Tag Archives: Heath Hembree

Red Sox Opening Day – A Wake Up Call

Well that was a dud. Chris Sale was bad, the bullpen was bad, the bats only managed 4 runs in a 12-4 loss. But this isn’t about injury, and it’s not about punching holes in the teams’ talent. This was a wake up call for a team coming off arguably the most historic season in it’s 117 year history.

Chris Sale

Yesterday we pointed to Chris Sale’s velocity to see if he was on board with the plan to take it easy. Thanks to Brooks Baseball we can see that his average four seam fastball traveled at 92.9 MPH. That is exactly where he needs to be in order to both last the season without breaking down, and be effective. Tony Massarotti points out that Sale averaged 94 MPH on his four seamer last April, and he went 2-1 with a 2.31 ERA then.

This is a new world for Sale. His whole life he has given 100% all the time. The Red Sox are asking him to dial it back so he’s in peak form for the playoffs. He’s being asked to be the Ace of the Boston Red Sox. He has a new contract. There is a lot on his shoulders. We know he gets it, he’s accountable, he’s passionate.

The Bullpen

The bullpen went 5 innings and gave up 4 earned runs. That’s not good. They’re not world beaters, but they’re also not a wheel of gutless bums. Coming into a Chris Sale game in the fourth inning down 7-2 is not normal.

Tyler Thornburg has a long way to go to receive Red Sox fans’ confidence, but despite what Dave Dombrowski says, he’s not being depended on to be a lock down guy. Alex Cora has sung Hector Velazquez’s praises, but he’s a mop up guy. He gave up 2 or more earned runs 10 times last year.

The only guy who was looked at as dependable in any way last year that pitched last night was Heath Hembree. He threw 17 pitches and got 2 outs, with a strike out and walk thrown in there. That’s an acceptable 7th inning guy, which is what he is being asked to be in the long run.

The Lineup

These guys can fall out of bed and score four runs against the Mariners’ pitching staff. That’s exactly what they did. They tested out a double steal, neat. Mookie went 3-4 and J.D. went 2-5, fabulous.

But where were the grind out at bats? The offense was listless.

The Outfield Defense

Good execution on throwing out Haniger at home by the team. But that was more routine and execution by Vazquez at home, that anything amazing on Mookie’s part.

And then there was the Mookie – Jackie almost debacle. Mookie called for the ball, and Jackie almost knocked it out of his glove by bumping into him in the outfield.

Wake Up Calls

This was all a lack of focus.

Chris Sale is human. His location was off. That falls into execution. Last season he decided to dial it up in June and July. He’s going to need to find that 2018 April for the full season.

It’s the major leagues. Batters can’t just roll out of bed and show up to win games. They need to focus on every pitch.

We haven’t seen the real bullpen weapons yet. We’ll have to wait and see how Barnes and Brasier and Brewer do. If they perform like Thorburg and Velazquez it will be a problem.

Outfielders need to be engaged. That means in every way, including communication. What happened with Bradley and Betts should not happen, no matter what stadium they’re in.

From here it feels like they all needed a wake up call to focus on the new season and leave 2018 behind. It’s a new world. They’re defending Champs coming off a historic season. A 12-4 lashing by the Seattle Mariners hopefully did the trick. Let’s see if Alex Cora and the team can come to the park with a renewed sense of the here and now tonight.

Image via NBCSN

The Greatest Red Sox Legends by Uniform Number: 36-40

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The greatest Red Sox to wear the numbers 36-40 is next up in the series. Although as a group this one drops off a bit, there are still some good names here. One is a postseason hero, while another is the oldest player to win a professional game.

Number 36 – Tom Gordon

Tom Gordon wasn’t with the Red Sox a long time, nor was he always effective, but he did enough to be the choice at number 36. Gordon signed with the Red Sox as a starting pitcher for 1996. Despite a 12-9 record, Gordon was not effective, allowing more earned runs than any other pitcher in baseball. Gordon was pitching better the following season despite a 6-9 record, but was moved to the closer’s role following the epic trade of Heathcliff Slocumb. Gordon saved 11 games to close out the season.

1998 was Gordon’s signature season for the team. He made his first All-Star Game that year and led the league in saves. His 46 saves still stand as a Red Sox franchise record for one season. He was 7-4 with a 2.71 ERA and 1.01 WHIP in the fantastic year. He only blew one game, which came in Mid-April. The next season he extended his streak to 54 consecutive saves without blowing one, a Major League record. At the end of May he had a 2.08 ERA with 11 saves and zero blown saves. He blew back-to-back games in June and didn’t pitch again until the very end of the season. Gordon would have to undergo Tommy John surgery for a torn UCL.

Honorable Mentions: Junichi Tazawa, Aaron Sele, Mike Myers

Number 37 – Bill Lee

The “Spaceman” gets the nod over Hideki Okajima for number 37. Both of them boast strong arguments. Lee pitched much longer and was an effective starting pitcher, so he’s my choice. He still plays baseball where he can find the opportunity, and in 2010 was the winning pitcher for the Brockton Rox, becoming the oldest person to ever win a professional baseball game.

Lee broke in with the Red Sox in 1969 and spent most of the seventies with the club. He started pitching mostly out of the bullpen, going 16-6 with a 2.95 ERA and 7 saves between 1971 and 1972. In 1973 he moved to the starting rotation and made the all-star team. He finished the year at 17-11 with a 2.75 ERA. This was the first of three consecutive seasons winning 17 games for “Spaceman.”

After a couple down seasons, Lee was having a bounce back year in 1978, when Don Zimmer inexplicably banished him to the bullpen as the team collapsed down the stretch. Lee pitched out of the bullpen three times in September, and never after September 10th. The move made zero sense, and may have helped aid the teams collapse. Lee finished the season with a 3.46 ERA over 24 starts and four relief appearances. He finished his Red Sox career with 94 wins.

Honorable Mentions: Hideki Okajima, Jimmy Piersall, Heath Hembree

Number 38 – Curt Schilling

Curt Schilling was a huge acquisition for Theo Epstein and the Red Sox, and his presence paid immediate dividends. Schilling solidified himself as one of the all-time great postseason performers. He also seemed to wrap up his spot in Cooperstown while in Boston, but the writer’s association has yet to vote him in.

Schilling’s first season in Boston cemented him as a Red Sox hero, helping break the 86 year World Series drought. He led the American League with 21 wins, going 21-6 with a 3.26 ERA, 1.06 WHIP and 203 strike outs. He finished second in the Cy Young vote for the third time in four seasons. In the playoffs, he dominated as usual. After injuring his ankle in game one of the ALCS, Schilling famously had a surgery that temporarily allowed him to pitch, while putting off the main surgery until the offseason. On a hobble ankle, bleeding through his sock, Schilling returned for game six and allowed only one run over seven innings to pick up the win. The effort was heroic. In the World Series, Schilling allowed just an unearned run over six innings in Game 2 to pick up another win.

Schilling had difficulty recovering from his offseason surgery and struggled in 2005, even pitching out of the pen. In 2006 he was back to pitching 200 innings and winning 15 games. After a solid, yet unspectacular 2007, Schilling stepped up his game for the playoffs. He was 3-0 with a 3.00 ERA including another World Series victory in the postseason. Schilling finished his Red Sox career at 53-29 in the regular season, and 6-1 in the postseason.

Honorable Mentions: Jim Willoughby, Jeff Gray

Number 39 – Mike Greenwell

Mike Greenwell was a fantastic player early in his career, and finished with a career .303 batting average. He homered four times in 31 at-bats during his first cup of coffee in 1985. As a rookie in 1987, Greenwell batted .328 with 19 home runs and a stellar .956 OPS. By the next year he was an MVP candidate.

1988 was “Gator’s” signature season. He finished second in the MVP vote to roided up Jose Canseco. Greenwell was red-hot during the summer months, finishing the season with a .325/.416./.531/.946 batting line, 22 home runs, 39 doubles and eight triples. He walked 87 times that year versus only 38 strike outs. Greenwell made his first All-Star Game and won the Silver Slugger.

Greenwell was an all-star again in 1989, batting .308 and driving home 95 runs. Greenwell remained a good hitter until the end, but never hit for the power he did in his first two seasons. He rebounded from an injury-plagued 1992 to bat .315 with 38 doubles in 93 games. He battled a bad back and injuries the rest of his career, which came to an end after the 1996 season despite a .295 average. He had one huge final game that season, hitting two home runs and driving in all nine Red Sox runs in a 9-8 victory over Seattle in September.

Honorable Mention: Jarrod Saltalamacchia

Number 40 – Rick Wise

Rick Wise had a nice career, but that was mostly with Philadelphia. He pitched a no-hitter with the Phillies and homered twice in the same game! It wasn’t the last time he would hit two home runs in a game either.

Wise came to the Red Sox in 1974, and had a shortened season due to arm problems. He recovered to win 19 games in 1975. He also nearly had another no-hitter, losing one with two outs in the ninth inning against the Brewers. Wise was solid in 1976, going 14-11 with a 3.53 ERA.

1977 was his final season in Boston, going 11-5 despite a 4.77 ERA. He was then included in a trade to Cleveland to get Dennis Eckersley to Boston. Therefore, his impact for the Red Sox went beyond what he accomplished on the field with them. He finished his Red Sox career 47-32 over four seasons.

Honorable Mentions: Ken “Hawk” Harrelson, Billy Conigliaro, Erik Hanson

Featured picture from Lookout Landing

Should Steven Wright Be on World Series Roster?

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Knuckleballer Steven Wright has said he believes he is healthy enough to pitch in the World Series. Wright was initially on the ALDS roster but was removed after complaining about renewed soreness in his knee. This left Wright ineligible for the ALCS roster as he was replaced for both series by Heath Hembree. Assuming Wright’s simulated game Sunday went well, what should the Red Sox do for the World Series?

The Pros

Steven Wright has been a very effective pitcher for the Red Sox, both as a starter and as a reliever. Wright was an all-star back in 2016 but has missed much of the past two seasons. Wright has a troublesome knee which keeps barking and sending him back to the disabled list. After a DL stint earlier in the season, the Sox moved Wright to the bullpen where he enjoyed great success.

In 16 games as a relief pitcher this year Steven Wright was 2-0 with a 1.52 ERA and one save. Some of that work came early in the year however, before he began starting in June. When Steven Wright returned to the Red Sox in September he allowed just one run over 13.2 innings pitched. Wright was even used in high-leverage spots, picking up a win, three holds and a save over the final month.

Bringing a knuckleballer in out of the pen following a conventional pitcher can be highly effective. After seeing a healthy dose of fastballs and curves, seeing a slow knuckleball all of a sudden can really mess with a hitters timing. Then, once Wright was removed from the game again for a new reliever, one likely throwing in the upper-90’s, imagine how that would mess with the batters. There’s a reason he has had success.

The other pro Steven Wright would offer out of the pen is giving the Red Sox another relief pitcher who could eat innings if needed. If the starting pitcher were knocked out of the game Wright could pitch for several innings. If the game went extra innings, Wright could essentially pitch for as long as the team needed him to.

The Cons

The first con would have to be the health of Wright’s knee. As stated before, Wright was put on the ALDS roster only to be removed after the first game due to the discomfort in his knee. What if Wright’s knee acted up again?

This really should not be a reason to keep Wright off the World Series roster. The team has other pitchers traveling with them; if Wright’s knee acted up again they could just replace him on the roster like they did in the ALDS.

The only other con I can see would be timing. Just like Wright’s knuckleball can mess with a hitters timing after seeing a healthy dose of fastballs, maybe it could do the same to the catcher trying to catch his knuckleball. But again, Wright has put up some impressive numbers out of the pen already down the stretch this season and can be a real weapon to have out of the bullpen.

The Verdict

I am definitely a proponent of adding Steve Wright to the roster for the World Series. His ability to pitch multiple innings if need be as well as his knuckleball messing with opponents’ timing is too much of a weapon to pass up. The team should replace Brandon Workman on the roster with Wright.

Although Workman was effective this year at 6-1 with a 3.27 ERA, he has not been the same pitcher of late. Workman allowed five runs over his final 2.2 innings this season. Small sample size, yes, but it has continued into the postseason. Workman has an ERA of 45.00 since the playoffs began. He has pitched three times, getting just one out in all three outings. He put on three baserunners in his first outing and allowed a run. His next outing he managed to get the one out without allowing a run, but did put two men on base. His outing in the ALCS was the worst yet, giving up four runs on three hits, two walks and two home runs. Workman can not be trusted in any meaningful role at the moment.

Workman has an ERA of 45.00 this postseason.

Other Roster Moves

The other roster move I would consider would be to add Bobby Poyner to the team. Poyner would give the Red Sox another lefty out of the pen, as currently all they have out there is usual starter Eduardo Rodriguez. Rodriguez isn’t exactly someone who would come in to face a lefty in a tight spot. With the Dodgers having Cody Bellinger and Joc Pederson, not to mention the fact Yasiel Puig struggles mightily versus lefties, and it might be a good idea to have someone throwing from the left side out there.

Poyner proved his worth when on the team this season, pitching to a 3.22 ERA, 1.12 WHIP and over a strike out per inning. Lefties batted a measly .143 against the rookie left-hander with only one walk and one extra-base hit. He could come in handy against the Dodgers.

Heath Hembree would be the other pitcher to go if the Sox were to add both Wright and Poyner. Hembree has pitched 3.2 shutout innings in the postseason, albeit in lower leverage spots. He also walked four guys over those innings, so he hasn’t been entirely sharp. This comes on the heels of a 4.20 ERA and 1.33 WHIP during the regular season. The only other option would be Eduardo Rodriguez, who has an ERA over 9.00 this postseason. Rodriguez has more value in his ability to pitch several innings if need be though, so I would keep him on the roster.

Featured picture from Bosoxinjection.com

What to Do with Craig Kimbrel

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Another night; another heart attack brought on by Red Sox closer Craig Kimbrel, but another win. This has become commonplace in close Red Sox victories this postseason, as Kimbrel has been a disaster on the mound, but has ultimately finished out each game successfully; somehow.

Kimbrel appears to be a disaster waiting to happen, so what should the Red Sox do with him moving forward?

Pitch Him In Lower Leverage Situation

I think Kimbrel needs to be taken out of the closer role, at least temporarily. He absolutely cannot be trusted right now. Even if the next game is close, I would use other pitchers in the late innings.

If there is an opportunity in the near future to pitch Kimbrel in a game that isn’t very close, the Red Sox should take it. I’m not sure if nerves are playing a factor, they likely are, but Kimbrel can barely find the strike zone.

Maybe working in a lower leverage spot Kimbrel can find the strike zone. Maybe he won’t be able to, but you can’t have a guy throwing ball after ball trying to close out games.

There have been multiple times this postseason where Kimbrel has been brought on to protect a three-run lead and hasn’t thrown strikes. In that situation, the only goal is to throw strikes; a home run can’t beat you, throw the ball over the plate and make them work for it. Kimbrel has been giving the opposition baserunners without much fight.

Kimbrel’s Struggles

Craig Kimbrel has pitched in four games this postseason and allowed the opposition to score in all four. Just let that sink in for a moment.

His ERA is standing at 8.44 after last night and he has put 13 baserunners on in only 5.1 innings pitched. 13! Kimbrel has walked five batters and hit two as he struggles to locate his pitches. On numerous occasions he has yanked his fastball, missing so far outside the catcher is left reaching as far as he can to corral it. Other times, his breaking ball is a wild pitch waiting to happen. He has been playing with fire and somehow has yet to be fully burned. It’s only a matter of time if something is not done.

In game four of the ALDS, pitching with a three run lead, Kimbrel walked two batters and hit another. He threw 28 pitches to get three outs, less than half of them going for strikes. He came about as close to blowing that game as one could without actually blowing it.

His next outing he gave up back-to-back two out hits before a fly ball from Alex Bregman nearly tied the game.

Last night was another heart attack, walking three batters and hitting another. He faced 11 batters to close out the three run lead. Kimbrel has now thrown a whopping 101 pitches in his four postseason appearances. And then there is this:

Craig Kimbrel's last clean postseason outing in a game his team was winning when he entered was 8 years ago!

Game 2 of the 2010 NLDS. Yeah, really.

— Jayson Stark (@jaysonst) October 15, 2018

Other Options

Despite everyone being worried about the Red Sox bullpen entering the postseason, Kimbrel has been the problem. Others have pitched very well, excluding Brandon Workman. Workman shouldn’t pitch unless the game is a blowout, he’s the only guy that’s been worse than Kimbrel.

Ryan Brasier struggled in his first postseason appearance but did not allow a run. He seemed to have cleared his postseason jitters with that performance because he has been nails since. Brasier is up to seven scoreless innings over seven appearances.

Matt Barnes has also come up big, netting a big strike out looking to end the seventh last night. Barnes has now thrown 5.2 shutout innings over six appearances this postseason. These are currently the Sox two most trustworthy relievers, like it or not. At least for now, they should be getting the highest leverage spots.

In addition to them, others are also performing well. Heath Hembree has thrown 3.2 shutout innings, albeit not in any tight spots. Joe Kelly has stepped up his game, showing the good side of his pitching. Kelly has allowed one run over 5.1 innings without issuing a walk. The strike throwing is refreshing.

Ideally Kimbrel is the ninth inning guy; he’s been doing it a long time and it helps set up the bullpen better. But for the moment, he can not be trusted with the way he is throwing, and the Red Sox need to try someone else.

The Red Sox Bullpen Feels Shaky. Does it Matter?

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Baseball’s waiver trade deadline passed yesterday, without so much as a peep from the top team in the majors. Dave Dombrowski and the Red Sox chose to roll with the guys in the clubhouse, despite two other AL rivals (New York and Cleveland) making moves to bring in former MVPs and despite calls across their fan base to improve the bullpen.

Those desperate cries have rang out all season long. As it turns out, fans aren’t feeling too comfortable at the thought of Matt Barnes, Joe Kelly, or Heath Hembree entering the 8th inning of a Game 7. Dombrowski’s reputation of building star-studded teams without reliable relievers doesn’t help matters either.

But just how shaky is Boston’s ‘pen? Is having a group of dominant relievers really so important in October? Let’s do a bit of digging to find out.

Red Sox Bullpen: Actually Good?

Photo Credit: AP Photo / Charles Krupa

For starters, the idea that the Red Sox bullpen has struggled this season is more perception than reality. There may not be a ton of big names and former closers like there are with the Yankees and Indians. That being said- the Sox’s relievers have generally been up to the task.

Boston currently ranks 6th in the majors in reliever ERA this season (4th in the AL). The five teams ahead of them also happen to be teams currently slated for a playoff spot. The aforementioned Indians, despite trading for the Padres’ Brad Hand earlier this summer and having Cody Allen and Andrew Miller in the mix, rank 26th in the league in bullpen ERA.

The Sox also rate favorably in FIP (5th in the majors, 3rd amongst playoff teams). Their bullpen’s 4.5 fWAR ranks 7th in baseball, even though their relievers have thrown only 461 innings this season (19th most). In other words, Boston’s ‘pen has provided enough value to rank in the top 25% of teams, despite appearing in fewer innings than every team ahead of them for the exception of Houston.

Of course, that doesn’t mean they’ve been perfect. Far from it in fact. Two troubling peripherals: the Red Sox rank 18th in reliever BB/9 (3.65) and 4th in strand rate (78.4%). Giving up free passes in high-leverage situations is playing with fire, especially in October. A high strand rate means that Boston has done well at putting out those fires. But, that luck can turn in a hurry.

Bullpen Matters

CINCINNATI, OH – AUGUST 12: Joe Kelly #56 of the Boston Red Sox pitches in the third inning of the game against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on August 12, 2014 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)

All of this is to say that the Red Sox bullpen has been overall perfectly acceptable, if not dominant. The good news? Having a great regular season bullpen isn’t necessarily a predictor for postseason success, especially if you excel in other areas like Boston does.

The defending World Series champion Astros ranked 17th in baseball with a 4.27 bullpen ERA last year, yet still won 101 games. That was thanks in large part to their league-leading offense and strong starting pitching. The team they beat for the title last year, the Dodgers, ranked 4th in bullpen ERA. Both finished behind the Red Sox, whose 3.15 reliever ERA was good for 2nd best in baseball.

Here’s where the other previous six pennant winners ranked in bullpen ERA:

2016: Cubs 8th, Indians 4th

2015: Royals 2nd, Mets 11th

2014: Giants 5th, Royals 10th

Of the last eight World Series participants, four finished in the top five. Only last year’s Astros finished outside of the top half of the league. The Royals, who started this craze with their three-headed monster of Wade Davis, Kelvin Herrera, and Greg Holland, finished 2nd in 2015. Their bullpen effectively functioned as the team’s greatest asset, compensating for a weak rotation and unconventional lineup. It was essentially the inverse of what the ’17 Astros lineup did for their relievers.

It’s perfectly fair to critique Dombrowski for not finding a better option at either trade deadline. It certainly would have been nice to supplement Craig Kimbrel at the end of games. Ultimately, it might not matter if the Red Sox bullpen is merely above average instead of dominant. Having a killer set of relievers helps come playoff time. However, it’s not necessarily more important than timely hitting, strong starting pitching, and major contributions from stars.

Thus far, it appears Red Sox management is betting on that being the case.

Red Sox Predicted Playoff Roster

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With the MLB Playoff races still heating up, the Red Sox are guaranteed a spot in the hunt for October. Who will be on the playoff roster?

While there are 40 games still to be played, the hunt for October glory has already crossed the minds of fans nationwide. The postseason roster will look very similar to the active roster, but there will be some shake ups in my predictions.

Starting rotation:

1. Chris Sale: The Cy Young award candidate will be the ace of this team in the playoffs. While he has had more rest under new manager Alec Cora, fans hope to see a different Chris Sale than this time last season.

2. Rick Porcello: Probably one of the most underrated players on this team, the former Cy Young award winner has had a phenomenal year. He has had an excellent command of his sinker, and forced more groundball outs than last year.

3. David Price: Although Price has had zero success as a starter in the playoffs throughout his career, this year seems different. Price has been more efficient, and a overall better pitcher than in recent memory.

4. Nathan Eovaldi: Although he has never been a prime time starting pitcher, he has proven to the Red Sox organization that he is ready to take on a big role throughout the duration of the playoffs. If he can even pitch as well as he has in his first 2 starts, don’t sleep on him.

Bullpen:

Although the bullpen has been under performing lately, they still have more depth than a lot of teams in the league.

Matt Barnes, Heath Hembree, Tyler Thornburg, Ryan Brasier, Joe Kelly, Hector Velasquez, Eduardo Rodriguez, and Craig Kimbrel ( closer).

These guys have solidified their roles in the bullpen. It would be hard to imagine the team calling up someone from the minors to fill in, besides an injury or two, towards the end of the regular season.

Infield:

(Catchers) Christian Vasquez, Sandy Leon. ( First Base) Mitch Moreland, Steve Pearce. (Second base) Ian Kinsler, Brock Holt, Eduardo Nunez, Blake Swihart. ( Third Base) Rafael Devers, ( same utility guys from second and shortstop.) ( Shortstop) Xander Bogaerts.

Designated Hitter:

J.d Martinez, ( Pearce and Moreland as rotates)

Outfield:

Mookie Betts, Andrew Benintendi, Jackie Bradley Jr, ( Martinez.)

As previously stated, my prediction looks similar to the current roster (besides a couple of minor tweaks.) What are your thoughts? Comment or simply tweet me @kyle_porch. Follow me and bostonsportsextra to stay in the news with the most up-to-date coverage.

Do the Red Sox Have a Balance Problem?

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There’s no denying that the Red Sox possess one of the most potent offenses in Major League Baseball. That’s what you get when you put together a lineup anchored by MVP favorite Mookie Betts and destroyer-of-right-field-bleacher-creatures J.D. Martinez. As of Saturday morning, the Sox rank:

2nd in the Majors in runs
2nd in HR
3rd in SB
2nd in ISO
2nd in batting average
4th in OBP
2nd in slugging (and 2nd in OPS)
3rd in wRC+

I could go on, but you get the picture. Boston’s ability to score repeatedly is one of the main reasons why they have the most wins in baseball and the second-best run differential. Yet, while the overall performance of the lineup on a night-to-night basis has been a strength, there are a few red flags regarding the sustainability of its production. Most immediately pressing? A void between the “good” and the “bad” so wide and deep that Michael Cera or Aziz Ansari might crawl out of it at any moment.

Highs and Lows

Here’s the Red Sox most-used lineup this season, substituting Mitch Moreland for the recently deposed Hanley Ramirez (wRC+ and plate appearances in parentheses):

Betts (204 in 232 PA)
Andrew Benintendi (149 in 300 PA)
Moreland (137 in 197 PA)
Martinez (177 in 286 PA)
Xander Bogaerts (130 in 237 PA)
Rafael Devers (83 in 281 PA)
Eduardo Nunez (66 in 254 PA)
Jackie Bradley Jr. (57 in 229 PA)
Christian Vazquez (47 in 177 PA)

As for other players with more than 50 PA this year, only Brock Holt (120 in 133 PA) has a wRC+ over 100. The next highest non-regular still with the team? Sandy Leon, whose 58 wRC+ is somehow still 45 points better than poor Blake Swihart‘s 13(!?!?!?!?!?!?) in 70 plate appearances. A full explanation on wRC+ can be found here for the uninitiated, but it is useful because it serves as an all-encompassing stat that takes into account criteria like era, park factors, and total offensive performance. League average for any given season is an even 100. The best season per this metric: 2001 Barry Bonds (an astonishing 244 wRC+, or 144% better than league average). The worst (min 300 PA)? 1909 Bill Bergen (an equally astonishing 5 wRC+, or 95% worse than league average).

Worth Worrying About?

All of this is to say that the Red Sox could do with taking a page out of Thanos’ book. While Betts’ transcendent season has lifted the lineup from the jump, the gap between the haves and have-nots is alarming enough to start an Occupy Jersey Street movement at any moment. It’s great that Benintendi has slashed .340/.421/.673 since May 5th, and that Martinez is so comfortable in this lineup he’s moved on to fixing other guys’ swings. However, when almost than half of the everyday starters are producing at well below league average, it tempers expectations a bit. Can the bottom part of the order really be relied on come October? Is Holt really going to be the biggest PH threat off the bench all season? Will Dustin Pedroia ever come back, and if (when) Martinez makes his annual trip to the DL, who will step up?

The Sox don’t have those answers yet. As they make their way towards the dog days of summer, it might not even matter. But last night’s game in Seattle highlighted just how frustrating a lopsided lineup can be. Boston touched up AL Cy Young Award contender James Paxton for 6 runs (5 earned) in the 3rd inning. It was the only frame in which they scored, and the Mariners were able to stage a late inning rally against Heath Hembree and Matt Barnes as a result. With 6 weeks left until the July 31st trade deadline, you have to think Dave Dombrowski will take a hard look at balancing out this roster. After all, this team isn’t supposed to be satisfied with beating good teams in June. It’s meant to beat great teams in the fall.

Carson Smith: Bounce Back Season Or Back To The DL?

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While his start to the season has proved to be a rocky one at best, will he be able to turn it around?

For Carson Smith, his recovery from Tommy John surgery is over 2 years in the making. While landing himself on the disabled list yet again has stirred up some controversy. After leaving Monday’s 6-5 loss in the end of the 8th, he threw his glove during a tantrum which resulted the injury.

On Wednesday, Smith said in a statement: ” “I think my shoulder’s tired in general, just from pitching. I’ve thrown a lot lately and I think my arm was just tired.” Later that day, manager Alex Cora made a surprisingly different statement when asked about smith’s comments: “I don’t agree with it. On a daily basis we talk to pitchers and how they feel. If they don’t think they can pitch that day, we stay away from them.” He added, “It caught me by surprise. If he felt that way he should’ve told it to us or he should’ve mentioned it.”

While they handle the injury, the bullpen still has guys like Kimbrel,Kelly, and hopefully a bounce back week from guys such as : Johnson, and Hembree. While the bullpen hasn’t lived up to expectations, it’s still a long season. Combined, the bullpen sports a 6-4 record with a 3.63 combined ERA in just over 100 innings of relief work. While also tallying 121 strikeouts combined.

Smith is responsible for a 1-1 record with a 3.77 ERA through 14.1 innings pitched and striking out 18. After a fantastic showing in his Red Sox debut last season, the numbers haven’t matched up.

The latest update:

Smith was placed on the 10 day Dl as of yesterday. The team also recalling relief pitcher Bobby Poyner from AAA Pawtucket. Also completing the Deven Marerro trade by acquiring LHP Josh Taylor today as well. How both the team and Smith himself handles this situation remains to be seen. Soon enough, time will tell if Smith is bust or bounce back material.

The Boston Red Sox Don’t Need a Lefty Reliever

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The regular season hasn’t begun yet, but new Red Sox manager Alex Cora is already making sweeping changes within the organization, specifically with the bullpen. Cora recently announced that he has considered the idea of going with an all-righty bullpen, which would be a major shift in the typical team-building philosophy. However, Cora’s unconventional thinking is exactly what Boston needs. The Red Sox don’t need a lefty reliever, and Cora should be credited for his outside thinking.

Lefty Relieve: The Boston Red Sox Don’t Necessarily Need It

The Current Bullpen

The top of the bullpen is set. The depth…not so much

Image credit: SI.com

Barring injury, three of the bullpen roster spots will belong to Craig Kimbrel, Carson Smith, Matt Barnes, and Joe Kelly. Assuming Tyler Thornberg won’t be ready for the regular season, that probably leaves three remaining spots in the bullpen.

The contestants for those spots are Heath Hembree, Brandon Workman, Robby Scott, Austin Maddox, and Brian Johnson. Of those five, Scott and Johnson are the only lefties. Johnson can be taken out of the equation, as injuries to Steven Wright and Eduardo Rodriguez thrusted him into the starting rotation. Essentially, Scott is the only lefty option for the bullpen.

What Does Robby Scott Bring?

2017 was Scott’s first season consistently in the majors, and served as the teams primary lefty arm in the bullpen. Scott got plenty of playing time, appearing in 57 games and pitching 35.2 innings. While he’s only been in the majors one year, there’s plenty of data and tape to determine what kind of player Scott is.

On a positive note, Scott was highly effective against lefties. His sidearm delivery naturally works well against left handed hitters, and Scott was very reliable against left handed hitter. In 20.2 innings, Scott held lefties to a slash line of just .119/.224/.303.

On the negative side, Scott struggled mightily against righties. While his aforementioned sidearm motion made him a nightmare against lefties, righties ate his motion up. In 15 innings against righties, Scott gave up a far less impressive slash line of .241/.323/.494.

Basically, Scott showed that he has the potential to be a good lefty-only bullpen arm. While there’s certainly value in that type of player, he’s basically only good for one batter a game. The league has steadily evolved to the point where the bullpen is more important than it’s ever been. It’s not uncommon for the bullpen to be utilized the first second a starter starts to struggle, so teams need guys that can go longer in games than just one batter.

With that in mind, the Red Sox still need somebody that can consistently get lefties out. The top bullpen options, like Kimbrel and Smith, can get anybody out, but what of the other guys? Can any of Workman, Hembree, or Maddox consistently get lefties out if they need to?

The Non-Robby Scott Options

Could Austin Maddox be the bullpen’s secret weapon?

Image credit: WEEI

If Cora’s looking for a righty that can get lefties out, he may look towards Austin Maddox. Maddox, admittedly, has a very small sample size against lefties, but he has promise. Maddox only faced six innings worth of lefties last season, but he held said hitters to a .280/.280/.440 slash line. That’s pretty promising, especially considering he does his best work against righties.

Scott could only face one or two batters at a time, whereas Maddox could go as long as he needed to. Sending Scott to Pawtucket allows the major league bullpen to remain fresher, longer, and it might not cause a drastic drop off in performance against lefties.

Additionally, Cora has stated that he believes in putting his best pitchers in during the games biggest moment. In previous years, former manager John Farrell had always reserved his best bullpen arms for the very end of the game. While that’s great in theory, there’s no point having your best arms available late if you’ve already blown a lead.

Cora has already announced that he won’t shy away from using his best arms in the biggest moments. Perhaps, instead of turning to Robby Scott or Robby Ross Jr. to get a lefty out in the sixth, Cora will turn to Carson Smith. There’s enough talent in this bullpen for one of the other relievers to handle later innings, so Cora shouldn’t shy away from using his best arms when the game matters most.

What to Expect on Opening Day

At the end of the day, Scott will still probably end up on the Opening Day roster, and frankly, that’s probably the right move. Maddox has a very limited workload, and he should probably get more time to develop in Pawtucket. Chances are the three final bullpen spots will go to Hembree, Workman, and Scott.

However, the fact that Cora is looking at unconventional ways to make the best team possible is fantastic news for the Red Sox. The game of baseball is constantly evolving, and you can’t afford to fall behind the curve. The previous Red Sox administration relied too heavily on outdated thoughts and ideas, and it’s a breath of fresh air to see new, out of the box thinking.

Cover image courtesy of WEEI.

Red Sox Postseason Numbers Crunch in Bullpen

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The Red Sox face a roster crunch for the postseason. Many bullpen arms have stepped up down the stretch and pitching well in critical spots. Of course, not a bad problem to have. It does however beg the question, which ones will make the postseason team?

Bullpen Arms

Craig Kimbrel is obviously on the team as the closer. That’s the number-one bullpen spot. Addison Reed will no doubt set him up. Despite a couple hiccups with the Red Sox, Reed has pitched well since coming over. With reports that David Price will pitch out of the pen in the playoffs, that’s three automatic spots occupied. Price is intriguing out there. It’s been a long time since he shut the Red Sox down in the ALCS in his rookie season coming out of the pen. However, he doesn’t have to worry about lasting and can just rear back and throw. He could be an effective left-handed option for them in crucial spots. Price would also be available for multiple innings at times in big spots if innings are needed. As for the other options…

Matt Barnes has been with the team all year, leading with 66 appearances. He can be hit or miss though, and his 3.88 ERA is high compared to the teams other relievers. Is there a chance one of their most used relief pitchers over the last two seasons off the postseason roster? He does strike out a lot of players — 75 batters in 65 innings. He’s not very trustworthy though.

Heath Hembree has pitched for the Sox a lot this season, appearing in 60 contests as of this writing. Hembree has a decent 3.58 ERA, but his 1.46 WHIP is the worst of anyone with more than 20 appearances. He puts a lot of men on base, which would be awfully nerve-wracking in the playoffs. Hembree, like Barnes, strikes out more than a batter per inning.

Joe Kelly has to be on the roster. With his 2.68 ERA and .207 opponent average, I trust Kelly much more than I trust either Barnes or Hembree. His 100 mph heat can be overpowering and elicits a lot of weak contact.

Brandon Workman has been outstanding for the Sox since coming back from injury. He has worked 37.1 innings to a 2.41 ERA. He can work multiple innings if needed, and do so effectively, a key weapon to have in the postseason.

Carson Smith shows us all what we have been waiting for. Somehow fleecing the Mariners in acquiring Smith (and Elias) for Wade Miley, Smith hadn’t pitched in almost two seasons for the Sox until this month. In 2015 he struck out nearly 12 batters per nine innings and had a 2.31 ERA. This kid has an electric arm. Since returning, Smith has struck out five batters over 4.1 shutout innings. I’d want him on the roster.

Austin Maddox has come out of nowhere to throw his hat in the mix. A guy hardly anyone knew anything about not long ago, Maddox is a 26-year-old career minor leaguer. His career ERA in the minors is 4.27. He’s pitched better the further into his professional career he has gone, posting a sub 4.00 ERA each of the past three seasons. This year his ERA was below 3.00 combined between Portland and Pawtucket. Since joining the big club, Maddox has thrown 12.1 shutout innings! Very shocking. He has allowed only 10 base runners and struck out 10 batters.

For left handers, I have to think at least one other than Price will make it. We have two options. Robby Scott pitched great in a few appearances late last season. This year he has been a little up and down, but when you only face a couple batters a game at most, your ERA fluctuate wildly. Batters hit only .186 off of him and he has a 1.03 WHIP. Beyond that, lefties bat an anemic .131 versus Robby. His should only face a lefty in a big spot. Why wouldn’t you want someone that dominant versus them?

The other option is Fernando Abad. John Farrell can’t seem to get past the fact he stunk last year. Abad is 2-0 with a 2.98 ERA this season however, showing why Dombrowski acquired him to begin with. Abad has a much better ERA than Scott, but his peripherals aren’t as good, allowing more hits and putting more men on base. Also, he isn’t as effective at getting lefties out, which is what the Sox will need from their left hander in the pen.

If I were to pick, I would say Kimbrel, Reed, Price, Kelly, Workman, Smith and Scott. Could even choose to keep eight, with four starters instead of five it opens another roster spot. The 4^th rotation spot seems to be up for grabs, but whoever loses out in that battle won’t make the playoff roster as a reliever.

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