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Why Can’t the Red Sox Hit When Chris Sale Pitches?

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Chris Sale Having a Rough Start with Run Support

Chris Sale had a great season during his first year in a Red Sox uniform. This season, though, Sale has a record of 2-1 after seven games. For some reason, the Red Sox can’t hit the baseball when Chris Sale pitches. So far he’s pitched 42 innings, allowed 31 hits, 11 runs, 51 strikeouts, and four walks according to baseball reference. He’s giving up four home runs too. His ERA currently is 2.14. He pitches well, but the Red Sox can’t seem to find the hitting they need to win games when he’s on the mound.

The Seven Starts Chris Sale Has Pitched

Through the seven starts Chris Sale has started, the batting average as a team is .159. The Red Sox have scored 36 runs in the seven starts that Chris Sale pitches. When Chris hasn’t pitched, the Red Sox have scored 118 runs. On April 22nd, the Red Sox were 11-0 when anyone other than Chris Sale or David Price pitches. The Red Sox are 7-5 when Chris Sale or David Price pitch.

Since the beginning of the season, the Red Sox are 17-0 when Chris Sale doesn’t pitch. When he does pitch the Red Sox are 4-3. That is a jaw-dropping stat for a guy that is supposed to be the ace on the team. Chris Sale needs the bats to perform when he pitches too, especially in October. Chris Sale and David Price need the run support if they really want to get past the first round in October. Last night the Red Sox made four errors when Chris Sale was pitching against the 8-22 Kansas City Royals.

 

What If the Red Sox Didn’t Trade for Chris Sale?

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NOTE: There is no way anyone can tell what would actually happen, so these educated guesses are based on rumors from MLBTradeRumors.com

On December 6, 2016, the Red Sox acquired starting pitcher Chris Sale for four prospects. These prospects were infielder Yoan Moncada, starting pitcher Michael Kopech, outfielder Luis Alexander Basabe, and relief pitcher Victor Diaz. In this alternate universe, this groundbreaking trade never happened.

Where Does Chris Sale Go?

It was inevitable that White Sox GM Rick Hahn was going to trade Chris Sale, but who would be Chicago’s trade partner? Well, according to Barry Svrluga of the Washington Post, the Nationals had the next highest bid, so Chris Sale would be a Washington National. The package going to Chicago would’ve consisted of outfielder prospect Victor Robles, as well as starting pitcher prospects Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo Lopez. This also means that the Nationals have to alter the package going to Chicago for outfielder Adam Eaton. So instead of Lucas Giolito, the Nats trade starting pitcher prospect Dylan Cease.

What Happens to the Red Sox’s 2017 Season?

The Red Sox no longer have Chris Sale, so in the offseason they do not trade starting pitcher Clay Buchholz to the Phillies. They need the pitching depth, and the Sox think they can get 2015 Clay Buchholz rather than the 2016 version. Also, since the Red Sox don’t completely trust the starting pitching depth they have, they sign Doug Fister in the offseason instead of in the middle of the season.

Clay Buchholz still tears a flexor tendon in his right arm in early April, so the Doug Fister signing makes even more sense. Also, David Price starts the season on the DL. So this means the Red Sox rotation after the Buchholz injury is Rick Porcello, Drew Pomeranz, Steven Wright, Eduardo Rodriguez, and Doug Fister. Injuries also hinder Steven Wright in early April, so Brian Johnson and Hector Velazquez both get many spot starts to fill the voids.

Yoan Moncada starts the season as the everyday third baseman with Pablo Sandoval on the bench, occasionally DHing.

Trade Deadline

The Red Sox, headlined by an injury-prone starting rotation and a stagnant offense, still find themselves in the AL East race. They believe one trade can get them over the top. They decide to go after a starting pitcher, because there are a lot of quality starters on the trade market. Since the trade value is the lowest and they have the cap space, the Red Sox trade for starter Justin Verlander. The Tigers receive left-hander Jay Groome, outfielder Luis Alexander Basabe, and catcher Roldani Baldwin in the deal. The Red Sox agree to pay the rest of Verlander’s contract.

Since Justin Verlander is a Red Sock now, the Astros don’t pull off a trade. They were too late for the Yu Darvish and Jose Quintana deals, so they settle with what they have.

The Sox send down Yoan Moncada to AAA because of offensive struggles, so they still bring up Rafael Devers. Also, Boston still releases Pablo Sandoval.

Justin Verlander

(Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

Playoffs

The Red Sox make the playoffs as the first wild card team instead of winning the division. They defeat the Twins in the Wild Card game with Justin Verlander on the mound in Fenway Park. The success stops there, though. The Red Sox lose to the Indians in four games in the ALDS.

The Indians lose to the Yankees in the ALCS, who beat the Verlander-less Astros in six games in the ALDS. The Yankees face the powerhouse Washington Nationals in the World Series. Led by a rotation of Max Scherzer, Chris Sale, and Stephen Strasburg, the Nationals sweep the Yankees in the World Series.

2017-2018 Offseason

The Red Sox feel that they need to do something to boost the offense, so they make a huge trade. The rumors say that the Red Sox had interest in trading for Manny Machado, so that’s just what they do. The Orioles receive shortstop Xander Bogaerts, prospect Yoan Moncada, and starting pitcher prospect Michael Kopech. Yes, the Orioles were hesitant towards trading Machado, but that is an offer that no one can refuse. Then, the Orioles probably trade Zach Britton. I will say he goes to the Astros,

The Red Sox have to pay the remainder of Justin Verlander’s deal. They also feel that they have to opportunity to extend Manny Machado’s expiring contract. Because of this, the Red Sox do not sign J.D. Martinez. Instead, Martinez signs a one-year deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Conclusion

There is no telling what happens afterwards. Even so, it is interesting to think of what could happen if the Red Sox didn’t trade for Chris Sale.

Sources:

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2016/12/nationals-offered-victor-robles-lucas-giolito-reynaldo-lopez-in-chris-sale-bid.html

Jackie Bradley Jr. Is What the Red Sox Need

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“He cannot hit!”  “Send him down.”  Blah, blah, blah.  When discussing Jackie Bradley Jr. and what he means to the Red Sox, these are the responses I get.  However, I disagree.  Jackie Bradley Jr. is doing exactly what the Red Sox need him to do.  Jackie Bradley Jr. is currently hitting .225 with two homeruns and six runs batted in.  If his average climbs to the .240-.250 range for the season, that is all we need.

Defensive Wizard

In case you are living under a rock, Jackie Bradley Jr. is already making jaw-dropping plays.  His spectacular catch against the Marlins is pretty much forgotten because of the catch he made against the Orioles.

Watch the catch here:

I mean, this ball is about a millionth of a centimeter from touching the ground, and JBJ swoops in and catches it.  The fact that Jackie Bradley Jr. was not a finalist for a Golden Glove last season is a joke.  If you search “Jackie Bradley Jr. Catch”, about thirty different shocking plays will pop up.  JBJ takes so many runs away from opposing teams.  In addition to Craig Kimbrel, David Price and Chris Sale, all owe him a debt of gratitude.  The hits he takes away from teams more than makes up for his (sometimes) disappointing bat.  However, by no means is Jackie Bradley Jr. a slouch at the plate.

Hitting

Is Jackie Bradley Jr. the best hitter on the Red Sox? No.  Is he an instant out?  Absolutely not.  JBJ can drive the ball.  When he gets a hold of one, it flies off his bat.  His numbers from the 2016 campaign are outstanding.  A .267 average, 26 homeruns, and 87 RBIs.  Many players only dream of achieving these stats.  Not to mention an All-Star selection and a 29-game hitting streak mixed in? Wow.  As a matter of fact, JBJ is one of only five Red Sox players to hit a homerun onto Eutaw Street at Camden Yards.  Only 89 dingers have reached Eutaw Street.  Jackie joins David Ortiz, who hit two, Mo Vaughn, Carl Everett, and Troy O’Leary. Not bad company to be in.

If Jackie Bradley Jr. keeps playing the way he is, there is no reason not to keep him in Boston long term.  With Scott Boras as his agent, he might look to get his client overpaid.  However, JBJ is a smart guy.  Despite this, I hope to see him manning center field for years to come.

#AllthewaywithJBJ

 

Follow Matt McGurn on twitter: @MickGurn

Why Mookie Betts Is Poised for a Huge 2018

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Mookie Betts is arguably the best hitter in baseball right now. He is seeing the ball so well and smoking it. He massacred the Yankees’ pitching staff, raking in a grand slam in a 14-1 win. Mookie is also off the heels of a four home run series against the Angels. The man is insane.

Betts currently leads the MLB in AVG (.366). Obviously this won’t be sustainable for an entire season, but it’s a damn good start. Consequently, it could be a sign of even better things to come for Betts. Mookie is doing damage early, and if he can continue, the Red Sox are going to be very dangerous this season.

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2017

2017 was a very disappointing season for Betts. He had a steady offensive decline coming off of an insane MVP caliber year in 2016. Many fans put the blame on the absence of David Ortiz, which put the pressure on Betts to carry the offense.

He was also flip-flopped in the batting order a few times by former manager John Farrell, which could have affected his thought process throughout the season. It’s more difficult to hit if you aren’t sure whether you’d be hitting leadoff, or batting cleanup.

Having a rough 2017 was obviously something that Mookie did not want to do, but the silver-lining is that it was a wake-up call. He needed to get better and make adjustments.

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THE ALEX CORA EFFECT

Earlier, I mentioned how Farrell had swapped Mookie around throughout the 2017 season. That’s something that Alex Cora is not all about. From the time he was hired as the Sox manager, he has made Betts’ position in the batting order clear.

Betts knowing every day that he will be batting leadoff is a very overlooked thing. This allows him to go up to the plate with the same thought process each game and just try to do his part. Although he has the ability to hit home runs, it is important for him to get on base early and use his speed to score.

Alex Cora is known for his communication with younger players, as he was the bench coach for the Astros. The presence of Cora will pay dividends for Betts, as we have already seen from Xander Bogaerts this season.

FINE TUNING

None other than David Ortiz. Of course it was the “Large Father”, as Betts likes to call him, to point out mechanical issues he noticed with Betts in 2017.

Betts said in Spring Training they sat down, and Ortiz pointed out that his stride was off, causing his stance to be too open. It’s hard to say that was the sole reason for the tough time that Betts had last year.

The start that Mookie Betts is having in 2018 is no fluke. This kid is the real deal. He is a true five-tool player, and there is no ceiling for him. He’s just getting started, and I don’t think there’s anything the rest of the league can do about it.

Red Sox – Toronto Blue Jays Preview

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The Boston Red Sox Are on to Toronto

Via Boston HeraldThe Boston Red Sox head to Toronto to begin a series with the Blue Jay’s tonight. The Red Sox open the series as favorites and look to retain first place in the American League East. The red-hot Red Sox started the season with a 17-2 record averaging, 6.48 runs per game. Then the bats were silenced in Oakland on Saturday and Sunday.

The Pitching Matchup Looks like a Win for the Red Sox

Apr 15, 2017; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Chris Sale delivers a pitch against the Tampa Bay Rays during the first inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY SportsRick Porcello will get the ball for the Red Sox tonight in the first game of the series. Porcello is 4-0 on the season and has not allowed an earned run in his last 13 innings. Going against Porcello is J.A. Happ, who has struck out 26 total batters. In Happ’s last three starts he’s 3-0 with a 4.67 ERA. Happ also has 26 strikeouts.

Eduardo Rodriguez will go against Aaron Sanchez on Wednesday night. In Rodriguez’s last three starts he’s 3-0 with a 3.45 ERA. Rodriguez has 20 strikeouts. In Sanchez’s last three starts he’s 1-1 with a 3.15 ERA and 13 strikeouts. The series finale on Thursday has Chris Sale going against Marco Estrada. In Chris Sale’s last three starts he’s 1-1 with a 2.50 ERA and 26 strikeouts. Estrada is 2-1 in his last three starts. He has a 6.00 ERA and 16 strikeouts.

Last season when Porcello pitched four times against the Blue Jays. In total, he had a 2.74 ERA with 23 strikeouts and six walks. Rodriguez made two starts and one relief appearance against the Toronto Blue Jays last season as well. He struck out 18 batters, gave up eight walks, and had a 3.65 ERA. The ace Chris Sale was great against the Blue Jays last season. Sale went over 27 innings with 43 strikeouts. Sale’s ERA was 1.67 and only allowed four walks.

The 17-4 Red Sox should win this series over Toronto. The Red Sox have hit five grand slams so far this season. Will we see anymore during this series? That remains to be unseen, however, this team is a lot more fun to watch than last season.

 

Red Sox Lose Their First Series

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Red Sox Couldn’t Hit Saturday and Sunday

Boston Red Sox’s Mookie Betts celebrates his home run with Andrew Benintendi, during the first inning of a baseball game against the Anaheim Angels in Anaheim, Calif., Thursday, April 19, 2018. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)The 17-4 Red Sox lost their first series of the season. The Red Sox went without a hit on Saturday for the first time since 1993. On Friday night, though, the Red Sox beat the Athletics 7-3. The Red Sox had 11 hits in the win and Oakland had ten. Drew Pomeranz took the mound and really didn’t pitch well Friday night, only pitching 3.2 innings. Pomeranz gave up three runs, walked two, and had seven strikeouts. Hector Velazquez pitched three innings, giving up just four hits and one strikeout.

No-Hit Red Sox

Via NBC Sports

On Saturday Chris Sale was pitching, so easy win right? Wrong. Sean Manaea pitched a no-hitter, striking out ten batters. Manaea said after the game that he didn’t realize he was pitching a no-hitter until the eighth inning. Manaea had been bad against Boston in his earlier three starts, going 1-2 with a 13.50 ERA. Hanley Ramirez Tweeted after the game saying “Congratulations Sean Manaea, you were really good tonight bro”. Chris Sale struck out ten batters, but gave up three runs on six hits and one walk in seven innings.

Sunday brought a question that maybe Alex Cora left David Price in too long in the eighth inning. Price had already thrown 90 pitches. The score was tied 1-1 and Price was facing Khris Davis. The first pitch Price threw to Davis crushed a three-run homer. Mookie Betts and Hanley Ramirez didn’t play on Sunday for rest, so the team had trouble with A’s pitcher Daniel Mengden. Red Sox didn’t really get the bats going until the seventh inning yesterday. Price stuck out six and threw 96 pitches.

The Toronto Blue Jays Are Next

Now the Red Sox had a day off and travel to Toronto to take on the Blue Jays. The Red Sox are 17-4 and are four games up on the Toronto Blue Jays, as well as 5.5 games up on the New York Yankees. There’s still a lot of baseball left it’s a long season, but so far this team has been great.

Can the Red Sox Sweep the Athletics?

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Boston Red Sox

The Red Sox are 17-2 with the best record in the MLB. They have yet to lose a series and are on another win streak. The Sox have hit more grand slams in the past three weeks than they have in two years. After Xander Bogaerts was placed on the DL, there was a question of whether or not the Sox would continue their win streak. They did and hit more grand slams (and even more runs). Mookie Betts came back after missing a game due to his bruised ankle. His hot bat never went away and he became the king of Anaheim. He hit at least one home run every game while playing the Angels. The Red Sox also shut down Shohei Ohtani quick in the second inning on Tuesday to prove that they were no one to be taken lightly. Drew Pomeranz also made his season debut Friday after spending time playing in Pawtucket and Portland.

Oakland Athletics

The A’s are 9-11 and fourth in the AL West. They recently swept Chicago in a series. Oakland also brought in bullpen reinforcements to prepare for the series against the Red Sox. Oakland has lost every series except one against the White Sox earlier this week. Lou Trevino made his Major League debut on Tuesday and pitched his first scoreless inning. He has not given up a run yet. Stephen Piscotty seems to be the A’s number one hitter, and the most reliable.

Will the Sox Sweep?

The Red Sox are off to the best start in franchise history, they have hit more grand slams than they have over a two year time span. After taking game one against Oakland yesterday, can the Red Sox sweep yet another series this early into the season?

Sources

BJ Weiss

Boston Red Sox

Oakland Athletics

MLB

Do the Red Sox Have an Identity?

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The Red Sox Are Better and More Confident

USA TODAY SportsThe 15-2 Boston Red Sox have the best record in franchise history. Not only that, but the Red Sox have hit four grand slams this season and are on pace for 38. The Major League record for grand slams in a season is 14.  So far this season the Red Sox have had 176 hits, 22 home runs, and 101 RBI’s. Yes it’s early, but it’s clear that the Red Sox didn’t want to play for John Farrell last season. They’ve found an identity with Alex Cora connecting with them.

The only pitcher on the team with a loss is David Price. Alex Cora told Tony Massarotti on 98.5 The Sports Hub that he never knew Price couldn’t pitch well in cold weather, or even about his condition. Price did pitch well Tuesday night, but the Red Sox also hit the ball well too. It was also 60 degrees so Price’s fingers wouldn’t get numb for being too cold. The only two Red Sox losses so far are from Opening Day and David Price being taken out because of the cold temperature.

Alex Cora Is off to a Great Start

Cora is the first rookie manager to start at 15-2, but he credits the players. Cora said after last nights game, “It’s a credit to them, I just put the lineup in. The coaches are helping out, putting them in a spot to be successful. They’re using the information to their advantage. In the end, they’re the ones hitting fastballs out of the ballpark and playing good defense and throwing the ball over the plate. All the credit goes to them.”

Cora also said after last nights game, “I know how good they are. But it’s just something about them that makes you feel confident. You show up every day to work and you enjoy it. I’m having a blast with them, not only in the dugout but in the clubhouse. It’s fun to be around them.” The Red Sox keep this up it will be a fun and exciting season.

Paw Sox Longest Game Ever Played

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It was some 37 years ago today, on a frigid Saturday night, that the Pawtucket Red Sox hosted the Rochester Red Wings.  No one at the time ever realized how historically important this game would be.  The game between the Paw Sox and Red Wings began on April 18th, 1981.  The two teams battled up to the 32nd inning.  At 4:07 A.M. on April 19th, 1981, play was suspended.  While there were a solid group of fans at the beginning of the game (1740), only 17 fans stuck around until 4:07 AM.  Nevertheless, Harold Cooper, the International League President, shockingly ordered the game to suspend play.  Had I been there, I like to think I would be sticking it out with the other 17 fans.  Nevertheless, I was not yet born.

Paw Sox Longest Game

Pawtucket’s Dave Koza gets a pat on the head from teammate Mike Smithson after driving in the winning run in the bottom of the 33rd inning

Interesting Facts

This 33-inning game is historically significant for many reasons other than the length.  One of the most notable facts about this game is that two Hall of Famers played on both sides.  Wade Boggs for Pawtucket, and Cal Ripken Jr. for Rochester.  Cal Ripken Jr.’s nickname “Iron Man” is on display here, as he played all 33-innings.  Sticking with the theme of the Hall of Fame, Cooperstown is now home to the official score card from the game.  A whooping 822 pitches met the 822 batters during the three-day game.  Wade Boggs went 4-12.  Cal Ripken Jr. went 2-13.

Both Cooperstown residents spoke about the game years later.  Ripken saying, “Of all the games I’ve played in, that’s one of the few that I easily remember.  It’s still fresh in my mind. We’ve all played in marathon nine-inning games and extra-inning games, but that game was different.”  Wade Boggs spoke in a 2006 interview saying, “When I doubled in the tying run in the 21st inning, I didn’t know if the guys wanted to hug me or slug me.  But, being competitors, we did want to win the game.”  Boggs continued speaking later on, “I remember calling my father the next day and telling him I got four hits. “He said, ‘That’s great.’ I said: ‘Yeah, but I was up 12 times. We went 32 last night.”

June 23rd, 1981

The triumphant return of the game took place on June 23rd, 1981.  Fans came into McCoy Stadium unsure of what to expect. Not to mention, 5,800 fans sold out McCoy Stadium.  Nearly five times the amount of fans than April 18th.  They were curious as to if the long game would keep going on.  Nevertheless, the fans got a quick 18 minute inning.  Pawtucket’s Bob Ojeda came in to continue the game.  The eighth Paw Sox pitcher to appear gives up a single to Cal Ripken Jr.  Ojeda went on the strike out Floyd Rayford and pop out John Valle to keep the game tied.

Steve Grilli came into pitch for Rochester.  Grilli was not a member of the Rochester Red Wings on April 18th.  Grilli hit Marty Barret by a pitch to get things going.  Chico Walker stepped up to plate and ripped a single that Barret was running on to move him to third.  To set up a force on any base, Russ Laribee was intentionally walked.  Cliff Speck came in to save the game for Rochester but ended up only throwing four pitches.  Dave Koza came up to the plate confidently.  Koza was the best player in the game at the moment with a 4-13 day(s).  Koza was able to groove a 2-2 curve ball into left field to bring Marty Barret home and, mercifully, ending the game.

 

Relive the game here:

Remember this when you are complaining that baseball games are too long.

David Price Doesn’t like to Pitch in the Cold

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David Price Needs to Grow up

Via NBC Sports

The cold weather around Boston last week wasn’t good. However, when you play a professional sport, making millions of dollars, you might want to suck it up and just pitch. David Price, once again, has his excuses with why he left the game on Wednesday night because of numbness in his hands. Price’s hands were told cold and he couldn’t pitch. The night before, David, it was also cold, I didn’t see Chris Sale complaining. He’s not a baby like Price is.

It may be cold for Stanton, but at least he doesn’t sit. We’ve seen this before with Price all of last season. Him complaining and not liking it here. Price also isn’t setting a good example for the younger players. Do you think Mookie Betts would sit a game because it’s too cold to play baseball? I don’t think so. The Yankees aren’t even good right now. Price could’ve pitched on Wednesday and they would’ve swept the Yankees instead of taking two out of three.

David Price Making Excuses

AP Photo/Aaron Josefczyk

This is what Price said after his start: “My hand never really warmed up, My arm felt fine. My arm felt really good. I had no clue where [the ball] was going.” Clearly, someone who doesn’t want to pitch in cold weather. I don’t see another player on that team saying something like that. “My hands weren’t warm enough to go out and play.” It’s always something with David Price. As soon as he gets to some real competition his hands are too cold. Price won’t start against Baltimore. He’ll make his next appearance against the Los Angeles Angels on Tuesday.

David Price’s Next Start Will Be in Warm California

I’m sure it will be nice and warm so Price can feel his hands in Anaheim. David, you’re making $31 million dollars. Grow up! In October it will be cold too. What’s he going to say then? I know for one thing- Chris Sale or Pedro Martinez would never do what Price did on Wednesday night.