Tag Archives: #RedSoxNation

Shohei Ohtani, Meet Chris Sale

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Sale for Home Run Derby

The 2018 season is underway, and so many things have happened so far. Xander Bogearts is off to a hot start, the starting pitching has been good, Chris Sale is hitting bombs… Wait, what? Yeah, you read that right.

The Red Sox, who will be going to Miami after Sunday’s game, will have starting pitchers in the batting order for the two games against the Marlins. You might as well start getting ready as early as you can. Red Sox beat writers posted a video of Boston’s ace pitcher taking BP. You can see him pimping one and having an epic bat flip.

Shohei Ohtani? Who’s that? Not only is Sale hitting balls to the moon, but he’s also doing bat flips that will make José Bautista jealous. Cora apparently has yet another bat he will have to figure out to get into the lineup. I’m going for the over on 40 homers for Sale this year. Watch out, Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge.

 

Cover image courtesy of the WCVB.

Opening Day Is Just One Game of 162

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Started the Season with an Upset

Clearly Opening Day didn’t end the way Red Sox Nation had hoped it to. Playing Tampa Bay was supposed to be an easy win. The Sox were doing great up until the 8th inning. Tampa Bay had the bases loaded and only one out. Sox Nation’s worst nightmare was coming into fruition. The Tampa Bay Rays had a chance to win the game after trailing 4-0 all day.

The Bullpen

Sale Day is always taken very seriously with the Red Sox, and he certainly proved why he was the Opening Day pitcher. He wasn’t perfect, as he showed some rustiness on the mound. He pitched six scoreless innings with nine strikeouts. Matt Barnes replaced Sale first. He had a quick appearance but held off any runs. Then possibly the biggest disappointment happened. Joe Kelly was on the mound, allowing Matt Duffy to hit and RBI double to cut the Sox lead 4-1. Carson Smith was the final pitcher for the Sox, he struck out one batter, providing a little bit of hope. Denard Span, Tampa Bays left fielder, drove in three players, causing Tampa to tie the game. Allowing Hechavarria to bring in Span, and unfortunately win the game.

Eduardo Nuñez

He re-signed with the Red Sox organization at the beginning of Spring Training. Nuñez had to prove to the organization that he is still a good addition to the team. In the top of the second inning, Eduardo Nuñez hit a two run homer in a picture perfect way. The play went straight out to center field where Kiermaier and Span both dove for the ball, but the ball went right past them. Nuñez ran the bases in a speedy 15.87 seconds. Pregame polls showed that fans thought either Mookie or J.D. Martinez would hit the first home run of the season. No one expected it to be Nuñez. But with Pedroia still on the DL, Nuñez holds the potential and ability that the Sox need.

Opening Day Is Only Game One

Luckily we have today to look forward to. It was Alex Cora’s first game as a manager. The loss is not his fault. It’s baseball. Some lose and some win. The next eight games are split between Tampa and Miami. Two teams that should be easy to beat. Fenway Opening Day is under a week away, and the Sox can finally play at home. Then there are the games we’ve been waiting for. NYY vs. BOSTON. Giancarlo Stanton vs. J.D. Martinez. Arguably, the biggest rivalry in MLB. It’s only game one of the season, and there’s plenty of wins and records to look forward to.

Sources

Boston Red Sox

Billie Weiss

Tampa Bay Rays

It’s Opening Day and We Have Ourselves a Lineup

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Opening Day Is Here

It’s been a long last few months. A lot has happened from losing to Houston in the ALDS last year to now. Alex Cora was hired to be the new manager, J.D. Martinez signed with Boston, and the Red Sox had the best record in all of Spring Training.

The day has finally come. Today is Christmas for baseball fans. Opening Day. A day that should be a national holiday. A day where baseball finally makes its return after a long winter and a long spring of exhibition games. Everybody is in it, no team is eliminated just yet. It’s definitely one of if not the most exciting days of the year.

Alex Cora, who will be in his first year of managing, made a decision right away after he was signed that Mookie and Benintendi were going to lead off the lineup. Mookie hitting first, and Benintendi in the two hole.

The day has finally come, it is Opening Day. We already have a lineup. It will look like this:

1. Betts
2. Benintendi
3. Ramirez
4. Martinez
5. Bogaerts
6. Nunez/Devers
7. Nunez/Devers
8. Bradley
9. Vazquez

Cora said Devers is good to go, but he’s just not definite where Nunez and Devers are hitting.

I love this lineup. Obviously I will miss Pedey, but he’ll be back soon. Will this be the best lineup in baseball? Probably not. But they will know how to get on base and have some extra pop with a guy like J.D. Martinez getting thrown into the middle of the order.

Let the games begin.

 

Cover image courtesy of Boston Sports Desk.

This 2018 Red Sox Bullpen Has Potential

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The Red Sox bullpen may not be as attractive as some of the others in baseball. However, it certainly can be a good one. As of right now the bullpen looks like Kimbrel, Thornburg, Smith, Kelly, Barnes, and maybe Maddox. The first four names on that list are definite. Everyone else is a question mark.

The Lefty Situation

Cora has already stated that if a lefty pitcher does not make the team out of spring training, then they won’t need one. At least for right now. Robby Scott was the favorite to make the team before Spring Training started, but he hasn’t shown he deserves a spot so far. Cora’s talked highly of Bobby Poyner, a lefty who has pretty good numbers so far this spring, but it isn’t the biggest sample size. So, if there is no lefty that Cora can trust in the pen to start the year, it wouldn’t be detrimental. I totally agree with Alex Cora. It doesn’t matter if you’re a righty pitcher. If you can get lefties out you deserve a spot over an undeserving lefty in the bullpen.

The Bullpen’s up and Coming

Besides Craig Kimbrel, the reliever I’m most excited to watch is Carson Smith. He showed us tidbits of what he can do last year for the abbreviated time he was available. However, we haven’t really seen much of Smith yet. He has a nasty slider along with a good sinker and a fastball that sits around 92-94. Smith is someone you bring in when you need a double play late in the game. He would be great at giving up soft contact on the ground, or just watching guys freeze on his nasty hook.

Tyler Thornburg, who had thoracic outlet surgery in the offseason, will have to start the year on the DL. The exact time that he will return is up in the air. But it shouldn’t be too long before he makes his long awaited return. He is certainly another key piece and a great weapon to have in this bullpen.

Joe Kelly, aka Jim Buchanan, is a great guy to have not only in this pen, but on this team. I’ve mentioned before his goofy personality is exactly what this team needs. Something a winning team will need. Joe and his personality, along with his 100 mph fastball, nasty slider, and curve will be a big part of this team in 2018.

Last and certainly not least, is Craig Kimbrel, who pitched to a 1.43 ERA, a 1.41 FIP, and struck out about half the hitters he faced last year. So yeah, this dude is not bad. And let me just mention someone else who is awesome. Kimbrel was out of Fort Myers for three weeks because his daughter Lydia, who was born with a heart defect and only a few months old, had to get her second heart procedure done in Boston. Kimbrel returned to Spring Training because his daughter had the surgery and is doing great.

So Kimbrel, who has been working out at Fenway for a while now is back with the team at camp and will be ready for Opening Day, which is great news. But more importantly, his daughter is alright. Let’s just say that’s one tough girl, and she definitely got part of that from Craig, no doubt. Lydia Strong.

All in all, this Red Sox bullpen may not necessarily jump out as the best. But it is certainly not a bullpen anyone should take lightly. With these scary arms to go along with Cora’s managing and the non-closer philosophy, this bullpen can definitely be a strength for this 2018 Red Sox team.

 

Cover image courtesy of USA Today.

David Price Is Ready for 2018

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David Price was scheduled to make his first start of the spring last Saturday, but got scratched due to the wet weather. He finally pitched his first Grapefruit League game on Thursday against the Blue Jays. The results? Let’s just say he did pretty well. He threw four shutout innings, he gave up one hit, one walk, and punched out five.

Now I know it is only Spring Training, but regardless of how Price did today, I as well as many Red Sox fans are excited. And for the ones that aren’t, you might want to jump off that train as soon as you can.

All Aboard the David Price Hype Train

Price has obviously not been what we paid for the last couple years, pitching to a 3.99 ERA in the first year of his contract in 2016, and only making 11 starts last year due to an elbow injury. What he did out of the bullpen in last year’s postseason was a glimpse of what’s to come. But this time he will be pitching from the start.

In 2016, Price’s ERA was a little higher than expected, and he got a lot of hate. But if you look back on that year, he only had one bad month, and that was April. He had an ERA over six. The rest of the season? He had an ERA around 3.30. You also can’t forget the fact that he threw 230 innings that year, which is huge. Also, over his last 263 and a third innings, Price has a 3.38 ERA. That’s right. And that’s through his struggles over the past couple years as well.

Price was so upset last year when he had that elbow injury. He wanted to prove himself and everyone else that he is worth that contract. Now he is all healthy and ready to show everyone why we signed him.

Will 2015 Price Make a Comeback?

Recently, I looked up Price’s 2015 highlights, the year he got traded from Detroit to Toronto. The whole video was him just mowing everyone down. As I watched that I couldn’t help but think that this man is on our team. Just because maybe the media and some of the fans might tell you otherwise, this dude is a stud. Someone who can be just as good as Chris Sale. David is motivated, and he’s ready to show the world that he’s one of the best pitchers in the game of baseball.

2018 is going to be a huge year for Price, and whether you like it or not. Whether you can admit it or not, your baseball team is better when he is on it.

Joe Kelly Is What the Red Sox Need

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I’d say Jim Buchanan is one of my favorite reporters out there! Joe Kelly has been doing a great job of trolling everybody at the Red Sox spring training camp. He recently started dressing up as some goofy reporter named Jim Buchanan. He’s been messing around with the media and security guards, which is awesome and hilarious.

https://youtu.be/lhKOPfz1e7A

Joe Kelly, who came over to Boston in the John Lackey trade back in 2014, has had a great past couple years as a reliever. He used to be a starter, but couldn’t usually pitch deep into games. He is just a better overall pitcher when used in the bullpen.

His velocity as a reliever is different too, as his fastball can top out at 101 mph. He also developed a very effective curveball and slider. He will be a huge part of this bullpen in 2018 and hopefully someone we can all rely on and feel comfortable with late in a game.

Joe Kelly in particular being good is a great thing for this Red Sox team. As you can see with the Joe Buchanan thing, he is a very goofy person. He’s a great clubhouse guy and someone who can keep the guys in a good mood and laughing at all times. You can never have enough of those guys on your team.

Joe Kelly has done some awesome things in his career, but nothing has topped his stand-off in the National Anthem against Scott Van Slyke of the Dodgers. It wasn’t before some spring training game. Not during a regular season game either. It was before Game 6 of the flipping NLCS. Joe Kelly forever.

 

Cover image courtesy of The Boston Herald.

J.D. Martinez Is Making Plays with Mookie Betts

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Looking Forward to J.D. Martinez in 2018

When J.D. Martinez signed with the Red Sox, it felt awesome no doubt. But it didn’t feel fully real. At least not then. I wouldn’t even say it feels 100% real now, as he has yet to play a regular season game for it to really sink in. But it’s definitely getting to the point where I don’t feel like I’m in a dream anymore.

It was the same way when David Price signed a couple of years back, and Chris Sale last year. They both had to start a few games before it really sunk in that they were here.

J.D. has finally gotten into his first few Spring Training games. I never really thought about it but hearing “J.D. driving in Mookie” is definitely a term we will be hearing all season. And I am here for it.

USA Today

Martinez + Mookie

Mookie Betts was in a 0-16 hole so far in Spring Training going into today’s game against the Rays. He finally got his first hit on a ground ball to third. He pointed to the sky and celebrated with the new first base coach Tom Gooden. But something would happen a few AB’s later that really got me excited.

J.D. Martinez came to the plate with two outs and Mookie on first base. J.D. had played his first game the day before and went 0-2 on two fly outs. On his first at bat in his second game hitting cleanup, he hit a fly ball to right field that got down. It went deep enough for Mookie to come around third and score.

That run didn’t matter much, as it was only a Spring Training run that got the game to a 3-1 deficit. None of that was what I was excited about. But it was the fact that J.D. Martinez had just driven in Mookie Betts. That is for sure a delightful thing to hear and something Sox fans will be hearing all season long. It will be a phrase that I will have no problem getting used to.

 

Cover image courtesy of NESN.

The Eduardo Rodriguez Breakout Season

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The Boston Red Sox rotation, when healthy, is one of the best in the league. Chris Sale is one of the top five starters in baseball, and David Price, Drew Pomeranz, and Rick Porcello are all above average at their respective spot in the rotation. However, there is one X-Factor in the rotation that could truly send this group from great to elite. Eduardo Rodriguez has flashed talent since entering the majors in 2015, but has struggled with consistency. Now in his fourth major league season, here’s what needs to happen for the Eduardo Rodriguez breakout season to become reality.

The Eduardo Rodriguez Breakout Season

Start Healthy and Stay Healthy

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The first jersey Rodriguez wears this season shouldn’t be a Boston Red Sox one

Image credit: Portland Press Herald

E-Rod is expected to miss the start of the regular season, but it’s not all bad news. Rodriguez has begun throwing bullpen sessions off the mound, and could be ready to return as soon as mid-April. This is ahead of the initial recovery date, which is obviously good news.

However, Alex Cora and the Red Sox need to be smart about bringing E-Rod back. His off-season knee surgery was mostly seen as a maintenance work, but he’s had knee injuries before. The Red Sox need to be sure not to bring him back into the rotation before he’s ready to go.

He’s been rushed back too early before, and the results haven’t been great. E-Rod went through a different knee issue in 2016, and came back a bit earlier than he should have. The 2016 rotation was something of a mess at the time, so it’s understandable why then-manager John Farrell wanted E-Rod back as soon as possible.

Learning from History

However, learning from history shows patience is the best course. E-Rod made his 2016 season debut on May 31st, and after six starts he held an ugly 8.59 ERA. He gave up four or more earned runs four times, and only made it out of the sixth inning twice.

The Red Sox demoted Rodriguez to Pawtucket to fix his mechanics and get healthy. He returned three weeks later looking like a completely different player. Rodriguez made fourteen starts and recorded a 3.24 ERA after that demotion. He was one of the best pitchers on the team and should have started in the playoffs against the Cleveland Indians.

Brian Johnson is currently scheduled to take E-Rod’s spot in the rotation. It will be tempting for Cora to get Rodriguez back in the rotation as early as possible, but he needs to be smart. Rushing E-Rod is a short sighted move that will only make the team and Rodriguez worse in the long run. Get him healthy, and let him dominate.

Use the Slider

Image result for eduardo rodriguez

When it’s working, Rodriguez has one of the best sliders in baseball

While getting E-Rod fully healthy rests primarily on the training and coaching staff, E-Rod needs to make sure he’s smart with his pitch selection. Rodriguez is a three-pitch pitcher, and can be unhittable when all three are working. His fastball is his main pitch, and he has a nasty change up. However, it’s his slider that makes him deadly.

When Rodriguez doesn’t trust his slider, his pitches become predictable. Hitters can sit on the fastball and change up, and those pitches alone aren’t good enough to consistently get guys out. That’s not to say that E-Rod can only get guys out with the slider; he’s had good games rarely throwing it. Last season against the Baltimore Orioles, E-Rod pitched six shutout innings while throwing his slider just 5.6% of the time.

However, a lot of E-Rod’s bad starts have one thing in common: the absence of the slider. In 2017, Rodriguez had six starts in which he pitched fewer than six innings and gave up four or more earned runs. His slider use was under 10% in four of those six starts.

Looking at the data, most of E-Rod’s noted inconsistency comes from starts where he doesn’t use his slider. When healthy and not using his slider, his good versus bad starts are split roughly 50/50. When he’s healthy and able to keep batters guessing, he almost always puts up quality starts.

What to Expect This Year

I’ve admittedly been high on Rodriguez ever since his 2015 debut, but this should be his breakout year. Rodriguez has been in the majors long enough that Alex Cora should know the best way to use E-Rod. He’ll know that E-Rod needs to get his slider working. He’ll know that rushing E-Rod back to replace Brian Johnson is a bad idea.

It wasn’t that long ago that E-Rod was one of the top prospects in baseball, and he’s still just 24. He won’t ever threaten Sale for the ace position, but there’s no reason to think that he can’t push for the second or third spot in the rotation. Regardless of where he ends up in the lineup, he should push the unit over the top. Sale, Price, Pomeranz, Porcello, and a healthy Rodriguez should be nearly unhittable. Combine that with a strong offense and bullpen, and these Red Sox should be very hard to beat this season.

 

Cover Image Credit: NBC Sports

Rafael Devers- Boston’s Future at Third Base

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The Third Base Conundrum

Last year in the summertime, the Red Sox were in a very tough place. They had just released Pablo Sandoval, a third baseman they had expected to be their guy over the next five years. He was signed to a $95 million contract in the winter of 2014. He did not produce in the way he did in San Francisco, where he helped lead them to three championships in five seasons.

They had started the year off with Pablo over Travis Shaw, because they were hopeful the Sandoval situation would work out. Obviously it didn’t. So they could’ve just went back to Travis Shaw at third, right? The problem was Shaw was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers for Tyler Thornburg, a right handed reliever who was injured for the whole year. So Shaw is out mashing on the Brew Crew, meanwhile the Red Sox were forced to release their joke of a third baseman.

One of the biggest talks of last year was who the Red Sox could trade for to play third base. Everyone mentioned Mike Moustakes, from Kansas City, who could be a good rental. Nobody wanted the best prospect in the organization, Rafael Devers, to get called up since many thought he would be too rushed. But Dave Dombrowski didn’t listen as he would call up Devers in July.

Devers is the Future

At first many were skeptical, but that went away quick. In his second game he slammed a 427 foot home run. He would later single later in that game and never look back. He stayed hot for the rest of the year, hitting home runs left and right, including the famous one off of Aroldis Chapman to tie the game in the top of the ninth in Yankee Stadium. I mean, he’s already getting clutch hits against the Yankees at age 20. Just crazy.

He’s had a great spring so far, hitting .400 with two homers in several games. He went back to back with Andrew Beninendi last Sunday, and did the same with Xander Bogaerts against the Rays.

The lineup is still being figured out, as Cora will put guys in the right places for protection. But Devers definitely has the capability of being in the top or middle of that lineup.

What to Look Forward To

As far as the defense goes, he’s struggled. But that’s okay. You have to remember he’s not even 21 yet. Defense will come around. One of the players Devers looked up to growing up was Adrian Beltre. Beltre came up with the Dodgers at a very young age and struggled defensively at third. But now? He’s a five time gold glove winner and someone you see making great plays every single night. So as far as defense goes for Devers, it will come around.

I am super excited to see what the future holds for this young kid who isn’t even near his prime yet and already hits like a veteran. He is perfect for Fenway as he has learned to use the monster very well. The future looks bright for the young Devers, but as of right now, he’s looking like a big part of this 2018 Red Sox team.

 

Cover image courtesy of NESN.

How Do the Red Sox Match up with the Yankees?

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The 2018 MLB season starts later this month, and the Red Sox and Yankees will be battling it out for first place in the AL East. The Red Sox have won the division two straight years, and the Yankees lost in the ALCS last year. Since they are likely to be neck and neck, let’s evaluate how they match up with each other:

Hitting

The Yankees have a dominant duo with Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge, who combined for 111 home runs last year. They are complemented by other productive hitters such as Gary Sanchez, Aaron Hicks, and Didi Gregorius. The Red Sox struggled with power last year, but they did add slugger J.D. Martinez to the lineup. Unlike the Yankees, the Red Sox rely on average and speed to score runs. If Hanley Ramirez, Mookie Betts, Rafael Devers, and Andrew Benintendi all hit for power, then the Red Sox will win the division. If they hit for average, the Yankees will win. Xander Bogaerts and Jackie Bradley Jr. have not lived up to expectations, but they both have great potential. They could be nice compliments at the bottom of the order.

Final prediction: The Yankees hitting will match up better than the Red Sox.

Yankees Pitching

The Yankees have a shaky starting rotation, but a very good bullpen. If Luis Severino repeats what he did last year, then he is the clear ace. If he does not, the Yankees are in trouble. Masahiro Tanaka is rarely healthy and has struggled in past years when healthy. Sonny Gray had a promising start to his career, but he had a 5.69 ERA in 2016 and a 3.75 ERA in 2017. If he can get back to his 2015 days when he had a 2.73 ERA, then he will be a great number two starter. The rest of the Yankees rotation is filled out by 37-year-old CC Sabathia and inexperienced Jordan Montgomery. The Yankees should win almost every game when they have the lead going into the seventh. David Robertson, Dillon Betances, and Alrodis Chapman is a dominant 7-8-9 trio.

Red Sox Pitching

The Red Sox pitching staff has a ton of potential. David Price, Chris Sale, Drew Pomeranz, and Rick Porcello all have the potential to be aces. David Price struggled a bit in 2016 but shined when healthy in 2017. Rick Porcello won the Cy Young award in 2016 but struggled in 2017. Chris Sale was an MVP candidate but started to fall off at the end of last year. Drew Pomeranz has been excellent since the start of 2016, hopefully, he can keep that up. Eduardo Rodriguez is a nice option for the fifth starter, but it looks like Brian Johnson will take that spot due to Rodriguez’ knee injury. The Red Sox did not make any improvements to the bullpen, and it seems like Carson Smith and Tyler Thornburg will be relied on. They were traded for in consecutive offseasons, but injuries have kept them both sidelined.

Final prediction: Red Sox pitching staff will match up better than the Yankees pitching staff.

 

Cover image courtesy of BoSox Injection.