Tag Archives: Red Sox

Why Alex Cora May Be the Best Offeason Pickup

Let’s face it, this past offseason was as boring as watching David Ortiz run a forty-yard dash. The only exciting moment was J.D. Martinez signing with Boston for a $110 million deal. With the offseason concluded and the Red Sox underway with the season, we arrive at the question: “Who was the best pickup this offseason?” Well, believe it or not it’s Alex Cora. Not Mitch Moreland, not Keith Moreland, or Matt Moreland, but their new manager Alex Cora.

Dave Dombrowski’s goals this past offseason were to hire a new skip and to add power to the lineup. He achieved those two goals, one in which was hiring Alex Cora. As we all know, this is Cora’s first stint as a manager, coming off a World Series title with the Houston Astros this past season. Being one of the youngest managers in Red Sox history, connecting with the young talent the Sox have made Cora an ideal fit. Cora has also had stints as teammates of Dustin Pedroia and briefly Mitch Moreland while with Texas (which everyone forgets). Cora finished his career with a .243 batting average, cranking only 35 homers and driving in 286 RBI’s. Don’t forget folks, he was part of our World Series title team back in 2007, so he knows what it takes to win both on the filed and in the dugout.

Entering this season I was excited. Cora brings youth and great baseball know-how to a team that can make some noise this season. The Red Sox are off to a hot start, winning eight of their first nine games. Their only loss occurred on Opening Day. His goal as a manager is to just be himself. Mainly, he wants to build a close relationship with his players. Find out what’s going on with each players lives both on and off the field. He believes a close, positive relationship with his players will lead to success and so far, it’s working.

There seems to be only positive news and results coming from Boston since the start of Spring Training. This team has become more fun to watch and it seems they’ve become more intertwined as a team. No, it’s not because they’re playing Fortnite in the clubhouse every day. It’s because of Alex Cora, and the good vibes he brings to the ball field each and every day.

The Boston Red Sox Aren’t Panicking

Leave a reply

The 2017 Boston Red Sox won 93 games last year, but it didn’t feel like that. The pitching was mostly dominant and the offense scored the sixth most runs in baseball, but there was something missing. The loss of David Ortiz drastically affected the offense, as the Sox finished dead last in home runs. In previous off-seasons, this would lead to management throwing an endless sum of money at any and all solutions they could find. However, this off-season, the Red Sox aren’t panicking, and it’s a welcome change of pace.

The Boston Red Sox Aren’t Panicking

Learning From History – Rusney Castillo

The Red Sox have had their fair share of free agency blunders, but let’s begin with what happened in the 2014-2015 offseason. The 2014 Red Sox were not a good team, and there were some glaring holes that needed to be fixed heading into 2015.

One year earlier, the Red Sox were outbid for Cuban first baseman Jose Abreau, who was tearing up the league with the Chicago White Sox. Not wanting to make the same mistake twice, they signed the next big thing out of Cuba, Rusney Castillo, to a seven-year, 72 million dollar contract. The Sox were the highest bidders by a wide margin, and Castillo made the move from Cuba to Boston.

Suffice to say this deal hasn’t worked out. Castillo never showed the ability to hit at the major league level and showed a frightening lack of situational awareness. Castillo is currently playing for the Pawtucket Red Sox and hasn’t seen the majors since early 2016. There’s no clear road back to the majors for him, as his contract is essentially keeping him in the minors. As long as he stays in the minors, his contract won’t affect the luxury tax. He’s shown improvement in AAA, but not enough to justify the luxury tax impact promoting him would cause.

2015’s Quest for an Ace

While international free agency didn’t work for the Sox that year, they also struggled assembling major league talent. Their first misstep came in their attempt to find an ace. After completely ruining the Jon Lester situation by lowballing him in contract offers, the Sox found themselves without an ace on the staff. Secondly, the Red Sox needed more power.

The Red Sox correctly identified both needs, but failed in finding the players to fill them. The Sox traded for Detroit Tigers pitcher Rick Porcello and tried to make him the ace of the team. He signed a four-year, 82.5 million dollar contract extension before the season started, more than the Red Sox initially offered Lester.

Porcello struggled his first year in Boston, but most of that falls on the Red Sox organization itself. Porcello had always been reliant on accuracy and pitching to weak contact. With the big contract signed, Porcello tried to become a true ace and transform into Corey Kluber. It backfired, and Porcello admitted he put too much pressure on himself to change his style.

2015’s Quest For Offense

The Red Sox signed Sandoval to be a star. It….didn’t work out

Image credit: Total Pro Sports

The Red Sox also entered the 2014-2015 offseason needing more power. Ortiz was still great, but outside of him the team couldn’t buy a run. They needed to find power hitters in free agency. Once more, the Sox overpaid and missed big. Boston brought in two of the biggest sluggers on the market and drastically overpaid for both. Hanley Ramirez came over on a four-year, 88 million dollar deal and Pablo Sandoval joined the team on a five-year, 95 million dollar contract.

While Ramirez has had his high points for the Sox (mostly in 2016), both players were terrible in 2015 and neither are living up to their contracts. Sandoval in particular was horrendous, as the Red Sox had to eat the whole contract just to get the third baseman off the team.

In the case of all four contracts, the Red Sox overreacted to a flaw on the team. They tried to make Castillo into Abreau, Porcello into an ace he had never proven to be, and they paid Ramirez and Sandoval as if both were in their prime. While Ramirez and Porcello have helped the Sox recently, neither one is living up to their contract.

Quest for an Ace – Part Two

The Red Sox worked hard to make sure this shirt wouldn’t make another appearance

Image credit: Rob Bradford

Expectations rose for the 2016 Red Sox thanks to a young core that finally looked ready to break out. Everyone wanted to end Ortiz’s final season with a championship. There was still one glaring flaw in the roster: there wasn’t a true ace.

In a desperate attempt to make sure the “He’s the Ace” T-Shirt wouldn’t come back, the Sox signed free agent David Price to a seven-year, 217 million dollar contract. This was a hard break from the Sox typical strategy of not investing in pitchers over 30.

Some people make the Price signing out to be as bad as the Sandoval signing, and that’s unfair. Like Ramirez and Porcello, Price has made an overall positive impact on the team. He performed adequately in 2016 and played through a painful elbow injury in 2017. However, his production has not matched his contract, just like Ramirez and Porcello. The elbow injury isn’t likely to get better as he gets older, and soon the contract will be another burden the Red Sox have to plan around.

The 2017-2018 Offseason

Fast forward to the present, and the Red Sox appeared to have learned their lesson. They need a power bat, and J.D. Martinez fills the role. However, they’re not just blindly throwing money and hoping he will single-handedly win a World Series.

According to reports, the Red Sox currently have offered Martinez a five-year deal worth roughly 110-125 million. Martinez’ camp was expecting an offer closer to seven years and over 200 million. The 30-year old outfielder seems content to wait for a better offer, but the Sox are right to stay put.

Signing Martinez on a five-year deal for roughly 25 million a season would be a big boost to this team. He’s a great power bat and would be a perfect complement to a great pitching staff and an already solid offense. However, he’s not the type of player who deserves the seven-year, 200 million deal he’s looking for.

Martinez is below average defensively, and would spend most of his time as the designated hitter. Health is another concern, as he’s played more than 125 games just once in his career. Power numbers typically decrease with age, and the injury concern would only get worse as time goes on. There’s no doubt that by year six or seven of the proposed contract, Martinez would be nothing more than a 30 million a year burden.

Outbidding Themselves

Not only that, but the Red Sox know they have the best offer. In years past, the Red Sox would intentionally overpay free agents such as Price, Ramirez and Sandoval. This strategy ensured the Sox would get whoever they wanted, but it drastically hindered their ability to build a team.

Current reports state that the Arizona Diamondbacks have the next closest offer with a five-year, 100 million dollar offer. This means that the Red Sox are beating the Diamondbacks by roughly 10 to 25 million dollars over the life of the contract. Instead of bidding against themselves, the Red Sox are wisely staying put with their current offer. Even if they don’t get him, there’s other options on the table.

It’s been a very boring offseason for Boston and around the league. The players want more money than teams are willing to give, and the league is currently in the midst of a giant standstill. However, this is the right strategy for the Red Sox. They’ve made reactionary, impulsive moves before, and all have been disappointing in some form. This free agent strategy ensures that the Sox should still get their guy without burdening the team for years to come.

Red Sox Should Stay Away from J.D Martinez

Leave a reply

Now that the Patriots’ season is over (long sigh), fans will quickly turn their attention to the other Boston teams. The Red Sox won 93 games last year, but they were knocked out in the divisional round. So far they have not done anything noteworthy this offseason to improve the team. One option is former Tigers and Diamondbacks slugger JD Martinez. Last year, Martinez had a career year with 45 home runs, 104 RBI, and he is a free agent. One of the teams with interest is the Red Sox. The Red Sox SHOULD NOT sign Martinez for three reasons:

Money and Production

According to Jerry Carasnick, Martinez’ agent, Scott Boras is looking for $200 million. The Red Sox have already wasted money on players such as Pablo Sandavol, who was cut last year. Rusney Castillo has been a bust since he came over from Cuba. Hanley Ramirez who has been okay, but not living up to his contract. They have a big payroll, but bad decisions cannot be made if they want to contend. You cannot win with players not living up to their potential. Also, they are reportedly unwilling to go over the luxury tax. Martinez is 30 years old so his production will go down by year, and he struggles with injuries. Martinez was the second best hitter in Detroit behind Miguel Cabrera and in Arizona behind Paul Goldschmidt. The Red Sox did not replace David Ortiz’ power, leadership, and ratings/marketing, and Martinez is not the guy.

Might Not Be the Year of the Red Sox

The Red Sox should wait another year. They already missed out on Giancarlo Stanton, who was regarded as the top need for the Red Sox. The list of free agents in 2019 include Bryce Harper, Manny Machado, Charlie Blackmon, and Josh Donaldson. These players will cost more than Martinez, but they are more talented and younger players worth waiting for. Many fans in Boston are spoiled and have a win-now mentality because of all the winning this century, but the Red Sox are better off waiting considering it is going to be hard to beat the Yankees this year anyway.

Is He That Good?

Do they really need Martinez? JD Martinez is a great player, but he is not good enough to make them better than the Yankees, Astros, or Indians. Is spending all that money really worth it, considering 2018 might not be Boston’s year anyway? If David Price opts out and the Red Sox can find a way to clear some more money, then the Red Sox can sign big free agents next offseason. Young stars such as Mookie Betts, Andrew Benintendi, Rafael Devers, Xander Bogaerts, and Jackie Bradley Jr., will not be due for a big payday yet.

If the Red Sox can get their offense from 2016 back, and the pitching staff is as good as it was last year then they will be legitimate contenders. Not having Martinez should not be a problem because they led the league in runs in 2016, and the pitching staff ranked fourth in 2017. Their roster has not changed that much since 2016, and the Red Sox could win the world series if new manager Alex Cora puts all the pieces into the puzzle the right way.

Cover image courtesy of MassLive.com

The Red Sox Are Trying Something New

Leave a reply

When you think of the all-time great Boston Red Sox, there are many players that come to mind. The organization has been blessed with an absurd amount of legends in its long history, from Ted Williams, to Carl Yastrzemski, to Carlton Fisk, to David Ortiz, and countless more. While all those legends are separated by decades, there is one thing that most of them share in common. Outside of Pedro Martinez, the best Sox players were always hitters. Looking at 2018, that probably won’t be the case. The Red Sox are trying something new this season – and that’s ok.

The Red Sox Are Trying Something New

It may not look like the normal Red Sox team, but there should be a lot of dancing this season

Image credit: SI.com

Historically, the Red Sox have never made acquiring top pitchers their main priority. Of course, they’ve never turned down signing a good pitcher if one fell into their lap, but generally speaking the organization has always put the focus on getting the best bat instead of the best arm. In 2016, the Red Sox took a turn from history and put more of the focus on pitching. With Ortiz retiring, they knew there would need to be a change in organizational philosophy.

With Ortiz’ departure imminent, the Sox went all in on pitching. Within two years, the Sox had remade their starting rotation. Boston added Chris Sale, David Price, and Drew Pomeranz to join Eddie Rodriguez and Rick Porcello. Additionally, the bullpen has added a series of hard throwing late inning arms to replace the likes of Jean Machi and the corpse of Junichi Tazawa.

Despite winning 93 games and the division title, the Red Sox 2017 season didn’t go as planned. Overall, the pitching held up its end of the bargain, but the offense lacked pop due to the absence of Ortiz along with some regression from the young core. Meanwhile, the Yankees young core had spent all of 2017 destroying baseballs, coming one game shy of the World Series.

Red Sox Nation freaked when the Yankees acquired NL MVP Giancarlo Stanton. The most power happy offense had added the best power hitter from the 2017 season. With all that firepower, there’s no way to think that the Red Sox can produce an offense that could match the Yankees. They can’t, but that’s fine. The Red Sox aren’t trying to, and they shouldn’t.

Where the Red Sox Stand Now

Adding J.D. Martinez would help Boston, but it’s not going to make or break the season. With or without him, Boston will not be able to match the Yankees lineup bat for bat. That’s where the pitching staff comes in. The Sox have a rotation led by two true aces in Chris Sale and David Price. Drew Pomeranz put together a great season last year, and Alex Cora should be the fix that lets Eddie Rodriguez make the leap. Rick Porcello is just one year removed from a Cy Young and will probably be better this year than last.

The bullpen is looking great too. The Sox should look to add another late inning arm, but the bullpen still figures to be a big strength. Craig Kimbrel was the best closer in baseball last year, and Carson Smith looked good in a small sample size. Tyler Thornberg still exists and will be pitching at some point. Joe Kelly and Matt Barnes should never be the top arms in the bullpen, but they’re great depth to have.

The Winning Strategy

Chris Sale’s arm will play a big role in this teams success

Image credit: NESN.com

The pitching will be enough to keep games close, so the offense doesn’t need to be a juggernaut to win games. Let’s assume the worst case scenario that Martinez doesn’t sign and nobody else is brought in. There would be a relative lack of power, but the Sox would still be in good shape.

Mookie Betts is an annual MVP candidate and will almost certainly be better in 2018 than 2017. Jackie Bradley Jr is streaky, but when he’s hot, he’s nearly unstoppable. Xander Bogaerts won’t ever hit 30 home runs, but he’s got amazing hands and is one of the best at making solid contact and getting on base. His innate ability to get on base and hit to all areas of the park makes him a great fit for the lead-off or second spot. On top of that, his annual second half slump could be a thing of the past now that the Sox have a manager that actually knows when a player needs a rest day.

Young Reinforcements

Expect this guy to become a household name before long

Image credit: Boston Globe

The established players should bounce back, but the younger players should add a kick of their own too. Andrew Benintendi played incredibly well for a rookie, but he did have his ups and downs. With a full year of the majors under his belt, he should continue his upward trajectory and could even push for the MVP if everything breaks right.

Third baseman Rafael Devers had a steep learning curve in 2017 and played incredibly well. Devers was promoted to the majors after just a week in Triple A after spending the first half of the season in AA ball. Somehow, the jump from AA pitching to major league didn’t affect him. Devers was one of the best power hitters on the team last year, and was responsible for some of the best moments of the season. His defense needs work, but his bat and athleticism have unreal potential.

All in all, this shapes up to be a good offense without accounting for Martinez or another power bat. It’s certainly an offense that’s good enough to compete with a good pitching staff to compliment it. When paired with a great pitching staff, it’s downright scary. It’s not a lineup that looks like a typical Red Sox lineup. It’s something new, but it’s something that should lead to serious World Series contention.

Cover image courtesy of Boston.com.

Pawtucket Red Sox Relocation: Finances

Leave a reply

McCoy Stadium, current home of the Pawtucket Red Sox, has been home to baseball in Rhode Island for 75 years. Not to mention, it is home to countless memories, including the longest game in baseball history. The possible relocation of the long time Triple-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox is burdening many fans and officials. The aging McCoy Stadium, which just celebrated its 75^th season, is need of renovation. While many Rhode Islanders love the field, they believe it is time for a new one. It is important to realize this a widely contested debate and is continuing on for the foreseeable future. These articles will focus on an individual aspect of the relocation process.

Finance

A 2016, a study showed that $68 million is required to make necessary repairs to the structure. This would keep McCoy Stadium intact and on the same ground. Although that may be true, demolishing the storied ground and building a new field right on top would cost the pretty penny of $78 million. New parking lots and garages will add to the price.

The addition of a parking garage would be unnecessary and anger many because Pawtucket locals sell spaces on their lawn for the low price of $10. Likewise, if you drive down South Bend Street you will find people selling spots for only $5. Rhode Island taxpayers will be sent a large portion of the bill if either of these deals go through. While many do not want to pay a large amount, many have deep emotional roots tied with McCoy Stadium and Paw Sox baseball.

Pawtucket, R.I.-04/28/2017- Larry Lucchino is trying to find a new home for the Pawtucket Red Sox, as spending millions of dollars to improve the old McCoy Stadium where they currently play. John Tlumacki/Globe Staff (business)

#PawtucketIsHome

As can be seen, Rhode Islanders love for the Pawtucket Red Sox goes beyond the average fans who support the team. Pawtucket Mayor, Don Grebien (D), has repeatedly stated his desires to keep the team in McCoy Stadium. Mayor Grebien often frequents McCoy Stadium. At “Bingo in The Batting Cage”, a charitable event for the purpose of donating money to Pawtucket, where fans including myself had the chance to pay $20 to go play bingo in the Batting Cage and win some awesome prizes. I won a Mookie Betts bobblehead and a VIP tour during the season. Mayor Grebien was the caller. In an interview, he stated, “I am committed to maintaining the affordable family-friendly brand of Paw Sox baseball in Pawtucket”.

“Affordable family-friendly brand”, are the words that sum up baseball in Pawtucket better than anything else. Most tickets cost only $9. Every Friday night there is a firework show. Amazing promotions are an additional bonus. I found that many Rhode Islanders do not want to lose this. The 2016 study also shows that $35 million will keep McCoy Stadium in use for twenty more years. While this would also cost the tax payers and management team, Paw Sox baseball would remain where it belongs, in Pawtucket. McCoy Stadium just celebrated it’s 75^th season. It is the oldest minor league baseball field in existence. This is not something to be ashamed of. Many Rhode Islanders are proud of that. And they should be.

Follow Matt McGurn on Twitter: @MickGurn

The Worst Red Sox Ever

Leave a reply

https://bostonsportsextra.com/boston-red-sox/2017/12/worst-starting-pitchers-red-sox-history

https://bostonsportsextra.com/boston-red-sox/2017/12/worst-relief-pitchers-red-sox-history

https://bostonsportsextra.com/boston-red-sox/2017/12/worst-catchers-red-sox-history

https://bostonsportsextra.com/boston-red-sox/2017/12/worst-first-basemen-red-sox-history

https://bostonsportsextra.com/boston-red-sox/2018/01/worst-second-basemen-red-sox-history

https://bostonsportsextra.com/boston-red-sox/2018/01/worst-third-basemen-red-sox-history

https://bostonsportsextra.com/boston-red-sox/2018/01/worst-shortstops-red-sox-history

https://bostonsportsextra.com/boston-red-sox/2018/01/worst-left-fielders-red-sox-history

https://bostonsportsextra.com/boston-red-sox/2018/01/worst-center-fielders-red-sox-history

https://bostonsportsextra.com/boston-red-sox/2018/01/worst-right-fielders-red-sox-history

https://bostonsportsextra.com/boston-red-sox/2018/01/worst-designated-hitters-red-sox-history

The Greatest Red Sox

Leave a reply

https://bostonsportsextra.com/boston-red-sox/2017/10/best-starting-pitchers-red-sox-history-right-handed

https://bostonsportsextra.com/boston-red-sox/2017/11/best-starting-pitchers-red-sox-history-left-handed

https://bostonsportsextra.com/boston-red-sox/2017/11/best-relief-pitchers-red-sox-history

https://bostonsportsextra.com/boston-red-sox/2017/11/best-catchers-red-sox-history

https://bostonsportsextra.com/boston-red-sox/2017/11/red-sox-greatest-first-basemen-ever

https://bostonsportsextra.com/boston-red-sox/2017/11/red-sox-greatest-second-basemen

https://bostonsportsextra.com/boston-red-sox/2017/11/red-sox-greatest-third-basemen-time

https://bostonsportsextra.com/boston-red-sox/2017/11/greatest-shortstops-red-sox-history

https://bostonsportsextra.com/boston-red-sox/2017/12/greatest-left-fielders-red-sox-history

https://bostonsportsextra.com/boston-red-sox/2017/12/greatest-center-fielders-red-sox-history

https://bostonsportsextra.com/boston-red-sox/2017/12/greatest-right-fielders-red-sox-history

https://bostonsportsextra.com/boston-red-sox/2017/12/greatest-designated-hitters-red-sox-history

What if JD Doesn’t Sign with Boston?

Leave a reply

Holding Until Spring Training

It’s the end of January. The MLB offseason is reaching its end and the Boston Red Sox haven’t made any notable moves besides the return of Moreland. The Sox are the front runners in the JD Martinez sweepstakes and he has yet to sign. The five year $100 million dollar deal the Sox offered has been on hold. The Scott Boras client even went on to say he would hold out until Spring Training to accept an offer. That’s flat out ridiculous, and this should make every Red Sox fan annoyed. The more I think of it, it wouldn’t be a bad thing if JD doesn’t sign with Boston. It may save the Red Sox some cash if they don’t sign Martinez, looking toward next offseason.

(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

Contract Years

Craig Kimbrel, Drew Pomeranz, and Joe Kelly are all potentially becoming free agents next year. It would be ideal for the Sox to sign back at least Kimbrell, who’s going to be asking for a hefty contract. If Pomeranz produces similarly to last year, then you can expect him to receive around a three or four year offer. Adding to that David Price, Chris Sale, and Hanley Ramirez are in their respective “opt-out” years, where it will depend on how well they perform in 2018. With players going into arbitration, Matt Barnes and Heath Hembree are entering their first years. Mookie, Bradley, and Bogaerts are also entering their second and third years so they will be expecting more money.

This also comes at a time where players in the likes of Bryce Harper and Manny Machado hit free agency. Clayton Kershaw and Elvis Andrus are entering “opt-out” years as well. If you really want to look ahead on it, Boston might want to start planning on possibly resigning Chris Sale next season as well as Paul Goldschmidt hitting free agency.

So to be honest, I would be totally fine on not signing JD this offseason. As long as we have Chris Sale and Paul Goldschmidt in 2020 (I can dream, right?).

Red Sox Best Free Agent Signings

Leave a reply

Free agency this winter has been colder than the temperatures outside. Those baseball fans among us are starving for action and something to talk about. Hopefully the team is drawing near, as Spring Training is just around the corner. But, with free agency currently lulling us all to sleep, I decided to take a look at some of the best free agent signings the Red Sox have ever made.

David Ortiz

Big Papi is in a class all by himself. The Red Sox picked up Ortiz cheap after the Twins mistakenly dumped him. I remember thinking it was odd the Twins let him go and was happy to see the Sox bring him aboard, but obviously no one knew what would come of it. Ortiz had homered twenty times the year before in a part-time role and eighteen times the year before that. The Red Sox signed Ortiz for just 1.25 million dollars. The rest, as they say, is history.

Ortiz blossomed in Fenway and turned into maybe the most popular and beloved Red Sox of all-time. There are too many instances to cite; all the game-winning hits, the postseason heroics, David Ortiz is a living legend. He hit 483 home runs with the Red Sox. In several decades, people will tell of his heroic feats and some will wonder if half of them really happened. All he did was that unbelievable, that legendary. In several years Cooperstown should be opening its doors to him. When they do, the entire city of Boston and a large portion of the states in New England will try to get tickets and descend upon the tiny town, trying to watch the lovable Papi become enshrined.

In 2013, Ortiz came to the forefront, not for his baseball heroics, but for a motivational speech he gave following the Boston Marathon bombing. This speech can still give chills nearly five years later. David Ortiz was, is, and will forever remain, a Boston hero.

Ortiz rallied the entire city behind him after the tragic marathon bombing in 2013.

The Big Money Signings

Manny Ramirez

Manny Ramirez could be a headache, and was put on the trade block multiple times, but all in all the signing paid off. He was given an eight year contract worth 160 million dollars by the Red Sox before the 2001 season. Despite the problems he could cause, and “Manny being Manny”, Ramirez helped the Red Sox win two World Series and was the MVP of the curse breaker in 2004. That series he batted .412 to win the award. In four postseasons with the Red Sox he batted .321 with eleven home runs. In regular season play, Manny hit .312 with 274 home runs and a .999 OPS.

Manny Ramirez of the Red Sox celebrates after connecting for a three-run home run to defeat the Angels, 6-3 in Game 2 of the ALDS. (Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images)

Johnny Damon

The Red Sox signed Johnny Damon to a four year deal worth 31 million dollars before the 2002 season. Damon batted .295 in his four seasons with Boston, making two All-Star Games. He stole 30 bases in each of his first two seasons, then hit 20 homers in his third season. Damon helped the Red Sox break the curse in 2004, helping the band of “idiots” overcome the “evil empire.” Damon hit two huge home runs in game seven of the ALCS that season to defeat the Yankees en route to the World Series. He may have cut off all his hair and gone to the Yankees, transforming from Jesus into the Antichrist, but during his deal he was certainly worth the money.

Keith Foulke

After the bullpen struggled in 2003, the Red Sox went out and signed closer Keith Foulke to a three year deal worth 18.75 million. He earned every penny of the entire deal in 2004 and embedded himself into Red Sox lore. After pitching to a 2.17 ERA and saving 32 games that season, Foulke became a postseason hero. With the team down 0-3 to the Yankees in the ALCS, needing a win to avoid the sweep, Foulke pitched 2.2 shutout innings to keep the game alive. He then pitched each of the next two days to help the Red Sox force a game seven. After winning the series, Foulke pitched in all four World Series games and recorded the unforgettable final out.

Bargain Contracts

Bill Mueller

Bill Mueller was a cheap signing heading into the 2003 season to handle the hot corner. Signed to a three year deal worth only 6.7 million dollars in total, Mueller was worth more than that in just the first season. He led the American League in hitting that year, batting .326 with 19 home runs, 45 doubles and a .938 OPS. That was a career year for Mueller, but he still batted .290 over the next two seasons. Mueller of course also had the base hit to score Dave Roberts, sending game four of the ALCS in 2004 to extra innings. Mueller batted .321 that postseason as the Red Sox won their first World Series in 86 years.

Adrian Beltre

Beltre was a big name, but came to Boston on a relatively cheap deal. After a down season in 2009, Beltre bet on himself to rebound and cash in with a larger contract the following season. The Red Sox were able to procure his services for 9 million dollars in 2010. Beltre proceeded to have the second best season of his career; he hasn’t stopped hitting since. Beltre to that point had been a decent third baseman, but somewhat disappointing. His season with the Red Sox started him on an epic second half of his career journey which is leading him to the baseball Hall of Fame. In his one season in Boston, Beltre batted .321 with 28 homers and led the league with 49 doubles.

Koji Uehara

Koji had always put up good numbers prior to coming to Boston, but had troubles staying healthy. The Red Sox initially gave him a two year deal worth 9.25 million dollars. Uehara stayed healthy and had an insanely dominant first season in Boston. In 2013, Uehara was 4-1 with a microscopic 1.09 ERA, 0.56 WHIP and saved 21 games. He then allowed one run in 13.2 innings pitched during the postseason as the Red Sox won the World Series. Koji was the MVP of the ALCS that year. Uehara ended up spending four seasons in Boston, posting a 2.19 ERA and 79 saves.

Off the Scrap Heap

Tim Wakefield

Wakefield burst onto the scene in 1992 with the Pirates, going 8-1 with a 2.15 ERA. The fall was quick though and Wakefield was back in the minor leagues for part of the next season and the entire 1994 season. The Pirates released him before the 1995 season started. Just under a week later, the Red Sox decided to nab Wakefield off the scrap heap and give his knuckleball a try. One thing Dan Duquette was good at was picking up players no one else wanted and getting success out of them.

Wakefield stayed in Boston for 17 years, pitching in every role imaginable. He won 186 games, good for third on the franchise’s all-time list. He was a fan favorite and still works with the team today, showing up on NESN often throughout the year to do studio work. Not a bad pickup.

Tim Wakefield of the Boston Red Sox starts against the New York Yankees March 13, 2009 at City of Palms Park in Fort Myers, Florida. (Photo by Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images)

Luis Tiant

Tiant had been a successful pitcher in Cleveland in the sixties, even leading the league with a 1.60 ERA while winning 21 games in 1968. His career had fallen on hard times before coming to Boston however. Tiant missed half the season in 1970 and had yet to pitch when the Braves released him in May 1971. With Tiant a free agent, the Red Sox decided to take a chance on him and his injured arm. The move didn’t pay off immediately, as he was 1-7 the rest of that season. However, the dividends down the road were immense.

Tiant went on to have an excellent career with the Red Sox and become a borderline Hall of Fame candidate. I listed Tiant as one of the Red Sox five greatest right-handed pitchers ever a few months ago. By 1972, Tiant led the American League with a 1.91 ERA. He’d win 20 games as a member of the Red Sox three times, winning 122 total in parts of eight seasons. He also went 3-0 in the 1975 postseason with a 2.65 ERA.

Rich Garces

The lovable “El Guapo” is the third “scrap heap” free agent signing. Listed at a generous 250 pounds, (it was probably closer to 300), Garces looked like he belonged anywhere but playing professional sports. Garces pitched seven seasons for the Red Sox and developed into one of their more reliable relief pitchers. Between 1990 and 1995, Garces had only appeared in 26 Major League outings, a number he eclipsed in 1996 alone with the Sox. Garces’ best season came in 1999 when he put up a 1.55 ERA. Starting with that season, Garces won 19 games against just 3 losses over a three year stretch.

Rich Garces of the Red Sox pitches during a Spring Training game against the Rangers in Fort Myers, Florida. Mandatory Credit: Brian Bahr /Allsport

Red Sox Who Could Crack Baseball America’s Top 100 in 2019

Leave a reply

When Baseball America released its top 100 list on Monday, the Red Sox only had two farmhands make the list. In recent years, the farm system has produced more than just two players on the list, and usually several much higher on the list. Jason Groome was the highest ranked Red Sox prospect at number 83. This was the lowest a Red Sox top prospect has shown up on this list since Dernell Stenson in 2001. This isn’t to say all hope is lost down on the farm. The other day I wrote about the two players who made the list, and the Red Sox have plenty of other intriguing names for the future. They may not be Yoan Moncada or Michael Kopech, but they have a few guys who could threaten to crack the top 100 list in 2019.

The Most Likely

Bryan Mata

Mata is an 18 year old who was signed out of Venezuela in 2016. He is very refined for such a young kid, being rated as having the best control in the Red Sox farm system by Baseball America. Oftentimes control is something that gets better with age, so for someone so young to be graded so highly is rare.

Mata is more than just a control pitcher, throwing in the low to mid-90’s as a teenager. One would assume he will add some velocity as he reaches his 20’s and fills out more. Currently he is very skinny and will need to bulk up to withstand a full season, but there is plenty of time to do that. Once he does fill out more it would not be surprising to see him sit in the mid-90’s with his fastball. Mata also throws a curveball and a changeup. These offerings show potential but both have some work to do. He more than held his own last year at Greenville, a level not usually reached by someone his age. At just 18, Mata is far advanced for his age and could make the top 100 next year with continued improvement.

Tanner Houck

Houck was the Red Sox 1st round pick this past season, so it would be nice to see a strong year from him to elevate him into Baseball America’s top 100. Coming out of Missouri, Houck has a great pitcher’s frame, standing at 6’5″ 220. His fastball velocity has a wide range, but can reach as high as 98 MPH. The pitch has good sink to it and no doubt can play at the Major League level. How far he gets will rely on his secondary pitches and his refinement. He has the body to be a workhorse, but if he fizzles out as a starter he has the stuff to be a late innings reliever.

Houck has the best slider in the Red Sox system according to Baseball America; a third pitch will be key in his development. Throwing from a 3/4 arm slot, Houck reminds me some of Justin Masterson. Masterson was a high pick by the Red Sox who had a heavy sink on his pitches and a good slider. It was up in the air whether he would be a starter or a reliever in the majors; he ultimately did some of both. Masterson never really developed another reliable pitch to maintain his successes, so hopefully Houck can add a reliable third pitch.

Right-handed pitcher Tanner Houck pitches against the South Carolina Gamecocks at Taylor Stadium (Tim Nwachukwu)

Josh Ockimey

Ockimey is a big first baseman with excellent raw power. Ockimey can put on displays of power in batting practice, but the home runs haven’t come in abundance yet in games. Often, that comes later with development. A lot of guys hit for more power once they reach the majors than they ever did in the minors. Take a look at Aaron Judge, who never hit more than 20 home runs in any season despite having a huge projection of power. At present, it’s more important that Ockimey keeps his batting eye and shows the ability to hit well enough to keep advancing.

Ockimey hit 18 home runs two years ago, but after a fast start his bat went ice cold and he finished the season with a .226 batting average. Despite such a low average, he got on base at a very respectable .364 clip thanks to his 88 walks. This is what I believe can help him become a regular at the big league level if he shows he can hit enough. With power and a great batting eye he could be a valuable player even if he batted .240. Last season he was able to bat .274 with a .385 on base percentage between two levels. Starting in AA Portland this year, if Ockimey can keep his average and walks in line with that he could crack the top 100 next season. There is still a wide range of possible scenarios for him, but he seems to have a good head on his shoulders.

Photo credit: Kelly O’Connor

If Things Fall Right

Mike Shawaryn

Shawaryn was a potential first round pick after his sophomore season at Maryland. That season he went 13-2 with a 1.71 ERA. After battling some injuries his junior season, Shawaryn fell to the 5th round. He had still performed well though, posting a 3.18 ERA and 0.96 WHIP. Shawaryn has continued to produce in the Minor Leagues, posting an ERA below 4.00 at all three levels. Last year was his first full season and he struck out 169 batters over 135 innings between two levels. If he can show similar results this year he should have a chance to make the list in 2019.

Bobby Dalbec

Dalbec took a step back this year after looking like one of the Red Sox top hitting prospects the year before. Dalbec both pitched and hit well in college, and could always give pitching a shot if hitting fails him. Before that though, he will see if he can rebound. Dalbec has big power, so if he can hit the ball more consistently he could develop into a Major Leaguer down the road. He batted .386 with 7 home runs in Lowell two years ago after being drafted in the 4th round. Last year he fell off to .246, although he did post a .345 on base percentage.

Right now, there is too much swing and miss to his game, if he can cut back on the strike outs his power might be able to play up more. If that happens, maybe Dalbec has a Michael Chavis type breakout this season. If that happened, along with his strong arm from third base Dalbec would certainly join the top 100 next year. The range of outcomes on him is large.

Photo by Peter Aiken

Dark Horse Candidates

Cole Brannen

Brannen was the Red Sox second round draft pick last season out of high school. He would likely need to have a strong showing this season to gain consideration from Baseball America since he is so young and not yet in full season ball. Brannen doesn’t have much power but projects to hit for good averages and is a speedy outfielder.

Alex Scherff

Another draft pick of the Red Sox last season, Scherff was a 5th round pick out of high school. He could have been a higher pick, but fell due to concerns over whether he would sign or go to college. Scherff already throws in the mid-90’s, occasionally reaching the upper 90’s. He will have to dominate low-A hitters this season to have a shot at the Baseball America top 100 next year.

Darwinzon Hernandez

Hernandez’ fastball was rated as the best in the system by Baseball America. Hernandez was 20 years old last season pitching in full season Greenville. He struck out over a batter per inning while showing off good stuff. If he can gain more consistency with his secondary offerings he could make a huge leap this coming season.

Roldani Baldwin

Baldwin is a lesser known Red Sox prospect who comes in all the way down at number 32 on sox prospects. Signed out of the Dominican back in 2014, Baldwin is still only 21 years old. Last season at Greenville he batted .274 with an impressive .489 slugging percentage. He shows good pop, hitting 14 home runs and 35 doubles in 368 at-bats last year. Oh, did I mention he was a catcher? Converted back to the position for last year, Baldwin threw out one-third of potential base stealers while showing the ability to play backstop. He might be a longshot to make the top 100 next year, but he is an intriguing dark horse to watch behind the plate moving forward.

Roldani Baldwin swinging (Bryan Green)

Featured picture from Over the Monster.