Tag Archives: MLB

Catching Up with Former Red Sox’s Reggie Jefferson

The other day I had the privilege of speaking with former Red Sox player Reggie Jefferson. Reggie played parts of nine seasons in the big leagues, the final five of which were spent with the Red Sox. He batted .300 for his career, a rare accomplishment in the grand scheme of baseball history. I spoke with him about his playing days, the way the game has changed and what he is doing nowadays.

The Early Years

Reggie’s career began in Cincinnati before quickly moving cross state to the Cleveland Indians. In Cleveland he wore number 44 in honor of Hank Aaron. Eventually, he would settle on number 18 for most of his career to honor a friend back home who had become like a big brother to him.

Reggie was traded from Cleveland after the 1993 season in a deal that would net the Indians Omar Vizquel, a man I think should be making the Hall of Fame in the coming years. Reggie said when he runs into Cleveland fans he tells them they should love him because he helped bring the club Omar Vizquel. Vizquel, one of the all-time greats defensively at short, blossomed as a hitter for the Indians. Meanwhile, Reggie viewed this as a chance for more playing time. The move also reunited him with Manager Lou Piniella, who he had been with in Cincinnati. As he pointed out, Seattle had Alex Rodriguez coming up through the minors and viewed Vizquel as being expendable. But Piniella must have liked what he had seen from his one-time rookie.

Hitting Stride

Jefferson’s breakout started that season in Seattle. He batted .327 with an excellent .935 OPS before the strike hit. He credits Lou Piniella a lot for his newfound success at the plate. Piniella helped him make changes at the plate; adjust his hands to help put him in a better position to get hits.

That season Reggie abandoned switch hitting. He had switch hit through the minors with good success, hitting for similar averages from both sides of the plate but with more power from his natural left side. However, in the Bigs there were always good right-handed options on the bench. With limited at-bats from the right side, Reggie had a hard time finding a groove. Without finding a rhythm from that side of the plate, his swing became long and he felt like he gave away at-bats. Despite the advice from Eddie Murray to not give up switch-hitting, Reggie would not get the reps needed from the right side to succeed so he made the decision. He says “I think if given the chance to play every day, I think I could have hit.”

Boston

In 1995, Reggie’s agents let him know that the Red Sox signaled the most interest. Reggie was thinking, “What are they doing? They have Mo (Vaughn) and Jose (Canseco)”! The Red Sox didn’t seem to have a spot for another first baseman and designated hitter such as Jefferson. When asked if he felt like he just needed an opportunity to play and prove himself, Reggie said “definitely, that’s it. I tell clients, first need an opportunity, then need to take advantage of it.” When the opportunities came, Reggie didn’t miss them.

Manager Kevin Kennedy was happy to greet the newest arrival in camp, Reggie Jefferson. (Photo by Barry Chin/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)

In 1996, Jefferson had his finest season. He got to play for the injured Jose Canseco for a while, then after Jose came back the Red Sox left fielder Mike Greenwell went down. Since Reggie had been hitting so well, Manager Kevin Kennedy wanted to find a way to keep his bat in the lineup. Kennedy went to Jefferson and asked him if he’d ever played left before. Reggie lied. He told Kennedy he had, despite never before playing there. It worked out great for both parties, the Red Sox came storming back with a strong second half and Reggie finished with a .347 batting average, the fifth-highest mark in all of baseball. When asked about that season in particular, Reggie said he just felt good all year. He swung the bat great, felt comfortable at the plate and hit the ball hard.

Starting with that season, Jefferson became a fixture in the Red Sox lineup for several seasons against right handers. He’d bat over .300 in three consecutive seasons and batted .316 as a Red Sox. He was a career .345 hitter at Fenway Park with a .928 OPS. He says Fenway “just played into [his] natural strengths. The Monster rewards hitters for going the other way and there’s lots of room in right.” This fit Reggie perfectly as he just hit the ball wherever it came in over the plate, using the entire field.

Friendly Fenway

Another aspect of Fenway Park we discussed is the atmosphere. According to Reggie, the Sox have the greatest fans in the world, not only in the support shown at the park, but in the way we follow the game. Fans in Boston have a knowledge of what’s happening with the team on a day-to-day basis. He found himself cheering hard for the Sox in 2004 when they finally won the World Series. Reggie identifies more with the Red Sox than any other team because of the fans. He says there were always high expectations playing in Boston, but that he performed well. Although a bad back that first cropped up in 1990 slowed him down in 1995 and 1998, he “didn’t leave anything on the table.” He always gave it his all and performed at a high level.

I asked Reggie which game, if any, stood out in his memory. He instantly brought up a game played on Father’s Day in 1996. As he said, the Red Sox had been winning but then gave up the lead. After Mo Vaughn and Jose Canseco picked up their fourth hits of the game to begin the 9th inning, Reggie came to the plate. The Sox were trailing by two, two men on, no one out. Facing Mike Henneman, Reggie hit a line drive to the opposite field up over the Monster and into the screen. A walk-off home run in Fenway Park, and on Father’s Day to boot. Reggie was thinking of his Dad and how he had gotten him started in the game of baseball.

Reggie also brought up playing with greats like Pedro Martinez, Roger Clemens and Mo Vaughn. He referenced Pedro’s 17 strike out, one-hit gem at Yankee Stadium. Reggie left the park that night thinking “that’s the best game I’ve ever seen pitched.” He thinks it’s pretty cool nowadays when guys like Tim Kurkjian bring up that game as possibly being the greatest pitching performance ever.

Modern Baseball

We talked some about recent rule changes to the game of baseball and whether they improve the game. He does believe the rules protecting players from injury top the list. No need exists for someone to get injured on a take-out slide at second or a catcher run over at the plate. Eliminating those plays and keeping players on the field are for the best. However, he does not like the rules trying to speed up the game; “Baseball is a slow game, I don’t think going to change that much. It’s going to take 2.5-3.5 hours to play.”

As for all the home runs hit this year, we had a discussion about that. Reggie believes there is something up with the balls. Going to games at Tropicana Field, which has been known as a pitcher’s park in the past, he sees balls flying out this year. He says “some balls are getting way out that back in the day wouldn’t even get out [at all]. I see balls there I’m like, how did that get out?!” I’ve been thinking the same thing, Reggie. Balls are just flying out with too much ease. It’s not normal. He says some of it is bad pitching, guys missing their spots, but the balls must be different.

Reggie thinks plays like this, where he is about to run over Joe Girardi trying to score, are not necessary in the game.

Reynolds Sports Agency

We finished up talking about what he is up to nowadays. Reggie works for Reynolds Sports Agency, representing clients in professional baseball. It’s a more tightly knit group than some other agencies, and despite being all under one umbrella, he says you definitely get to forge relationships.

Reggie is excited for the future; they represent a left-handed reliever in Atlanta, Sam Freeman, enjoying a breakout year. Reggie says he has learned to harness his stuff and is having a terrific season. He brought up Keon Broxton and Mallex Smith as two young players on the verge of becoming household names. Reggie has known both of them since the 11^th grade, illustrating the point about forging relationships. Another young guy he mentioned was Andrew Toles, who has been out almost the whole season with a torn ACL. Reggie says he’s a great hitter and will show that in the future.

The agencies biggest star is Justin Upton, who still has four years and $88.5M left on a six-year contract. However, rumors claim he might choose to opt out of the contract, as is his right after the season. Despite the rumors, Reggie denies talks about it, let alone making a decision. Justin is focusing on trying to get the Angels into the playoffs. If he does opt out, he’s having a huge year at the right time, bashing 35 homers.

Final Thoughts

I asked Reggie if his playing days help him out in his career as a sports agent. Reggie said, “Without a doubt. I know what they’re going through, I can be in their mindset.” He tells them one day they are going to get their shot, and they have got to run with it. He says at times during his own career he felt the need to talk to someone who had been there. Now, he can give that needed counsel to his clients. The job is a lot of work, keeping his plate full and requiring him to travel a lot. Reggie enjoys it though, he gets to help guys out who are just getting started in their professional careers.

It’s Not About Veterans

Leave a reply

Spaceballs

This weekend, the world watched millionaire players and billionaire owners protest the national anthem, speak out against the President, or hide in the locker room. Monday, we saw a decorated Army Ranger who felt compelled to apologize for standing to honor his nation. WTF is wrong with this country?

In the span of a week we have jumped at ludicrous speed from a few guys kneeling to protest social injustice to a full-blown culture war. The internet flooded with videos of self-righteous fans burning their season tickets and team jerseys. Patriots’ fans booed their team at home – not like in the 70s and 80s when the team deserved it. Last week, they booed before kickoff.

It’s not about Kaepernick

None of this is new. This didn’t start President Trump tweeting something stupid and divisive. It didn’t start with a bad second-string quarterback in San Francisco taking a knee last year. Anthem protests have been around of years.

Most readers are too young to remember when US Track and Field Olympians gave a Black Power salute during the anthem after receiving their medals in 1968. Some may recall the NBA suspending Denver Nuggets guard Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf in 1996 for refusing to stand for the anthem.

Embed from Getty Images

Tommie Smith and John Carlo’s iconic protest came at the height of the civil rights movement and in the wake of Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination. The difference between Rauf and Kaepernick is that Rauf was still a legitimate player in the NBA at the time. He was run out of Denver at the end of that season and was out of the NBA entirely shortly thereafter. Don’t forget – Kaepernick voided his own contract and chose to leave SF at the end of last season.

Is his activism a factor in why he’s still unemployed? Almost certainly. Is it the reason? In NFL terms, it’s less probable than not. Back-up QBs should be inexpensive and neither be seen nor heard. Everyone recognizes that that isn’t Kaepernick.

Enough with the fake outrage

I have attended hundreds of professional sporting events in more than 20 different cities. I have overpaid for nachos and beer in 16 different MLB parks alone. Rarely have I been impressed with how fans honor America while the song plays.

Across the country, in all major sports, fans ignore the anthem as they buy beer, make their way to their seats, talk with friends, or update social media. They keep their hats on, video the singer, and take selfies. Other than the ballpark at Arlington, I can’t remember attending a sporting event that suspended concession sales during the anthem. God Bless Texas.

I graduated from that same little trade school on the Hudson as Steelers offensive lineman Alejandro Villanueva. I served more than 23 years in the Army and deployed five times. I’ve had friends come home in caskets under the flag. It means something to me. I will always stand in silence for the anthem and will smack my kids if they so much as sneeze before it’s finished.

Embed from Getty Images

Symbols and Rights

This fake controversy isn’t about disrespecting Veterans. The soldiers and friends I and others lost in the service to this country represented diversity racially and ideologically as any NFL locker room. They didn’t die for the flag or the anthem. They served, sacrificed, and died for their fellow Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines.

The flag and the anthem are not totems to bow down to, but rather symbols of the ideals of this country. Those include the idea that all men are created equal, have the inalienable right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, and to free speech. These represent the very things for which people are protesting. You are not a good American if you claim to love our nation’s symbols but not the exercise of someone’s right’s because you disagree with their message.

I am offended by the jerk who keeps his hat on, usually backwards, and won’t shut up during the anthem. That’s disrespectful. Players using the opportunity to make a peaceful statement about social injustice – whether I agree with them or not – doesn’t bother me at all. For 241 years Veterans have fought for them to have that right, it would be hypocritical for us to ask them not to exercise it.

Easy Solution

Americans used to believe in the market place of ideas – that everyone could exercise their right to free speech, that good arguments would win and bad ones would lose. Now, as a nation, we seem to have lost the intellectual courage to tolerate diverse opinions. We are so threatened by people who don’t believe exactly like us that we demand they be silenced. The left has done that on college campuses and the right is doing it now in NFL stadiums.

Embed from Getty Images

We have two simple solutions to our current national distraction. First, instead of attacking these players we could seek to emulate them. Every team in the NFL has players from every race, religion, and political ideology. Yet, somehow, they’re not killing one another in the locker room. Players like Devon McCourty, Duron Harmon, and others have protested during the nation anthem for more than a year. Kraft, Belichick, and Brady all have relationships with President Trump. And yet, somehow, these two different groups have good relationships with one another. How shockingly adult of them.

Second, we could just stop playing the national anthem at sporting events. Don’t pretend that it mattered to you before people started kneeling. It probably didn’t.

Panic At the Citgo

Leave a reply

2016/ 2017 parallel collapse?

In 2016 the Red Sox were one of the best teams in baseball down the stretch. From August 31st- September 25th, they put together an impressive stretch of winning going 19-5. Amidst this stretch was an 11-game win streak in which all the wins came against division rivals. However, the Sox fell off at the absolute worst time possible. They barely stumbled through the finish line, losing five of their last six, and had a hot date in the ALDS vs the Indians who won 10 of their last 15 games. The Sox were promptly swept by the Indians in three ugly games.

Well, here we are again. The Sox put together a terrific end to the season, going 18-9 from August 28th- September 24th. Unfortunately, the Red Sox have seem to lost all momentum in the first two games of the Blue Jays series. Boston has dropped back to back games 6-4 and 9-4. “…So what? they lost two games, what is the big deal?” Typically a short two-game skid is nothing to sweat over, but these two losses have been particularly concerning. Boston has been outscored by last- place Toronto 15-8 despite throwing their best pitching options (Sale and Pomeranz). Sale surrendered five earned runs, eight hits and four home runs in just five innings of work. Pomeranz was no better as he lasted just two innings while giving up five earned runs and seven hits. Certainly not what #RedSoxNation wants to see from their aces heading into the playoffs. It feels as though one can sense the fear lingering in Boston as fans are afraid this may be the beginning of a collapse similar to last year.

Panic Time?

No. It is too early to panic. It would be panic time if we were battling for a wildcard spot and our playoff hopes were in jeopardy. Fortunately, we still hold a three- game lead over the Yankees in the AL East. While it is possible that New York catches us, it is very unlikely. Three games is an enormous amount of ground to cover with just five games remaining on the season. Also, the Sox have responded very well to slumps this year.

Thinking back on the season, two significant slumps come to mind. The first was a stretch lasting from July 5th-July 30th in which Boston lost 14 of 22 games. They bounced back from this rough stretch in a dramatic way, winning 16 of their next 20 games. Then, In late August, Boston lost four straight, one game against Cleveland and a three-game sweep delivered by Baltimore. During this four game skid, the Red Sox were outscored 36-10. This was a tremendously concerning time. Yet again, the team responded positively to the situation, winning 18 of the next 25 games. *This hot stretch actually brought them to the start of the current series vs the Blue Jays* So yes, it has been a very ugly two games for Boston, but lets not overreact. This team has bounced back from slumps multiple times this season, and we can certainly do it again. As I close out this article, Bogaerts just hit a three-run home run to blow the game wide open. Big sigh of relief for Red Sox Nation. Prepare yourself, October. Here come the Sox.

*Follow me on twitter @MLBfromNH (Kevin Civiello)* *Stats up to date as of 9/27/17*P

Bullish on the ‘pen

Leave a reply

Grudging Respect to the Skipper

Let’s be clear. Despite this, I do not think much of John Farrell as a manager. That said, however, he was a great pitching coach during Terry Francona’s tenure as skipper. It is not a coincidence that the Red Sox have one of the best rotations and have the best bullpen in baseball. Tough to argue with a 15-3 record in extra-inning games or find fault in the skipper who got them there.

Loaded for October

As great as we may feel about sweeping unlikeable Baltimore and clinching a playoff berth, the road ahead is going to be difficult. October baseball is different. There are no more Toronto’s, Oakland’s or Cincinnati’s. Everyone can play. Every line up is deep. Every rotation is tough. But, not every bullpen is great. Ours is, as Scott Frizzell expertly laid out yesterday (here).

Embed from Getty Images

Sure, every one of the locked or likely AL playoff teams has a lights-out closer. Giles (HOU), Kintzler (MIN), Allen (CLE), and, despite his struggles against Boston, Chapman (NYY) are all excellent. And they all have a decent set-up guys. But, in October starting pitchers face the deepest line-ups in the league and tend to have high pitch counts earlier. It’s not enough to have an eighth inning guy to bridge to your closer. You need a seventh inning stud. And often more.

With apologies to Velazquez, Maddox, Smith, and Elias who have all contributed but just barely, the nine core members of the Sox bullpen are the best in the AL. Kimbrel leads all AL playoff closers with 33 saves, with Houston’s Giles right behind him at 32.

Getting the ball to our ginger Travelocity gnome is a squad who’ve pitched over 350 innings, surrendered only 132 earned runs, struck out 345, and have a WHIP of 1.18. For perspective, Drew Pomeranz, 16-5 on the season, has a WHIP of 1.34. So, basically Boston’s bullpen is better than their number two starter. Not. Too. Shabby.

The Best We’ve Had

Boston’s current bullpen is the best we’ve had in decades. With the possible exception of ’07 Papelbon, nobody in their right mind would trade Kimbrell for any closer in recent Red Sox history. And, as much as the Timlin-Embree combination provided the ’04 world champions, the sheer depth of this year’s squad is unmatched.

None of this is to say that their success will continue in the post season. October baseball is different. Guys who were lights out in the regular season often fade as the innings pile up and as the teams get tougher. Hideki Okajima springs to mind.

In 2007, Oki had thrown 69 regular season innings – more than any of our current relievers – and registered a 2.22 ERA and 0.971 WHIP. He was the definition of shut-down. Yet, he threw 11 post-season innings, including 3.2 in the World Series, where his numbers skyrocketed (7.36 ERA).

As this season winds down, it is critical that Farrell manage innings for each of his arms. He should consider throwing Price as often as medically possible – to both get him in shape for important innings in October, and to protect the guys who are tired.

Red Sox sign Tibetan-born Prospect

Leave a reply

Sox sign another talented catcher

On July 13^th 2017 the Red Sox became the first MLB team to sign a Tibetan-born baseball player when they signed sixteen year-old Qiang Ba Ren Zeng. The versatile youngster’s primary position is catcher, but he is also experienced at both shortstop and pitcher. Zeng currently stands at six feet tall and weighs 185 pounds, certainly a sizeable frame for a young kid. His best attribute seems to be his strong and accurate throwing arm, obviously a vital skill for an aspiring catcher.

Zeng’s transition to the MLB

While there are currently no stats available for Zeng, he began playing for the Gulf Coast League Red Sox in August. He seems to be tremendously talented defensively but there are questions about his offense. Some scouts are skeptical about his abilities at the plate, but ultimately it is too early to jump to conclusions. His large frame is an indication of at least some potential for power.

MLB’s absence of catchers

I love this move by the Red Sox. They may not know everything about this kid, but it is a good gamble. Modern baseball seems to lack both depth and talent at the catcher position, which is arguably the most important position on the diamond. It is very unlike the depth at a position like shortstop, which is absolutely loaded with talent. Among the top 100 players in the game today, about four of them are catchers (Yadier Molina, Gary Sanchez, Buster Posey and Salvador Perez) The game seriously lacks talent at a key position. Due to the scarcity at the position, I think many teams in the league are undervaluing the importance of loading up on young catching prospects.

Surplus of catching options for the Sox

The Red Sox seem to be one of the better organizations at scouting catchers. Currently, we have two of the very best defensive catchers in the MLB in Christian Vazquez and Sandy Leon. Also, the Sox are developing yet another brilliant defensive catcher in Daniel Flores. Flores is currently the fifth-ranked prospect in the organization. Impressively, he has drawn comparisons to Austin Hedges. Scouts say he has Gold Glove potential.

Zeng signing is underrated

Having a plethora of talented catchers has two major benefits. One, they can be used by the team to help them win. Another benefit, they contain high value because of scarcity. All teams are looking for a solid catcher and many are willing to pay a hefty price for one. If the Red Sox are smart they will be able to use one of their many catchers as “trade bait” and receive a substantial reward in return. #RedSoxNation should be excited about this signing, even if it takes a few years to pay off.

Red Sox Potential Playoff Scenarios

Leave a reply

As the season winds down playoff contenders are beginning to game-plan for their potential first round opponents. More than likely, the Sox will encounter either Houston or Cleveland in the ALDS. For the majority of the season, the Astros were the heavy favorite to win the AL due to their remarkable offense and above-average pitching staff. However, thanks to a historic run, the Indians have emerged as the clear AL favorite and possibly World Series favorite as well. The Tribe is currently sitting on a a 21-game win streak, an all time American League record. Meanwhile, Houston is just 18-21 since the beginning of August. Safe to say that Red Sox Nation hopes to face Houston in the ALDS.

Houston is a favorable match-up for Boston

The Red Sox have no reason to think twice about playing the Astros in the first round. Houston is actually a sub .500 team since the All-Star break with a record of just 27-28. Sure, Correa, Springer and Keuchel have all spent time on the DL. But a sub .500 performance doesn’t approach playoff-caliber baseball, despite any injuries a team undergoes.

On the other hand, the Red Sox have gone 32-23 since the All-Star break. Keuchel and Verlander hold down the front of Houston’s rotation. An intimidating duo at first glance, but further speculation exposes their true identity. Keuchel has not pitched well lately. He owns an ERA of 5.59 over his last three starts. Verlander boasts an exceptional 2.20 ERA over the last month. But baseball fans know he has become rather inconsistent in recent years. Due to Keuchel’s struggles and Verlander’s inconsistency, Houston’s rotation becomes a serious concern for Astros fans. As a staff, Houston’s pitchers own an ERA of 4.35 over the last month, which does not compare favorably to the Red Sox ERA of 3.87 over the same stretch. Also, the Astros offense has struggled down the stretch. As a team they are batting a modest .244 over the past 28 days. With Houston’s mediocre second-half pitching, hitting and overall play they have fallen as a legitimate world series contender. The Red Sox should be confident in their chances of beating them.

Why Cleveland is road block for the Sox

The Red Sox will likely have to play Cleveland at some point in the playoffs. This could be a potential problem. But, remember that anyone can win come playoff time. As I mentioned earlier, the Indians are in the middle of a record-breaking win streak which currently stands at 21. Tito and company have certainly been playing phenomenal baseball as of late. During the streak they have outscored opponents 139-35 and have trailed in just five innings. Dominant starting pitching has led their success as they claimed 19 of the 21 wins during the streak. In total, the Indians pitchers boast a 1.79 ERA during this incredible stretch.

Their spectacular offense has batted .284 and slugged 50 home runs since the start of the streak. The Red Sox will certainly have their hands full if they encounter the Tribe. Chris Sale’s poor career numbers against Cleveland remain a central concern for the Sox. In his career he is 5-8 with a 4.78 ERA, certainly not Sale-like numbers. Despite Sale’s struggles against the Indians, I personally trust him on the mound in any situation. He has established himself as a true ace and an elite pitcher in the middle of a historic season. At the end of the day Chris Sale is Chris Sale and he should be trusted no matter the opponent.

American League Title is up for grabs

The postseason is going to be here before we know it. It appears that that the Red Sox will have to face Cleveland in order to make it to the World Series. Let us not forget that the city of Boston in underdog scenarios. With a big 11-1 thrashing over Oakland last night, the Red Sox may be heating up just in time. This team has shown flashes of brilliance over the course of the season and I am sensing a joyfully dramatic playoff run for this group. When Boston plays their own brand of aggressive, tenacious and determined baseball, they can beat anyone. Red Sox Nation, I ask you to please remember this; Boston has already beaten Cleveland four times in seven tries this year. They can do it again. Lets go Sox! Win. Dance. Repeat.

*Statistics accurate as of 9/13/17* Follow me on twitter @MLBfromNH (Kevin Civiello)

Why the Red Sox Need Eric Hosmer

Leave a reply

We all know Eric Hosmer, the stud first basemen for the KC Royals, a key piece to their two World Series appearances in 2014 -15, and their title in 2015. A great defensive first basemen and an outstanding hitter who can hit for both power and contact, he is a special player.

Embed from Getty Images

After the 2017 season, he hits free-agency, where he will definitely land a big contract. The question now is…should the Red Sox try to sign him?

Battle for first

Other 1st base options:

Mitch Moreland

Moreland has definitely had his moments this year, but only signed through this year and then hits the FA market again. Will the Soc decide to resign him? In 440 at bats this year, Moreland is hitting a measly .248 with 18 homers and 65 RBI. Not a bad season, but certainly not a great one, especially compared to the production that Hanley Ramirez brought to the team in the 2016 season. Mitch Moreland has been a nice fill-in this year, but probably not the long-term solution.

Sam Travis

Known as DoctorChill, Sam Travis has impressed this year at first base. He stands at 15-48, boasting a .313 average this year. He has shown the ability to hit the ball, but not for a lot of power to the pull side. His scouting reports that he hits a lot of balls to the opposite field, not ideal for a righty at Fenway park. Usually, you would like a Red Sox righty to pull the ball to the wall. Sam Travis presents the Sox with definitely a cheaper option than Hosmer, but he needs to work on his ability to pull the ball for power. In his own words, his six home runs in the minors this year is doesn’t cut it.

Hanley Ramirez

I know what you are thinking, and I am thinking the same thing…hell no! I figured I would just throw him on the list because there might be one percent of Red Sox Nation that would want this, and even that is a stretch. Hanley Ramirez had a monster 2016 at first base from an offensive standpoint, and was also very good with the glove. However, his numbers tanked this year, and his future as a DH even may be in question, never mind a spot in the lineup that requires him to play almost every night.

Eric Hosmer

Embed from Getty Images
The moment we’ve been waiting for — the Wizard of Hoz. Eric Hosmer is easily the most well suited option on this list, and I think I can speak on behalf of most people when I say that Red Sox Nation would love to have him on board. There is nothing not to love about this guy. He seems to have great chemistry with the fans and his teammates, and appears to be a great overall guy off the field as well as on. Speaking of on, there is nothing he can’t do as a first basemen. He’s a great fielder, has legitimate pop in his bat, hits for average, as can run. In what he could consider an off-year, a year in which not many people have been talking about him, he has produced .315 with 23 homers and 82 RBI. Not only does he play great year in and year out, he has EXPERIENCE. He has played in two World Series, and has absolutely mashed in the playoffs.

Eric Hosmer represents everything that the Red Sox could use at first base to win in the future, and at a reasonable price. They should push to bring Hosmer to Beantown.

Chris Sale: Boston’s MIA Ace

Leave a reply

Embed from Getty Images

It’s time for Chris Sale to be Chris Sale

We should stop talking about Chris Sale (15-7, 2.85 ERA this season) as the likely 2017 Cy Young award winner. Let’s start talking about his awful games against good teams for the last two months. And why Cleveland’s Cory Kluber (14-4, 2.56 ERA) will win the AL Cy Young award.

Who cares? After dropping three of four against the second place and perennial pain-in-our asses Yankees, the struggling Red Sox need their ace to be an ace once again. Since July turned to August, he’s been largely missing in action. Save his great outing against a weak Tampa team on August 8^th, in which we went eight scoreless innings and struck out 13, and last week’s dominance against the hapless Jays, he has been pretty pedestrian since July.

Since the July 1^st, the Sox are seven wins and five losses when Sale starts. In those 12 games, Sale has produced five wins, four losses and three no–ecisions, 75.3 IPs, 25 ERs, 115 Ks, and given up nine HRs. That’s fine for a number-three starter, but not for an ace.

Against the worst, he’s the best

Since the end of June, most of his good numbers have come against the dregs of the league – Toronto, Tampa, and a Seattle team that’s 14.5 games out of the AL West. Against likely playoffs teams in this window, four starts against NYY and two against CLE, he’s been very unimpressive: zero wins, three losses, three no decisions. Zero wins. Zero. His average line against the teams we need to worry about? Fewer than six innings and more than three and a half earned runs per start.

Sale remains our best pitcher. But he isn’t the runaway Cy Young award winner he looked like in July. Boston’s once substantial lead in the East has been cut to 3.5 games. This would certainly be in jeopardy if they didn’t have a soft schedule for the rest of the season. With six more games against Toronto and Tampa, and three against a terrible Cincinnati team, the Red Sox should cruise to the playoffs.

Step up or step out

To have any legitimate shot at a deep post season run, the Red Sox need to win the division. With the introduction of the second wild card and the one-game play-in between wild card teams five years ago, winning the division has taken on renewed importance. This year, more than ever for the Sox, it is paramount. It’s not that Boston can’t beat New York or anyone else in a single game in October. Despite his recent struggles I’ll still take my chances with Sale on the mound.

But that’s the problem. The Sox would have to go with Sale in the play-in game and then enter the divisional round with a rotation of Pomeranz, Porcello. Then either Fister, Price or E-Rod take the mound before bringing Sale in to pitch a potential game 4. Win the division and the Sox have a significantly better rotation lined up – including getting Sale twice in a long series. Lose the division, waste Sale in a one-or-done match-up, and the future could very well come down to how well Rick Porcello, David Price, or Doug Fister pitch in an elimination game. That’s terrifying to think about.

But, if Sale doesn’t return to form and provide quality starts against good teams the rest of the year, we won’t have to worry about it.

It’s September 1st Red Sox Final Stretch of the Regular Season Begins

Leave a reply

It’s September 1st which means summer is over, it’s football season, and the weather changes. It also means we are pretty much in the final month of the Red Sox season. For some fans it’s a worrisome time, and for some it’s when do the playoffs start? The Red Sox have a rocky history in September we all remember the September collapse in 2011 that lead to Terry Francona’s firing. Could the same happen this season?

The answer to that question is I don’t know, you really never know with this team. This series with the Yankees is a big one they lost last night and really should at least split this series this weekend. The pitching has to be solid, and with the young talent they have can they deliver in the final stretch of the season.

Questions still remain about David Price, and Dustin Pedroia when will they come back? It looks like they won’t be back till the playoffs if they get there. They should make the playoffs, they have the division lead it is there’s to lose. If they do give up the division lead to the Yankees this season would be a failure and manager John Farrell will be gone in my opinion.

Even with the Addison Reed singing you still have questions in the Bullpen as he is average at best. The only real ace on that team right now is Chris Sale. He gets the start Sunday night in New York and should get the win. It will be interesting to see what happens as we head into this final month of the regular season.

Get ready Red Sox fans for the wild rollercoaster ride we will be on for this could be very good or could get ugly pretty fast so enjoy the ride.

The Three-Headed Monster — Sale, Pomeranz, and Porcello

Leave a reply

This season we have seen a slight improvement in our starting five-man pitching rotation. Despite injuries, our rotation has seemed to hold it together. Recently, they REALLY seem to be holding it together. Today, let’s focus on Chris Sale, Drew Pomeranz, and Rick Porcello.

CHRIS SALE

The addition of Chris Sale in the off-season was probably the best thing to ever happen, like an early Christmas gift to all of Boston. “The Red Sox have Chris Sale,” became the most popular statement in the off-season. He hasn’t disappointed either, absolutely dominant since coming to Boston. Currently, he stands 14-5 with a 2.62 ERA and 250 strikeouts. He is tied for second in the league with wins, fourth in ERA, and first in strikeouts. He is a possible Cy Young and MVP candidate this season. The last pitcher to win both awards in the same season was Clayton Kershaw in 2014.

Adding to a terrific season, Sale started in back-to-back All Star games, and the first pitcher ever to start in back-to-back All Star games representing different teams. Sale was the 16^th pitcher in MLB history to start an All-Star game and was the first to do so since Randy Johnson in 2000-2001.

To add onto Sale’s incredible season, here are some of his stats and his rankings amongst the league.

1st in Strikeouts (250)
1st in Win/ Loss % (0.737)
1st in Strikeouts per 9 IP (12.833)
2nd in Home Runs per 9 IP (0.77)
2nd in Wins (14)
3rd in Innings Pitched (175.1)
4th in ERA (2.62)
4th in Pitchers WAR (5.7)
7th in WHIP (0.890)

DREW POMERANZ

If I came into this season saying Drew Pomeranz has potential to be Cy Young, you’d probably laugh at me. But, I’d laugh back because it’s actually pretty true. This season, Pomeranz is 13-4 with a 3.18 ERA. At home, he has a 7-2 record. Never in his career has he had 13 wins. His closest season was in 2016 when he had a total of 11 wins when he played a split season with the San Diego Padres and the Red Sox. Only once in his career did he have an ERA under 3.18 (2014 he posted a 2.35 ERA) but he pitched in less games and half the amount of innings.

In July and August combined, Pomeranz is 6-0 with a 2.19 ERA and 56 strikeouts in 58 innings. In the month of August alone, he has only allowed four runs in 21.2 innings of work. His strikeouts per 9 innings have increased from June, going from 8.3 to now 10.8.

His worst outings are usually recorded in his first inning. In just the first inning, Pomeranz has a 5.76 ERA and has allowed six home runs in just 25 innings. His best innings are usually the 2^nd, 3^rd and 6^th.

3rd in Wins (13)
5th in Win/ Loss % (0.765)
7th in Adjusted ERA (144)
10th in ERA (3.18)

RICK PORCELLO

Rick Porcello is having an off year, commonly known as the Cy Young hangover. Porcello is 8-14 this season with a 4.48 ERA. His 14 losses are the most in his career since his 2015 season with the Red Sox where he went 9-15. He is tied in 3^rd in the league with home runs allowed (29), 2^nd in hits allowed (189), 1^st in losses (14), and 7^th in earned runs (82). Despite putting up terrible numbers, let’s look at his positives.

2nd in Games Started (26)
2nd in Complete Games (3)
6th in Innings Pitched (164.2)
17th in Strikeouts (149)

In the month of August, Porcello is however turning everything around. He is 4-0 in his past four starts and has an opposing batting average of .242. Opposing batting average from the previous 22 games of the season was .291 and he was 4-14 during that span (April 3-July 28). The first half of the season, Porcello was posting a 4-11 record with a 4.75 ERA. The second half of the season, he has improved tremendously with a 4-3 record and posted a 3.77 ERA in 7 games. Hopefully something clicked in his brain and he continues with what he is doing.

In conclusion, our pitching staff is doing better in the second half of the season. Doug Fister is 2-2 in his past four outings including a one-hit complete game the other night against the red hot Cleveland Indians. Eduardo Rodriguez seems to be finally figuring out what he’s been doing wrong despite going 0-0 in his last four outings. Hopefully this consistency in pitching “Sales” us into the postseason and collects some wins and a ring.