Tag Archives: JD Martinez

J.D. Martinez Officially Signs with the Red Sox

We Finally Got Martinez

We got him! Finally, after TEN MILLION YEARS of waiting we landed a deal with J.D. Martinez. I have to be honest, I wish I was more excited about this. The guy took FOREVER to sign. So at this point, instead of being hyped up about this signing, I’m just like “Oh, okay. I expected to hear that eventually.” It’s almost like being a kid finding presents your parents got you somewhere in the attic just before Christmas. So the next morning you act all surprised and excited when deep down inside you’re just like “Yeah, that’s cool. I knew I was getting that present anyway.” Kind of sucks to be honest, but hey we finally got him. Life is good. The Red Sox are good. Everything’s great!

J.D. Martinez has agreed to a contract with #RedSox, sources confirm @pedrogomezESPN report. @JonHeyman was first to report deal was close. @MLBNetwork @MLB

— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) February 19, 2018

J.D. comes to Beantown signing a deal worth 5 years and $110 million with an opt-out after two seasons. Last season with both Detroit and Arizona, J.D. hit a .303 average, with 45 homers, and 104 runs knocked in. Adding to that with a .690 slugging and .376 on base percentages.

Boston needed to get this deal done. Dave Dombrowski has now delivered on his promises every season he’s been here. Price in 2016, Sale in 2017, and now J.D. in 2018. Martinez was projected to sign with Boston the moment the World Series ended, and there was no doubt the deal eventually would’ve been done. Now that Martinez signed the Red Sox can potentially contend against the Yankees and other dominant teams around the league.

The Possibilities Are Endless

With J.D. in Boston there are now so many different possibilities for the team. He wants to be an outfielder in Boston, which could leave to a possible move in JBJ if it comes to it. Then they could move either Benintendi or Mookie to center with J.D. in right. If he is willing to DH it could move Hanley to first, thus benching Moreland. There could even be a possible Hanley deal. Only time will really tell, but this is a huge move for Boston and could really open up a potential World Series bid.

To sum up my thoughts really, it’s hard for me to be excited about this because of how long it took for this guy to sign. Don’t get me wrong though, I’m excited! This is just the piece we needed to contend for the World Series. Not like I don’t think we’re going to win the World Series every year, but this really makes us look like a legitimate threat to the American League. I’m excited. Everyone’s excited. World Series 2018.

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 Red Sox Are Trying Something New

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

The Red Sox Are Trying Something New

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

Image credit: SI.com

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

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

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

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

Where the Red Sox Stand Now

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

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

The Winning Strategy

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

Image credit: NESN.com

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

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

Young Reinforcements

Expect this guy to become a household name before long

Image credit: Boston Globe

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

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

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

Cover image courtesy of Boston.com.

What if JD Doesn’t Sign with Boston?

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Holding Until Spring Training

It’s the end of January. The MLB offseason is reaching its end and the Boston Red Sox haven’t made any notable moves besides the return of Moreland. The Sox are the front runners in the JD Martinez sweepstakes and he has yet to sign. The five year $100 million dollar deal the Sox offered has been on hold. The Scott Boras client even went on to say he would hold out until Spring Training to accept an offer. That’s flat out ridiculous, and this should make every Red Sox fan annoyed. The more I think of it, it wouldn’t be a bad thing if JD doesn’t sign with Boston. It may save the Red Sox some cash if they don’t sign Martinez, looking toward next offseason.

(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

Contract Years

Craig Kimbrel, Drew Pomeranz, and Joe Kelly are all potentially becoming free agents next year. It would be ideal for the Sox to sign back at least Kimbrell, who’s going to be asking for a hefty contract. If Pomeranz produces similarly to last year, then you can expect him to receive around a three or four year offer. Adding to that David Price, Chris Sale, and Hanley Ramirez are in their respective “opt-out” years, where it will depend on how well they perform in 2018. With players going into arbitration, Matt Barnes and Heath Hembree are entering their first years. Mookie, Bradley, and Bogaerts are also entering their second and third years so they will be expecting more money.

This also comes at a time where players in the likes of Bryce Harper and Manny Machado hit free agency. Clayton Kershaw and Elvis Andrus are entering “opt-out” years as well. If you really want to look ahead on it, Boston might want to start planning on possibly resigning Chris Sale next season as well as Paul Goldschmidt hitting free agency.

So to be honest, I would be totally fine on not signing JD this offseason. As long as we have Chris Sale and Paul Goldschmidt in 2020 (I can dream, right?).

Despite Popular Opinion, Dave Dombrowski Is Doing the Right Thing

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On December 9th, the Yankees and Marlins officially agreed on a deal to send slugger Giancarlo Stanton to the Bronx. There were mixed opinions from Red Sox fans on whether or not they wanted Stanton because of the idea of trading pieces and his huge contract.

One thing for sure is whether or not Red Sox nation wanted him, they certainly did not want him to join Aaron Judge and Gary Sanchez who slugged their way to one game from the World Series.

The Pressure

Dave Dombrowski had to immediately feel the pressure as soon as he found out that the Yankees had acquired Stanton. Not only because of the fact that the Marlins got a weak haul that the Red Sox could have matched, but also because their arch-rivals now have two giants in their lineup.

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The attention immediately focused to what “Dealin Dave” would do to counter the Yankees’ move. Many believed he was going to try and sign both Eric Hosmer and JD Martinez. Not only did fans want this to happen, they wanted it to happen as soon as possible.

However, Dave has stayed calm under pressure, which is surprising because he is usually a gunslinger.

Financial Situation

One thing to take into consideration is the financial situation of the Red Sox. They currently have some huge contracts on the table, including Hanley Ramirez, Rick Porcello, and Rusney Castillo. The Average Annual Value (AAV) of those contracts alone is a colossal chunk of the payroll.

Splurging just to splurge is not the answer here, and going after just JD Martinez instead of both him and Hosmer is also the right idea. One big contract added to the payroll will already be a burden, never mind two. Fans who also want to see the massive extensions of Mookie Betts and Chris Sale whe nthey hit the market should also take this into consideration.

Scott Boras

A lot of people know who Scott Boras is at this point. Boras is an infamous sports agent whose notorious for getting giant contracts for his clients. JD Martinez is a Boras client, and was originally seeing a 7 year deal worth $200 million+ going into the offseason. Obviously he will not end up getting that deal, but he will be making a lot of money.

What is happening right now is a stare down between Scott Boras and Dave Dombrowski. This is a staredown that is actually benefiting Boston though. Right now, the only real market for Martinez currently is the Red Sox. They have already been linked to him and are desperately seeking a middle of the order bat.

Fans who are begging for DD to make a move and sign Martinez are not using their brains properly. It is common sense that the longer Dave milks this out, Boras and Martinez will eventually get desperate and take a deal for less.

The offseason can be a very long and painful process, but Dave Dombrowski is a smart man. It may be boring right now, but the waiting game will be worth it in the long run.

What a Hanley Ramirez Trade Could Look Like

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Photo by Getty Images

Trading Hanley Ramirez Could Help or Ruin This Season

In what seems to be a lackluster off-season for the Boston Red Sox, teams like the New York Yankees got seemingly stronger. So far, in response they have resigned Mitch Moreland to a team-friendly 2 year contract. In addition to making Samuel Adams the official beer of the team. The clear-cut move: Trade Hanley Ramirez.

With a hefty $22 million dollar vesting option for 2019, the trade will be tough. He only needs 497 plate appearances this year. The President of Baseball Operations is no stranger from making trades. The key to pull this off is simple: leave the farm system alone!!!!

Dave Dombrowski has a reputation of making trades for win now mode. Examples of this are going for Chris Sale and Craig Kimbrel. With that being said, if you move the DH to a National League team, you could potentially receive a couple of prospects in order to make room for JD Martinez. There might even be flexible room enough to grab a bench bat to even out the salaries. One way to boost the intrigue is to eat some of his $22 million dollar contract.

It helps to have the history that Dave and Martinez have throughout the years. When he held the same position in Detroit, he traded for Martinez. After that, his stats went up. It helped to be around hitters like Miguel Cabrera, who is a lock for the Hall of Fame. In Boston, David Ortiz will be back around the clubhouse, as he has a verbal agreement with his team.

With a little over 100 days until the regular season is under way, there is plenty of time to make a contender out of a very good ball club. With players such as Benintendi, Devers, and Betts driving the young core, this team’s future looks bright.

Credit to NESN for the featured picture.

The Red Sox Should Not Trade for Stanton

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The Boston Red Sox should not trade for Giancarlo Stanton. Don’t get me wrong, I love the guy. Stanton is a pleasure to watch. He hits the ball harder than anyone I have seen. I’ve sent many videos of his home runs to my brothers over the years. With all the following aspects considered however, the Red Sox have better options available to them.

The Money

The Sox would owe Stanton fat stacks. Yes, Stanton is an all-world talent and worth a lot of money. Yes, he is still only 27 years old. But other options can be had much cheaper that aren’t much worse at the plate. Giancarlo Stanton will get $285M over the next 10 seasons. He then has a team option in 2028 for $25M. If one assumed that wouldn’t be picked up, the team would still owe him $10M as a buyout of his contract. Bare minimum. For the $295M owed to Stanton, JD Martinez could be had for half of that, maybe even less than half. Is Stanton really worth that much more than Martinez? That answer is no.

The Cost of Trade

If you do believe Stanton is worth all that much money, how about the trade aspect? JD Martinez is a free agent. No players would have to be given up to acquire him. Stanton would cost players, and good ones at that, in addition to the near $300M. How could someone justify spending $150-$175M more and good players on top of it for Stanton as opposed to Martinez? Who would it take to acquire Stanton? A centerpiece of Jackie Bradley Jr. or Xander Bogaerts along with a couple prospects? Or maybe all of them. In theory Stanton would be worth such a package, but considering all angles that’s not the case.

The Statistics

Giancarlo Stanton catches the third out in the second inning during game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park on May 25, 2015 (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)

Stanton is actually a better defender than Martinez. He is surprisingly solid for someone his size, but unless we move Bradley neither of these guys would be acquired to play the field. If they are designated hitters, defense is a moot point. So let’s just focus on the offense.

JD Martinez had his breakout four seasons ago. Over that four-year span, how much better has Stanton been than Martinez? In the last four years Giancarlo Stanton has batted .271 with a .939 OPS. JD Martinez in those same four years has hit for a .300 average with a .936 OPS. Martinez hits for a much higher average, but Stanton walks a lot more so their on base percentages are very similar — .366 for Stanton to .362 for Martinez. That actually leaves Martinez with the very slight edge in slugging, .574 to .573. Surprise!

When it comes to home runs, Giancarlo Stanton has averaged 38 home runs over those four seasons. That number jumps to 49 per 162 games due to injuries. Martinez lags behind, but not so far behind that Stanton becomes worth that much more than him. Martinez has averaged 32 home runs per year, or 40 home runs per 162 games played. The reason his slugging is higher is he gets more hits and a lot more doubles. Their triple slash lines are nearly identical.

Giancarlo Stanton vs JD Martinez

Stanton takes aim at the ugly sculpture in center field.

Year	Tm	Lg	G	PA	AB	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
2014	MIA	NL	145	638	539	31	1	37	105	.288	.395	.555	.950
2015	MIA	NL	74	318	279	12	1	27	67	.265	.346	.606	.952
2016	MIA	NL	119	470	413	20	1	27	74	.240	.326	.489	.815
2017	MIA	NL	159	692	597	32	0	59	*132*	.281	.376	.631	1.007

Year	Tm	Lg	G	PA	AB	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
2014	DET	AL	123	480	441	30	3	23	76	.315	.358	.553	.912
2015	DET	AL	158	657	596	33	2	38	102	.282	.344	.535	.879
2016	DET	AL	120	517	460	35	2	22	68	.307	.373	.535	.908
2017	TOT	MLB	119	489	432	26	3	45	104	.303	.376	.690	1.066
2017	DET	AL	57	232	200	13	2	16	39	.305	.388	.630	1.018
2017	ARI	NL	62	257	232	13	1	29	65	.302	.366	.741	1.107

I’m not saying Martinez is better than Stanton, though the numbers show the difference might not be so large. All I’m saying is, there isn’t even close to a $150M gap between them, let alone some good players on top of it.

JD Martinez hits a 3-run home run off of Matt Wisler (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images)

Why not add them both?

Hey, I’d be all for adding them both. If the Sox were to sign JD Martinez and then trade, say, Jackie Bradley Jr. and a prospect or two for Stanton they could slide Betts to center, put Stanton in right and DH Martinez. That is one heck of a lineup. How do you pay both of them though? The Red Sox would soar well past the luxury tax and be stuck above it for years to come. With Chris Sale, Mookie Betts and others needing to be paid in a couple years the payroll is going to rise, not decrease.

And if we miss on JD Martinez?

If we were to whiff on JD Martinez, then I would more seriously explore trading for Stanton. There is no other bat available that can compare. Eric Hosmer is available and has a solid bat, but he is no true power threat like the Red Sox need. They need a thumper, someone opposing pitchers should fear. Hosmer is an up and down offensive player with 20-25 home run power. There are also rumors he is looking for 200 million dollars which borderlines on the absurd.

I would definitely pay Stanton his contract and give up something to get him before entertaining that. Just no trading Mookie Betts, Andrew Benintendi or Rafael Devers. If we were to acquire him without giving up any of them would I be upset? Probably not. Like I said, I love Stanton, he is one of my favorite players. The Red Sox just better let us in to watch our home team take batting practice.

Does Giancarlo Stanton already “Win-Dance-Repeat”?

The Red Sox Need A Big Bat

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The Red Sox are coming off another good season, but one that ultimately fell short. There are many factors that play into why, but the lineup is a big one. The Red Sox lost legend David Ortiz, and didn’t replace his bat. As a result, the lineup faltered. This offseason they need to rectify the situation.

Red Sox Lineup

Without the presence of David Ortiz in the lineup this season, many players regressed. They may have been pressing more to try and fill the void. In past seasons, pitchers didn’t want to face Big Papi, which gave the other batters better pitches to hit. This cannot be understated. Mookie Betts dropped off considerably, most notably his batting average. Xander Bogaerts went from a near .300 average with 21 home runs, to .273 with 10 homers. After hitting 30 home runs in 2016, Hanley Ramirez may have been the one most expected to fill the void left by Ortiz. He disappointed, and only batted .242. The Red Sox need a legitimate power hitter, a threat to go yard every time.

As a team, the Red Sox finished 27th in the league in home runs. Fenway Park is a hitters park, and while the Red Sox have often taken advantage, they failed to this season.

The Red Sox finished 22nd in the majors in the all-important OPS category. OPS is a combination of on base percentage and slugging percentage, it combines two very important skills. The Red Sox need to bring these offensive numbers back up. They aren’t a 2nd division team.

How to improve the lineup

J.D. Martinez of the Arizona Diamondback celebrates after hitting a grand slam against the St. Louis Cardinals (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images)

Last season, the Red Sox could have signed Edwin Encarnacion to replace Big Papi. It seemed like the perfect fit, but the Red Sox passed. Passing on Encarnacion cost them this year as he hit 38 home runs, a number that would have probably increased playing at Fenway. They cannot make the same mistake in 2018.

A fix this year could come in the form of JD Martinez. He may not provide the same presence as Big Papi, but honestly, who could? Martinez’s power production would be with the best of them though. Adding him to the fold gives the Sox the home run threat, run producer in the middle of the lineup and makes things easier on the rest of the lineup. Xander Bogaerts, Mookie Betts and company will see better pitches to hit if Martinez is looming on deck and producing. The addition would also alleviate some pressure on them. Two years ago, the Red Sox were 9th in the Major Leagues in home runs and first in OPS. Yes, they dropped from 1st in OPS to 22nd. Add that big bat, and they should be back in the top ten.

Who is JD Martinez?

J.D. Martinez of the Arizona Diamondbacks celebrates in the locker room after defeating the Colorado Rockies 11-8 in the National League Wild Card game (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

JD Martinez began his career as a 4th outfielder for the Houston Astros. He was average for his three seasons in Houston before being cut prior to the 2014 season. He worked hard to revamp his swing, and it showed in his results. After he was scooped up by the Tigers (by none other than Dave Dombrowski), Martinez has been one of the better hitters in the league. He stays under the radar, but Martinez can rake. He has batted .300, with 128 home runs and a .936 OPS. Even with missed time, that’s an average of 40 home runs per season. He is 10th in the Majors in home runs and 6th in OPS during that 4 year span.

This season, Martinez had a career year at the age of 30, hitting 45 home runs despite missing roughly the first month and a half of the season. After being traded to Arizona, Martinez hit 29 home runs in 62 games. While he may not get recognition nationwide, JD Martinez is a top power hitter.

Year	Age	Tm	Lg	G	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
2011	23	HOU	NL	53	226	208	29	57	13	0	6	35	.274	.319	.423	.742
2012	24	HOU	NL	113	439	395	34	95	14	3	11	55	.241	.311	.375	.685
2013	25	HOU	AL	86	310	296	24	74	17	0	7	36	.250	.272	.378	.650
2014	26	DET	AL	123	480	441	57	139	30	3	23	76	.315	.358	.553	.912
2015	27	DET	AL	158	657	596	93	168	33	2	38	102	.282	.344	.535	.879
2016	28	DET	AL	120	517	460	69	141	35	2	22	68	.307	.373	.535	.908
2017	29	TOT	MLB	119	489	432	85	131	26	3	45	104	.303	.376	.690	1.066
2017	29	DET	AL	57	232	200	38	61	13	2	16	39	.305	.388	.630	1.018
2017	29	ARI	NL	62	257	232	47	70	13	1	29	65	.302	.366	.741	1.107
7 Yr	7 Yr	7 Yr	7 Yr	772	3118	2828	391	805	168	13	152	476	.285	.342	.514	.857
162	162	162	162	162	654	593	82	169	35	3	32	100	.285	.342	.514	.857

What will it take?

Yoenis Cespedes and Justin Upton are comparable players who signed free agent deals in the past few years. Both players easily surpass 20 million per season. I’d take Martinez over either of them personally, with 25 million dollars per year being a reasonable expectation to shell out for his services.

The question becomes how many years to give him. Ideally a 4 year deal around 100 million, but it will likely take a 5th year to get it done. If the Red Sox can get him for 5 years at that rate, a 5th year shouldn’t stand in the way. He’d be 35 at the end of his contract, but wouldn’t be like another Albert Pujols situation in Anaheim. For the production he has been putting up over the last 4 seasons, 5/125 is worth it. Will the market command even more, push him to 150 million? There have been reports that the up and down Eric Hosmer is looking for an obscene 200 million dollar deal. No thank you.

Where does he play?

Lou Gorman once famously passed up trading for batting title champion Willie McGee in the heat of a pennant race because he asked the question: where would he play? Gorman has been second guessed ever since.

Barring a trade, Martinez would play designated hitter. Hanley has one season left on his contract, he isn’t here for the long run, and he hasn’t been that good. Martinez could be the primary DH, while Hanley splits time at first base with Mitch Moreland (back for another season?) or Sam Travis. Hanley primarily played first base in his only good season in Boston to date. Martinez could occasionally play in the outfield to keep him up to speed, and give others a rest day. On those days, Hanley could slide to DH to get out of the field, and rest his aching shoulder from those strenuous throws he’d be making at first base.

The Red Sox might have an inside track on acquiring Martinez that some other teams do not. Dave Dombrowski is the one that gave JD Martinez another chance in Detroit following his release from the Astros. It would make sense for JD Martinez to be interested in playing for Dombrowski again.

The Red Sox have an opening for him, they have the need, all that is left to do is sign him.