Tag Archives: Hanley Ramirez

Red Sox Beat New York In Round One

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hanley Ramirez Can Be the Next Nelson Cruz

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Hanley Ramirez has every opportunity to turn his below average 2017 season in Boston around. As he continues his “bat first, glove last” career approach, another name came to mind for finding a fair prediction of the kind of player Ramirez could be. Clearly, the better hitter of the last 3-4 years has been Cruz. However, comparing their age 31-33 seasons (the point of their careers where their glove becomes a liability) may not be so crazy.

Ramirez and Cruz

Nelson “Boomstick” Cruz, one of the more intimidating bats in the league, has been a pleasure to watch since he started playing consistently in 2009. Even in his age 36 season, he managed to hit 39 homers in one of the leagues least hitter-friendly ballparks. For the past three years he hit 40+ homers. The main focus on hitting and a neglect for defense could be a successful contributor to why he is one of the most prolific home run hitters at his age. Sound familiar?

Hanley Ramirez was always known as a bat first kind of shortstop, but his overall defensive career in Boston has been riddled with confusion and frustration. His first season with the Red Sox, when he was thrown into the outfield for 92 of his 105 games played, was like watching someone with no legs try to catch fly balls on ice. It was woeful and everyone knew it. The next experiment was to put him at first base, where all of the aging sluggers eventually go to before transitioning to a full time DH player (see: David Ortiz, Albert Pujols).

Hanley achieved a -13 dWAR figure, which puts him towards the bottom third for all first basemen in 2017. Now I’m not saying his defensive time at first base is anywhere near the horrific display in the outfield. But, when similar aging first basemen such as Joe Mauer, Chase Headley and Miguel Cabrera are achieving dWAR figures that are twice as good as Hanley’s, it could be a sign for the future. Simply, Hanley Ramirez is just not meant to be a positional player anymore. This is not a bad thing being that this is what the DH position is turning out to be, and Hanley seems like the perfect mold.

Similarities

It seems like Hanley can turn into the kind of player Cruz has become of recent. For starters, both players are 6’2″ and Cruz only weighs five more pounds. Hanley has a career WAR of 37, Cruz has 30. For what it’s worth, both hail from the Dominican Republic. The comparison can get deeper. This is what I found when I compared both player’s age 31-33 seasons:

AVG: Cruz (.266) Hanley (.261)

OBP: Cruz (.327) Hanley (.328)

SLG: Cruz (.497) Hanley (.457)

HR%: Cruz (5.1%) Hanley (4.5%)

BAbip: Cruz (.295) Hanley (.284)

Here’s the kicker to all of this (as there are many): Hanley is getting paid three times more than Cruz was in his age 31-33 seasons. Naturally, everyone expects Hanley to hit the ball three times as well as Cruz did, which is impossible. Also, the acquisition of J.D. Martinez will greatly limit Hanley’s appearances at DH. Platooning with Mitch Moreland at first base will likely do the same. Looking at average exit velocities over the last three years, Cruz has been able to stay in the 92+ mph range (92.9, 94.5, 92.8) while Hanley’s has declined (90.1, 90.3, 88.4). However, don’t lose hope in Ramirez, as it seems he will be starting the season hitting third in the Sox lineup. He has every opportunity to have one of the best offensive years of his career. Personally, I can see him being a carbon copy of Nelson Cruz. Being that Hanley plays in a more forgiving venue, offensively, he can definitely take advantage.

Plus, the TB12 workout helps as well.

Follow me for more Red Sox takes @ELJGON

Cover image courtesy of The Boston Herald.

Don’t Forget Hanley Ramirez

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J.D. Martinez is finally a Boston Red Sox and it’s all anyone can talk about. It’s an earned celebration; the Red Sox needed a power hitter and Martinez is a true star with the bat. While he will certainly help the 2018 Red Sox get some power, don’t forget Hanley Ramirez and the impact he can have.

Ramirez arrived two days early to spring training, fully healthy and down 15 pounds. He credited Patriots quarterback Tom Brady’s “TB12 Method” for his change in offseason workouts, and this news should make all Red Sox fans ecstatic.

Don’t Forget Hanley Ramirez

Hanley’s tenure in Boston has been a mixed bag, to say the least. He was terrible in his first season with the Red Sox, before transforming into one of the better power bats on the team in 2016. 2017 was a down year for him due to a nagging shoulder injury that sapped away his swing.

Overall, there have been two down years and one great year in Hanley’s three seasons with the Red Sox. However, so far there’s always been one consistent theme in determining the success of Hanley’s season. When he comes into spring training too muscular, he has a bad year.

2015 – The Muscular Hanley

2015 showed that success in the weight room doesn’t necessarily translate to the field

Image credit: WEEI

Hanley came over to the Red Sox on a massive four-year, 88 million dollar deal, and immediately wanted to show his worth. The big acquisition spent all offseason lifting, and came into camp looking unnaturally ripped. Simple logic would dictate that big muscles equals big power, but that’s not always the case.

So much of what goes into being a power hitter comes from the form of your swing instead of the muscles on your body. Hanley spent so much time adding muscle onto his already jacked body that he lost his form. Hanley had a long, looping swing all season that clearly threw off his timing and never let him hit the ball clean. Sure, when he made contact the ball went far, but he was rarely making solid contact. Hanley finished that season with just 19 home runs, 10 of which came in April, and was considered one of the biggest free agent busts in Red Sox history.

2016 – Slimmed down Hanley

Hanley entered 2016 spring training with a different philosophy. Instead of getting as jacked as possible, swinging for the fences and assuming home runs would follow, he got smarter at the plate. He spent more time in the offseason working on having a compact swing, making solid contact, and knowing that he’d knock a few out regardless.

While this strategy led to his size being smaller, his numbers got bigger. Hanley’s swing, when it’s right, is so good that he’ll get his power number regardless of what he’s bench pressing. Hanley worked on getting his swing right, and the work paid dividends.

Hanley finished his 2016 season hitting .286 with 30 home runs and 111 runs batted in. This was the Hanley the Red Sox thought they were getting when they first signed him, and his production was a big part in the 2016 Red Sox having one of the best offenses in all of baseball.

2017 – Muscular Hanley Again

Coming into 2017, Hanley tried to add more muscle again. Maybe he thought the results would be better now that he had controlled his swing the year earlier. Maybe he knew that his bat would become more important than ever with David Ortiz out of the lineup.

Regardless of why he did it, the plan didn’t work out. It’s hard to discern how much of Hanley’s poor season was due to his year-long shoulder injury, but the obsessive lifting probably didn’t help anything. Ramirez looked slow and uncomfortable with the bat all season, and his looping swing returned from 2015. He still managed to hit 23 home runs, but his RBI’s dropped to just 62 and his batting average fell to .242.

2018 – Pliable Hanley

Let’s see if pliability can help another Boston athlete in 2018

Image credit: Getty Images

Building muscle is great if you need to add power to your game, but Hanley doesn’t. His swing along gives him enough natural power to fill a hole in the middle part of the lineup. Hanley’s best course of off-season action is to get his body ready to handle the grind of a 162-game season.

By the looks of things, that’s just what he’s done. Hanley hasn’t been lifting as much this off-season, as evidenced by his 15-pound weight loss. In its place, Hanley has focused on resistance band training to improve his pliability and to keep his muscles loose.

This strategy has allowed Patriots quarterback Tom Brady to continue to thrive at age 40. While a 162-game season bring different challenges than a 16-game football season, it’s hard to imagine a designated hitter taking the same beating as an NFL quarterback.

2016 has shown that Hanley doesn’t need to be freakishly musclebound in order to hit for power. He’s a strong guy regardless, and when he keeps his swing compact it’s one of the better swings in the game. In both 2015 and 2017, he spent his off-season trying to build up muscles. Both seasons ended with poor production and shoulder issues. So far, Hanley’s 2018 is mirroring 2016, and that’s a great sign for what might follow this season.

Cover image courtesy of USA Today.

Hanley Ramirez Is Using the TB12 Method

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Red Sox Getting into the TB12 Method

Via WBEN TV

Hanley Ramirez is finding ways to stay in good shape. Ramirez is apparently taking a page out of the TB12 method to better himself. We’ve seen other teammates on the Patriots use Brady’s program, but now it has shifted to the Red Sox players.

Ramirez Spoke About the Workout Plan

Via Weei.com

Hanley spoke to the media last week about Brady’s workout plan, saying, “I went on the Tom Brady side I think it’s 100 percent everything he says in the book, the work he does, makes sense.” Hanley had offseason shoulder surgery and really talked in length Friday about Brady’s workout. “I started doing that last year at the end of the season a little bit — with the bands I Think I was feeling a little better. I was waiting for the offseason to start 100 percent.”

Hanley Is Coming off an Injury

Via TB12 Sports

With his injured shoulder during the season last year Hanley only hit 23 home runs and 62 RBI’s. Hanley thought he was hitting with one arm last season and said Friday that he should’ve hit 30 home runs instead. Alex Cora talked in length about Ramirez, saying, “He looks a lot different than what I saw the last two years. The last two years he reminded me a lot about (former NFL linebacker) Ray Lewis — with how big he was.”

With Hanley feeling better and looking forward to playing in 168 games this season at first base. Ramirez trying to better himself with the help of a 40 year old quarterback is great. Ramirez has not met with Alex Guerrero, he only read the book he said. Hanley was signed to a four year $88 million dollar contact in 2015. I’m sure with a new manager and him feeling good he should be fine.

We’ll see if other players follow Brady’s workout plan. Who knows we may see players from other sports besides football and baseball try the TB 12 method out.

J.D. Martinez Is Not the Only Way Boston Can Return to Contention

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I will be the first person to tell you how badly the Red Sox need a bat like J.D. Martinez’s in order to make a deep run in the playoffs. This article isn’t going to back up the opinion that this team, as built, is ready to contend with NYY/WAS/LAD/HOU.

Down Year 2017

All of last season, the void that David Ortiz left in the lineup went unfilled. There was a clear home run surge in the MLB last year, and Boston was left out.

Jackie Bradley Jr. had a season that earned him a spot on Yahoo’s “most overrated players in the MLB” list. Something JBJ looks to use as motivation to get back on track this season:

🙌🏾 RT @bigleaguestew: The whole @YahooSports MLB crew voted and these are the most overrated players in baseball: https://t.co/zssB0ZdjSE pic.twitter.com/4uCaqti56k

— Jackie Bradley Jr. (@JackieBradleyJr) February 13, 2018

Xander Bogaerts was snuffed by a lingering hand injury last year. One that even he says he probably shouldn’t have played through. On regaining some pop after recovering from his hand injury, Bogaerts said, “I’m not saying I’m going out and hitting 60 like Stanton or something, but I can definitely go out there and put up the same numbers as ‘16, maybe a little bit better”. In 2016, the season Xander is referring to, he smacked 21 home runs.

Hanley Ramirez was battling a shoulder injury from right out the gate last season. In an interview, Hanley said that he plans on playing another ‘10 years’ and sees himself returning to ‘Miami Hanley’ this year.

After being an A.L. MVP candidate in 2016, Betts batted .318 with 31 HR and 113 RBI. He as well found himself slumping (by his standards) in 2017 where he batted .264 and had less home runs and RBI’s.

In the Red Sox first season without their locker room leader and best slugger in the middle of the lineup, four other key parts of their lineup found themselves in down years… Boston still managed to win 93 games.

As it stands right now, Boston is still the favorite to sign J.D. Martinez. If Boston snags J.D., and gets bounce-back seasons from at least three of the four guys listed above, they will have submitted themselves back into the World Series discussion.

Alternative to J.D. Martinez

Let’s say that Arizona ends up bringing back J.D. Martinez.

The reaction to spring training thus far has been less than enthusiastic for most Red Sox fans. People have already mailed in the season because the Bronx got Stanton.

This Red Sox roster is a good one. It may not be a world series contender, but it doesn’t have to be.

They are a wild card team as is, and with good years from Bogaerts/Bradley/Betts, they could potentially snag the division.

Trade Deadline

What I am getting at, is that this roster doesn’t need to add anybody right now. It can wait until the trade deadline. I once wrote an article, here, where I went over every single trade deadline that Dave Dombrowski has been in charge for, and you will see that he has never left a deadline without filling the team’s needs.

If for some reason the Red Sox miss out on Martinez, waiting until the deadline is something that can benefit them. This would give Dombrowski a chance to see the team play this year. By doing so, he can get a better feel for their needs.

Another reason that waiting for the trade deadline may be a good idea is that the impending free agency for next year is loaded. Free agency has a huge impact on the trade deadline. Teams that have players with contracts that are expiring are more willing to move them at the deadline instead of potentially losing them for almost nothing in free agency.

This list of impending free agents that could be dealt at the trade deadline include the likes of Manny Machado, Josh Donaldson, Nelson Cruz, Ian Kinsler, and Brian Dozier. All of these players, some for a greater price than others, could be brought in for a playoff run to help this team.

Boston Will Be Fine

Whichever way Boston ends up going, do not give up on this team yet. They managed to win 93 games in a season with a poor manager, locker room drama, and serious lineup slumps. Not to mention they had a down year from their 2016 Cy Young winner, Rick Porcello. Also, Boston lost both Steven Wright and ‘Ace’ David Price to injuries for all if not most of the season.

If J.D. Martinez ends up donning a Red Sox uniform, they will be locked and loaded from game one. If they lose out on J.D Martinez, Boston has the juice to get to the trade deadline, where Dave Dombrowski can load up for a playoff run.

The Boston Red Sox Aren’t Panicking

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The 2017 Boston Red Sox won 93 games last year, but it didn’t feel like that. The pitching was mostly dominant and the offense scored the sixth most runs in baseball, but there was something missing. The loss of David Ortiz drastically affected the offense, as the Sox finished dead last in home runs. In previous off-seasons, this would lead to management throwing an endless sum of money at any and all solutions they could find. However, this off-season, the Red Sox aren’t panicking, and it’s a welcome change of pace.

The Boston Red Sox Aren’t Panicking

Learning From History – Rusney Castillo

The Red Sox have had their fair share of free agency blunders, but let’s begin with what happened in the 2014-2015 offseason. The 2014 Red Sox were not a good team, and there were some glaring holes that needed to be fixed heading into 2015.

One year earlier, the Red Sox were outbid for Cuban first baseman Jose Abreau, who was tearing up the league with the Chicago White Sox. Not wanting to make the same mistake twice, they signed the next big thing out of Cuba, Rusney Castillo, to a seven-year, 72 million dollar contract. The Sox were the highest bidders by a wide margin, and Castillo made the move from Cuba to Boston.

Suffice to say this deal hasn’t worked out. Castillo never showed the ability to hit at the major league level and showed a frightening lack of situational awareness. Castillo is currently playing for the Pawtucket Red Sox and hasn’t seen the majors since early 2016. There’s no clear road back to the majors for him, as his contract is essentially keeping him in the minors. As long as he stays in the minors, his contract won’t affect the luxury tax. He’s shown improvement in AAA, but not enough to justify the luxury tax impact promoting him would cause.

2015’s Quest for an Ace

While international free agency didn’t work for the Sox that year, they also struggled assembling major league talent. Their first misstep came in their attempt to find an ace. After completely ruining the Jon Lester situation by lowballing him in contract offers, the Sox found themselves without an ace on the staff. Secondly, the Red Sox needed more power.

The Red Sox correctly identified both needs, but failed in finding the players to fill them. The Sox traded for Detroit Tigers pitcher Rick Porcello and tried to make him the ace of the team. He signed a four-year, 82.5 million dollar contract extension before the season started, more than the Red Sox initially offered Lester.

Porcello struggled his first year in Boston, but most of that falls on the Red Sox organization itself. Porcello had always been reliant on accuracy and pitching to weak contact. With the big contract signed, Porcello tried to become a true ace and transform into Corey Kluber. It backfired, and Porcello admitted he put too much pressure on himself to change his style.

2015’s Quest For Offense

The Red Sox signed Sandoval to be a star. It….didn’t work out

Image credit: Total Pro Sports

The Red Sox also entered the 2014-2015 offseason needing more power. Ortiz was still great, but outside of him the team couldn’t buy a run. They needed to find power hitters in free agency. Once more, the Sox overpaid and missed big. Boston brought in two of the biggest sluggers on the market and drastically overpaid for both. Hanley Ramirez came over on a four-year, 88 million dollar deal and Pablo Sandoval joined the team on a five-year, 95 million dollar contract.

While Ramirez has had his high points for the Sox (mostly in 2016), both players were terrible in 2015 and neither are living up to their contracts. Sandoval in particular was horrendous, as the Red Sox had to eat the whole contract just to get the third baseman off the team.

In the case of all four contracts, the Red Sox overreacted to a flaw on the team. They tried to make Castillo into Abreau, Porcello into an ace he had never proven to be, and they paid Ramirez and Sandoval as if both were in their prime. While Ramirez and Porcello have helped the Sox recently, neither one is living up to their contract.

Quest for an Ace – Part Two

The Red Sox worked hard to make sure this shirt wouldn’t make another appearance

Image credit: Rob Bradford

Expectations rose for the 2016 Red Sox thanks to a young core that finally looked ready to break out. Everyone wanted to end Ortiz’s final season with a championship. There was still one glaring flaw in the roster: there wasn’t a true ace.

In a desperate attempt to make sure the “He’s the Ace” T-Shirt wouldn’t come back, the Sox signed free agent David Price to a seven-year, 217 million dollar contract. This was a hard break from the Sox typical strategy of not investing in pitchers over 30.

Some people make the Price signing out to be as bad as the Sandoval signing, and that’s unfair. Like Ramirez and Porcello, Price has made an overall positive impact on the team. He performed adequately in 2016 and played through a painful elbow injury in 2017. However, his production has not matched his contract, just like Ramirez and Porcello. The elbow injury isn’t likely to get better as he gets older, and soon the contract will be another burden the Red Sox have to plan around.

The 2017-2018 Offseason

Fast forward to the present, and the Red Sox appeared to have learned their lesson. They need a power bat, and J.D. Martinez fills the role. However, they’re not just blindly throwing money and hoping he will single-handedly win a World Series.

According to reports, the Red Sox currently have offered Martinez a five-year deal worth roughly 110-125 million. Martinez’ camp was expecting an offer closer to seven years and over 200 million. The 30-year old outfielder seems content to wait for a better offer, but the Sox are right to stay put.

Signing Martinez on a five-year deal for roughly 25 million a season would be a big boost to this team. He’s a great power bat and would be a perfect complement to a great pitching staff and an already solid offense. However, he’s not the type of player who deserves the seven-year, 200 million deal he’s looking for.

Martinez is below average defensively, and would spend most of his time as the designated hitter. Health is another concern, as he’s played more than 125 games just once in his career. Power numbers typically decrease with age, and the injury concern would only get worse as time goes on. There’s no doubt that by year six or seven of the proposed contract, Martinez would be nothing more than a 30 million a year burden.

Outbidding Themselves

Not only that, but the Red Sox know they have the best offer. In years past, the Red Sox would intentionally overpay free agents such as Price, Ramirez and Sandoval. This strategy ensured the Sox would get whoever they wanted, but it drastically hindered their ability to build a team.

Current reports state that the Arizona Diamondbacks have the next closest offer with a five-year, 100 million dollar offer. This means that the Red Sox are beating the Diamondbacks by roughly 10 to 25 million dollars over the life of the contract. Instead of bidding against themselves, the Red Sox are wisely staying put with their current offer. Even if they don’t get him, there’s other options on the table.

It’s been a very boring offseason for Boston and around the league. The players want more money than teams are willing to give, and the league is currently in the midst of a giant standstill. However, this is the right strategy for the Red Sox. They’ve made reactionary, impulsive moves before, and all have been disappointing in some form. This free agent strategy ensures that the Sox should still get their guy without burdening the team for years to come.

Why Logan Morrison is the Better Option

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The free agent first baseman isn’t the only power hitter waiting on a lucrative contract. But as he’s shown us before he can work on a small contract.

While Red Sox nation is still waiting on Dave Dombrowski to sign J.D. Martinez, there are other options available. One option that shouldn’t be overlooked is Logan Morrison. Last season with the Rays, he hit .246 with 38 homers and 85 RBIs.

Even though the Red Sox have first base depth with Moreland, Travis, and Hanley, they need a power hitting righty to supplement Ramirez. He only needs 497 plate appearances for his $22 million vesting option for 2019. If healthy, that should be easily obtainable. Even though there’s a good chance the team could resign on a cheaper deal due to his lack of production and age.

Morrison would help provide in the home run department, as well as a leader the team has lacked. While veterans Dustin Pedroia and David Price didn’t step up as expected, both are committed for the long haul and willing to take charge. Morrison can also provide an above average glove at the position.

Last season, he had eight errors with a .993 fielding percentage with 1077.2 innings manning first base. Giving Moreland and Ramirez some well needed days off down the stretch. Which could be a key factor come playoff time due to the duration of the season. Time and time again depth has proven vital towards success of teams.

With the lackluster free agency movement this year, It wouldn’t take much to ink him on a one or two year deal. He is willing to DH (unlike Martinez) and wouldn’t command top dollar. This would help in the recruitment of Bryce Harper, Manny Machado sweepstakes next offseason. Boston can be rest assured a playoff contending team, without the Scott Boras haste until next year.

Cover image courtesy of MLB- NBC Sports.

The Possible Power Hitters of the Red Sox

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Current or New Hitters?

J.D Martinez is still on the market, and Spring Training is around the corner. The Sox have shown interest in Martinez, and it is a waiting game to see what he is going to do. With the Red Sox organization not making any moves to get the power hitter that they need, it’s time to look at the possibilities of the current power hitters. There’s still hope that the Sox will pick up a power bat, but the questions are who and when. Could it be J.D., or a could it be a current player? The Red Sox have good hitters, but they need great hitters if they are going to stack up against other teams.

Hanley Ramirez

The current designated hitter of the Sox has always been a great batter. “El Trece” had a tough 2017 season, and his place on the team has definitely been questionable. With the possibility that J.D Martinez becomes a part of the Red Sox roster, what will happen with Hanley? With Mitch Moreland back for another season, Hanley is not going to be the first choice for first baseman. The thing Hanley needs to work on the most is his control and keeping his eye on the ball. Watching tapes and trying to see where he hits the ball is the best way for Hanley to approach a tough pitcher. Could 2018 be Hanley’s year to be the power hitter everyone is looking for?

Mookie Betts

There is no doubt that Mookie is a great player. With consecutive Golden Gloves he has proven that he is a strong outfielder. Mookie is young, but he is confident with his swing. When he can control the bat he hits beautifully, and it definitely pays off. He ranked high on the team with twenty-four runs in the 2017 regular season. There is rarely a day that Mookie doesn’t play or has an all around bad game. Mookie has a special quality of being great in the outfield and at the plate simultaneously. The 2018 season could be the time for Mookie to lock in and show that he has the potential to play for many more years. As a hitter, Mookie is strong and has the chance to be even greater.

Andrew Benintendi

The former rookie has learned to play the Monster with poise very quickly. Benintendi has a beautiful swing. If it’s done right, Benintendi hits big. The biggest thing for Andrew to work on is his execution and control while at home plate. Now he is aware of how certain players will pitch to him, and is learning the dynamics of playing at Fenway. He is young and has the potential to play left field for many more years. Andrew hit twenty home runs in his rookie season after cutting his 2016 appearance short with an injury. This season is the year for Benintendi to focus on his hitting power. Benintendi is one of the hitters with a style. He swings with power and is quick. He has the potential to turn his swing into more.

Rafael Devers

The soon to be rookie of the Sox quickly became popular after being called up from Pawtucket last season. Hitting ten homers very quickly after his arrival proved that Devers was a force to be reckoned with. Rafael is undoubtedly going to be one of the most watched rookies in Sox history. Devers formed a quick bond with people like David Ortiz and Pedro Martinez, and maybe their advice will push him over the edge. The baby-faced player quickly became a household name in New England with his ease to hit homers at Fenway. With that being said, it seemed almost unreal when you see Devers play, because he is just freshly twenty-one and playing like a veteran.

Jackie Bradley Jr.

Jackie Bradley’s 2017 season can be remembered by that one catch he made where he robbed Aaron Judge of a home run. He’s a force in the outfield with his amazing power arm. It is going to be interesting to see if he takes his power arm and uses it to benefit himself at the plate. A notable seventeen runs in the 2017 season showed that there is promise with Bradley Jr. He is a player with compassion and leaves his heart on the field. Perhaps the best thing about Bradley is his arm. Due to his power arm, he protects the outfield and prevents runs. Therefore, if during Spring Training Jackie puts his arm to work on his batting, he will definitely become a key player or one of the power hitters of the Sox.

Sources

Boston Herald

MLB

Sports News Instant

The Red Sox Don’t Need JD Martinez

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It seems that the Red Sox are the only team in the MLB that are staying put during free agency. However there’s no need to rush to meet JD Martinez’s demands to get the slugger the team needs.

We’re still waiting for big free agents to sign this winter. As of today, outfielder JD Martinez will wait out spring training in order to get the deal he wants. I’m not sure about the rest of Red Sox Nation, but I don’t want that sort of selfish player on my team. Unless this standoff comes to a close before truck day, I would consider other options until him and Boras get a reality check.

Before we throw away the idea of signing Martinez, let’s crunch some numbers. We are all aware of his stats last season. In previous years the numbers tell us a completely different story. His former best statistical season was 2015. In 158 games played, he hit a .282 batting average with 38 home runs and 102 RBIs. Sounds like a great season, right? In the three seasons prior he hit for twenty-three, seven, and eleven home runs. His slugging percentage in the previous three seasons were a modest .553, .378, and .375. The league averages for those years were .386, .396, and .405. In a hitter-friendly ballpark such as Fenway, those numbers aren’t going to cut it.

There’s no guarantee that he can’t reproduce the same or close to the same numbers as he did last year. Does that mean a team who hasn’t had the best of luck with long-term deals should dish out a seven-year commitment based on one good season? In all reality, they will most likely agree on a deal in the 3-5 year range. Here is a list of other options just in case:

Mike Moustakas 3B, Kansas City Royals

The third baseman is also struggling to find a long-term deal. There have been rumblings that he might settle for a one or two-year deal to improve his worth. If his value continues to decline, Moustakas would be an easy steal if his bat is willing to be a full-time DH. Potential deal: one year, $18 million.

Jose Bautista OF, Toronto Blue Jays

The longtime outfielder for the division rival Blue Jays has definitely played his last game at the Rogers Centre. While being on the Red Sox’s radar as of last offseason, the 37-year-old should only be offered a one year deal. Potential deal: one year, $8.5 million.

Hanley Ramirez DH/1B, Boston Red Sox

There’s a saying that goes, “If it ain’t broke don’t fix it”. That applies with this situation. Hanley’s success with the Red Sox has grown since his return to the team. The power hitter did well in the home run department but lulled fans with his .242 batting average. If new coaches and staff can help revamp this offense into a dangerous home run hitting team, then there’s no problem keeping the lineup the same.

Yu Darvish P, Los Angeles Dodgers

If the stalemate doesn’t come to a resolution, the team could turn to bolster their starting rotation. If Dave Dombrowski and company have enough faith in their offense, this could be their best route financially to set up for next year’s free agency class. Potential deal: four years, $80 million.

No matter where this saga takes the team, the Red Sox have enough talent to keep them in the playoff hunt. With a new staff that is built to improve home run efficiency, the Red Sox have nothing to worry about for now.

The Worst Left Fielders in Red Sox History

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The history of Red Sox left fielders has been a long and storied one. The team’s five greatest left fielders practically all played in succession, with Williams, Yaz, Rice, Greenwell and Manny, spanning nearly the entire length of seven decades. That might be the most remarkable run of players at one position, in the history of the game. With all those years taken up by good players, it doesn’t leave much for poor play.

Carl Crawford

Let’s start with the easy one. Crawford was one of the biggest free agent busts the game has ever seen. Over the eight years prior to joining the Red Sox, Crawford had batted .299, and averaged 50 stolen bases per season, for the division rival Devil Rays. Crawford made four all-star teams in that span, and was coming off a season in which he won the Gold Glove Award. The Red Sox rewarded Crawford with a seven-year deal, worth 142 million dollars.

The Red Sox entered 2011 as huge favorites, having added Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez. However, Crawford was not the weapon he was expected to be near the top of the lineup. He rewarded the Red Sox faith in him with the worst season of his career, up to that point. Crawford would bat .255 that season, a meager 23 walks, and finished with an ugly .289 on-base percentage. He stole just 18 bases in 24 tries, the fewest steals during a full season for his career. In the outfield, he managed just 1 assist. Playing in front of the Monster usually aids in a left fielder’s assists, as they can play shallow and get the ball back in to the infield quickly following ricochets off the wall.

In 2012, Crawford missed a good chunk of the season. He fared better, batting .282 over 117 at-bats, but still wasn’t the weapon he was supposed to be. Crawford was also miserable in Boston, later admitting to hating the city. Luckily, the Red Sox were able to get out from the remainder of his contract, and they shipped him to Los Angeles in August of that season.

Carl Crawford reacts to striking out during the second inning at Fenway Park Sept. 4, 2011. (AP Photo/Winslow Townson)

Hanley Ramirez

This is a selection for the one season in which Hanley played left field. The Red Sox’ misguided attempt to put Hanley Ramirez in left field, so they could disastrously sign Pablo Sandoval, was an embarrassment before it started. Hanley made four errors in 92 games, and it seemed so much worse. Whenever a ball was hit to left, it seemed to be an adventure for Ramirez. In less than 100 games, he managed to put up a -2.5 dWAR.

Ramirez was also a disappointment at the plate in that season. Some of it could possibly be attributed to trying to learn a new position, but he only batted .249. He hit 19 home runs, and only doubled 12 times. Hanley’s .717 OPS was lower than many others on the team, including over 100 points lower than outfield fill-in, Alejandro De Aza. Hanley bounced back in a big way the following season, after moving to first base, but his time in left field was a mess.

Davis/Globe Staff

Heinie Manush

This final spot gets even harder, as the Red Sox just haven’t had many bad left fielders. Manush was actually a Hall of Fame player, but for what he did prior to his time in Boston. Manush batted .330 for his career, and averaged 205 base hits, per 162 games played. He won a batting title in Detroit, and led the league in hits for both the St. Louis Browns, and the Washington Senators. From when he broke in during the 1923 season, up through 1934, he hit .337 with an .878 OPS.

Manush came to the Red Sox in 1936, coming off a down season. He was 34 years old, and would turn 35 during the season. However, as recently as 1934 Manush had batted .349, with a .915 OPS. That season he had 64 extra base hits, leading to a slugging percentage of .523. The Red Sox traded for him from the Senators hoping for a bounce back season. It turned out he was just in the decline stage of his career. His defense wasn’t great, he committed more errors than he had assists. At the plate, he did bat .291, but failed to homer, and only totaled 20 extra base hits for the year. His .700 OPS that season, was the lowest of his career.

Typically, this one season from Manush that wasn’t good, but wasn’t terrible, wouldn’t land him on one of these lists. Since the Red Sox have had such great left fielders over a long period of time though, the pickings are slim.

Leslie Jones/ Boston Public Library

Dishonorable Mentions:

Billy Hatcher (His one season in left field was poor; played better in center)

Ivan Calderon

Featured picture courtesy of 12up.com

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