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The Sizzling 2018 Start for Mookie Betts

Betts’s 2017 Season

At age 23 following a monster 2016 season, it seemed as if Mookie Betts was ready to take over baseball. Last year, Mookie had a down year compared to his 2016 season. His average dropped by fifty four points. He was still able to drive in over a hundred runs, which for most players would be considered a very good year. For the Red Sox right fielder it was a disappointing year by his standards, but through this season’s first ten games he has been on fire.

Photo Credit: Maddie Meyer/Getty Images

2018 Season for Betts so Far

Over the offseason, new Red Sox manager Alex Cora changed Bett’s hitting approach. Mookie is not your conventional leadoff hitter due to his power ability. Over the offseason, Cora told his right fielder to be more aggressive at the plate. So far it’s worked out well. In Spring Training, Mookie struggled, but he has erased all concern through the season’s first ten games. Last night in the Red Sox’ 14-1 victory over the Yankees, Mookie went 4-4, including a grand slam. He has been a spark plug for this Red Sox team from the top of the lineup, and last night he reminded people how he can impact a game in many different ways.

Photo Credit: Winslow Townson USA TODAY Sports

Expectations for Betts Going Forward

Mookie’s hot start has shown that this season could be a big year for him. If the Red Sox are going to contend for a championship, he will be key. He has a rare combination of power and speed. So far this year Cora has been able to maximize that and bring the best out in Mookie. In 37 at bats this year, Mookie has 16 hits including seven extra base hits. One of the reasons the Red Sox offense struggled last year was because Betts had a down year. When Mookie is at his best he is one of the best in baseball. He is projected to only drive in ninety runs this year. If he continues hitting like this he could very well pass that projection.

Photo Credit: Kevin Skiver

Why He Could Win MVP

Betts will not hit .423 all season. He is capable of hitting over .300 as he did two years ago. So far he is off to an impressive start. In 2018 he has looked more like his 2016 self. A season in which he was in the conversation, along with Trout, as the best player in baseball, and started in the All-Star game. It is still early, but 2018 could be his best season yet.

Q&A with Lou Merloni

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2018 Boston Red Sox Q&A with Lou Merloni (@LouMerloni)

photo credit- www.americaninno.com

I’d like to give a HUGE shout out and thank you to the man himself, Lou Merloni. Lou and I follow one another on Twitter and when I asked him if he would be interested in a quick Q&A for our site, he could have easily ignored me, said no, or said he is too busy. Instead, Lou answered right away and took time out of his day between shows and broadcasts to do me a solid. I have been a Sox fan my entire life and always thought it was cool a guy playing baseball for Providence College wound up playing for our boys in Boston. Lou is one of the better on-air personalities in New England when it comes to talking sports, and brings great insight when talking baseball. Especially Red Sox baseball.

Once again Lou, thank you for doing this….

Now, let’s get this Q&A started, shall we?

Q: How do you see Alex Cora doing with this team and as a first time manager? Do you see him being the long-term solution at the helm?

A(Lou): Breath of fresh air and they needed it. I just think he can relate to the players in a way that John Farrell was incapable of. Communication is key. I also love that Ron Roenicke is his bench coach. His experience will help Alex out especially early in the year.

Q: Which position player and which pitcher will be the key to the success of this ball club in 2018?

A (Lou): It really does come down to David Price. Lost in all the chaos surrounding Price, we forget that he is one the best pitchers in the league. If he can get back to that, The Sox will have the best 1-2 punch in the AL. Offensively, its Hanley Ramirez. The addition of JD Martinez is nice but they need Hanley to be a force in the middle of that lineup like he was in 2016

Q: With the Sox off to a fast start (9-1), which area of the team are you most surprised with out of the gate, and do you think the Sox have this potential all season long and when it comes to facing a more dangerous opponent?

A(Lou): Starting pitching has been outstanding, but I’ve been most impressed with their ability to come back in games and win the 1 run games. It’s tough in April when the weather is brutal. It’s really easy to give up on a game in the cold and move onto the next one. They don’t. My biggest concern continues to be getting the ball to Kimbrel. They don’t have a shutdown 8^th inning guy so they will continue to go with matchups late in games. That puts Alex in a tough spot because no matter who he goes with, if it doesn’t work out, he will be criticized. The difference between he and Farrell is that I believe he will explain his reasoning better than John postgame.

Q: Do you see the Sox making a move this year to possibly acquire a more solidified set-up man to get to Kimbrel in the 9^th?

A(Lou): They are going to have to. They have guys out there but who do you trust? Smith, Kelly, Barnes and Hembree are all “good” pieces but when you watch the post season and you see the high pressure spots late in games, do you trust any of them?

Q: With Bogey going down with what looks to be a significant ankle injury, who do you see filling in for the time being at SS? Holt, Nunez, Lin (AAA), or do the Sox make a move to grab a veteran to fill in.

A(Lou): We’re not sure how long Bogaerts is out, but short term I think you’ll see Holt at SS with Lin eventually taking over at SS. Unfortunately, you can’t get what Bogey gives you offensively so you need to make sure you put out the best defensive SS to replace him. I think we are a ways off before we start talking about needing to trade for help.

Q: How do you think J.D. Martinez will fare hitting in Fenway? (Let’s keep him off the defensive side by the way)

A(Lou): He’ll be fine and once the weather warms up a bit, you’ll see that RF can’t hold him. He has monster power the other way which will make it difficult for teams to pitch to him at that park. Pitcher’s keep the ball away from most right handed hitters to take advantage of that big RF and to keep them away from the Green Monster. They won’t be able to do that with JD at Fenway.

Q: What is the most memorable/historic moment you witnessed playing in Fenway?

A(Lou): I’ll never forget that 2003 ALCS. Game 3 especially. Roger vs Pedro. Pedro drills Karim Garcia and we all were waiting for Roger to retaliate and he never did. He just poured in strike one and went on to beat us. It was also the game where Pedro tossed Don Zimmer to the ground. It was crazy. We all respected the hell out of Zim. I know he was embarrassed for going after Pedro but honestly, that’s why we all loved him. He cared. He was passionate and he showed it.

(One of my favorite moments as well, nice to hear the insight of someone who was on the field for it)

Q: Your Prediction: Where do the Sox finish, and if you have them making the playoffs, how deep could their playoff run be with a healthy roster?

A(Lou): I had them for 96 wins and I’ll stay with it. But I could see Yanks right there with them. ALCS is a reasonable expectation. They need to win a round in the post season. Not just for this fan base to believe in them but also for themselves. They have a lot of guys on this roster that need to prove they can win in October

That wraps up my Q&A with Lou Merloni on the 2018 Boston Red Sox! HUGE thank you to Lou again, make sure you give him a follow on twitter @LouMerloni and tune in M-F from 10 AM-2 PM on WEEI (103.7 or 93.7).

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LETS GO SOX!

Will the Yankees & Red Sox Rivalry Return?

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Will These Red Sox – Yankees Games Put People to Sleep?

Let’s take a look at the history of the Yankees and Red Sox rivalry. Honestly, after 2003-2004, the whole rivalry between the Red Sox and Yankees became boring. ESPN has every single Sunday Night Baseball game the Red Sox and Yankees play. They must think the rivalry is back because of the power hitters the Yankees have. Lately, though, Stanton has struck out more times in a weekend than any player has in a season. It’s still early though, and we can make excuses that he’s used to the warm weather from playing in Miami.

Via Cincinnati Enquirer

The feel of the 2003-2004 season may never happen again, or will it? As we head to another series between these two teams, we ask ourselves will these games live up to the hype. Will Stanton hit the ball over the wall a lot? Or will the pitching staff of the Red Sox shut down the powerhouse hitting Yankees? Nothing will ever compete to the 2003-2004 seasons when the Red Sox and Yankees would have bad blood every time. The Jeter, Posada, and Rivera moments were classic. For the Red Sox, Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz coming up in clutch moments were the best.

Via FOX 61

The Rivalry Could Be Back on Tonight

Everyone wants to see that kind of fire going into this rivalry again. I remember one time on Sunday Night Baseball they literally showed a fan sleeping in the stands at a Yankees – Red Sox game. I want the rivalry to have that fire it used to have. Both teams are pretty much done rebuilding, and the power hitter J.D. Martinez could be the difference maker in the late innings of a close game. I’ll be disappointed if this series between these two teams is a dud. So starting tonight let’s hope the bad blood and rivalry is back.

Alex Cora Is The Right Guy For The Job

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Alex Cora Is off to a Great Start

Alex Cora is doing a pretty good job managing the Boston Red Sox. The Red Sox have started out at 8-1 for the best start in franchise history. Cora came here to bring a young vibe to the clubhouse. It was clear John Farrell needed to go and that there needed to be a fresh voice in the clubhouse. Now you can say over the last nine game the Red Sox have played Triple-A teams between the Rays and Marlins. However, the powerhouse Yankees who are 5-5 have been struggling and they come to town Tuesday.

Alex Cora spoke highly of his team yesterday after the eighth inning comeback win. He said, “They’re fun to watch, they’re cool to watch. I’m sitting there like, ‘Wow, this is great,’ you know? It wasn’t a great game as a team, but it takes 27 outs to beat us, and they proved it.” Cora also is taken by the confidence this team as shown saying “I don’t know if that group needs confidence down there. , they’re playing, they don’t really know what’s going on. They’re just playing baseball and having fun with it. They prepare themselves, and they go out and every team plays hard but they’re just having fun right now.”

Via Twitter

Cora also said that they’ve been playing great for a month. Even though spring training doesn’t count, it’s still good they’ve been playing great baseball. Cora said, “We’ve been playing good baseball for a month now. And I know spring training doesn’t count, I know the record doesn’t count, but we were playing good baseball. We were playing fast, we were catching the ball, and we were pitching. And regardless if it was Fort Myers or here or Tampa, it doesn’t matter. When you play good baseball, you have good results.” Not taking anything away from them, however, let’s see how this Red Sox team does with better match-ups. So far they’re off to a great start.

The Aftershock of Michael Chavis

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Michael Chavis has tested positive for a banned substance dehydrochlormethyltestosterone (an anabolic steroid) and has been suspended for 80 games. Chavis was the Red Sox’ number one position player prospect their farm system. Chavis was ranked 80 in the Majors prospects, so lasting effects can be evident.

Michael Chavis Background

Who exactly is the top positional player for the Sox? The 5’10” Georgia native was acquired in the 1st round of the 2014 draft from Sprayberry Senior HS. The 22 year old third baseman struggled in 2016 after posting a .244/.321/.391 slash in 312 plate appearances. 2017 seemed to be the season where he took his young career to the next level. He produced a .282/.347/.563 slash between Portland, Salem, and Peoria. His home run total rose from eight in 2016 to 31 in 2017. It’s easy to project when Chavis began a regimen for anabolic steroids. Seeing that his average never really impressed until his 2017 season proves that his value is close to unreliable. Combine that with his average defending and we have ourselves a bust in the making.

Chavis was known for his strong arm but choppy footwork at the hot corner. It would make sense for his eventual transition to first base. The uncertainty of first base at the Sox’ Major League level is probably what made Chavis such a pivotal part of their farm system.

Aftershocks on the Farm System

So with Chavis’s eventual demotion in the farm system rankings, which players are left in the top 10? Well, everyone knows Jay Groome, the southpaw hurler reigning from Barnegat Township, New Jersey at number one overall. However, excluding pitchers, it is evident that the Sox don’t have a whole lot of youngsters. Sam Travis is the next positional player to take the top spot after Chavis’ suspension, and even that isn’t much to brag about. In 33 games playing for the 2017 Sox, he posted an underwhelming .263/.325/.342 line.

His below average scouting report highlights his lack of power. It really works against the height of his ceiling. This is the next best positional player the Sox have in their farm. The Sox can’t expect to keep Mookie Betts, Andrew Benintendi, Xander Bogaerts, and Jackie Bradley, among the other core youngsters. For a team that is about as “win now” as ever, this really hurts the Sox more than people may realize. It would be different if this happened to a team with a deep system (see: Braves, Yankees etc.). But it’s not ideal for a team that will owe Chris Sale a Brinks truck to keep him around.

Major League After Effects

You might already know that Dave Dombrowski is a very trigger happy executive. The Red Sox seem to be at a loss when it comes to production out of the bullpen so far in the 2018 season (except for Kimbrel and Poyner). The writing on the wall will point to possibly using Chavis as a trade piece to upgrade the bullpen to the likes of the Yankees or Indians. Now that Chavis is suspended, I cannot see a major trade going down for the Sox the rest of the season. The ball club was probably one big trade piece away from being an even bigger championship contender than before.

The Bottom Line

Let’s be real for a second: The Red Sox are still putting an elite team on the field night after night. They have a major league roster with an average age of 27.9 (6th in 2017) and a starting rotation that has had an excellent first week of the 2018 season. This comes without the contributions of Drew Pomeranz, Eduardo Rodriguez and Steven Wright. With Devers panning out to be the future third baseman of the Red Sox and Mitch Moreland locked up until 2020, it seemed pretty hard for Chavis to make any noise in the Majors, barring an amazing minor league performance.

Does this really hurt the team in general? Yes and no. Yes, as in it negatively affects his value but no, as in the Sox never really had to rely on Chavis during their championship years anyway. It’s too early to tell how the bullpen will pan out in 2018. A team can never use too many arms, however, and do not forget that Andrew Miller is available as a free agent at the other side of this season. Chavis messed up, but Sox fans should not worry.

@ELJGON

Boston’s Amazing Head Coaching Success

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2018 Success of Boston Head Coaching

For a sports city it is rare for all teams to be playoff contenders. For Boston, that has become the norm, and 2017-2018 has been no different. The Red Sox have started the season 5-1. The Patriots lost in the Superbowl, and the Bruins and Celtics are playoff bound. A big reason for this amazing success is the heading coaching of these teams. Each has their own style, but has created high expectations and have impressed in their respective circles.

Photo Credit: John Tlumacki/ Globe Staff

Patriots Head Coach: Bill Belichick

In describing the impact of these coaches, Belichick goes first. Since the Superbowl he has come under fire for numerous things including benching Malcolm Butler. When he came to New England the Patriots were a struggling franchise. Since 2000, they’ve played in eight Super Bowls, winning five. They are constantly in the playoffs and anything less than a Super Bowl has come to be considered a failure. It’s been even more impressive considering Bill has done this in the Salary Cap Era. At times Bill’s head coaching has led to questionable decisions, but since he took over the franchise has become dominant and the envy of the entire league.

Photo Credit: Dan Powers-USA TODAY Sports

Celtics Head Coach: Brad Stevens

Brad Steven became the Celtics head coach in 2013. Since then he’s had one losing season, and every year the Celtics have improved. He has gotten the best of his players and his teams have become surprise contenders. This season could be considered his best work. The Celtics lost Gordon Hayward in the first game of the season. Key players such as Irving, Smart, and Daniel Theis have missed extended periods have time. Even with all the injuries, the Celtics still have the second best record in the Eastern Conference. Stevens’s head coaching has allowed his young players to excel. He is considered one of the best coaches in the league among his peers, and is a serious contender to win Coach of The Year.

Photo Credit: Maddie Meyer/ Getty

Bruins Head Coach: Bruce Cassidy

Cassidy became the head coach of the Bruins at mid-season last year. With the Bruins struggling they fired their longtime head coach, Claude Julien. Since Cassidy took over, the Bruins have sixty-seven wins and twenty-six losses. This year the Bruins have been one of the best teams in the NHL. When the season began, no one saw them making a deep Stanley cup run, which now they are poised to do. That is in large part to Cassidy, as he’s turned a team which some considered to be rebuilding into a serious championship contender. With this Bruins team being very young they will be contenders for years to come. If Cassidy keeps pushing the right buttons than he will be as well.

Photo Credit: Arthur Pollock

Red Sox Manager: Alex Cora

The last coach to be mentioned is one who is very early into his tenure. Cora became the Red Sox manager this past off-season. Through the first two series of the season the Red Sox are 5-1. When the Sox hired Cora, it was a move that many praised around the MLB. He is replacing John Farrell, who wasn’t a fan favorite in Boston despite leading them to two division titles. Under Farrell the Sox did not win a postseason series and won only one postseason game. The ultimate goal is winning a championship, but winning a playoff series would show that things have changed in Boston. Cora knows what it takes as last year he was a bench coach for the World Champion Houston Astros. So far his Red Sox tenure is off to a good start.

Photo Credit: Michael Dwyer/ AP Photo

Down the Farm: 2018 Paw Sox Outlook

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For Pawtucket Red Sox Opening Day on Friday, April 6^th , there is a 100% chance of rain. Somewhat fitting for all the news that surrounds the team and their future. Nevertheless, the excitement for a new upcoming season is what Pawtucket needs. Tickets remain cheap, parking is free, and amazing fan giveaways will continue this season. Attendance is going to make or break the Triple-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox this season. I encourage all readers to make the trip down, it is well worth it.

Roster

The powerhouse Bryce Brentz and his 30 homeruns will not be on display in Pawtucket this season. The roster is hurting following the prospects that were sent away in trades involving Chris Sale and Craig Kimbrel. I am not saying those trades are bad. However, the Red Sox farm system is not what it once was. Also, players graduating to the majors as well. Although this may be true, there are some names to look out for this season at McCoy Stadium.

Sam Travis continued his tradition of raking in Spring Training. Although the first base position is currently in use, Travis is not out of the running for the foreseeable future. In spite of Hanley Ramirez, Mitch Moreland, maybe even Blake Swihart and Brock Holt manning the bag this season, it is unclear if they will be here next season. Tzu-Wei Lin, who made his name known this past season, is also a guy to watch out for. The $72.5 million man, Rusney Castillo looks to repeat his strong 2017 Minor League campaign. Ivan DeJesus Jr. and his Mexico career .289 batting average looks to make his name known as well.

Michael Chavis, who is currently recovering from his oblique injury, is going to start the season in Portland. If Chavis can continue to put up impressive numbers, a Triple-A call up is in his future. When that happens, all eyes are going to be on him. The only way Chavis is going to play at Fenway Park this season is if they continue the Futures at Fenway Series. Be that as it may, the McCoy Stadium faithful look upon future stars with high expectations.

Jeremy Barfield is looking to be the reincarnate of Bryce Brentz. The 29 year-old sent 27 long balls over the fence in Portland last season. If he mashes the ball in Pawtucket like he did last season, fans are going to be clamoring for him to make an appearance during September call ups.

Giveaways

Minor League baseball is famous for the wacky and incredible giveaways throughout the season. This season is no different for the Paw Sox. The Paw Sox will be giving away wall calendars, ceramic mugs, replica jerseys, and everyone’s favorite; bobbleheads. Rafael Devers, the G.O.A.T., and Mo Vaughn bobbleheads will be given away to the first 3,000 fans on the respective day. Replica jerseys will include Roger Clemens and Wade Boggs. Of course, Saturday night fireworks will continue with a new theme each week.

This season for the Paw Sox can sway the relocation process either way. If it is successful and every game is sold out, it makes it harder for Larry Lucchino to move them away. If every game is empty, what is the point in staying?

Follow Matt McGurn on Twitter: @MickGurn

Cover image courtesy of Rhode Island Public Radio.

Sox Sweep Marlins

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Going In

The Red Sox started the series 3-1 while the Marlins were 2-2. The first game saw Trevor Richards face off against Brian Johnson. The second and final game saw Chris Sale square off José Ureña. The Red Sox’ bats came in quiet, only scoring ten runs in the first four games. The pitching staff has been great, as the starters gave up two runs in 24 innings. Miami was inconsistent in their opening series, with scores ranging from 10-6 to 2-1. On paper, the Red Sox should have had no trouble sweeping the rebuilding Marlins. The Red Sox swept the series, and here’s how that happened:

Improved Hitting and Consistent Pitching

The Sox scored seven runs in game one, the most so far this season. They got twelve hits, and home runs by Mookie Betts and Hanley Ramirez put the game away in the seventh. In the second game, they only got four runs, but the hitting was timely. Andrew Benintendi gave the Sox a 2-1 lead in the 11th with a single that knocked in Eduardo Nunez. After the Marlins, Hanley Ramirez hit a go-ahead double in the 13th that made it 4-2. The Red Sox hung on to win by the score of 4-2.

The pitching staff has been amazing through the first six games of the season. In the first game, Brian Johnson tossed six innings of one-run ball. Johnson has been a 4-A player for a few years now. He is out of options, so he will be in the major leagues for a long time if he can keep this up. In the second game, Chris Sale threw five innings of one-run ball. This is mediocre for Chris Sale standards, but good enough to give the Sox a chance. The bullpen threw eight innings, only giving up one run to get the win. Heath Hembree ended up with the save, making him the third Sox pitcher to get a save this season.

This staff has been great and should get even better. Drew Pomeranz, Eduardo Rodriguez, Steven Wright, and Tyler Thornburg should help the rotation when they return from their respective injuries. Drew Pomeranz has been good ever since he was traded to the Sox, and was great last year posting a 17-6 record. Eduardo Rodriguez has tons of potential, but his various injuries have shunned that potential. If he can live up to said potential, he will be a very good starter. Steven Wright had a great first half of 2016, and the knuckleballer could be a help if he can get his 2016 magic back. Tyler Thornburg has not pitched in 18 months because of injuries, but he could be a great late inning reliever when he comes back.

Other Notes

Andrew Benintendi is hitting .158, and JD Martinez is hitting .200. No need to overreact six games into the season, but they are two key guys in the lineup.

Gabe Kapler is the biggest idiot on the planet. Aaron Boone is a close second.

Alex Cora has been conservative with his starters as he said he was going to. Sale could have gone more than five innings, but no need to wear him out.

@Prime_Kyrie2

Early Impressions of the Red Sox Starters

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Red Sox Starters so Far

Through the season’s first few games, the Red Sox are 4-1. They’ve received great pitching from their bullpen and starters. Their offense has been good, but a few players are off to slow starts. The big three of this Sox rotation, which had many questions, has been dominant. The Red Sox starters so far have shown why pitching could be this team’s strength.

Photo Credit: Maddie Meyer/Getty Images

Question Marks for the Red Sox Starters

Entering the season the Red Sox Rotation had two big questions. Could David Price return to his dominant form? Also, which Rick Porcello would show up in 2018? Price was dominant in his first start of the season against the Rays his former team. He threw seven shutout innings and did not walk anybody. Porcello did not shut out the Rays but he was also dominated as he only allowed one run. The performance of these two will be key as the season goes on. Two of these three have won a Cy Young and for Sale it’s only a matter of time. That’s how dominant they could be.

Photo Credit: Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire

Expected Reinforcements

In the coming weeks the Red Sox will see the return of Drew Pomeranz and Eduardo Rodriguez. Their replacements, Brian Johnson and Hector Velazquez, performed well in their first starts. Johnson allowed one run in six innings of work against the Marlins, and Velazquez allowed one run over five and two-thirds against the Rays. Once the Sox injured starters return, Johnson will go back to the bullpen, and Velazquez possibly the minors. They have shown in their first starts how deep this team can be.

(Photo/Lynne Sladky

What to Expect Going Forward

While the Red Sox pitching is off to a stellar start, they aren’t facing overpowering lineups. The Rays and Marlins are both not expected to make the postseason, and had franchise stars traded in the off-season. The true test for this pitching staff will come once they play teams such as the Yankees, Astros, and Indians. A good start is important, especially when they are missing Pomeranz, who is coming off a sixteen win season, and Rodriguez, who could be the best fifth starter in baseball. These early games have shown the potential of this rotation and just how dominant it can be.

Opening Day Is Just One Game of 162

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Started the Season with an Upset

Clearly Opening Day didn’t end the way Red Sox Nation had hoped it to. Playing Tampa Bay was supposed to be an easy win. The Sox were doing great up until the 8th inning. Tampa Bay had the bases loaded and only one out. Sox Nation’s worst nightmare was coming into fruition. The Tampa Bay Rays had a chance to win the game after trailing 4-0 all day.

The Bullpen

Sale Day is always taken very seriously with the Red Sox, and he certainly proved why he was the Opening Day pitcher. He wasn’t perfect, as he showed some rustiness on the mound. He pitched six scoreless innings with nine strikeouts. Matt Barnes replaced Sale first. He had a quick appearance but held off any runs. Then possibly the biggest disappointment happened. Joe Kelly was on the mound, allowing Matt Duffy to hit and RBI double to cut the Sox lead 4-1. Carson Smith was the final pitcher for the Sox, he struck out one batter, providing a little bit of hope. Denard Span, Tampa Bays left fielder, drove in three players, causing Tampa to tie the game. Allowing Hechavarria to bring in Span, and unfortunately win the game.

Eduardo Nuñez

He re-signed with the Red Sox organization at the beginning of Spring Training. Nuñez had to prove to the organization that he is still a good addition to the team. In the top of the second inning, Eduardo Nuñez hit a two run homer in a picture perfect way. The play went straight out to center field where Kiermaier and Span both dove for the ball, but the ball went right past them. Nuñez ran the bases in a speedy 15.87 seconds. Pregame polls showed that fans thought either Mookie or J.D. Martinez would hit the first home run of the season. No one expected it to be Nuñez. But with Pedroia still on the DL, Nuñez holds the potential and ability that the Sox need.

Opening Day Is Only Game One

Luckily we have today to look forward to. It was Alex Cora’s first game as a manager. The loss is not his fault. It’s baseball. Some lose and some win. The next eight games are split between Tampa and Miami. Two teams that should be easy to beat. Fenway Opening Day is under a week away, and the Sox can finally play at home. Then there are the games we’ve been waiting for. NYY vs. BOSTON. Giancarlo Stanton vs. J.D. Martinez. Arguably, the biggest rivalry in MLB. It’s only game one of the season, and there’s plenty of wins and records to look forward to.

Sources

Boston Red Sox

Billie Weiss

Tampa Bay Rays