Tag Archives: MLB

The Boston Red Sox At 60+ Wins (@steveA1127)

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It’s Been a Boring Baseball Season

Apr 7, 2018; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Red Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts (2) celebrates with teammates after hitting a home run against the Tampa Bay Rays at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports

This baseball season has been boring in terms of competition. The Boston Red Sox are currently 63 -29 and have the best record in baseball. Boston has been killing bad teams, which is great. However, the Red Sox are 12-11 against playoff teams. They are 4-5 against the New York Yankees and 2-2 against the Houston Astros. Are these 63 wins a joke? No, but questions can be raised about if they can beat the Yankees in the playoffs.

The Red Sox Are Crushing the Bad Competition

The Red Sox are 6-0 against the Los Angeles Angels this season. This past weekend they killed the Kansas City Royals, who are 39 games under .500. The Red Sox started a series with the Texas Rangers, who are 40-52 and in last place in the American League West. The Red Sox won last night 5-0 in a very easy win for them. They will probably sweep the Rangers. Let’s see how they do in the second half of the season. They still have to play the Yankees two more times and, they also play Cleveland twice in the second half.

David Price Will Never Change

David Price also will never live up to the hype and be able to survive being in Boston. He was and is a complete waste of a roster spot and can’t even pitch against the Kansas City Royals. The All-Star Game is next week and even the hype for that is dead. It used to be an exciting week with the home run derby one night followed by the game the next. Now, with the teams all pretty much being a dud it could be the lowest rating sporting event in a while.

What will the Red Sox do at the trade deadline? They really do need another arm in the bullpen but who’s really out there? They will probably do nothing and keep the team they have. If they want to beat the Yankees, though, Price really needs to stop acting like a baby. I really don’t think that will happen.

Five Red Sox Named To All-Star Roster

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Boston Will Have Five of its Players Heading to D.C.

On Sunday night, the MLB revealed the AL and NL rosters for the All-Star Game. The Red Sox tied with the Indians and Astros for most players on the AL roster. The game takes place on Tuesday, July 17th, at the home ballpark of the Washington Nationals.

The All Stars

This year’s crew is headlined by Mookie Betts and JD Martinez, who will both be starting in the game. Betts, making his third appearance in the Midsummer Classic, was an obvious lock for a starting spot. He currently is leading the entire MLB in batting average (.342). He’s also third in the AL in WAR (5.4). Martinez was another clear-cut choice as he prepares to make his second appearance. He leads both leagues in both homers (27) and RBIs (74).

The remaining Red Sox who made the team are Mitch Moreland, Chris Sale, and Craig Kimbrel. Moreland will be making his first appearance in the All-Star game this year. He’s having a great year for the Sox and made the team as a reserve at first base. Sale and Kimbrel will both represent the American League pitching staff. Sale will make his seventh appearance, having thus far pitched his way to the fourth-best ERA (2.36) and second-highest amount of strikeouts (176) in the AL. Kimbrel, also playing in the game for the seventh time, is second in the majors with 27 saves.

AL All-Star Final Vote-Vote for Benintendi!

This year, there is one remaining roster spot for fans to vote in one last player. For the AL, the candidates are Andrelton Simmons, Giancarlo Stanton, Jean Segura, Eddie Rosario, and Boston’s own Andrew Benintendi. Make sure you vote Benny into the All-Star Game here! Voting ends July 11th at 4:00 p.m. ET. Help the Sox get a sixth All Star!

The Sox are cruising through a great season, and the All-Star selections are just gravy. Though all fans know it isn’t the ultimate goal, it is some great recognition for the chosen players. Congratulations to all of Boston’s players who will no doubt represent the team well in DC!

Follow me on Twitter for more: @jackbuffett_

Red Sox Interested in Nathan Eovaldi

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It’s July, which means only one thing: Trade SZN. The Red Sox made their fair share of roster moves in June, including signing former All-Star 2B Brandon Phillips to a minor league contract and trading for Steve Pearce. However, Dave Dombrowski has never been shy about shuffling pieces around the board (and across the league), so it’s unlikely the Sox are done tweaking their roster for the summer.

The next shoe to drop could be a move for starting pitching help. The Red Sox were among several teams in attendance for current Rays’ starter Nathan Eovaldi‘s start on Monday, per MLB.com’s Bill Chastain.

Sox fans will remember Eovaldi best during his stint with the Yankees from 2015-16. During that two-year stretch, Eovaldi was 23-11 with a 4.45 ERA and 1.39 WHIP. He missed all of last season after undergoing his second Tommy John’s surgery in August 2016. Eovaldi could represent a low-risk/low-cost rental for teams in need of pitching depth down the stretch.

The Problem

Boston fits that mold perfectly. Chris Sale has been dominant and Rick Porcello has been both consistent and dependable. David Price has shown a tendency to mix strong stretches with complete meltdowns. He is also only a year removed from his own injury issues. Eduardo Rodriguez seems to have righted the ship with Wednesday’s virtuoso performance in Washington. He’s also notoriously inconsistent, and has gone deeper than the 6th inning only twice in his 17 starts this year. Drew Pomeranz and Steven Wright are currently on the disabled list.

Both Wright and Pomeranz are close to returning. Wright is expected back by the All-Star break, and Pomeranz made his first rehab start this week. However, Wright’s knee issues are becoming chronic, and Pomeranz allowed four HRs in Monday’s rehab start. Neither qualify as reliable back-of-the-rotation options.

The Solution

That’s where Eovaldi fits in. He’s posted a 3.92 ERA across seven starts so far this season, with career highs in K/9 (7.6) and K/BB (5.83) ratio. While he’s benefited from good batted ball luck, he’s also had poor home run luck. Opponents are only batting .211 on balls in play, and he’s stranded 79.6% of his runners. However, Eovaldi’s HR/FB rate (21.4%) is higher than ever. In other words, look for both of those numbers to even out a bit as the sample size grows.

Eovaldi’s stuff has remained consistent in his return as well. He still throws gas (avg. four-seam velocity of 97 mph). He’s also mixed in a cutter more frequently than ever. In 2016, only 7.3% of Eovaldi’s pitches were classified as such. That number has climbed all the way up to 25.3% this season. That could partially explain his luck on balls in play. An improved cut-fastball is limiting how much solid contact opposing batters are able to make.

Granted, none of these numbers are exactly eye-popping. But, they are representative of a solid fifth starter who provides depth at the end of the rotation. Eovaldi would come with his own question marks as well; he missed the start of this season with elbow and rib injuries. However, if the price is right, he could be a nice piece to help get the Sox through the dog days of summer.

The Hanley Ramirez ‘Friend’ Situation That Cost Him His Job

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The Hanley Ramirez Situation

Hanley Ramirez should probably search for some new friends after the past few weeks’ events. His so-called ‘best friend’ was smuggling drugs from New York to Boston and was stopped by police. If you don’t know the story, the friend, who hasn’t been identified, was stopped for a routine traffic stop.

(AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

The Suspect Was Quick to Throw Hanley Under the Bus

The suspect told a Massachusetts state trooper that he was delivering a box to Hanley Ramirez’s mother. After he was pulled over, he called Ramirez via Facetime so the trooper could talk to Hanley. Hanley gave consent to search the box, which contained two kilograms of Fentanyl.

According to the Boston Globe, the suspect immediately told police Ramirez wasn’t involved at all and the box wasn’t for him. Hanley would be released from the Red Sox a month later.

Hanley supposedly grew up with this person and has known him since his childhood. The saying, though, is “you are who your friends are”. Hanley was hanging out with bad people. They threw him under the bus because they only care about themselves. Hanley got screwed and now he’s out of a job.

The Red Sox, who say they didn’t know until it came out in the media, are obviously lying because the rumor was going around for weeks before it was released.

What Is a Friend?

The word ‘friend’ is pretty simple. A friend is someone who doesn’t throw you under the bus. Someone who doesn’t give or do drugs around you. I’m talking about the hard drugs, because so-called “friends” that do those drugs will be quick to throw you under the bus. Which will cost you your job, like it did for Hanley Ramirez. In more dangerous situations a life would be lost. A  senseless tragedy because the ‘friend’ was only thinking about themselves.

W2W4: Sox-Yanks Weekend Showdown

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The Rivalry resumes tonight in the Bronx, when the 55-27 Red Sox take on the 52-26 Yankees in a battle for AL East supremacy. As is always the case when these two teams meet, there will be plenty to keep an eye on. Here are a few things to watch for this weekend’s three-game series:

Will Eduardo Rodriguez Rebound?

Rodriguez’s start on Friday night is arguably the most intriguing of the weekend. That’s no small statement, considering Chris Sale and David Price are set to toe the rubber on Saturday and Sunday. The Red Sox are 13-2 in Rodriguez’s 15 starts this season. That’s thanks in large part to run support; Boston is averaging 6.13 runs per E-Rod start.

However, Rodriguez has also been much more consistent than in seasons past. He’s only allowed more than three runs three times this year. One of those times was in his last outing, when the Mariners dealt him his first loss since mid-May (and snapped his six-game winning streak). The Sox will be hoping Rodriguez recovers and can replicate his five-shutout inning performance against the Yankees from May 10th. How he reacts to his last start will will go a long way towards telling us just how much he has matured this year.

Devers Heating Up

On June 5th, Rafael Devers went 0-3 with a strikeout and grounded into a double play. His average dropped to a paltry .223, a total nadir. JD Martinez helped sort out his swing that weekend, and Raffy has been mashing ever since. Devers entered last night hitting .291 with an .802 OPS in his last 20 games. He then proceeded to stay hot in the series finale against the Angels, mashing a solo shot to dead center:

Devers was a surprise spark last season as a rookie, though he’s struggled through a sophomore slump this year. Let’s see if he can keep the good vibes rolling in the House That Jeter Built this weekend.

Will David Price Ever Figure Out That Team in Pinstripes?

Price is on an absolute tear. Since allowing nine runs (seven earned) on May 3rd in Texas, he’s 7-1 with a 2.72 ERA. Part of the reason for his success? Price has been more effective at keeping batters off-balance. In his first seven starts, he used his changeup only 14% of the time vs. left-handed hitters, and 16% of the time vs. right-handed hitters. In his last nine starts, he’s thrown his changeup 27% of the time to lefties, and 20% of the time to righties. The opposition is having trouble making solid contact as a result. Opposing batters have only hit .160 against Price’s fastball and .138 against his sinker during this run.

Of course no matter how hot Price is, the Yankees are an ever-present thorn in his side. Price is 15-12 vs. New York in 38 career starts, but with a 4.67 ERA. Only the Mets, Rangers, and Rockies have given him more trouble, though he’s faced those three clubs a mere total of 19 times. That record includes an April 11th drubbing earlier this year. In that start, Price was shelled for four runs in one inning of work, before leaving due to numbness in his left hand.

Sunday night, under the lights, Price will get another shot at his arch-nemesis, with first place possibly hanging in the balance. Time will tell whether or not he’s up to the task.

Can J.D. Martinez Continue to Make Home Run History?

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It seems as though the 5-year 110 million dollar man J.D. Martinez is already proving himself worth the money. Last night J.D. hit his 25th home run of the season. This made him the leader in Red Sox history for most home runs before the month of July. He has brought the firework show well before the 4th and it’s been quite the spectacle.

 

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=inOPkBFc8uU]

Sigh of Relief

This past couple of months has been nothing short of refreshing. The addition of this slugger has not only elevated the statistics of his own personal career, but it seems to have created intensity around the entire line-up. First, when evaluating this season thus far for Martinez, you have to look at the company he has joined since last night’s milestone missile. Martinez passed players such as Ted Williams (1950), Jose Canseco (1996), Mo Vaughn (1996) and Manny Ramirez (2001). Pretty elite class to say the least, but it sure does make you miss 1996. Regardless, this is something Red Sox nation has not seen in a while, even during Ortiz’s tenure.

Speaking on recent history, this is extra sweet because of the drought of 2017. You may be familiar, but this time last season Aaron Judge racked up 30 home runs before the All-Star break (July, 17). At that time the Red Sox were sending three players to the All-Star game (Sale, Kimbrel, Betts). Yet, they were certainly not the talk of the A.L East. Now the buzz is Boston who currently holds the two leaders in MLB SLG% (Betts .684, Martinez .654) and the current home run leader in Martinez. It is easy to get excited about a team that is red hot in June. But a combination of this with identical pitching which led them to post-season play is a game changer.

So at this point, the acquisition of J.D. Martinez more than an overall success. Even a surprise.  In 2013 Chris Davis, somehow, hit an A.L. record 37 home runs before the All-Star break. It would be nice to see that spot be taken by pure expert and student to the craft of his swing.

Red Sox Sign Infield Veteran Brandon Phillips

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The Red Sox have signed 36-year old infielder Brandon Phillips to a minor league contract. He has spent parts of 15 seasons with the Cleveland Indians, Cincinnati Reds, Atlanta Braves, and the Los Angeles Angels. Phillips is primarily a second baseman, the position at which he has won four gold gloves. Before getting promoted to the majors, Brandon will probably go through an “extended spring training” of sorts. He hasn’t played a major league since September 30, 2017. What role will he have with the Red Sox?

Phillips Provides Infield Depth

The Red Sox have been in need of infield depth for a large part of the season. Dustin Pedroia is currently on the DL, Xander Bogaerts has spent time on the DL, and Rafael Devers and Eduardo Nunez have struggled. The defense has also had it’s struggles, with Devers being second in the majors in errors (15) and Nunez not being as consistent with the leather. Brandon Phillips’ four gold gloves should immensely help on this side of the field and could also serve as a mentor to the 21-year old Rafael Devers.

According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, “Source: Brandon Phillips will play 3B for at Triple A. Second source says “no connection” between his signing and Pedroia situation. Phillips, however, certainly offers team protection for Pedroia/Nunez.” (Twitter: @Ken_Rosenthal)

Phillips Hits Well Against Lefties

The Red Sox have also shown their struggles against left-handed pitching. As a team, they are hitting for a .250 average and a .740 OPS against lefties, which certainly leaves much to be desired. In fact, their worst hitting performances this year include getting no-hit by A’s lefty Sean Manaea and getting shutout over 7 2/3 innings by Mariners’ lefty Wade LeBlanc.

Brandon Phillips has been exceptional against left-handed pitching in his career. He sports a .285/.333/.450/.782 slash line in 1,922 career at-bats against lefties. Phillips’ career damage against left-handed starters is even more impressive (.292/.334/.456/.790).

It goes without saying that Phillips is an immediate upgrade to the Bosox. Let’s see if it pans out that way on the diamond.

Breaking: Hanley Ramirez Involved in Federal and State Investigation [Updates]

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Back at the beginning of the month, the Boston Red Sox released their always smiling and lighthearted first baseman Hanley Ramirez. At the time, he was batting .254/.313/.395 with 29 RBIs in 177 at bats. Since releasing him, the Red Sox seemed to miss a certain aspect to their lineup. They just haven’t looked like the offensive juggernaut that they were in April. This move confused some who thought the move was strictly “baseball related”, according to Red Sox VP of media relations Kevin Gregg. Some thought that this move came because of his pending activation of a $22 million vesting option for 2019, which would kick in if he piled up 497 at bats in 2018.

IMG_3145

The Story so Far

Today, ABC News’ Michele McPhee broke that Hanley is being roped into a federal and state investigation. McPhee also reports that Hanley has alleged ties to a party police arrested during a drug stop. The said party possessed 435 grams of Fentanyl and other drugs, and stated that some of the drugs were Hanley’s. According to state evidence, in the past Hanley allegedly made several visits to the Fentanyl ring that police busted.

MLB, Red Sox, and Hanley (via his agent) all deny knowledge of the federal investigation. However, the FBI does not need to inform any of these parties about an investigation while it’s underway. We could all be finding out together.

More to come.

@ELJGON

David Price Loves Fortnite

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David Price at It Again

David Price continues to give the media something to talk about. Ever since he’s gotten here he’s done nothing but complain about being in Boston and the fans. David Price once again made news this week after being asked if he’d pitch in the All-Star game. His response was “I’ll come up with something if I am an All-Star that I won’t have to pitch. I’ll play a lot of Fortnite the night before.”

What a response that is, but typical coming from him. When he was diagnosed with carpal tunnel in May it was reported that playing Fortnite was the cause of it. Price did say he would stop playing Fortnite at the ballpark because it became a distraction.

Playing Fortnite Is More Important Than Pitching

Last night the allergies must’ve kicked in as he didn’t pitch that great. Maybe he played Fortnite in his hotel the night before so his hand hurt. He’s making $31 million dollars a season. Price’s latest comments prove his childish behavior, and also that he’s upset his video game got taken away from him at the ballpark. So he says he’ll play before the All-Star game so he doesn’t have to pitch.

What a loser. He doesn’t deserve to be in the All-Star Game anyway. Price also said he wasn’t an All-Star, saying “I ain’t going. I’m not an All-Star. Craig Kimbrel is gonna get his, I didn’t vote for Craig because he’s Craig Kimbrel, he’s going to get his votes. I voted for Joe Kelly and Matt Barnes. Actually, I did vote for Craig. Joe, Barnes, and Craig. Craig doesn’t need votes. His name is going to get him in.”

Price doesn’t belong pitching on the Red Sox, period. He belongs on the Tampa Bay Rays again or some other bad team that doesn’t care about winning. He’d rather go home to his two dogs, family, his mother-in-law, and play video games than pitch on a big league team with high expectations. He’s nothing but a complete loser.

Why the Red Sox Are Unlikely to Make a Big Deal

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Most Red Sox fans want them to make a deal, like most fans of every team. Around the trade deadline, all teams are considered buyers or sellers. “Buyers” trade prospects for big league talent and “sellers” trade big league talent for prospects. The Red Sox are 49-24 and could win their third straight division title. This means they are buyers, and they should make a trade, right? Well, not so fast, and here’s why:

The Farm System

According to Bleacher Report, the Red Sox have the 27th best farm system in the big leagues. Also, their top prospect Jay Groome is out with Tommy John surgery. Their number two prospect, Michael Chavis, got popped for PEDs, so even their top prospects have huge question marks. Other than that, they do not have anyone special that could get a big name back like Brad Hand or Manny Machado. Since their farm system is blah, the Red Sox would have to trade major league talent for a star. The Padres want Rafael Devers for star closer Brad Hand. I think if you asked ten Red Sox fans if they would do that trade, all ten of them would laugh in your face. Manny Machado rumors have been swirling, but the trade is unlikely to happen. Chris Cotillo said that “the clubs are reportedly not matching up”, and I interpret that as the Orioles thinking that the Red Sox have little to offer, and they are right. Like the Hand deal, Sox fans would be reluctant on giving up big league talent considering Machado is a rental.

Their Rivals

The Astros are 13th, Yankees are 10th, and the Indians are 16th in the Bleacher Report farm system rankings. These are the three biggest threats to the Red Sox, and they all have significantly better farm systems. If I was the general manager of the Padres or Orioles, I am dealing with these teams, not the Sox. These teams are more likely to improve their teams at the deadline, making them better than the Red Sox if they aren’t already. If the Yankees acquire a big name such as Jacob DeGrom, they will most likely win the division. This would leave the Red Sox in the Wild Card game, which no team wants a part of.

The Red Sox will likely make an acquisition, but nothing special. They can get a middle reliever or utility player for nothing, but I highly doubt they will be able to make a big upgrade at the deadline.