Tag Archives: MLB

Alex Cora Named Next Red Sox Manager

After the season ends for the Houston Astros, the Boston Red Sox will get their new manager in Alex Cora. Cora was the front runner all along for Dave Dombrowski and the Red Sox. Ken Rosenthal for Fox Sports reported the three-year deal that Cora will accept once the Astros are done. This is a great move for the Red Sox. Dave Dombrowski can get his guy who he thinks is right for the job. Cora also brings that young vibe to the clubhouse which will help this young team.

Cora played infield positions for the Red Sox for four seasons, starting in 2005. In the 2005 ALDS, which Boston lost to the Chicago White Sox in a three-game sweep, Cora played in one game as a defensive replacement, without a plate appearance.

In Game Strategy Not Important As A Manager?

According to Dombrowski, “I do not feel that in-game strategy is the biggest thing as a manager, I think it’s important. But there’s other things that are probably more important. As I’ve often told managers, to me the most important thing for a manager is that their club plays up to their capabilities day in and day out, which means that they’re communicating with their players and they’re getting everything that they can and that means their club’s playing hard.”

Dave Dombrowski Wanted a Change From John Farrell

Clearly, he had a change of heart after back-to back first place finishes only to get knocked out of the first round again. In-game strategy ranks as important for a manager, one reason of many Dombrowski fired Farrell. Dombrowski’s press conference following the firing of Farrell was a complete bore fest. He wouldn’t comment on anything related to why they fired him. Cora looks like a good fit and knows the game well. Rumors circulated that the Washington Nationals were going to interview him but Rosenthal shut that down. The Red Sox alone had an offer to Cora. We will see what happens in the coming weeks during the busy Red Sox off season.

Drew and Improved

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Drew Pomeranz’s 2016 season

On July 14th, 2016 the Red Sox acquired left-handed pitcher Drew Pomeranz in a trade with the San Diego Padres. To that point, Pomeranz was putting together a fine season. Drew went 8-7 with a 2.47 ERA in 17 starts with San Diego. He also only allowed eight home runs in those 17 starts. Personally, I thought it was a decent trade. It was exciting to see another talented pitcher join the rotation. I thought the move provided Boston with serious rotation depth as Pomeranz was joining a group that already featured quality pitchers such as eventual Cy Young winner Rick Porcello, David Price, Steven Wright and Eduardo Rodriguez.

The numbers were clearly good, but Red Sox fans were displeased with the move. Red Sox Nation was uneasy about getting rid of the highly talented pitching prospect Anderson Espinoza. This put a lot of pressure on Pomeranz and unfortunately it did not work out well. Pomeranz went just 3-5 with an ERA of 4.59 in 14 starts. His HR/9 rose from 0.7 to 1.8, not pretty. Red Sox fans became displeased with the front office for getting rid of Espinoza for a back end starter.

Slow start to 2017 for Drew

Sox fans entered the 2017 season indifferent about the rotation. There was plenty of confidence in newly acquired Chris Sale and Cy Young winner Rick Porcello. However, many were concerned about the rest of the rotation. Would E-Rod and Price stay healthy? Will Steven Wright’s knuckleball “knuckle” this year? Will Pomeranz pitch as poorly as he did in 2016? Tremendous pressure was on Pomeranz’s shoulders, he had yet to prove he could pitch in the stacked AL East. It was a rough start to the season for Pomeranz as he posted an ERA of 4.97 through his first eight starts. His poor performance made him one of the least popular players among the fans. This increased the animosity of the fans towards the management.

Big Smooth turns it around

After Drew’s rough start to the season, he found his groove. Pomeranz got on a roll and ended the season with a 17-6 record and an ERA of 3.32. His monthly ERAs from June to September went like this: 3.00, 2.72, 2.28 and 3.69, very effective. He won eight starts in the second half alone while posting an ERA of 3.01. Pomeranz’s performance quickly began to alter the opinions Red Sox fans had of him. He solidified himself as the second best pitcher in the rotation only behind Cy Young candidate Sale.

The key to his dominance?

Pomeranz is well known for his filthy curveball, which he throws 37% of the time. He constantly has hitters off balance as they are unsure if they will see his curve or fastball. His curveball is slow and has a deep break. Hitters often times can’t wait on it, which produces an off balance, front-footed swing. When batters do manage to lay off, it is typically because they see it as a ball upon his release, but the sharp break often brings it back over the plate for a called strike. This nasty curve also makes his fastball more effective. Despite his fastball only being thrown around 91 MPH, he gets many swings and misses at it. Relative to his curveball, which is typically 79 MPH, his fastball looks very fast to batters. The 12 MPH difference between his two main pitches is a nightmare for batters. Hitters can not seem to time him properly as sitting on the fastball makes them vulnerable to the curveball and vice-versa.

What does the future hold for Pomeranz?

No one can be certain, but I personally think we will see a similarly good Pomeranz in 2018. He showed incredible consistency after his first eight starts. I do not see a logical reason why he would not be effective again in 2018. Sure, he may not be quite as good, but I anticipate his numbers will be in the same ballpark (no pun intended). As long as he brings the same curveball along with him, he should have no problem keeping hitters off balance and succeeding. Another solid season from Pomeranz will be a key factor in the rotations effectiveness.

*Follow me on twitter @MLBfromNH (Kevin Civiello)*

Alex Cora is the Right Man for the Job in Boston

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The Red Sox are in the market for a new manager for the first time in five years after John Farrell was fired after another disappointing postseason appearance.

The team knocked it out of the park when they hired Farrell prior to the 2013 season, following up a tumultuous 2012 season with a World Series title in Farrell’s first season. The team followed that up with back-to-back last place finishes, as well as back-to-back AL East titles, something the organization had never achieved before.

Still, it was not enough, as division titles don’t buy you job security in Boston. Now, it’s back to square one, and the Red Sox seem to have their sights set on a new man to lead the ball club. A certain somebody who has experience playing in Beantown.

#Astros bench coach Alex Cora is #RedSox’s top candidate for managerial vacancy, sources tell The Athletic.

— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) October 15, 2017

Take a minute and think back to the Red Sox teams of last decade, say from 2004-2010. Think of how much fun those teams were to watch; no drama, no media tirades, none of that. Just quality, winning baseball that resulted in two championships.

Cora played with the Red Sox right in the middle of that era. He was on the 2007 World Series winning team. He was on the 2008 team that was one win shy of back-to-back appearances in the Fall Classic. Not to mention, Cora was teammates with Dustin Pedroia during the majority of his tenure in Boston.

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What this team needs is somebody who can communicate effectively in the clubhouse. The players need a manager that can be authoritative, but also friendly with the guys. Terry Francona found that happy medium, and it’s why he is one of the best managers, if not the best manager in Red Sox history.

Now, I’m not about to put Alex Cora in that category; the guy has only been a coach for one season.

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However, what I will say is that this team will have a different dynamic next season. The locker room will be better, players will be happier, and that will result in a much better on-field product.

Also, Red Sox fans everywhere will be spared from watching John Farrell make his fair share of questionable in-game decisions. You can’t knock Farrell, however. I’m not here to crush the guy. He did bring a title to Boston in very unexpected fashion. When it came right down to it, Farrell didn’t do enough after 2013 to maintain job security.

Should the Red Sox bring in Cora, which right now seems likely, the 2018 season looks much brighter than it did before.

And the New Manager Will Be?

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With John Farrell out as Red Sox manager after five years at the helm, the Sox are looking for a manager for the first time since the Bobby Valentine debacle. Dave Dombrowski will be interviewing for the first time since joining the Red Sox. Farrell made some questionable in-game decisions, it was probably time for him to go. Looking back on his tenure though, he won a World Series while here and three AL East Division titles. Thank you for your work John Farrell. Now, onto the candidates for replacing him.

The Favorites

Brad Ausmus, in my opinion, is the leading candidate for the job. Not saying he is my top choice, (though I think he’d be a fine hire) he’s just the lead dog in the race. Managers typically do better in a second go around; Terry Francona, Tony La Russa and Bobby Cox are just a few who flopped in their first managerial stint only to go on to success in their second job. Joe Torre took several tries before getting it right. Ausmus is a smart guy– he went to an Ivy League school in Dartmouth. He also caught behind the plate for 18 seasons. Ausmus knows baseball. In 2013, he interviewed for the Red Sox managerial opening and impressed the Red Sox with his pitch. If Toronto had not agreed to trade John Farrell to the Red Sox, Brad Ausmus probably would have been our manager.

Brad Ausmus was hired in Detroit by none other than Dave Dombrowski, who is now doing the hiring for the Red Sox. Maybe he will go hire his guy again. Ausmus could do better a second time around, though he wasn’t a complete flop in Detroit. He posted two seasons above .500, including a 90 win season in 2014. Ausmus is from Connecticut and owns a home on Cape Cod, he is a local guy. The connection here is too easy. In pairing Ausmus back up with Dombrowski, the Sox would have the man who gave JD Martinez another chance after being waived by the Astros, and his former manager with the Tigers. Maybe this pairing would increase the Red Sox chances of signing him.

Dave Dombrowski has hired Brad Ausmus as manager before.

Alex Cora is the other name that will be discussed. Cora has been talked up as a future MLB manager since he was still playing. A sizable chunk of those playing days came in Boston as a utility infielder. Acquired by the Red Sox in 2005, Cora stayed with the team through the 2008 season. Many former teammates have touted his baseball acumen and said he would make an excellent manager. Cora currently serves as the Houston Astros Bench Coach, and has had obvious success there. Any hiring of him would have to wait until after the Astros season concludes, which at this point hopefully isn’t anytime soon.

Alex Cora #13 of the Boston Red Sox celebrates as he scores the game winning run in the ninth against the Baltimore Orioles at Fenway Park. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

Secondary Candidates With Managerial Experience

Ron Gardenhire is a name that surprises me a bit, as he has had health issues. Currently serving as a coach with Arizona, Gardenhire had a lot of success while managing the Twins; regular season success. The Twins made the playoffs in six of his first nine seasons at the helm, finishing with a losing record just once in that span. They only advanced out of the first round in his first season, way back in 2002. Their overall playoff record under him was 6-21. The Twins also trended downhill over his last 4 seasons, topping out with a high of 70 wins.

Brad Mills is an interesting name. Mills served as Francona’s Bench Coach for much of his time in Boston before taking the Managerial position in Houston. Houston was lousy during his time there, but they would have been lousy under anyone. The Astros roster was quite anemic during those years. Stated previously, having prior managerial experience usually helps in a second go around. Mills is again serving as Francona’s Bench Coach in Cleveland, having more success alongside his friend.

Brad Mills poses during photo day (Photo by: Nick Laham/Getty Images)

Tony Pena is a bit of a dark horse candidate. He isn’t mentioned much, and I’m curious why he hasn’t managed since 2005. Pena was once an up and coming managerial candidate. He was in the game seemingly forever as a catcher. He won Manager of the Year in 2003, his second year on the job. What is the reason for him not getting a manager position since? Pena interviewed for the Sox opening last time, and has been serving on the Yankees coaching staff since 2006.

Secondary Candidates with Red Sox ties

Mike Maddux was considered one of the favorites for the Red Sox manager position in 2013 before he withdrew from consideration. At the time he cited being too far away from his family in Texas. Since that time, Maddux has taken the position of pitching coach with the Washington Nationals, not really any closer to Texas than Boston. He seems to have changed his mind. Maddux did well as pitching coach in Texas, considering the pitching conditions and the guys on their staff. He has done a good job in Washington as well. Maddux also pitched for the Red Sox back in 1995 and 1996, so he is familiar with the city and the atmosphere at Fenway. Maddux is someone I believe deserves the opportunity to manage in the future.

Mike Maddux pitching for the Red Sox in 1996.

DeMarlo Hale is another former Terry Francona bench coach in Boston. Unlike Mills, he has yet to receive a chance to manage at the big league level. He did manage for years in the Minor Leagues before becoming a coach in the big leagues. Hale was only the Red Sox bench coach for two seasons, his tenure ending following the 2011 beer and chicken fiasco. I’d consider him a bit of a long shot.

Gary Disarcina has worked all over the Red Sox organization, so why not add another job to his belt? He was a baseball operations consultant, did some studio work for NESN, and was a minor league manager and infield instructor. Disarcina has had three separate stints with the Red Sox, winning Minor League Manager of the Year in his one season as Pawtucket’s manager in 2013. The last two seasons he has served as the bench coach.

Gabe Kapler is probably an unlikely candidate, but one who deserves to be on this list. During Kapler’s first retirement from his playing days, he immediately became a manager in the Red Sox system. He managed in the low minors for the Red Sox for one season before deciding he wanted to continue his playing career. Kapler hasn’t gotten back into managing since his ultimate retirement. Kapler has however been the Director of Player Development for the Dodgers the past few years, contributing to the revamp of their minor league system.

Jason Varitek is the long shot candidate everyone wants to know about. Is Varitek a real possibility to manage the team? Maybe a few years down the road would be a better time? We aren’t really sure what to make of his potential candidacy. However, it is obvious to anyone who watched Varitek during his playing days that he is very smart and knowledgeable about the game of baseball. He caught a record four no-hitters and won 2 World Series championships. He just seems like the kind of guy who will one day make an excellent manager.

Jason Varitek #33 of the Boston Red Sox walks in from the outfield after throwing before the start of the Red Sox game against the Baltimore Orioles. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)

Secondary Candidates with no experience and no Red Sox ties

Tim Wallach has been discussed as a future manager for several years now. Wallach interviewed for the Red Sox opening in 2013. He won Pacific Coast League Manager of the Year in 2013.

Sandy Alomar Jr. is another former Major League catcher with a probable future as a manager. He has been in coaching since 2008 and even got six games as the Indians interim manager in 2012, going 3-3. He has served on Terry Francona’s staff in Cleveland the last five seasons.

Dave Martinez is a guy I am surprised hasn’t gotten a manager job yet. He has served under Joe Maddon as his bench coach since 2008. They spent seven years together in Tampa Bay, and the last three in Chicago with the Cubs. Suffice it to say, the pair have experienced a great deal of success together. He would be an intriguing dark horse candidate, but one that will likely wind up managing somewhere else down the road.

Dave Martinez should get a chance to be a Major League manager someday soon.

Strengths and Weaknesses of ALCS Teams

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2017 MLB Postseason

The playoffs are off to a thrilling start. We have already witnessed two ALDS series go the distance. Baseball fans have already been blessed with shocking upsets and dramatic comebacks. Perhaps the most shocking occurrence is the Yankees. Having knocked out the world series favorite Cleveland Indians, many are shocked to see the Yankees in the playoffs, let alone advancing the the ALCS. The Bronx Bombers will compete with the Astros to advance to the World Series. Over in the NL we have a great match up between the defending world champion Chicago Cubs and the best regular season team, the LA Dodgers.

New York Yankees

Strengths

As a long time Red Sox fan, it pains me to say the Yankees are onto the ALCS. Meanwhile, the Red Sox and their fans are forced to sit at home and watch. I must give credit where it is due, and the Yankees deserve a lot. They entered the season with low expectations. They have taken the league by storm this year, leaving their fans both surprised and ecstatic. This team has a great offense, solid starting rotation and a tremendously talented and deep bullpen. I think their greatest asset lies elsewhere– this team has collective mental toughness. They trailed the best team in baseball 2-0, and the game 2 loss was not pretty. It was impressive to see a young team come back to win 3 straight against a talented and well coached team. Props to the young guys of the Yankees for not hanging their heads and giving up after game 2.

Weaknesses

This team seems well-rounded, without any glaring weaknesses. I am still skeptical of their pitching staff. They lack a true ace. Tanaka has filled the role in previous years, but has been inconsistent this year. He was dominant in his lone start this postseason, throwing 7 innings and giving up just 3 hits and 0 runs. Sabathia has pitched well most of the year, but simply is not the guy he once was. Severino had a great year, but lacks playoff experience. He was knocked around in one of his two starts. Sonny Gray is clearly a talented pitcher, but has yet to string together multiple strong outings since becoming a Yankee. Luckily this rotation is backed by one of the strongest bullpens imaginable. The other weakness I see in this team is their ability to win on the road. The Yankees were 40-41 away from Yankee Stadium this year. It is going to be tough to win a best of seven series if they cannot win some road games.

Houston Astros

Strengths

This team is strong inevery relevant category. Their strength is simply winning baseball games with a dominant offense. There is not a flaw in this teams lineup. This team has top of the order hitters 1-9. Houston lead the MLB in batting average, runs scored, doubles, total bases, OBP, SLG, OPS and were second in home runs. This is one of the best offenses in the history of the MLB. It is not just the power numbers that are impressive for this team, Houston’s batters had the fewest strikeouts in the league this year and stole the eighth most bases. The Astros could very well ride their dynamic offense to a world series title. They have a very strong pitching staff lead by Dallas Keuchel and Justin Verlander. There is some serious depth to this pitching staff as well. After their top two, they have Brad Peacock, Lance McCullers and Charlie Morton, three very reliable guys. This team will be a daunting task for the Yankees.

Weaknesses

This team does not have any real weaknesses, save for one–their sub par bullpen. Houston’s pen ranked 17th in the MLB with a 4.27 ERA. However, Houston rarely has to rely on their bullpen thanks to their offense often giving them comfortable leads. The Astros played very well down the stretch, and continued their success into the ALDS series against the Red Sox. They do not a have a real weakness for the Yankees to expose. New York will simply have to out-slug Houston if they want to move onto the world series.

Red Sox Are About To Get Swept

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Red Sox About To Get Swept Again

The Boston Red Sox face another swept for the second year in a row in the ALDS. Chris Sale, allegedly the ace, pitched game one. He hadn’t pitched a postseason game befor, but he should have been fine, right? Wrong! He pitched five innings, gave up nine hits, seven runs, three home runs and had an ERA of 12.60. Some Red Sox fans need to wake up. Winning the American League East means nothing if you can’t make it past the first round of the playoffs.

Red Sox in the Playoffs — A Circus

All Red Sox pitchers yesterday gave up 12 hits, eight runs, had eight strikeouts, but gave up four home runs. When Nunez gets up in the first inning, he can’t even make it to first base. He fell on his face in pain. He had to be carried off the field by John Farrell and a trainer. Jose Altuve stole the show, hitting three homers for a 8-2 blowout win.

Red Sox Outscored 30-10 in ALDS 2016/2017

Deja vu all over again. The same as last season in the playoffs. The Red Sox have been outscored 30-11 from last year’s ALDS to this. Which means Mookie Betts, Andrew Benintendi, Christian Vasquez — the core of this team– have yet to win a playoff game. They get to this stage with a full head of steam, and they completely choke. These guys can’t live up to the hype. The Red Sox had Drew Pomeranz going today and his good season completely goes out the window. He pitched just two innings, gave up five hits and four runs, one strikeout, two home runs, and an ERA of 18.00.

To make matters worse, Betts leaves the game after his last at bat, re-injuring his left wrist. With the 8 -2 loss, the pitching gave up 12 hits, eight runs, two homers, five strikeouts, and six walks. The Red Sox and Astros play again Sunday afternoon at Fenway Park with Doug Fister on the mound. If the Sox lose, either Betts, or Benintendi will be gone in the offseason for a power hitter, because boy do they need one.

Hot Date in Houston for the Sox

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Red Sox seek redemption in the 2017 ALDS

Well the Sox just ended the regular season with a four-game series against the Houston Astros. Houston grabbed three of four from the Sox in Fenway. Now, starting Thursday at 4 pm ET, these two clubs meet again for at least three more contests in the ALDS. The Astros won this years season series 4-3 and outscored Boston 35-22 in those seven games. Houston may appear to have an edge, but we all know the MLB playoffs are a crap-shoot.

Houston certainly has the better offense, ranking first in the AL in runs scored with 896. Boston scored 785, not nearly as many as Houston, but still good for sixth in the AL. The Red Sox pitching staff has an edge over Houston with the team ERA for the year standing at 3.70. Houston’s team ERA stands significantly higher at 4.12. While both teams have similarly talented starting rotations, the pitching advantage for Boston comes from their phenomenal bullpen. The Sox ranked 2nd in the majors this year with a 3.15 bullpen ERA. Houston’s bullpen was far worse, with a 4.27 ERA which ranked them 17th in the majors.

ALDS Game 1- Sale vs Verlander

Mouths water over this exquisite pitching match up. Sale and Verlander are undoubtedly two of the very best pitchers in baseball. Sale has the better ERA (2.90) but Verlander comes into the playoffs as one of the hottest pitchers in baseball. The Sox lefty threw an MLB-leading 214.1 innings this year. Verlander racked up the innings as well with 206. It appears Verlander may have handled the physical stress a little better, as his performance improved as the season went on. For Sale, it was the opposite. He seemed unhittable until the end of the season when his numbers started to fall off. Sale’s ERA over the last month of the season was 3.72, not great for his standards, but still pretty solid. He was under a lot of scrutiny for his poor performance but he actually allowed 0 ER in three of his final six starts. As I mentioned, Sale lead the entire league in innings pitched. So his poor late-season numbers were likely a result of fatigue. He last pitched on September 26th, so he should be plenty rested come Thursday’s series opener.

Verlander Finishes Strong

Verlander also put together an exceptional year, but very unlike Sale’s season. Houston’s new ace had a rough start to the season with a pre-all star break ERA an uncharacteristic 4.73. This may have had something to do with being on one of the worst teams in baseball (Detroit Tigers). As expected, Verlander was much improved in the second half, posting a 1.95 ERA after the All Star break. He was especially exceptional in the last month of the season, earning five quality starts in as many tries and posted a 1.06 ERA to go along with a 0.65 WHIP. Verlander’s main advantage in this match up is experience. He has 16 career post season starts and Sale has none. Verlander is 7-5 with a with a 3.39 ERA in his post season career. expect game one to be a low scoring affair despite the high powered offenses.

ALDS Game 2- Pomeranz vs Keuchel

Another great pitching match up here in game two. Many teams around the league would love to have Pomeranz or Keuchel serving as a backup to their ace. Pomeranz has put together a career year posting a 3.32 ERA on the season. A reason for concern for the Sox is that the Astros Lineup is stacked full of great right handed hitters. Houston’s lineup features the league batting title champ (Jose Altuve), Carlos Correa, George Springer, Alex Bregman and Yuliesky Gurriel, all righ- handed batters. However, Pomeranz has handled them well this year. In two starts Pomeranz has thrown 12.1 innings while allowing just seven hits and two ER. Houston batters are hitting only .245 with just eight extra base hits in 102 at bats vs Drew. Boston will need this display of dominance from Drew if they want the win.

Like Sale, Keuchel was scorching hot to start the season, going 9-0 with a 1.67 ERA. Unfortunately for Houston, Keuchel found himself on the DL in June due to a neck injury. He returned in July and struggled mightily, posting a 5.05 ERA in six starts. However, Keuchel did seem to find his groove in August as he went 3-2 with a 2.87 ERA. The bearded lefty seems healthy and locked in as we enter the ALDS. Prepare for another low scoring game in game two.

ALDS Game 3- Morton vs Porcello?

The official pitching match ups have not been posted but this is who I imagine game three will feature. The third post-season starter position for the Red Sox is up for grabs between Doug Fister, Eduardo Rodriguez and Rick Porcello. I believe Porcello is the best option, despite having a disappointing year after winning the 2016 AL CY Young. I am ruling Doug Fister out of the equation due to a horrific final month which he had an ERA of 6.85. While E-Rod has slightly better numbers than Porcello this year, the difference is not enough to overcome his lack of experience. Porcello has certainly not lived up to expectations, but his numbers are skewed by some really poor starts. The quality starts are still there, but the bad ones have just been really bad. Rick has thrown at least 6 innings in 26 of his 33 starts. He has allowed three ER or fewer in 19 starts this year and even has two complete games. If the good version of Porcello shows up for the Red Sox then they have a clear advantage here in game three. Veteran Charlie Morton has put together a career year for Houston in his 10th year in the league. Morton has won 14 games and has an ERA of 3.62. I am leaning towards Houston electing Morton due to his impressive final month which he posted an ERA of 2.54 in 28.1 innings of work. This match up will really come down to Porcello pitching to his potential and keeping his sinker down in the zone.

*Follow me on twitter @MLBfromNH (Kevin Civiello)*

Astros-Red Sox Positional Breakdown

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On Thursday the Houston Astros and Boston Red Sox will start the best-of-five ALDS series. These two teams closed their regular seasons facing each other, so they had plenty of time to get acquainted. This series means a little more of course, and the two teams will pull out all stops to try and advance. Which team has the advantage at each position?

Starting Pitching

Justin Verlander #35 of the Houston Astros throws against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Park in Arlington on September 27, 2017 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

The Astros’ trade for Justin Verlander right before the waiver deadline has shored up their rotation. After a sub .500 month of August, people doubted the Astros’ legitimacy as a World Series contender. Behind Dallas Keuchel, their rotation had question marks. Lance McCullers got hurt after a hot start and hadn’t been pitching well since. Then Verlander arrived. Verlander went 5-0 with a 1.06 ERA for the Astros and they bounced back to go 21-8 from there on out. With Verlander and Keuchel at the front, the Astros have two aces. McCullers has been struggling, but Brad Peacock has had an excellent season for them, winning 13 games with an ERA of 3.00 and 11 strikeouts per nine. He would seem to be a fine option to slot in at number three.

The Red Sox have a Cy Young candidate in Chris Sale at the top. Following him is Drew Pomeranz, who somewhat quietly has put himself in a position for a potential top five finish in the Cy Young vote himself. Beyond that, though, the Red Sox have many questions. No one is quite sure yet who will be their #3 or 4 starters, and none of the options are altogether appealing.

Advantage: Astros

Bullpen

The Astros are strong at the back end of their bullpen, but if forced to dip into the pen earlier in games they could face issues. Closer Ken Giles is excellent, and Chris Devenski had a heck of a year for them striking out 100 batters. Will Harris is another excellent reliever for them, posting an ERA under 3.00 for the third consecutive season. No one else is reliable though. Their next best reliever, Luke Gregerson, had an ERA of 4.57.

The Red Sox bullpen is strong, and rather deep with options. It features Craig Kimbrel, possibly the best closer in the game. Kimbrel struck out 126 of 254 batters faced this season! He’ll be setup by Addison Reed, and possibly Joe Kelly and Carson Smith. Those are some solid pitchers, maybe not quite as good as the Astros setup men, but good. After that, the Red Sox depth shows much better. They have many quality options for relievers to make the roster, unlike the Astros whose fourth best wouldn’t make the Red Sox roster.

Advantage: Red Sox

Craig Kimbrel #46 of the Boston Red Sox reacts after beating the Houston Astros and winning the AL East Division at Fenway Park on September 30, 2017 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images)

Catcher

The two teams differ quite a bit at catcher. The Astros will pretty much just feature Brian McCann, while the Red Sox have two catchers in Christian Vazquez and Sandy Leon who should both get playing time. McCann is a low-batting-average hitter with good pop, whereas the Sox have Vazquez who batted .290 but with just five home runs. On the defensive side they are even more different. McCann is one of the worst defensive catchers in the league, who only threw out eight of 62 would-be base stealers. That 13% caught stealing rate pales in comparison to Christian Vazquez’ 42% and Sandy Leon’s 37% clip. Vazquez and Leon combined to throw out 39 base runners.

Advantage: Red Sox

First Base

The Astros have highly touted Cuban import Yuli Gurriel playing first. Gurriel had a nice first full season in the Majors, batting .299 with 18 homers and 43 doubles. He actually batted over .300 in every month except for May.

The Red Sox’ Mitch Moreland batted only .246, but thanks to his ability to draw walks, his .326 on base percentage is actually only six points behind Gurriel’s. He out- homered Gurriel 22-18, but his slugging percentage still lags behind. Moreland is probably better with the glove, having committed just five errors after winning the Gold Glove last season, but it’s not enough to make up the difference.

Advantage: Astros

Second Base

Jose Altuve #27 of the Houston Astros bats during a game against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on September 13, 2017 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)

Dustin Pedroia is a high contact, good average hitter who is also an excellent defender. As much as I love Pedey, this is no contest.

Jose Altuve led the league with 204 base hits, becoming the first player ever to lead his league in hits in four straight seasons, collecting 200+ in each of them. Altuve came in third in the MVP vote a year ago and has a strong case for winning it this season. He led the league in hitting with a .346 average, while also popping 24 homers despite being 5’6″. Oh, he also stole 32 bases and missed reaching 40 doubles for the fourth consecutive year by just one double. He is one of the absolute best players in the league.

Advantage: Astros

Third Base

This is a fascinating match up. Both teams have a very good, young player at the position. Alex Bregman was the second overall pick in the 2015 draft and made the Majors by the next year. This year he batted .284 with 19 home runs and an .827 OPS.

Red Sox Rafael Devers has long been considered one of the highest upside players in the minor leagues, and he’s still only 20! In 58 games Devers matched Bregman’s .284 batting average while cracking 10 homers and posting an .819 OPS. Their numbers are almost identical and both are very highly touted.

Advantage: Push

Shortstop

Carlos Correa had been a fine shortstop his first two years, winning Rookie of the Year in 2015 and hitting 20 homers in both seasons. He took a step forward this year though, showing he could contend for best shortstop in baseball for many years to come. Correa batted .315 with an excellent .941 OPS this season.

As for the Red Sox, they have a very talented shortstop in Xander Bogaerts, but one who is maddeningly inconsistent. Bogaerts had a fantastic first half last season, only to fall way off in the second half. This year he again started hot before cooling off. At seasons end he had only batted .273 with 10 home runs while also making numerous baserunning mistakes. This is no contest.

Advantage: Astros

Left Field

The Astros have a variety of guys they play here, and Marwin Gonzalez may be the one they use. He has played all over however, and like Eduardo Nunez for the Sox, could be used in a variety of places. Cameron Maybin was aquired from the Angels to play outfield. He is adept at stealing bases, but his hitting prowess leaves something to be desired.

The Sox have a rookie to get excited about for years to come in Benny Biceps. He might not be as good now as he will be, but he is still a very good player already. Benintendi hit 20 home runs and stole 20 bases this season, the first rookie left fielder to accomplish that since Barry Bonds 30 years ago.

#RedSox Andrew Benintendi is the youngest left fielder with at least 20 homers and 20 stolen bases in a season since Barry Bonds in 1987.

— Ryan M. Spaeder (@theaceofspaeder) September 30, 2017

Advantage: Red Sox

Center Field

The Red Sox will usually have the advantage in the field here. Jackie Bradley is a wonderful defensive outfielder, routinely making spectacular throws and catches. He isn’t bad with the bat either, a bit inconsistent, but he gets the job done.

The Astros though have George Springer, a guy who hit 34 home runs this year. Springer also batted .283, showing he isn’t just a power hitter. His .889 OPS dwarfs Bradley’s .726 mark.

Advantage: Astros

Right Field

The Astros play former Red Sox Josh Reddick in right field, and he actually had one of his best seasons. Somehow, Josh Reddick batted .314 this year; not sure where that came from. Despite a down year from Mookie Betts, this isn’t really a contest. Betts almost won the MVP last year and is a very good fielder to boot. He hit 46 doubles this year and drove in 102 runners. His season may have left a bit to be desired, but the talent difference between these two is rather large.

Advantage: Red Sox

Mookie Betts #30 of the Boston Red Sox reacts as he rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run during the seventh inning of a game against the Houston Astros on September 30, 2017 at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)

Designated Hitter

Hanley Ramirez had a very disappointing follow up to his 2016 campaign, reverting back to the guy we saw in 2015 who swings wildly for the fences in every at bat. He only hit .242 and killed many rallies. He did manage to hit 23 home runs though, which is more than we can say for the Astros’ Carlos Beltran. Beltran, showing all of his 40 years, batted just .231 with 14 home runs and a devilish .666 OPS.

Advantage: Red Sox

Utility

I’m making a utility spot for the aforementioned Marwin Gonzalez and Eduardo Nunez. Both will probably play in more games than they won’t…if Nunez is healthy that is. Marwin Gonzalez had an out-of-nowhere breakout season. He batted .303 with 23 homers and 90 RBI this season, by far his best season to date. Nunez really helped kick start the Red Sox lineup after being acquired from the Giants, batting .321 with 8 home runs and a near .900 OPS for the Red Sox. Nunez’ Red Sox numbers extrapolated over a season would be similar to what Gonzalez has done, but is he healthy?

Slight Advantage: Astros

Final Analysis

So the final breakdown totals come to five advantages for the Astros, five advantages for the Red Sox, and two pushes. These teams are looking pretty even when it comes to which team has the advantage at each position. The Astros did win 99 games to the Red Sox 93 and finished the year stronger. They also have home field, so the overall advantage would have to go slightly to them, but this could be a good ALDS matchup. Sit back, watch, and hopefully enjoy.

The Enemy of My Enemy

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I must have missed that tweet. You know, the one where the @Yankees finally conceded that they were only a Wild Card team this season. Their public relations team must have just forgotten. I’m sure they were exhausted after pushing out hundreds of updates on how they were closing in on the division for the past two weeks.

Let’s Go Tribe

At the risk of sounding like an AL East snob, I don’t see any scenario in which the Twins beat the Yankees. Obviously, I hope that they do – nothing is quite as refreshing as bathing in the tears of your enemy. But, Severino is pitching great and rookie strike-out king Aaron Judge will probably bunt for a couple of home runs in their joke ballpark.

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The Wild Card remains important, however, because it throws off NY’s rotation heading into their series with Cleveland on Thursday. Unless Girardi does something unusual and goes with Gray, Tanka, or Sabathia against Minnesota to save Severino for the ALDS opener, NY likely won’t throw their ace until game three. Even then, that would be on only four days’ rest. They could, according to Ken Davidoff of the NY Post, even slide him further to game four depending on the matchup.

React to contact

If the Tribe takes the first two in Cleveland, which they certainly could, the chances are very good that New York goes with Severino on four days rest in the potential elimination game. Sabathia would probably follow in game four.

If NY-CLE split the first two, I would expect Sabathia to pitch game three to give Severino the extra day off. Sabathia may be physically incapable of fielding his position or saying no to a second plate at the buffet, but he is still a big game pitcher and a solid game-three starter.

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Where Cleveland is vulnerable

Francona is in a tough spot – which may sound strange considering he just won 102 games and seemed to clinch the playoffs in early May. The top of his rotation is great – better than NYs. But once you get past Kluber, Carrasco, and Bauer, where are you? There’s a reason he’s supposedly considering a three-man rotation in the playoffs.

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New York has more depth in their rotation. Severino is exceptional – perhaps as good as Kluber. Neither Gray, Tanaka, nor Sabathia are as good as Carrasco – but the three of them are better than the balance of Cleveland’s arms.

What this means is that Cleveland needs to wrap up this series fast. If this goes five games, the Tribe would have thrown Kluber and Carrasco twice. This would have Bauer leading off the ALCS and put Kluber at game two, and potentially six.

Play for Today, Plan for Tomorrow

Cleveland could get through Houston or Boston in the ALCS with that rotation. But what will the staff look like in the World Series. How many extra innings will the Tribe’s three best arms have thrown before they even get there?

In 2004 we learned that Tito is the ultimate play for today manager. He doesn’t look past games, let alone series. At least not publically. But, he better. He will need Kluber and Carrasco at least twice in the ALCS and World Series if he gets there. He better deliver the knock-out blow to NY early.

Red Sox Backing Into The Playoffs

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Red Sox Backing Into The Playoffs

With the regular season coming to a close and the playoffs starting, it seems the Boston Red Sox are backing into the postseason just like last year. Last season the Red Sox won the division with a loss to the Yankees but still wearing goggles and drinking champagne in the clubhouse. The Red Sox play the Astros today and tomorrow to close out the regular season. They have lost four of their last five games and lead the division by two games. With a Red Sox win or a Yankees loss they would clinch the AL East.

This would be the first time in the team’s history they would clinch the AL East in back-to back seasons. Clinching the division means nothing if you back yourself into the playoffs and get swept in the first round. If the Red Sox don’t win the division today do you pitch Chris Sale tomorrow? In Sale’ s last eight starts he’s 4-4 with 48 hits and 23 runs, 11 home runs and 67 strikeouts. I say keep him rested, clinch today so you don’t have to pitch him tomorrow. The only reason Sale pitches tomorrow is if they haven’t clinched yet or to get to 313 strikeouts.

Will David Price Start A Playoff Game?

I still would have David Price pitch a playoff game like I’ve said before. He’s making way too much money to be coming out of the bullpen. The bats have been quiet too as of late. Losing 12-2 Thursday night and 3-2 last night they just can’t seem to get the hit they need to win.

Pedroia On Last Night’s Loss

Baseball: World Series: Boston Red Sox Dustin Pedroia (15) in action, making throw vs St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium. Game 5.
St. Louis, MO 10/28/2013
CREDIT: Al Tielemans (Photo by Al Tielemans /Sports Illustrated/Getty Images)
(Set Number: X157127 TK3 R1 F82 )I

Pedroia said after last night’s game “it’s just one of those games, we couldn’t find a way to get the big hit and do something offensively. We just came out a couple of runs short we’ll get after it Saturday.” Now if both the Yankees and Red Sox are tied for the division they would play a one game playoff Monday at Yankee Stadium.