among the fans. This increased the animosity of the fans towards the management.

Big Smooth turns it around

After Drew’s rough start to the season, he found his groove. Pomeranz got on a roll and ended the season with a 17-6 record and an ERA of 3.32. His monthly ERAs from June to September went like this: 3.00, 2.72, 2.28 and 3.69, very effective. He won eight starts in the second half alone while posting an ERA of 3.01. Pomeranz’s performance quickly began to alter the opinions Red Sox fans had of him. He solidified himself as the second best pitcher in the rotation only behind Cy Young candidate Sale.

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The key to his dominance?

Pomeranz is well known for his filthy curveball, which he throws 37% of the time. He constantly has hitters off balance as they are unsure if they will see his curve or fastball. His curveball is slow and has a deep break. Hitters often times can’t wait on it, which produces an off balance, front-footed swing. When batters do manage to lay off, it is typically because they see it as a ball upon his release, but the sharp break often brings it back over the plate for a called strike. This nasty curve also makes his fastball more effective. Despite his fastball only being thrown around 91 MPH, he gets many swings and misses at it. Relative to his curveball, which is typically 79 MPH, his fastball looks very fast to batters. The 12 MPH difference between his two main pitches is a nightmare for batters. Hitters can not seem to time him properly as sitting on the fastball makes them vulnerable to the curveball and vice-versa.

What does the future hold for Pomeranz?

No one can be certain, but I personally think we will see a similarly good Pomeranz in 2018. He showed incredible consistency after his first eight starts. I do not see a logical reason why he would not be effective again in 2018. Sure, he may not be quite as good, but I anticipate his numbers will be in the same ballpark (no pun intended). As long as he brings the same curveball along with him, he should have no problem keeping hitters off balance and succeeding. Another solid season from Pomeranz will be a key factor in the rotations effectiveness.

*Follow me on twitter @MLBfromNH (Kevin Civiello)*

 

Red Sox Playoff Pitching Rotation

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With The Regular Season Ending, The Red Sox Get Their Rotation Ready

The Major League Baseball season is almost over, believe it or not which means teams will be getting ready for the playoffs. While others will be making plans for their off season.  The Red Sox have 11 regular season games left before the playoffs get underway. The starting rotation all year has been in question. With David Price now coming out of the bullpen, Chris Sale having a few rocky starts lately, the true ace on the team right now is Drew Pomeranz.   Pomeranz is 16-5 with a 3.28 ERA for this season.

Chris Sale Gets The Ball For Game One Of ALDS

there is know doubt Chris Sale will get the start in game one of the ALDS. Chris Sale has never pitched in the playoffs, so this will be the true test to see how he does in a bigger stage. Sale is 16-7 with a 2.86 ERA so far this season. LDavid Price who’s making $31M should be a playoff starter.  I know his two wins in the playoffs have come while pitching out of the bullpen. But he could prove everyone wrong and earn his contract by pitching well in the playoffs.

Drew Pomeranz, Doug Fister, Rick Porcello: Are The Bottom Three Of The Rotation

Drew Pomeranz would likely be third on the playoff rotation.  He’s had a pretty good season, but in the ALDS last season against Cleveland he only pitched 3.2 innings, gave up two runs, and two hits.

CLEVELAND, OH – AUGUST 22: Starting pitcher Doug Fister #38 of the Boston Red Sox pitches during the first inning against the Cleveland Indians at Progressive Field on August 22, 2017 in Cleveland, Ohio

My  fourth starter would be Doug Fister who’s 4-2 in the postseason, with a 2.60 ERA according to Baseball Reference.

BOSTON, MA – AUGUST 15: Rick Porcello #22 of the Boston Red Sox celebrates after a triple play during the fourth inning against the St. Louis Cardinals at Fenway Park on August 15, 2017 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

My fifth starter would have to be Rick Porcello Even though he has 17 losses this season I’d rather have him pitch in a playoff game because I trust him more in the playoffs and who has the experience too. Eduardo Rodriguez is an average pitcher but I don’t think is ready to start a playoff game.

  1. Chris Sale
  2. David Price
  3. Drew Pomeranz
  4. Doug Fister
  5. Rick Porcello

 

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.