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Red Sox-Rays Series Recap, Notes, and Observations

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The Boston Red Sox had momentum coming into this series after taking three of four from the New York Yankees. They were a half game behind the Rays in the American League Wild Card standings. After the series concluded, the Red Sox find themselves three and a half behind as the Rays swept them at Fenway Park. Although the results aren’t what the Red Sox want, there were positives to take away. Here are the important tidbits of what you need to know about the most recent Red Sox and Rays series!

Game 1: Rays 6 Red Sox 5

The first game of this series felt like a win. It was a back and forth game that brought good at bats, good battles, and puzzling pitching moves. The Red Sox were down 4-3 in the bottom of the fifth inning. In a surprise move, Rays manager Kevin Cash decided to pull starter Charlie Morton for a lefty reliever to face Andrew Benintendi. The center fielder hit a two run homerun to left field to put the Red Sox back on top.The lead wouldn’t last long, as Colten Brewer came on and gave the lead right back in the top of the sixth inning. The Red Sox would ultimately lose 6-5. Benintendi and Rafael Devers both had three hits apiece in this one to pace the offense. Sam Travis also had a nice little game for himself, going 2-2 at the plate. The Red Sox saw action from seven of their pitchers in the narrow defeat as well.

Game 2: Rays 8 Red Sox 5

In game two, the Rays came out and attacked the Red Sox early and often. The Rays offense scored five runs off of Rick Porcello to cruise to an easy win. Although the game never felt as close as the score indicated, there were still Red Sox players who performed well. Mookie Betts and J.D. Martinez led the way on offense, getting three hits a piece while knocking in two runs. Sam Travis had another two hit game, and Michael Chavis went two for four in this one with an RBI as well. Josh Taylor and Marcus Walden pitched well in the last two innings for the Red Sox, combining for no walks and five strikeouts.

Game 3: Rays 9 Red Sox 4

Another day, another rough game for the Red Sox. Andrew Cashner started and continued to struggle. At the plate, Xander Bogaerts was four for four on the day with two homeruns. Andrew Benintendi also stayed hot at the plate with three hits. All in all, this was just a tough way to end the series for the Red Sox, as the Rays completed the sweep.

In Conclusion

This isn’t the desired result wanted, but it’s on to the Bronx. Hopefully, the Red Sox pick it up a little pitching wise and can take at least the last two from the Yankees. If this Red Sox team wants to make a push for the playoffs, they have to get going right now. Not in a month, not in a week, they have to start playing consistently right now. Let’s see how this team responds in the second game tonight!

Takeaways From The Red Sox-Yankees London Series

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The Boston Red Sox took on the New York Yankees in a two game series played in London. Unfortunately for the Red Sox, they came away losing both games in the series, 17-13 and 12-8 respectively. The end result is obviously not what we wanted as Red Sox fans. But, there were some interesting tidbits picked up along the way. Let’s look at a few takeaways from the Red Sox and Yankees London Series.

Rafael Devers Continues To Hit Well

Rafael Devers continues to prove to everyone that he is for real at the plate. Devers is hitting .322 at the plate with 12 homeruns and 50 RBI’s so far this season. His hot bat continued in the London series. In the first game, Devers went 2-4 with an RBI and a run scored. In the second game, he went 1-5. Granted, the second game isn’t what we are used to seeing this season. But, everyone has an off game. The overall point is that Devers continues to swing the bat well. In a season where the Red Sox have stayed inconsistent, Devers has been a very consistent lineup piece.

Xander Bogaerts Continues To Prove He Should Have Been An All-Star

What more does the MLB have to see to finally put Xander Bogaerts on the American League All-Star team? This is still baffling to me personally. Bogaerts went into the London series and continued to put together a strong first half of 2019. He went 2-6 in the two games with 2 RBI’s. On the season, Bogaerts is hitting .299 with 16 homeruns and 57 RBI’s. He has also played a great shortstop this year. So again, what more does this man have to do to get a bid in the All-Star game? He continues to prove that the contract extension in the off-season was well worth it.

J.D. Martinez Is Starting To Get Hot

One of the guys that gets the Red Sox offense going is J.D. Martinez. Martinez seemed to have found his consistent swing again in London as he was red hot in those two games. In game one, he went 3-5 with an RBI and a run scored. The next day in game two, he went 3-4 with an RBI and two runs scored. Hopefully, this is a sign that J.D. Martinez will have a monster second half of the 2019 season.

The Red Sox Can Hit The Yankees Pitching

Keep in mind, it’s not like the Red Sox got creamed in both games. They lost 17-13 and 12-8 in the two games. For those keeping track at home, that’s 21 runs in 18 innings. If you have any pitching at all, you win that series. Everyone knows the Red Sox rotation on paper is a very strong one. The bullpen…that’s another story. But, if the Red Sox pitching can turn a corner, then they know they can keep up with the Yankees offensively.

In Conclusion

You can always take away a positive with losses and there are some good positives in these particular losses. The Red Sox seemed to have found their offense. Their pitching can be better, which is a good sign. Also, last time I checked; there is a whole second half of the season to play. Crazier things have happened, and this Red Sox team is very talented. Don’t be surprised if the Red Sox make a run in the second half of the season, with a few moves to help them along the way.

Red Sox-White Sox Series Recap

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Another series has come and gone for the Boston Red Sox. The Red Sox played the Chicago White Sox in a three game series at Fenway Park before taking off to London to play the Yankees. Boston came away with a two out of three series win over the A.L. Central White Sox. Here is a recap of the whole series.

Monday Night: Red Sox 6 White Sox 5

The Red Sox found a way to win on Monday night. They survived game one of the series with a 6-5 win over the White Sox. Marco Hernandez was the hero as he hit an infield single to shortstop to drive home the game winning run. Eduardo Nunez and Andrew Benintendi led the way offensively for the Red Sox as they had two hits a piece.

On the pitching side, Eduardo Rodriguez got the start and pitched adequately. He finished the night throwing 6 and 1/3 innings while giving up six hits, five earned runs, two walks, and four strikeouts. The impressive part of this game was the bullpen. The bullpen combined to give up 0 earned runs while giving up two hits, two walks, and had six strikeouts in 2 and 2/3 innings. Credit to the Red Sox bullpen for getting the Red Sox the opening win of the series!

Tuesday Night: Red Sox 6 White Sox 3

In the second game of the three game series, the Red Sox found themselves as winners once again. They came away with a 6-3 over the White Sox in what was a convincing win. Offensively in this one, it was the Rafael Devers show. Devers finished the game going 4-4 with an RBI and two runs scored. Xander Bogaerts had a two run homerun in this game as well.

David Price got the start in this one and he continued to dominate as he has the whole season. Price went 6 innings. He gave up two earned runs on eight hits while also compiling nine strikeouts on the night. The bullpen once again did a fantastic job closing this game out. The combination of Matt Barnes, Ryan Brasier, and Brandon Workman gave up no runs, with two hits, one walk, and six strikeouts to their credit. This was another complete effort for the Red Sox to win game two of the series and ultimately win the series as well.

Wednesday Afternoon: White Sox 8 Red Sox 7

The Red Sox tried to finish off the sweep of the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday afternoon. Unfortunately, they fell just a little bit short. The Red Sox ended up losing the series finale by a score of 8-7. The White Sox were able to pull through, thanks to a Jose Abreu two run homerun off of Matt Barnes in the top of the ninth inning.

Offensively, the lineup was pretty balanced in this one. Rafael Devers had three more hits. Xander Bogaerts had two hits of his own, including a go ahead single in the bottom of the eighth inning to put the Red Sox up 7-6. J.D. Martinez, Michael Chavis, and Jackie Bradley Jr. also had two hits a piece during the game.

For the pitching staff, Chris Sale had the start in this one. He gave up five runs on six hits, while striking out 10. Steven Wright made his 2019 debut and had a strikeout in one inning of work. Matt Barnes was the losing pitcher in this one as he gave up two runs on three hits.

In Conclusion

The Red Sox should have realistically swept this series. But, two out of three is always successful. Now, the Red Sox get to play in London for an upcoming two game series against the Yankees. Salvage a split or even sweep of the brief series and come back to the states ready to close out the first half of the season on a positive note!

Red Sox-Twins Series Recap

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The Boston Red Sox had quite the task these past three games. They played a Minnesota Twins team that has surprised many people this season. They are leading the American League Central by nine games. Red Sox fans were hoping that they could win this series against the Twins and turn a corner. They did just that as they took two out of three from the Twins. Let’s take a look back at the series, game by game.

Game 1: Red Sox 2 Twins 0

The Red Sox came into Target Field on Monday night looking to get off on the right foot. They did just that with a 2-0 victory. Mookie Betts and Andrew Benintendi started the inning with back to back hits before J.D. Martinez stepped to the plate. Martinez hit an RBI single to left field to drive home Mookie Betts for a 1-0 Sox lead.

The game would stay that way as both offenses would be shut down through the next seven innings. However, that changed in the ninth inning. With a runner on second and two outs, Xander Bogaerts hit a double to right center field. That put the Red Sox up 2-0 as that would conclude the scoring for the night.

While the offense was fairly quiet, Rick Porcello was the star of the night. He threw seven innings while giving up four hits, one walk, and eight strikeouts. Porcello came out and held one of the better offenses in baseball in check. It was a great start for him and for the Red Sox in this series.

Game 2: Twins 4 Red Sox 3 (17 Innings)

This one didn’t end up as great as the first one, as the Red Sox lost in 17 innings. There were some good highlights for the Red Sox in this one however. Rafael Devers had a go ahead homerun in the top of the seventh inning to keep up his hot first half of the 2019 season. Jackie Bradley Jr. just so happened to make another phenomenal catch in the seventh inning to keep a 2-1 lead at the time. Oh yeah, and Christian Vazquez picked off a runner at third base, so that was pretty cool!

The game ended with a Max Kepler single to walk it off in the 17th inning. Kepler also hit a homerun in the bottom of the 13th inning to tie the game 3-3. Brian Johnson suffered the loss on the mound. He gave up three hits, one walk, and one run in 1/3 of an inning pitched.

Even though the Red Sox lost this one, there were a lot of good things to highlight. Ryan Brasier and Matt Barnes threw scoreless innings. Benintendi, Brock Hot, and Devers each had three hits in the game as well. Plus, remember that it took the Twins 17 innings to beat the Red Sox. So, take that for what it’s worth.

Game 3: Red Sox 9 Twins 4

In game three, the Red Sox offense showed up. They scored nine runs and were able to come away with a 9-4 win. Eduardo Rodriguez had a gusty performance in this one. He pitched seven innings, gave up four runs, surrendered three walks while striking out nine batters. This wasn’t his best by any means, but it was good enough for the win. Rodriguez wasn’t the only one making contributions toward the Sox win last night. Xander Bogaerts had another milestone in his career, as he hit his 200th career double.

The Sox have won seven of their last eight. They also earned a series win, on the road, against a very good Twins team. Winning two out of three games is good in any series. For this Red Sox team, beating the Twins two out of three is a great sign for a lackluster 2019 season thus far.


This was a good sign for the Sox. They proved they can beat a good team on the road. Now, they can hopefully keep that momentum up with Toronto coming to town. There were many contributions from a lot of different players, which is the sign of a good team. Could the Red Sox have finally turned a corner? Stay tuned to find out!

Red Sox – Rays Series Preview

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Right now the Red Sox are poor Ned Umber. Nailed to a wall of poor performances, turned by the Night King of a 6-13 record, and set on fire by Red Sox Nation.

This is not a melodramatic assessment. Check out what David Price, the only starter who has thrown 7 shutout innings this year, has to say:

With that in mind they start a three game series with the division leading Tampa Bay Rays tonight.

They have guys performing like this all over their roster:

Pitching Matchups/Schedule (TV)

4/19 – Eduardo Rodriguez vs Ryan Stanek (NESN)

4/20 – Rick Porcello vs Charlie Morton (NESN)

4/21 – David Price vs Tyler Glasnow (NESN)

Notable Numbers

.1835 This is the career batting average of current Rays regulars against Rodriguez (.184) and Price (.183). This is just another reminder of what the Red Sox starters are capable of if they can get their heads screwed on straight.

The Red Sox have very few at bats against Stanek, but have hit .381 against him. They have a little more history against Charlie Morton, who they’ve hit to a .333 clip.

What To Watch For

Xander Bogaerts will have a lot to do with any success the Sox have this weekend. He’s hitting .500 against Morton in 12 at bats, including a home run, and .381 against Stanek with a triple.

This is a big weekend for the Red Sox, but even more so for Rick Porcello. He’s completely out of sorts, and the Rays have a lot of success against him. He could either spin off into oblivion, or turn his season around.

Sunday’s game could be a great pitching duel. Glasnow comes in with a 4-0 record, 1.13 ERA, and .88 WHIP. Price went 7 innings and allowed no runs his last time out against Baltimore.

Expectations

Another series, another ‘Who can say?‘ History says this is a series win for the Sox. But the reality is the Sox are 6-13, while the Rays are 14-5.

The Red Sox have to snap out of it at some point. Right now they have a 10 game stretch where they play the Rays six times. That’s a real opportunity to change the narrative. It’s also a massive risk where the Night King takes over and the whole team gets traded.

We’ve gone from watching glory, to a Shakespearean tragedy. At least it’s interesting.

Featured image via HBO screen grab.

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Red Sox Confused, Worried, Anxious

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Have you ever been in a workplace where one person was promoted while another was passed over? Have you ever lost out to someone else when pursuing the same romantic connection? Have you ever worried about your future? The impending deadline for many Red Sox contracts is the elephant in the room. Here are the dynamics.

Chris Sale

Chris Sale got a hefty 5 year $150 Million extension. In the abstract this is a great deal. Sale is an all time pitcher for many reasons, and it’s only the 37th ranked deal in major league history. Considering how good Sale has been, and how most of the top deals are happening now, it was a nice job by Dombrowski.

If everything was going well, if the team was even .500, Sale’s slow start would be no big deal. He’s taking it slow. He’s really just had his third spring training start. He’ll be throwing 99 in September and October.

But things are not going well. Which opens the door for 2nd guessing. And not just by the media and fans.

Xander Bogaerts

Again, in a vacuum, a great deal. He’s only tied for #62 on the all time list. And he’s four years younger than Sale, and repped by Scott Boras. He’s a two time champ playing a premium position and one of the top Shortstops in the game. Record contracts are being handed out, and Dombrowski got him for 6 years, $120 Million. That’s actually a bargain.

He’s playing fine. He’s hitting .280 with an .899 OPS. That’s more than fine. But if he’s not worried about living up to his (underpaid but life changing) contract, does he run on Roman Laureano the second time?

Jackie Bradley Jr. and Mookie Betts

Bradley and Betts both have one year of arbitration left. But beyond Bogaerts and Sale, players all over baseball are getting contracts, including buying out the last year of arbitration. A lot of those players don’t have World Series rings on their resume.

Both of them are stubborn in their own way. Last year Jackie would brush away changing his swing due to shifts, and Mookie is turning down $200 Million deals because he thinks he’s worth more. Xander $120, Mookie $200 looks about right from here. But Mookie is looking at Mike Trout’s $426 Million.

Are they thinking about their contracts when they are not once, but twice, not communicating in the outfield? Were they questioning turning down contracts or how they deserve more? The first time they banged into each other, but the ball was caught. The second time it bounced between them for a two run double while they stood there. Somewhere in the Statcast universe there was a machine screaming that there was an 89% chance that ball would be caught.

And did Betts have his head on straight when he challenged the clearly greatest outfield defender of our generation Roman Laureno in the 9th inning?

Either way, now we’re here:

Rick Porcello

Porcello has been the perfect #3 starter for this team. Yes, he won a Cy Young when everything went perfectly, but he’s the steady guy who’s going to make 30 plus starts and never go on the Injured List.

One secret to his success is control. When do we loose control? When we are worried and anxious and unsure of our future. When things are uncertain. Porcello is up after 2019. He’s practically begged to be signed, saying he would give a hometown discount. And couldn’t Porcello say to himself that he’s never had to go on the Injured List. He’s actually won a Cy Young. Couldn’t he be looking sideways at Chris Sale and saying to himself “This guy gets paid but I don’t?” Don’t quote me on this, but I believe Porcello was one of the few pitchers not in the room when Sale’s extension was announced.

Yesterday was the first time since he was a young pup of 23 in 2012 that Porcello has walked at least 3 batters in back to back games. That’s one way of loosing control. Here’s another:

Some say this is a 2018 World Series hangover. From here this is a mass of confusion, worrying and anxiety about contracts.

It can be fixed. These guys have to have some pride right? It’s a 4.5 game deficit to first in the AL East right now. That’s not insurmountable, and so far the guys are healthy. But they better wake up soon.

Photo by Kim Klement – USA Today Sports

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Meet Matt Barnes: Red Sox Closer

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When news crackled off the wire that the Red Sox had signed Jenrry Mejia it was confirmed: The Red Sox payroll problems are real, and they’re spectacular. The only relief help walking through that door is the thrice failed, suspended-for-life, then reinstated kind. While wandering eyes look for a free agent, there’s a stalwart right in front of us. Matt Barnes is the most reliable, time tested, experienced, and talented holdover whose time has come. Matt Barnes should be The Closer for the Red Sox.

Slow and steady wins the race

Let’s be honest: If Craig Kimbrel would sign a two year, $20 million deal he would be the closer. But he’s worth more, and the Red Sox won’t pay him. So we have Barnes.

Ryan Brasier came out of nowhere to deliver last year. But the book on him is still being written. You better believe the hitters will catch up with him this year. Then there is Matt Barnes.

Check out his three year progression in ERA/WHIP/K per 9/Ground Ball %:

  • 2016: 4.05/1.395/9.6/46%
  • 2017: 3.88/1.220/10.7/49%
  • 2018: 3.65/1.265/14.0/53%

Unlike Brasier, or even Thornburg, Barnes forged his record in the crucible of the AL East. Sure, he walks a few, that’s why his WHIP isn’t closer to 1.0, but his progression is one of an artist honing his craft. He has steadily produced more strikeouts and ground balls. That is the special sauce that creates a successful pitcher.

Opportunity

With the Red Sox looking down the barrel of paying Mookie, and the prospect of Sale, Porcello, Bogaerts, and Martinez becoming free agents after 2019, there is scant money left for the bullpen. Tyler Thornburg is coming off injury, Ryan Brasier is new, Durbin Feltman is untested. Matt Barnes has worked his way up to being the set up guy last year. He has been doubted and ridiculed, passed over for starters in the postseason despite pitching lights out.

The time is now for Matt Barnes to become the Red Sox closer.

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The Greatest Red Sox Legends by Uniform Number: 71+

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For the final article in my series of the greatest Red Sox players to wear each uniform number, I will cover the numbers 71 and higher. This one will get a little weird, with guys who didn’t play much wearing the number or still haven’t played much. However, they are all recent guys and have made some sort of contribution at least, so I didn’t want to leave them out. Many numbers up this high have never been worn, and a few others have only had one guy wear them.

Number 71 – Austin Maddox

Maddox didn’t pitch long with the Red Sox, but he was great while he did. He spent three separate stints with the big club in 2017, with the longest coming in September. He impressed so much he was included on the postseason roster.

Maddox allowed just one run over 17.1 innings pitched in 2017. He struck out 14, allowed just 13 hits and walked only two. In seven of his 13 outings he was called upon to get more than three outs.

Unfortunately, Maddox was hurt almost the entire 2018 season, never coming close to returning to Boston. He faces an uphill battle to be with the team this season.

Number 72 – Xander Bogaerts

Before he wore the number 2, Bogaerts was number 72 when called up to the roster in 2013. Having to pay his dues and earn the right to grab a lower number, Bogaerts showed enough that September that he was placed on the postseason roster.

In September of 2013, Bogaerts hit .250 with a home run and a stolen base. The newly turned 21 year old impressed further in the playoffs. In the ALCS against Detroit he was three for six at the plate with three doubles and three walks. He showed more patience that October than he showed for a while afterwards. His play wasn’t as good in the World Series, but he still contributed five hits, including a triple. In total, he was 8-27 with six walks that postseason.

Number 73 – Tzu-Wei Lin

Tzu-Wei Lin wore the number 73 in 2017, his first year in the bigs. He was with the Red Sox for almost a month in the summer, then came back up in September. While with the team, he played some good infield defense and showed an ability to get on base.

Lin made just one error over 25 games divided between second base, shortstop and third base. He also had a very solid .369 on-base percentage that season over 66 plate appearances. Lin doesn’t have much power, but did hit two triples in his limited time in Boston. This past season, Lin wore a different number while with Boston.

Number 76 – Hector Velazquez

Skipping a couple numbers here to get to an underrated member of the Red Sox, Hector Velazquez. He has relieved and started during his time in Boston, but no matter what he’s doing, he just seems to win.

Velazquez has a 10-3 record over his two seasons in Boston so far. He has made 11 starts and 44 relief appearances in that time. His first outing in 2017 didn’t go that well, but he was rock solid from then on. After taking a loss in his first game, opponents batted just .176 the rest of 2017 against Velazquez, as he went 3-0 with a 0.92 ERA.

In 2018, he started in his first appearance and pitched great. After being bumped to the bullpen, he made another spot start and was solid again. Despite bouncing back and forth between the rotation and the bullpen, Velazquez finished the season 7-3 with a 3.18 ERA over 85 innings. He is one of the most underappreciated players on the team.

Number 77 – Pedro Ciriaco

Ciriaco spent parts of two seasons with the Red Sox, wearing number 77 during his first season. This fits perfectly for the purposes of this article, since Ciriaco did well in 2012 wearing 77. The following season, he did not fare well while wearing number 23.

Ciriaco played a lot during that miserable 2012 season for the Red Sox. Ciriaco played every position except for first base and catcher that season. He batted .293 over 259 at-bats. Although he rarely drew a walk, he gave them a good utility player over the season. Ciriaco also stole 16 bases in 19 tries.

Number 91 – Alfredo Aceves

A big jump up to the number 91. Some other numbers were briefly worn, but no one made enough of an impact.

Despite going 14-1 with a 3.21 ERA over parts of three seasons with the Yankees, the Yankees let Aceves go after 2010. He continued his excellent run into 2011 with the Red Sox. Aceves made 55 appearances, four of them starts in 2011, going 10-2 with a 2.61 ERA and two saves. His 1.10 WHIP backed up his success. He was 24-3 lifetime at this point in time.

Aceves never found that success again. He actually closed on the lousy 2012 Red Sox, but did not fare well. Aceves saved 25 games, but also lost 10 and posted a 5.36 ERA. Back again in 2013, Aceves went 4-1 but had a 4.86 ERA. However, his first season in Boston was good enough that his ERA in Boston remained under 4.00 while posting a winning record.

Featured picture from RantSports

Bogaerts

The Brewers Are After Xander Bogaerts

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There are rumors out of Milwaukee that the Brewers are after Xander Bogaerts. Why would the Red Sox trade him, and what could they expect in return?

Salary

The Red Sox have painful salary issues coming after 2019. The MLB Luxury Tax is a big deal. The Red Sox are already losing draft positions and paying out millions.

Along with Bogaerts, Chris Sale and Rick Porcello will be free agents. JD Martinez has an opt-out, and will use it if he approximates his performance from last year. Mookie Betts’ arbitration numbers are going to exponentially expand.

Furthermore, Scott Boras represents Bogaerts, who just had a career year. Boras does not take hometown discounts. As for Bogaerts production, he hit the ball harder in 2018 than any year other than his 44 game cup of coffee in 2013. And he’s never hit it farther.

Is his 2018 a career year, or the natural progression of a top talent? It’s hard to take one year, that is an outlier against his other five in the majors, as the new baseline.

What The Sox Could Expect In Trade

Recently, Paul Goldschmidt was traded from the Diamondbacks to the Cardinals. Goldschmidt, like Xander, was in the last year of his deal.

Goldschmidt is the Diamondbacks all time leader in OPS, SLG, Walks, and WAR. In short, his is Arizona’s Mookie Betts. For this perennial MVP candidate, the Cardinals gave up Luke Weaver, Carson Kelly, Andy Young, and a draft pick. Weaver has had a modicum of success in the majors, and Kelly was a highly rated catching prospect who had a poor showing in 2018, while Young is a middling prospect.

Because of that trade, and Xander’s impending free agency, the Red Sox can expect something less. Xander simply isn’t in the class of Paul Goldschmidt. Think 24 year old SS Orlando Arcia, a slick defensive player, but number 9 hitter. He had a .661 OPS last year in Milwaukee. Add to that perhaps Freddy Peralta, who is 22 and went 6-4 with a 4.25 ERA, including 11 K/9 and 4.6 BB/9, in 2018. Peralta also had a typically dominant and wild game in the playoffs against the Dodgers. He pitched 3 innings, walked 3, struck out 6, and did not allow a hit.

Could the Red Sox get someone like 21 year old Keston Hiura added to the haul? That might make it worth it. Hiura plays 2nd Base, and had a particularly impressive Arizona Fall League Performance: .320 batting average with a .911 OPS. He hit .272/.755 over High A and Double A ball last year. Dustin Pedroia isn’t getting any younger.

Who knows, the Brewers may feel they owe Dombrowski for that Tyler Thornburg/Travis ‘Mayor of Ding Dong City’ Shaw trade from 2016, and include more in a deal. Either way, trading Xander Bogaerts would be no easy deal. He hit 4th for the majority of the year one of the greatest Red Sox team of all time. However, the Luxury Tax bill is coming due. Something has to give, sooner or later.

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MLB Winter Meetings Wrap-Up

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The 2018 Baseball Winter Meetings have ended.  Here is a Red Sox focused roundup, and other related notes.

Rule Changes

Before the meetings, there was a lot of buzz about a pitch clock to speed up the game.  Once the meetings began it was all about The Shift.

https://twitter.com/megrowler/status/1073012029437296640

2018 resulted in a league wide .248 batting average, the lowest since 1972.  Singles are also in a five years decline.  Apparently, according to Jason Stark of the Athletic, the Commissioner, owners, batters, and pitchers are all for shift reform.

Of course there’s backlash.  People are decrying unintended consequences.  The debate rages on.

Eovaldi’s Back

The Red Sox led off the Winter Meetings by agreeing with Nathan Eovaldi for 4 years and $67.5 Million.  It seemed like a reasonable deal at the time.  Little did we know something like this would happen, seemingly within hours of the signing becoming official:

The Red Sox Crying Poor Mouth

https://twitter.com/SportsRaid365/status/1072984889681698817

Could this be true?

It seems incredible, with the Red Sox coming off a World Series title and raising ticket prices, that they need to clear salary space.  Dave Dombrowski threw some cold water on this story, but didn’t deny it.

A Red Sox Bullpen In Flux

Early this morning, new broke that Fightin’ Joe Kelly is going west.

Kelly was one of the stalwarts of a transformed bullpen, that turned into a bunch of vintage Ecks, in the 2018 playoffs.  With Kelly gone, could a reunion that seemed impossible happen?

It seems incredible, with reports of Kimbrel seeking a six-year deal for nine figures, that he could come back.  Apparently, the Red Sox are playing chicken and waiting for the price to come down.

Other than Kelly and Jeurys Familia, more on him in a minute, the reliever market has been quiet.  The Sox probably need two more relievers this off-season.

2019 Lineup Changes

Mookie has been known to resist moving out of the leadoff spot, and he can be stubborn, so Cora is planting the seed early.

It makes sense to move the more powerful Betts behind Benintendi.  More RBIs for Mookie, a two-three of Mookie and JD is pretty formidable.  This will lead to a right handed heavy 2-3-4, with Xander behind JD Martinez or vice versa.

Not every lineup can have Papi and Manny back to back.

Too Many Catchers

The Red Sox having one too many catchers has been an open question for some time.  Alex Cora spoke about the possibility of a trade at the Winter Meetings:

The Winter Meetings were anti-climatic in terms of moves being made by the Red Sox.  But there was one team that lead off the Meetings with a bang:

The Mets Making Moves

They started by acquiring Cano and Diaz from the Mariners.  They ended the meetings by bringing back Jeurys Familia.

https://twitter.com/TheCouchGMs/status/1073202870646923264

The Red Sox have the assets to almost perfectly match up with the Mets.  If the Red Sox are truly considering moving Jackie Bradley, would the Mets consider a left handed bat in the outfield?  The Red Sox have extra catchers.

Noah Syndergaard is rumored to be available.  Stay tuned.

 

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