Tag Archives: offseason

Rex Burkhead’s Job is Safe in A Crowded Backfield

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No Patriot has received more flack this offseason than Rex Burkhead. The latest buzz on Rex is he will be the odd man out this summer in the runningback rotation. Yet, I am here to pump the breaks on that belief.

Uncertainty Creates Opportunity

There are large uncertainties at both receiver and tight end. This makes it likely the Patriots will start the season with a few more runningbacks than normal.

Ben Watson’s suspension, Julian Edelman’s age, N’Keal Harry’s inexperience, and the current uncertainty the public has with who will be the number three receiver should all indicate that the Patriots might be grounded to start off the season. Then, once Ben Watson comes back and things start to make sense and click, things should open up more. 

Losing Gronk, and Watson to start the season, the Patriots start 2019 with a less than stellar tight end group. This group does have guys like Ryan Izzo and Andrew Beck, who were very strong blockers in college, however, both have not played a regular season game yet.

Matt LaCosse looks like the front runner for the starting job and also has shown that he is a good blocker. However, he has never seen a role of this magnitude in the NFL before.

Not to mention, the tackle spots remain a question mark. Marcus Cannon may have come off a very strong campaign last season, but struggles to remain consistent in the NFL. And the even bigger issue continues to be the health of Isaiah Wynn, who so far has been forced to hand the lion share of left tackle reps to Joe Thuney, due to his inability to be at full go so far.

With all this uncertainty with the offense to start the season, the Patriots could use a back that can hit the hole fast and hard, embrace the contact, and run with excellent vision. No one on the Patriots does those things better than Rex Burkhead.

Familiar Spot for Rex

Not to mention, Rex has pretty much been fighting for his job his whole NFL career. In a season where everyone believes he is on the outside looking in, he has a lot to prove. 

The biggest thing holding Rex’s roster spot in place has to be his contract. Cutting Rex Burkhead would cost the Patriots more money than keeping him on the team for the season. 

Economic Fallout Would Be Unbelichickian

Trading him would do the same. Also, the trade market for runningbacks is ridiculously low at the moment. Several quality runningbacks like Jay Ajayi, Marshawn Lynch, and Alex Collins are yet to be signed this offseason.

Rex Will Survive

Giving all this evidence, the number of runningbacks the Patriots currently have might not matter. Rex Burkhead will survive the crowded backfield .

Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports for cover image

Will Grier, WVU quarterback with Gilette Stadium in the background.

Patriots Latest Moves and Rumors 3/23

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Let’s take a look at the latest some Patriots moves and rumors that were surfacing this week. Belichick and the Patriots have been pretty quiet this offseason. However, a few stories this week could help shape this team for next year and years beyond.

Move: The Stephon Gilmore Contract 

Stephon Gilmore and Tom Brady on the field after the 2018 AFC Championship game.

Thursday, the Patriots reworked Stephon Gilmore’s contract for 2019. 

Gilmore, who was originally scheduled to have a cap hit of $14,837,500, saw $8.5 million dollars worth of his contract get converted into a signing bonus. 

Doing this frees up $5.67 million dollars for the Patriots in cap space. The current cap for the Pats is now $8,332,763. 

This move should not be the only one for the Patriots as more money will need to come their way. The Patriots still have key free agents like Stephen Gostkowski and Chris Hogan, who remain unsigned. 

The Patriots also must compensate for the projected $8,970,997 dollars it will take to sign all their draft picks. 

With their cap as it is, expect the Patriots to move some money around with players like Devin McCourty, Tom Brady, and maybe even Rob Gronkowski, D’onta Hightower, and Lawerence Guy. 

Many expect Gostkowski to be back and Hogan looks more likely to return by the day. The Patriots will need at least 6 million in cap for those two signings alone. 

Expect them to restructure some contracts, resign some players, and trade a couple of draft picks. 

Rumor: Patriots Schedule Meeting With WVU Quarterback Will Grier 

Will Grier playing Texas Tech during his time at West Virginia.

The Patriots lack of attention to the quarterback position in this year’s draft might hint what they have planned for next year’s.

Although, one quarterback prospect who they have scheduled a meeting with is former West Virginia quarterback Will Grier. 

Grier, who was in the Heisman conversation for a brief time last year, seems to be moving up draft boards each day. 

After his very impressive pro day, several teams have called to meet with him. 

In fact his pro day was so impressive that he has potentially moved up into late first-round consideration. 

Grier makes sense as a potential fit in the Patriots system. In addition, some other quarterbacks that scouts think could come to New England are Daniel Jones of Duke, Brett Rypien of Boise State, and Ryan Finley of North Carolina State. 

Rumor: Stephen Gostkowski Resigning Reports

Stephen Gostkowski waiting on bench with the Patriots.

It seems inevitable that the Patriots and veteran kicker Stephen Gostkowski will reach an agreement to reunite. 

Now it appears that after the readjustment of Stephon Gilmore’s contract that the Patriots now have the money to resign their long-tenured kicker. 

Tom Curran reported on Thursday that the Patriots and Gostkowski are making progress and are actively talking about a return. 

Curran also reported that other teams are interested in Gostkowski. Almost any team would kill for a kicker like Stephen. Although, Gostkowksi’s interest in other teams seem very small and he obviously holds the Patriots as his top destination. 

Gostkowski will be entering his fourteenth year in the NFL and will not consider retirement at this time. 

Most expect Gostkowski’s contract number to be in the $3mil to $4mil range. 

Losing a kicker like Gostkowski would obviously be bad news for New England. Replacing his production would certainly not be an easy task.

Braxton Berrios: Cut Candidate or Slot Receiver of the Future?

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The New England Patriots drafted Miami wide receiver Braxton Berrios in the sixth round of the 2018 draft. The stereotypes were all present: quick, agile, white slot receiver with good hands and route running. Many draft analysts called this pick weeks in advance, and when it happened it seemed Berrios could be of help early on.

New England had just dealt Brandin Cooks to the Rams and lost Danny Amendola to the Dolphins, so receiver was an area of need. They did have the likes of aging Kenny Britt and Jordan Matthews on the roster, but the loss of Amendola was what really concerned people.

With Julian Edelman sidelined in 2017 and suspended for four games in 2018, slot receiver depth was depleted. Enter Braxton Berrios.

After a very successful career at the University of Miami, Berrios projected to be a late round pick due to his of lack of NFL traits. His height was a concern, being 5’9″, and his catchability was also brought into question because of this. Scouts believed him to be good enough to potentially be a backup or on special teams, similar to what Julian Edelman projected.

Even with his negative characteristics, Bill Belichick obviously liked him enough to not wait until after the draft. He nabbed him with 210th overall pick, and must have had good thoughts in mind because he was the only receiver Belichick drafted. With Edelman suspended and not 100%, and Amendola cashing in, Berrios seemed to have a starting job staring him in the face.

Riley McCarron was the only slot receiver on the roster at the time, but Berrios seemed to have a better skill set. The preseason was going to be the ultimate determination on which slot guy the Pats would carry. However, that decision was made for New England, as Berrios got injured and was placed on Injured Reserve.

So, assuming he’s fully healthy at the start of OTA’s, what does the future hold for Berrios? He will have an opportunity to earn his roster spot, as the Pats only have Edelman signed for 2019. Although, this is going to change, with multiple receivers expected to be signed for next season. There are a few big slot receivers on the market, especially Golden Tate and Adam Humphries.

While Berrios will have his work cut out for him when these receivers are signed, he does have an advantage. He was able to learn the playbook and play with the offense for training camp last year. Director of Player Personnel Nick Caserio also had some encouraging things to say about him:

“[He’s] an impressive kid,” Caserio said following the draft. “This guy’s really, really smart. He graduated in, I want to say three to three-and-a-half years, whatever it was. Played inside the formation at the University of Miami, really productive, really tough, good traits, smart, good quickness.”

While it is obvious the Patriots like his ability and potential, there simply might not be room for him. It is within the realm of possibility that Berrios could beat out some of the free agents or draftees mentioned earlier. However, the more likely scenario is Berrios ending up on the practice squad.

New England prefers to hang onto their late round draft picks instead of cut them, and that’s the foreseeable future for the former Hurricane. He has the traits and ability to maybe, potentially, be the heir to Julian Edelman’s throne. Of course, that hinges on Berrios sticking around for another 3-4 years.

Berrios could stay on the active roster in the meantime on special teams, similar to 2009-2010 Edelman. He would be the backup to the backup slot receiver, Dwight Schrute style, but he would be getting valuable reps. His punt return ability is also something the Patriots value greatly and could also land him a roster spot. This is less likely than the practice squad, but is still possible with how little depth the Pats currently have.

However, another question is: Could Berrios be cut?

The answer is yes, but winding up on the practice squad is still the biggest possibility. The Patriots had a similar situation with Austin Carr a couple years ago; Carr was an undrafted slot receiver but there was not enough room on the active roster. After a very successful preseason, New England opted to cut Carr rather than place him on the practice squad.

He was immediately gobbled up by the Saints and placed on their practice squad. Carr is now a productive player for New Orleans, and the Pats certainly could have used his depth in 2018.

Berrios is similar, and should be signed to the practice squad if he performs well. If he comes into training camp and tears it up however, there is a real possibility that his versatility could land him a spot on the 53. This would most likely be for special teams and depth reasons, but the opportunities would be there.

If he does not perform though, it is possible that he ends up on the practice squad. But being cut as apart of roster cutdowns is more than likely to happen if he does underperform.

So to answer the question, “Cut candidate or slot receiver of the future?”, it is easier to see the former. Berrios is going to have a ton of competition come summer time, and is still a sixth round pick. He does have special teams value, which could land him a roster spot. “Slot receiver of the future” on the other hand does not seem feasible at this point though.

Devin McCourty not retiring quite yet

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Devin McCourty was one of the Patriots who was flirting with retirement before the Super Bowl. Along with Rob Gronkowski, the eldest McCourty brother was unsure prior to the big game whether he would return to Foxboro in 2019.

He put all of those rumors to bed on Thursday, however, when he went on the Sports Spectrum Podcast.

“Yeah, I’m going to play,” McCourty stated.

The veteran safety went on to say, ” I think once you get a chance to step away for a couple of weeks, you’re like I still do want to be around these young guys that come in.”

There was a growing suspicion that if the Patriots won Super Bowl 53, the 31 year-old would ride off into the sunset with a third Lombardi. McCourty has a multitude of off-field activities, including his sickle-cell charity work. It made sense that a Super Bowl win would give the safety a good ending to a great career and an opportunity to focus his efforts on charitable pursuits.

McCourty signed a 5 year extension after the 2014 season, and at the time was the highest paid safety. If he does return to the Patriots, he will have a cap hit of $13.45 million for the 2019 season. This is obviously extremely high for an aging safety and not the team friendly contract the Pats prefer.

Assuming New England hangs on to McCourty, a contract restructure will undoubtedly be on the agenda. He is still a productive player, recording 82 tackles, 4 forced fumbles, and one pick-six this past season. More importantly, he is the heart and soul of the secondary, and is a perennial team captain.

Devin McCourty reached the top speed in the NFL during this Monday Night interception against Buffalo.

The smart move for New England is to keep McCourty for his last season under contract. Of course, this hinges on a restructure, which would reduce his 2019 cap hit. Hopefully he will be open to the idea, since he already has plans on winning number seven for New England.

“If you play this game only for Super Bowls, you’re going to be very empty. Because as soon as you win it, it’s all about how you can win it next year. … You have to play for so much more,” he told the Sports Spectrum Podcast.

The new league season starts on March 14th, so this is when you can expect the majority of deals to go down. The Patriots would like to see if McCourty would take a pay cut before this however, so they can have a better idea of where they’re at financially.

This offseason promises to be a crazy one, and the Patriots are right in the thick of it. Restructuring Devin McCourty should be a top priority for New England, along with resigning his brother Jason. Hopefully with Devin back in a Pats uniform, the youngest McCourty will sign on for another year.

Follow @bossportsextra on Twitter to stay up to date on all NFL offseason news.

Projecting the Opening Day Roster

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Based off of the quiet offseason Boston has had, many fans may think the transactions may be far from done. It is still possible that Dombrowski goes and resigns Craig Kimbrel, and it’s also possible he cooks up a trade to bring in a reliever. That aside, the roster is all but set. A couple guys are going to be fighting for jobs in March and that will be very interesting to watch. Without further ado, this is the best projection I have for what the 25 man roster might look like on April 9th vs. Toronto.

Catchers (2)

Christian Vazquez, Blake Swihart (starter in bold):

This is a three horse race for two jobs. Somehow Boston went all of 2018 with three catchers on their roster and it never really hurt them. They were never down a utility bat or a pitcher in the bullpen due to having three catchers, so they got away with it. 2019 won’t be the same case. Dombrowski has already said they want to make a move, with any of the three catchers available.

Sandy Leon is likely going to be the odd man out. If the Red Sox don’t find a suitor for him on the trade market, he’ll likely see himself cut before opening day. Personally, I would keep Leon to backup Vazquez (who’s bound to bounce back) and use Swihart as trade bait, but hey that’s just me.

Infielders (7)

Mitch Moreland, Steve Pearce, Dustin Pedroia, Brock Holt, Eduardo Nunez, Xander Bogaerts, Rafael Devers:

This situation isn’t as cloudy as the one behind the dish. The left side of the infield is locked in. Raffy will look to make strides at third while Xander head into a contract year at short. Dustin Pedroia will start at second, barring any setbacks with his knee. If he isn’t good to go for opening day I would give Brock the nod over Nunez at second. Then we turn to first base where there isn’t one starter, as it’s more of a platoon situation. Mitch Moreland is my projected opening day starter, since Marcus Stroman is likely to start for Toronto and he’s a righty. Steve Pearce is more than capable to hit against righties, but will likely start the season facing mostly left-handed opponents.

Outfielders (3)

Andrew Benintendi, Jackie Bradley Jr., Mookie Betts:

With J.D. essentially serving as the DH/fourth outfielder, the Red Sox will only carry three natural outfielders on their roster. This was the case in 2018, and worked better than anyone could have imagined. J.D. was able to fill in the outfield at various times to give some of these guys a day off here and there, and will look to do the same in 2019.

The key part for this outfield this season is how they all blossom. Can Mookie Betts repeat his MVP caliber season? Can JBJ find a consistent bat and carry over his success from October? Can Andrew Benintendi take the next step towards being an MVP candidate-type player?

Designated Hitter (1)

J.D. Martinez:

Unfortunately if you came here hoping to see Allen Craig, or Rusney Castillo, you are going to be highly disappointed. The only man for this job is Julio Daniel. Martinez had an MVP level season in 2018, and now has a chance to repeat it in 2019 and possibly opt out after this season. This will be a huge season on many fronts for future salaries for these Red Sox players and for the front office. Seeing if J.D. regresses or not is going to be a huge factor to whether he opts in or opts out following 2019. However, J.D. is the man, has a relentless approach, and is always trying to get better. I think he’s due for more of the same in 2018.

Rotation (5)

Chris Sale, David Price, Nathan Eovaldi, Rick Porcello, Eduardo Rodriguez:

The rotation for Boston is five deep. They are loaded and nobody seems to talk about it. Everyone wants to talk about Severino/Paxton/Tanaka in New York or Corbin/Scherzer/Strasburg in Washington. Both sets of trios are certainly worthy of being the best in baseball. As far as the entire rotation goes, Boston might take the cake. Sale, Price and Eovaldi are all legit studs at this point. Price and Eovaldi will likely carry over to 2019 the huge postseasons they had. You know exactly what you’re going to get from Rick Porcello, 190 innings and an ERA around 4. The biggest wild card is Eduardo Rodriguez. If he can finally stay healthy and put together a full season, he could really breakout as an All-Star caliber pitcher in this league.

Rodriguez

Bullpen (7)

Matt Barnes, Ryan Brasier, Brandon Workman, Heath Hembree, Steven Wright, Hector Velazquez, Brian Johnson:

This is the only segment of this article that can still drastically change. Not only are their outside factors still affecting it (Kimbrel, trade, etc.) but there also internal competitions. At least two pitchers who pitched a significant portion of innings in 2018 for Boston could be sent packing after Spring Training, possibly more if another external option joins the club.

Matt Barnes is a lock, and in this scenario, would be my choice for the closer. I’m still hopeful on Kimbrel coming back on a reasonable deal, but for now, Barnes in the ninth. The other locks, Brasier, Hembree, Wright and Johnson. Brasier is the Red Sox second best reliever as of right now. Hembree and Wright both showed their value at times last season, and have earned spots in the bullpen in 2019 barring injury. Brian Johnson is the lefty out in the pen, so I also believe he’s a lock to make this team.

Then we turn to a few names competing for two spots. Workman and Velazquez have the spots in my books, but Tyler Thornburg, Bobby Poyner, and Colten Brewer will also compete for those two jobs. A couple other names I’d keep on eye on, depending on their spring performance, Carson Smith, Marcus Walden, William Cuevas and the kid, Durbin Feltman.

If Craig Kimbrel were to sign, or another reliever was brought in, I believe Workman is the pitcher who gets pumped from this 25 man roster. A lot of things could change on this list, but for the most part this is what the roster is going to look like going into 2019. Looks fairly similar to a roster that didn’t do half bad in 2018.

Finding Hope in the Current Red Sox Prospects

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MLB released their annual prospect list this past week, containing the best 100 players throughout the minor league systems. The San Diego Padres have a fair share of young players from Boston (see: Kimbrel and Pomeranz trades). They also lead the way with an unprecedented ten players in the top 100 and seven in the top 50.

On the other end of the spectrum, is Boston. They have just one, single prospect in the top 100. This isn’t something new for the Red Sox. They haven’t had a deep farm system since pre-2015, and only had one player on this same list going into 2018.

Michael Chavis was placed appropriately at 69th in the pre-2018 rankings. After a tumultuous 2018 in which he was caught up in a PED suspension, and faced uncertainty on which position he would playing going forward, the Sox top prospect placed 79th this year.

(Kevin Pataky/MiLB.com)

Chavis is the prospect with the highest ceiling in the system, and he’s also the most likely to crack the roster at some point this year. However, only having one name in the top 100 isn’t the end-all-be-all. There are plenty of prospects the Sox have, that would fall in the 101-200 range of young players. A lot of these guys have real chances to impact this team for a long time.

Help Coming Soon (2019-2020)

Durbin Feltman is flying through the ranks after being a third rounder just a year ago. He might get a chance to feature in Boston in 2019, but moving forward I would love to see if this kid has what it takes to be a long-term closer in the pros. Feltman was the best stopper in the entire NCAA last year with TCU. He could really be a huge asset for this bullpen in coming years.

(Ellman Photography)

Darwinzon Hernandez, a highly admired prospect of general manager Dave Dombrowski. After 23 solid starts in high-A in 2018, Hernandez made some good relief outings in double-A Portland. If he keeps progressing the way he has since he joined the system in 2014, he could be a key bullpen member in 2020.

Bobby Dalbec and Josh Ockimey sit in triple-A Pawtucket alongside Chavis, awaiting a major league call in 2018. Both of those aforementioned guys have big bats, and both can fill a potential void at first base if the veteran options don’t work out.

A Slightly More Distant Future (2021+)

Bryan Mata, he’s only 19 years old and has already put up solid numbers in high-A ball. Mata will move up to Portland this season and has a chance to contend for a rotation spot in 2021 if he keeps trending upwards. Mata is criminally underrated by people rankings prospects outside the organization. He has the chance to be a legit starter in the MLB.

Jay Groome underwent Tommy John surgery and missed 2018, causing a lot of people to forget how good he was. The Sox took him in the first round for a reason. He had a 1.64 era in low-A ball in 2017. This proves he can do it at an elevated minor league level, he just needs to stay healthy. He worked out with Chris Sale last year, and hopefully that benefits the career trend of Groome. We could see him in Boston by 2021.

Triston Casas was the Sox’ first rounder in 2018. He barely got to get going in the Gulf Coast League. A thumb injury ended his season after just five at-bats. He only turned 19 two weeks ago. If he is able to get healthy and get good ABs in 2019, he’ll start progressing through the minors. I truly believe this kid has star potential even based off of his high school tapes. Watching him in 2019 will be an important step in his development.

See, the Sox farm system isn’t facing nearly as much peril as you thought it would be, right?

Potential Breakout Sox in 2019

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Ryan Brasier, Joe Kelly, Nathan Eovaldi. Of all these guys fit the bill of players who broke out in one way or another in 2018 for Boston. Through this article, we’ll try and identify a few guys who could take the next step in their contributions for the Red Sox next year. Barring a major acquisition to bolster the backend of the bullpen, the Sox are likely done making moves. So, with the roster all but set, let’s take a look at some potential breakout players for the Red Sox in 2019.

Sam Travis

A former second rounder, Travis suffered a brutal knee injury a couple of years ago. He had potential to be the first basemen of the future, leading all of triple-A in RBIs before his ACL blew out. Sam Travis will turn 26 next season, and his chances to be an everyday major leaguer are looking slim. However, a role is still available for him. If one of Mitch Moreland and Steve Pearce significantly drop off, or the Sox need some power off the bench, Travis could find his way to staying on the roster. Travis has always been a high walk/low strikeout type player, which gives him immediate as a bench player. Having a smart hitter available in a late game situation is something that every contending team could use, and Travis will have his chance to earn this role. For the time being, he’s going to need another strong March to crack the 25-man roster out of Spring Training.

Michael Chavis

Like Travis, Michael Chavis is a former top pick of the Sox. A first rounder just a few years ago, Chavis looked to be on the right trajectory to being an everyday player in the Major Leagues. However, a suspension to begin 2018 set everything back for Chavis. Now that he’s hopefully learned his lesson regarding Performance Enhancing Drugs, he can get back to the basics. He hit just under .300 in the minor last season, mostly with double-A Portland, but he eventually made his way to triple-A Pawtucket. A fantastic pure hitter, Chavis’ bat will earn him a call-up a some point in 2019.

The issue for Chavis is that he runs into someone we’ll discuss more later, Rafael Devers. Devers is the long-term starting third baseman for the Sox, and that’s Chavis’ natural position. If he were willing to be moved to either first, or to take reps at DH and second base, he could have a good chance at an early call-up in 2019. If he’s successful, he could be in the lineup everyday by 2020.

Durbin Feltman

There is one name that gets me incredibly excited, Durbin Feltman. Not just because he has a fantastic baseball name. Also because he has the chance to play a huge role on this team almost immediately. Feltman was the closer at TCU this time last year. Now he’s soaring through the ranks of the Boston minor league system. If Feltman can somehow even make his way onto the opening day roster, there’s a slim chance he begins as the closer.

However, we will see Feltman at some point this season for the Red Sox. It may not be right away, and it may not be in his comfortable position of the ninth inning, but we will get to see a taste of the possible future. Feltman is just 21 years old, and will likely begin the season in triple-A. This means that he will likely be pitching in big innings by the time he’s 22-23. If all goes well, he could be closing games in Boston for a long time. His potential call-up in 2019 should be one that makes Red Sox fans salivate.

Rafael Devers

The fourth and final name on this list, is the one of the four who’s a mainstay on the Red Sox roster. Rafael Devers has had an up and down start to his major league tenure. This makes people forget he’s only 22. Getting called up in the middle of a playoff race in 2017, Devers was able to hold his own offensively and earn the starting job.

He regressed at the plate in 2018, and his defense still leaves a lot to be desired. With that being said, Devers is very much due for a massive 2019. He hit better in the playoffs, and had some huge moments for the Sox in the World Series. Lots of fans have already written him off and labeled him as a bust. Me? I think that Devers is about to turn the corner and establish himself as a premier, power-hitting third basemen. If you haven’t already, it’s time to hop on the Devers hype train.

Honorable Mentions:

Bobby Poyner, Travis Lakins, Mike Shawaryn, Marco Hernandez, Blake Swihart, Tyler Thornburg, Trevor Kelley.

All of these men will play a role at some point in 2019 for the Red Sox, whether it be small or large. Each will also have a chance to earn themselves a spot in the bullpen or on the bench heading into 2020.

Taking a Look at the Remaining Options for a Closer

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Where do the Red Sox turn now for a closer? David Robertson, Joakim Soria, Joe Kelly and Andrew Miller were all candidates who signed elsewhere. Now, however, crunch time begins for the Red Sox, with relievers flying off the board left, right and center.

It’s not yet time for panic or concern, but the budding problem regarding the closer is the only pressing ‘issue’ remaining. Nathan Eovaldi and Steve Pearce are back, so is Eduardo Nunez, with Joe Kelly and Ian Kinsler having gone their separate ways. So, let’s finish the offseason off smoothly by finding ourselves a closer, okay?

Browsing the Free Agent Market

As far as free agent candidates that remain, there’s only one guy that I love.

Adam Ottavino was a certified stud last year. He looked great even in a tough pitching environment in the altitude of Coors Field. His off-speed stuff is unquestionably filthy and dominant. I think if you give him a contract, it gives you the option to pitch him whenever you want, but it would make him the early favorite to close games.

Other attractive options come from a couple of other guys, who may not have been first choice closers for Boston, but after some in-depth analysis, might be worth a look. Both Brad Brach and Kelvin Herrera have pitched in big moments before, and have both been closers at times. Is their stuff a little diminished? Probably. However, a short-term deal for either of the two could provide them a veteran stopper at the end of the bullpen who is still good for 30+ saves.

Bring Craig Home?

Obviously, this section shouldn’t technically include Craig Kimbrel, but he was ours last year, so for argument’s sake let’s say he’s still an in-house option.

Kimbrel was thought to be long gone, his return a pipe dream, on the basis that he simply wanted too much money for too many years.

Now we sit here, first week of January, and Craig Kimbrel doesn’t have a deal. Not only that, we haven’t heard of much interest in the esteemed closer, especially not at his asking price. That breeds the questions, could Kimbrel come home? Who really wouldn’t want four more years of a sub-2.50 ERA?

People can say he’s been shaky. Or that his velocity has dropped. Or that he’s become a ‘heart attack closer’, but come on people. This guy is dominant, he is one of the best closers in the league, if not THE best. Who else would you take over Kimbrel?

Thornburg

Internal Options

The Sox have other internal options, such as Matt Barnes and Ryan Brasier. Both of whom wouldn’t be my first choice for the ninth, but believe it or not I do actually think they’d both succeed. We need to see more from Brasier to prove last season wasn’t a fluke. Matt Barnes home run and control issues can at times be frustrating, but they are both cheap and viable candidates.

One final name I know people love to discuss is Durbin Feltman. Feltman was a third rounder just a year ago for the Sox, and he was one of the top college closers in the country coming out of TCU. He looked good in his stints in 2018, and will likely progress to at least Portland to begin the season, with Pawtucket and Boston surely on the horizon. He won’t start the season as the closer, but if whatever experiment the Red Sox use in the 9th doesn’t work AND Feltman progresses well, he could get this job a lot sooner than he originally thought.

What Mike Napoli Meant To Boston

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His journey through Boston didn’t need to be a long one.  Mike Napoli had left his mark on the city.  The slugger announced his retirement this past weekend, and for many fans of the 2013 championship team, it called for a chance to reminisce. He only spent a little over two seasons with the team, but he was a very impactful, lovable character.  He’ll mainly be remembered for his bushy beard and clutch heroics throughout the 2013 season.   But most importantly, for helping bring a championship to a city that truly needed it, after their darkest time.

How The Era Of Napoli Came To Be

I recall being on vacation down in Florida in December of 2012.  I heard about a multitude of signings the team was in the process of making.  They needed some veteran presence alongside David Ortiz and Dustin Pedroia, so they made three moves.  All three of those moves occurred within three days, and all helped shaped the 2013 season.

Shane Victorino and Koji Uehara both signed.  They were probably the two most important players throughout the 2013 ALCS.  The third signing of the week was Mike Napoli. After some issues passing his physical, he eventually made his way to the Red Sox on a one year deal.  All three of these guys had been solid, but the team faced backlash, as all three were seen as ‘past their prime’.

I lauded the move at the time, how can you not want these likable, locker room presence-type guys? Of course, it paid off.  Napoli transitioned to first base smoothly for Boston, and ended up having some huge hits down the stretch, and into October.

Why He Was So Important

In April of 2013, the country was sent into a state of shock.  Terrorists had carried out an attack this close to home, right at the Boston Marathon.  For as many people this sent into a frenzy and a state of panic, it ended up bringing together a city.  Nobody will ever forget Big Papi’s speech before the first home game following the attacks:

It became a theme of the season.  The Boston Strong jersey hung in the dugout during every game.  The players were often discussing with the media and with each other how much they wanted this for the city and for the fans.  It all just felt like it was meant to be, and Mike Napoli was central to all of this.

When I think of this team, I remember how great the entire ‘beard’ thing was.  I remember Jonny Gomes showing up with a huge beard at Spring Training, and Napoli just loved it.  Eventually the whole team had beards.  The team had named them and marketed it.  That ended up being another huge theme of the season.

The Fun

Napoli and his bearded brothers brought a sense of passion everyday, to get it done for this city. However, they always did it while having fun.  Even when the team struggled, or fell behind against Detroit in the playoffs, this crew was there to pick each other up.  Just like they picked this city up, when the people needed it most.

Putting Nap’s Red Sox Career in Perspective

The clear cut, go-to Napoli Red Sox moment, is his seventh inning home run against Justin Verlander in game 3 of the ALCS.  It broke the tie and ended up being the only run in a 1-0 final. It ended up being a key factor in Boston’s grasp of the momentum in the series.

The stats aren’t flashy over the two and half seasons in Boston, and the way it ended in 2015 is unfortunate. The Sox were going nowhere, and unfortunately Napoli had begun to really fall off.  So they shipped him back to Texas.

He’ll never be forgotten for helping bring this city a title when they needed it.  Nobody will ever forget seeing his big beard laughing it up at first base.  Nobody had more fun than Nap, and nobody partied harder when the Sox won.  Most of all, nobody will ever forget this.  Possibly the greatest photo in the history of Boston Sports, shirtless Napoli patrolling Boston days after winning the World Series:

Thank you for everything Nap, it was a fun ride.

 

Paul Goldschmidt – Future Red Sox player?

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The winter is in full swing in the baseball world. We’ve seen blockbusters already happening. From James Paxton, to Jean Segura to Robinson Cano, big names have already been on the move everywhere. The Red Sox more than likely won’t make an acquisition of that proportion, but let’s dream for a bit shall we? Paul Goldschmidt is going to be huge splash, wherever he lands. He’s an MVP caliber player, who’s on a benchwarmers salary next season. Seeing as it would only be a one year rental for Goldschmidt, the Sox may shy away from wanting to move multiple young pieces. However, as far as need and fit are concerned, this would be a great move for Boston to make while the championship window is still open.

With Arizona likely on its way towards a rebuild, many of their big names may be finding other homes. Patrick Corbin will leave via free agency, as the Diamondbacks just don’t have the payroll to keep him. Another aspect hurting the payroll, is Zack Grienke’s contract. They will also look to move him this winter. Which brings us to Goldschmidt. Possibly the most intriguing trade chip in all of baseball. Even Giancarlo Stanton on the market last season, reigning MVP, didn’t offer the pure hitting approach which Goldschmidt does. A career .300 hitter, with an OPS of .930, Goldschmidt is a guy who brings instant pop the lineup, and leadership the locker room.

So if Goldschmidt is on his way out of the desert, could the Red Sox make a viable run at his services for the next year? It’s definitely possible. Even with first base platooned by Steve Pearce and Mitch Moreland, this team clearly has a need for first baseman. Both Pearce and Moreland are solid players, who both played a big role in this year’s World Series. It’s hard not to get caught up in the lore of those two, and want to keep them in the lineup. The wise decision, would be to try and upgrade one position where they are subpar.

A Potential Package for Goldschmidt

Obviously, Goldschmidt would require a hefty haul to acquire. The Sox farm system is fairly depleted. However, with Goldschmidt essentially only coming over for one year, the return is worth parting with for Boston. It would have to start with Boston’s top hitting prospect Michael Chavis, and go from there. He is the most valuable asset the Red Sox have outside the major league club. He is also seen as a guy who could come up and hit .300 next season in the show. It would likely take Chavis and a couple other mid-level prospects to make the deal happen. A 14 million dollar tag on the incoming Goldschmidt still makes it possible for the Sox to function under the luxury tax.

Obviously, with a player of Paul’s caliber, there are many bidders. The Phillies, Astros, and Cardinals are just a handful of the teams that are in on Goldschmidt. All these teams are in positions to compete, and have deeper farm systems than Boston. This doesn’t make the deal impossible, it just means Dombrowski would have to act quick.

Do I see this deal happening? Probably not. Is it something that I would like to have happen? Yes, because frankly it should happen. It’s a low risk move that immediately improves the team, while still leaving money for other free agents like Joe Kelly or Nathan Eovaldi. He’s a power hitting first baseman, who is still athletic as ever and has pretty good wheels as far as people his size go. This would be a huge move that let’s the whole league know the Red Sox are still at the top.