The Red Sox have quietly started digging themselves out of the hole they dug in May and early June as their bats have come alive, led by Xander Bogaerts, Brock Holt, Mookie Betts, and Alejandro De Aza, with some key contributions at the plate by Hanley Ramirez and David Ortiz. Clay Buchholz has put together a string of dominant starts that we hope continues tomorrow night and though the second half. Eduardo Rodriguez has taken a few lumps (and tipped a few pitches) but he looks very promising. Wade Miley has had more good starts than bad ones. Rick Porcello has scuffled big-time, but having Ryan Hanigan back behind the plate helped guide him through a quality start last night in which he earned the W.
Some rather large issues remain, even as their record and outlook on the season has improved. The biggest issue is a bullpen with so few trustworthy options and too many relievers that bring anything but relief (unless you happen to be batting for the opposing team). Outside of Koji Uehara, Junichi Tazawa (against anyone but the Toronto Blue Jays), and most of the time, Alexi Ogando. Tommy Layne is a serviceable LOOGY, but you don't want him facing many righties. Craig Breslow hasn't been reliable since the 2013 ALCS. Robbie Ross, Jr. is not the guy you want on the mound in a late and close game either. Matt Barnes is getting taken yard just about every time he enters the game. If the Red Sox are going to keep inching toward .500 and climbing the standings, they need to shore up that bullpen.
Would it be worth converting Joe Kelly to a reliever? The Red Sox have done this before with struggling starters such as Andrew Miller and Junichi Tazawa with excellent results. Wade Davis of the Kansas City Royals was also converted from mediocre starter to lights-out reliever. Kelly has the velocity to be a flamethrowing reliever. The command might be a problem, however. If he can tighten his command and control, it's conceivable that he could be the kind of bullpen arm the Red Sox need and he would not come with the prospect cost of relievers outside the organization.
Other than Kelly, the Red Sox could look into Henry Owens as a reliever, at least for the rest of this year. It doesn't mean he won't ever start games again, but if they can solve their bullpen problem without having to make a trade, Owens in the 'pen shouldn't be ruled out. The same could be said for Brian Johnson, although he may be more needed as a starter with Masterson looking more and more like his days of being an effective major league pitcher are behind him.
The next issue would be the first base problem, namely what to do about Mike Napoli. Napoli raked in Spring Training and it looked like his offseason sleep apnea surgery had rejuvenated him. Once the season started, however, he has looked woefully overmatched at the plate, struggling to adjust to what he and the Red Sox perceive as an expanded strike zone. He's only 33, but wasn't Kevin Youkilis around that same age when he seemingly lost his ability to hit a baseball? Being a catcher earlier in his career meant more wear and tear on his body over the years.
Within the organization, they have Brock Holt, Travis Shaw, Allen Craig, and Daniel Nava. Holt has the most ability with the lumber, but he is not built like a first baseman and doesn't hit for enough power. Also, he is too valuable as a super utility player, filling in wherever he is needed. His versatility and his batting average have earned him his first All Star berth. Shaw is a 25-year-old who had mediocre numbers in AAA, which doesn't portend sustained success at the major league level. Allen Craig is also underwhelming in Pawtucket and it doesn't appear that Nava is making a case for himself either.
First base is where the Red Sox may have to bite the bullet and trade for someone if they are still playing good baseball at the deadline. They may have to do so with the bullpen and/or starting rotation as well, but there are more internal options on the pitching side with a chance of working out than there are with first base. If they go on a major tear and feel like a playoff push is realistic (they're not quite there yet), a top of the rotation starter would be in play if only as insurance against Buchholz's health and Rodriguez's being a rookie who may have innings limits.
In stark contrast to the dark days of May and early June (and April, where the starting pitching is concerned), the Red Sox are a fun team to watch. The young core, led by a trio of 22-year-olds in Rodriguez, Bogaerts and Betts, are among the biggest contributors to the team's resurgence. Big Papi may not scare as many pitchers as he used to, but his power hasn't left him. Hanley's glove is best utilized at DH, but it's unrealistic to expect Papi to play first base more than once or twice in a blue moon. His bat, however, is looking more like it did in April, before he crashed into an outfield wall and saw his power and average plummet in May. They appear to be having more fun and playing more cohesively. Who knows how long this will continue? Might as well enjoy it while it lasts.
Thursday, July 9, 2015
Tuesday, June 16, 2015
A Brief Ray of Sunlight
This Red Sox season has been horrible in every sense of the word. The list of what has gone wrong for the team is getting longer every day. However, even in the worst of seasons, there are bright, shining moments and Brock Holt provided such today by being the first Red Sox player in nearly two decades to hit for the cycle in a 9-4 victory over the Atlanta Braves. He started his 4-hit game with a double off the Monster in the first inning. In the fifth, he singled to right. In the seventh, he extended the Red Sox lead with an opposite-field dinger. Finally, in the eighth, he hit a triple to the deepest part of the ballpark to complete the cycle. You can see all of those hits here.
Brock Holt has been on the short list of things that have gone right for the Red Sox this year. That list includes Dustin Pedroia and Xander Bogaerts. Straddling the "good" list and the "bad" list have been Mookie Betts and Eduardo Rodriguez, who was clearly on the "good" list before getting lit up like a Christmas tree by the Blue Jays on Sunday. He can make it back on the good side by bouncing back with a strong outing on Friday against the Royals. Mookie has shown flashes of the dynamic player we saw last year, but he still has some adjustments to make. Holt is a super utility player whose bat forces its way into the lineup more often than not. He's hitting over .300 for the year and he can play any position but pitcher and catcher. Lots of dead weight needs to be removed from this roster, but Brock Holt is a keeper.
Brock Holt has been on the short list of things that have gone right for the Red Sox this year. That list includes Dustin Pedroia and Xander Bogaerts. Straddling the "good" list and the "bad" list have been Mookie Betts and Eduardo Rodriguez, who was clearly on the "good" list before getting lit up like a Christmas tree by the Blue Jays on Sunday. He can make it back on the good side by bouncing back with a strong outing on Friday against the Royals. Mookie has shown flashes of the dynamic player we saw last year, but he still has some adjustments to make. Holt is a super utility player whose bat forces its way into the lineup more often than not. He's hitting over .300 for the year and he can play any position but pitcher and catcher. Lots of dead weight needs to be removed from this roster, but Brock Holt is a keeper.
Wednesday, June 10, 2015
Hope? Nope.
Like the fabulous Opening Day win in Philly, the weekend's
three-game sweep of the A's and the 7-run eighth inning on Sunday was a
mirage in the hot, dry desert that is the Red Sox 2015 season. After
Monday's off-day, the horribly inconsistent offense ruined another great
outing by Eduardo Rodriguez. Tonight, Sandoval and Porcello showed
off their epic bust potential, the former by getting stupid on the
basepaths trying to stretch a single into a double (after Xander was out
for doing the very same thing) and the latter by giving up 5 runs.
Heaven forbid they actually carry forth some momentum after pulling off
their first series sweep of the season.
Of course, the team they swept, the Oakland A's, have an even worse record than the Red Sox, so it's not as if they swept a contending team like Twins, Astros, or (shudder) Yankees. The Red Sox are, even if their record doesn't show it yet, by far the worst team in the division. Most of the time, they play as if they would rather not win. There are bright spots on this team (Pedey, Xander, Holt, EdRod, and, for the most part, Buchholz) but the guys who were supposed to carry the offense and hit for power (Hanley, Ortiz Sandoval, Napoli) have an all-or-nothing approach at the plate and have failed miserably, except for Hanley in April. Ortiz, sad to say, looks washed up, as does Napoli. Sandoval (He's not Panda to me until he plays better) looks like something out of the Carl Crawford/Edgar Renteria book. Joe Kelly, Wade Miley, and Clay Buchholz have been more consistent than Rick Porcello (is he the pitching version of Crawford?). Mookie is suffering from Sophomore Slump. Rusney is raw at the plate and in the field.
Most of the disinterested and unfocused play falls on the players themselves, but poor leadership from the field coaches as well as the front office and ownership should be held accountable too. Fundamentals are lacking across the board and they are heading for their third losing, last-place finish in four years. This ownership team did a great job of bringing the Red Sox three world series championships in 10 years and they had the Red Sox competing for the better half of the 2000s, but the 2010s, with the exception of 2013, have been a different story and it's fair to wonder whether the days of the Red Sox being a consistent contender are behind them as long as Fenway Sports Group is at the helm.
Of course, the team they swept, the Oakland A's, have an even worse record than the Red Sox, so it's not as if they swept a contending team like Twins, Astros, or (shudder) Yankees. The Red Sox are, even if their record doesn't show it yet, by far the worst team in the division. Most of the time, they play as if they would rather not win. There are bright spots on this team (Pedey, Xander, Holt, EdRod, and, for the most part, Buchholz) but the guys who were supposed to carry the offense and hit for power (Hanley, Ortiz Sandoval, Napoli) have an all-or-nothing approach at the plate and have failed miserably, except for Hanley in April. Ortiz, sad to say, looks washed up, as does Napoli. Sandoval (He's not Panda to me until he plays better) looks like something out of the Carl Crawford/Edgar Renteria book. Joe Kelly, Wade Miley, and Clay Buchholz have been more consistent than Rick Porcello (is he the pitching version of Crawford?). Mookie is suffering from Sophomore Slump. Rusney is raw at the plate and in the field.
Most of the disinterested and unfocused play falls on the players themselves, but poor leadership from the field coaches as well as the front office and ownership should be held accountable too. Fundamentals are lacking across the board and they are heading for their third losing, last-place finish in four years. This ownership team did a great job of bringing the Red Sox three world series championships in 10 years and they had the Red Sox competing for the better half of the 2000s, but the 2010s, with the exception of 2013, have been a different story and it's fair to wonder whether the days of the Red Sox being a consistent contender are behind them as long as Fenway Sports Group is at the helm.
Monday, June 8, 2015
Dare We Hope?
After two 4-2 wins over the Oakland A's, the Red Sox looked to be facing the inevitable 4-0 loss with the "My Kingdom For Some Run Support" Buccholz on the mound. Buchholz was far from his best and lasted less than 5 innings, but, from what his teammates had shown him, he would need to have shut out the A's to have a chance of getting the W. The Sox were down 4-0 going in the 8th inning and they were 1-26 when trailing after the 7th, as clear an indictment as there will ever be of the lack of resilience of the 2015 squad.
But something happened in the 8th that seemed unthinkable given the way the Red Sox have played this season: They came from behind late in the game and put up a 7-run inning! It all started with Rusney Castillo's first home run of the season. The Red Sox saw 11 batters step up the plate in the 8th, with the biggest hit coming off the bat of Xander Bogaerts, who took his team from trailing by one run to leading by one run with a 2-run double off the Monster. Alexandro De Aza and Rusney added some insurance to make it 7-4 and unlikely closer Tommy Layne set the A's down in order in the 9th to nail down the win.
Games like this can get a team who has been stuck in quicksand all season headed in the right direction. Or they can be anomalies--bright spots in an otherwise miserable season. I would like to think the June 7 game against the A's was the former, but this season has given me little reason for such optimism. They were facing the team with the worst record in the American League, although they just came off of a sweep of the Tigers and they had given the Yankees fits a few weeks back.
Amid all the depressing statistics this team has amassed, none more damning than the -42 run differential for the month of May, there have been some bright spots on this team. The pitching has been solid more often than not after a horrid April. Eduardo Rodriguez has looked like a beacon of hope in his first two starts. Xander Bogaerts has been another bright spot, improving both his offense and defense after an underwhelming rookie year laboring under Mike Trout-esque expectations. Two 22-year-olds cannot be expected to carry the team, however. That's just not fair. However, if there is a time for the Red Sox to show they are capable of going on a winning streak, it's now. Momentum is on their side and they have the chance to do some damage in the AL East. Whether they will do so, however, remains to be seen.
But something happened in the 8th that seemed unthinkable given the way the Red Sox have played this season: They came from behind late in the game and put up a 7-run inning! It all started with Rusney Castillo's first home run of the season. The Red Sox saw 11 batters step up the plate in the 8th, with the biggest hit coming off the bat of Xander Bogaerts, who took his team from trailing by one run to leading by one run with a 2-run double off the Monster. Alexandro De Aza and Rusney added some insurance to make it 7-4 and unlikely closer Tommy Layne set the A's down in order in the 9th to nail down the win.
Games like this can get a team who has been stuck in quicksand all season headed in the right direction. Or they can be anomalies--bright spots in an otherwise miserable season. I would like to think the June 7 game against the A's was the former, but this season has given me little reason for such optimism. They were facing the team with the worst record in the American League, although they just came off of a sweep of the Tigers and they had given the Yankees fits a few weeks back.
Amid all the depressing statistics this team has amassed, none more damning than the -42 run differential for the month of May, there have been some bright spots on this team. The pitching has been solid more often than not after a horrid April. Eduardo Rodriguez has looked like a beacon of hope in his first two starts. Xander Bogaerts has been another bright spot, improving both his offense and defense after an underwhelming rookie year laboring under Mike Trout-esque expectations. Two 22-year-olds cannot be expected to carry the team, however. That's just not fair. However, if there is a time for the Red Sox to show they are capable of going on a winning streak, it's now. Momentum is on their side and they have the chance to do some damage in the AL East. Whether they will do so, however, remains to be seen.
Monday, May 11, 2015
Red Sox Front Office Has To Learn A Hard Lesson
The Red Sox organization is going to have to learn the hard way that the wishful thinking method of roster construction could lead them to their third losing season in four years. The entirely unexpected 2013 championship run was a lightning-in-a-bottle scenario and the Red Sox front office deluded themselves into thinking that they can get away with filling a roster with second or third-tier players for shorter contracts and be competitive every year.
For 2014, after letting Ellsbury walk to their archrivals, they assumed that Jackie Bradley, Jr. would seamlessly assume center field. Plan B: Reclamation project Grady Sizemore. They also brought in AJ Pierzynski, who was poor defensively and never lived up to his offensive hype, not to mention the reputation for being a poor clubhouse presence. The result: Last place in the AL East and a 71-91 record.
This off-season, they signed two big offensive targets Pablo Sandoval and Hanley Ramirez, but they failed to improve their starting rotation after trading Jon Lester and John Lackey at the deadline last year. Instead, they traded for Rick Porcello (a #3 who could be a #2 with a proper ace leading the staff) and Wade Miley (#3 or #4 at best), and signed reclamation project and former Red Sox Justin Masterson. Remaining from the 2014 rotation were Joe Kelly and the maddeningly inconsistent Clay Buchholz. Result so far: Second worst ERA in the majors and last place in the AL East with a 14-17 record.
Not only is the pitching the problem so far this season, but the offense that was assumed would offset the runs allowed by the rotation has gone AWOL with runners in scoring position, just like it did last year. David Ortiz is showing signs of age-related decline and Mike Napoli, who raked in spring training, has been toting a brutal sub-Mendoza average. Promising youngster Mookie Betts has not quite lived up to his potential with the bat and reserve outfielders Nava and Craig have been non-factors at the plate. Both of the presumed catchers for 2015 are lost for the season, forcing Blake Swihart to come up before he is ready.
Would another losing season and more empty seats at Fenway shake the Red Sox brass out of their delusions that they can get by with chasing mediocrity as long as they don't get saddled with long, expensive market-value contracts for aging players? Or will they start drafting more high-ceiling pitchers so they can "grow their own ace"? If they do finish under .500 again this year, a major overhaul is needed in the front office to get them back to winning consistently like they did in the mid-late 2000s. They are a large market team with a payroll around $200 million who has no business being cellar-dwellers more often than not.
It is still early in the season, but there is no shortage of holes in this team that may not be able to be fixed from within the farm system or in trades. Whether or not a new pitching coach will be able to turn things around with the rotation remains to be seen. The RISP problem still remains, even with a new hitting coach this year and needs to be addressed. It's going to be a long, uphill battle to contention for the 2015 Red Sox and possibly for future teams too if the front office remains set in their ways.
For 2014, after letting Ellsbury walk to their archrivals, they assumed that Jackie Bradley, Jr. would seamlessly assume center field. Plan B: Reclamation project Grady Sizemore. They also brought in AJ Pierzynski, who was poor defensively and never lived up to his offensive hype, not to mention the reputation for being a poor clubhouse presence. The result: Last place in the AL East and a 71-91 record.
This off-season, they signed two big offensive targets Pablo Sandoval and Hanley Ramirez, but they failed to improve their starting rotation after trading Jon Lester and John Lackey at the deadline last year. Instead, they traded for Rick Porcello (a #3 who could be a #2 with a proper ace leading the staff) and Wade Miley (#3 or #4 at best), and signed reclamation project and former Red Sox Justin Masterson. Remaining from the 2014 rotation were Joe Kelly and the maddeningly inconsistent Clay Buchholz. Result so far: Second worst ERA in the majors and last place in the AL East with a 14-17 record.
Not only is the pitching the problem so far this season, but the offense that was assumed would offset the runs allowed by the rotation has gone AWOL with runners in scoring position, just like it did last year. David Ortiz is showing signs of age-related decline and Mike Napoli, who raked in spring training, has been toting a brutal sub-Mendoza average. Promising youngster Mookie Betts has not quite lived up to his potential with the bat and reserve outfielders Nava and Craig have been non-factors at the plate. Both of the presumed catchers for 2015 are lost for the season, forcing Blake Swihart to come up before he is ready.
Would another losing season and more empty seats at Fenway shake the Red Sox brass out of their delusions that they can get by with chasing mediocrity as long as they don't get saddled with long, expensive market-value contracts for aging players? Or will they start drafting more high-ceiling pitchers so they can "grow their own ace"? If they do finish under .500 again this year, a major overhaul is needed in the front office to get them back to winning consistently like they did in the mid-late 2000s. They are a large market team with a payroll around $200 million who has no business being cellar-dwellers more often than not.
It is still early in the season, but there is no shortage of holes in this team that may not be able to be fixed from within the farm system or in trades. Whether or not a new pitching coach will be able to turn things around with the rotation remains to be seen. The RISP problem still remains, even with a new hitting coach this year and needs to be addressed. It's going to be a long, uphill battle to contention for the 2015 Red Sox and possibly for future teams too if the front office remains set in their ways.
Wednesday, April 22, 2015
If You Wanna Win This Ballgame...
This song is sung to the tune of "If You're Happy And You Know It"
If you wanna win this ballgame, score ten runs!
If you wanna win this ballgame, score ten runs!
'Cuz the pitching is so crappy, Red Sox Nation isn't happy
'Cuz the only way to win is score ten runs!
The starting pitchers aren't up to snuff.
The starting pitchers aren't up to snuff.
They can't get through the sixth inning and the bullpen they are thinning
'Cuz the starting pitchers aren't up to snuff.
Their winning record won't last very long
Their winning record won't last very long.
Their pitching will catch up to them and losses will start rolling in
If they don't hurry up and fix what's wrong.
If you wanna win this ballgame, score ten runs!
If you wanna win this ballgame, score ten runs!
'Cuz the pitching is so crappy, Red Sox Nation isn't happy
'Cuz the only way to win is score ten runs!
The starting pitchers aren't up to snuff.
The starting pitchers aren't up to snuff.
They can't get through the sixth inning and the bullpen they are thinning
'Cuz the starting pitchers aren't up to snuff.
Their winning record won't last very long
Their winning record won't last very long.
Their pitching will catch up to them and losses will start rolling in
If they don't hurry up and fix what's wrong.
Tuesday, April 14, 2015
Monday, April 6, 2015
Starting Off With A Bang (Or Five)
The Red Sox offense made a big statement on Opening Day in Philly, clubbing 5 big flies off of Phillies pitching, 4 off of Red Sox offseason trade target Cole Hamels, to bash their way to an emphatic 8-0 win over the Phillies. Clay Buchholz set the tone by pitching 7 shutout innings of 3-hit ball and the bats backed him up big-time. Pedey and Hanley each went yard twice, with Hanley's second dinger being of the grand salami ilk. Leadoff hitter Mookie Betts hit one out as well, and got on base at total of three times. Pedey flashed the leather as well as the lumber, making sure anybody and everybody knew that rumors of his decline were greatly exaggerated.
Today's opening game was the kind of best-case scenario game that characterized the 2013 Red Sox. It's exciting and it can set the tone for great things in 2015, but let's not get ahead of ourselves. There are 161 games to go. However, starting out with a dominating 9-strikeout performance from a guy they are relying on heavily to front the rotation (along with Wednesday's starter Rick Porcello) is an encouraging sign. The truest test will be how Buchholz, Porcello, and the rest of the team perform against the tougher teams in the league, but it sure is better to win against the teams you are (on paper) supposed to beat than to have them beat you.
An energized offense will make this season fun to watch and if the rotation and bullpen can keep the team in the game, the season will be closer to 2013 than to 2012 and 2014. Coming into 2015 with a true leadoff hitter helps. This was sorely lacking in 2014, save for some good stretches with Brock Holt in the first half. Mookie is an advanced hitter for being just 22 and he's a spark plug at the top of the order. Strengthening the middle with Hanley and Panda in the offseason let Pedey return to his natural spot as the #2 hitter. When they return to an AL ballpark on Friday, they will have a 3-4-5-6 of Papi, Hanley, Napoli, and Panda. Victorino, Bogaerts, and Hanigan will make for a rather strong bottom of the order.
Tomorrow's an off day (weird Opening Week schedule) and Wednesday, Porcello, who just signed a 4-year extension, toes the rubber against Harang. Baseball's back!
Today's opening game was the kind of best-case scenario game that characterized the 2013 Red Sox. It's exciting and it can set the tone for great things in 2015, but let's not get ahead of ourselves. There are 161 games to go. However, starting out with a dominating 9-strikeout performance from a guy they are relying on heavily to front the rotation (along with Wednesday's starter Rick Porcello) is an encouraging sign. The truest test will be how Buchholz, Porcello, and the rest of the team perform against the tougher teams in the league, but it sure is better to win against the teams you are (on paper) supposed to beat than to have them beat you.
An energized offense will make this season fun to watch and if the rotation and bullpen can keep the team in the game, the season will be closer to 2013 than to 2012 and 2014. Coming into 2015 with a true leadoff hitter helps. This was sorely lacking in 2014, save for some good stretches with Brock Holt in the first half. Mookie is an advanced hitter for being just 22 and he's a spark plug at the top of the order. Strengthening the middle with Hanley and Panda in the offseason let Pedey return to his natural spot as the #2 hitter. When they return to an AL ballpark on Friday, they will have a 3-4-5-6 of Papi, Hanley, Napoli, and Panda. Victorino, Bogaerts, and Hanigan will make for a rather strong bottom of the order.
Tomorrow's an off day (weird Opening Week schedule) and Wednesday, Porcello, who just signed a 4-year extension, toes the rubber against Harang. Baseball's back!
Monday, March 30, 2015
Player to watch for 2015: Mookie Betts
With all the bitching I have done about the underwhelming Red Sox starting rotation, the 2015 squad's offense should be exciting and fun to watch. Besides the high-profile additions of Hanley Ramirez and Pablo "Panda" Sandoval, on of the key reasons for watching while the Sox are up at bat is Mookie Betts. Mookie, who played 52 games for the moribund 2014 team was one of the few bright spots last summer as he slashed .291/.368/.444 with 5 HR and 18 RBI and adjusted remarkably well to a position switch from 2B to CF. Mookie is charismatic, high-energy, and fills the leadoff hitter void left by Jacoby Ellsbury. Only 22, he has advanced plate discipline and can frustrate pitchers at the plate and on the basepaths.
At the start of Spring Training, Victorino was named the starting right fielder and it was up to Mookie Betts and Rusney Castillo to duke it out for the right to patrol center field. Rusney injured his oblique before Grapefruit League games even started and Mookie made absolutely certain that center field was his for the taking, hitting a blistering .452 so far, making some webgem catches along the way. For his part, Castillo has recovered from his injury and made a case of his own, but Mookie has nailed down center field, meaning Castillo has to upset the oft-injured vet Shane "Shanf" Victorino for RF, with LF belonging to Hanley Ramirez.
With the addition of two middle-of-the-order bats, Dustin Pedroia can return to his familiar spot in the two-hole while Mookie bats leadoff. Big Papi will bat third, with Hanley in cleanup and the Panda fifth. Mike Napoli, rejuvenated after a gruesome-but-necessary sleep apnea surgery, bats sixth, which leaves either Rusney or Shanf in the seven-hole, Xander Bogaerts eight and Ryan Hanigan ninth. That lineup should do a lot more damage than the flimsy 2014 edition. The pitching is a dead horse I've already beaten, but the ascension of Mookie Betts, in addition to Xander Bogaerts, should once again make the Red Sox a weapon of pitcher destruction when they're up to bat.
At the start of Spring Training, Victorino was named the starting right fielder and it was up to Mookie Betts and Rusney Castillo to duke it out for the right to patrol center field. Rusney injured his oblique before Grapefruit League games even started and Mookie made absolutely certain that center field was his for the taking, hitting a blistering .452 so far, making some webgem catches along the way. For his part, Castillo has recovered from his injury and made a case of his own, but Mookie has nailed down center field, meaning Castillo has to upset the oft-injured vet Shane "Shanf" Victorino for RF, with LF belonging to Hanley Ramirez.
With the addition of two middle-of-the-order bats, Dustin Pedroia can return to his familiar spot in the two-hole while Mookie bats leadoff. Big Papi will bat third, with Hanley in cleanup and the Panda fifth. Mike Napoli, rejuvenated after a gruesome-but-necessary sleep apnea surgery, bats sixth, which leaves either Rusney or Shanf in the seven-hole, Xander Bogaerts eight and Ryan Hanigan ninth. That lineup should do a lot more damage than the flimsy 2014 edition. The pitching is a dead horse I've already beaten, but the ascension of Mookie Betts, in addition to Xander Bogaerts, should once again make the Red Sox a weapon of pitcher destruction when they're up to bat.
Saturday, January 31, 2015
Can The Red Sox Hit Their Way Past Rotation Shortcomings?
The Red Sox offseason so far has been a puzzling one. On one hand, they loaded up on offense by signing both Pablo Sandoval and Hanley Ramirez. On the other hand, they waded in the pool of mediocrity when building their pitching rotation. After failing to top the Chicago Cubs' offer to sign Jon Lester (and perhaps souring negotiations with him by lowballing him last March, then trading him to Oakland at the deadline), they loaded up on mid-rotation arms, leaving a gaping hole at the top.
Of the arms they did add, Porcello has the most potential of roughly approximating an ace. He had his best season yet in 2014, with a 3.43 ERA and 1.231 WHIP. He's 26 years old, heading into his prime years. Still, expecting him to lead a rotation at this point in his career is downright unfair. He's a newcomer to the team and the pressure-cooker market that is New England. In Detroit, he was a mid-back rotation starter by virtue of being on the same team as Max Scherzer, Anibal Sanchez and Justin Verlander. He has more years of MLB experience than your average 26-year-old, since he broke into the bigs at the tender age of 20 in 2009. However, he would benefit from being the number 2 guy instead of the guy who is relied upon to stop a losing streak or start the first game of a hypothetical playoff series.
The guys behind Porcello, including Justin Masterson, Wade Miley, Joe Kelly, and the enigmatic Clay Buchholz don't inspire a wealth of confidence. Masterson is coming off of a horrific season in which his ERA was in the high fives. Wade Miley has been up and down and recently recorded an ERA in the fours playing for a National League team. Joe Kelly is a back of the rotation type, as we saw in the two months after the deadline. That brings us to the most maddening pitcher the Red Sox have since the departure of Daisuke Matsuzaka. When Buchholz is good, he is very, very good. When he is bad, as he was last year, it's painful to watch. Then there is keeping him off the DL, which is a challenge unto itself. He has not shown enough year-to-year consistency to be counted on to lead the rotation.
James Shields is still available, but his asking price is sky-high given his age and his tendency to be a flyball pitcher. Jordan Zimmerman and Doug Fister would be an upgrade on the current rotation, but the Nationals have no pressing need to trade them, unless they want to clear salary. Therefore, they have all the leverage and can ask for the moon, the stars, and a couple of planets thrown in for good measure. Bringing Jon Lester back was the Red Sox' best chance at building a strong rotation for 2015 without sacrificing the team's best prospects.
The rest of the AL East is not looking all that spectacular. The Rays still have a higher-ceiling rotation than the Red Sox, but they lost quite a few offensive players this winter. The Orioles have lost a few stars of their own and they haven't upgraded their rotation either. The Blue Jays have had an offseason similar to the Red Sox, loading up on offense while not improving much on the rotation. The Yankees have Tanaka, if he's healthy, as well as Pineda. However, the rest of the rotation stacks up pretty evenly with that of the Sox.
However "meh" the AL East looks, the Central and West could easily crush any dreams the Red Sox might have of playing deep into October should they slug their way through a bottom-heavy rotation to win the division or sneak into a Wild Card berth. The 2005-esque rotation could make them a one-and-done candidate, especially in the expanded Wild Card era where one game decides who advances to the division series.
Is it really fair to the offense to expect them to pick up the slack from a so-so pitching rotation? If the Red Sox bats feel like they have to put up 3 or 4 runs every night, they will start pressing, which rarely produces good results. The Red Sox offense spent pretty much all of 2014 pressing, particularly the multiple rookies expected to carry their weight. We saw where that got them, even early in the season, when the pitching was usually very good. If the rotation overperforms, a la 2013, they have a chance to return to October baseball. However, there is just as much, if not more, potential for disaster with as many question marks as the Red Sox have toeing the rubber. An ace may only pitch every five games, but he takes some pressure off of the rest of the rotation and gives the offense a bit of a breather.
Of the arms they did add, Porcello has the most potential of roughly approximating an ace. He had his best season yet in 2014, with a 3.43 ERA and 1.231 WHIP. He's 26 years old, heading into his prime years. Still, expecting him to lead a rotation at this point in his career is downright unfair. He's a newcomer to the team and the pressure-cooker market that is New England. In Detroit, he was a mid-back rotation starter by virtue of being on the same team as Max Scherzer, Anibal Sanchez and Justin Verlander. He has more years of MLB experience than your average 26-year-old, since he broke into the bigs at the tender age of 20 in 2009. However, he would benefit from being the number 2 guy instead of the guy who is relied upon to stop a losing streak or start the first game of a hypothetical playoff series.
The guys behind Porcello, including Justin Masterson, Wade Miley, Joe Kelly, and the enigmatic Clay Buchholz don't inspire a wealth of confidence. Masterson is coming off of a horrific season in which his ERA was in the high fives. Wade Miley has been up and down and recently recorded an ERA in the fours playing for a National League team. Joe Kelly is a back of the rotation type, as we saw in the two months after the deadline. That brings us to the most maddening pitcher the Red Sox have since the departure of Daisuke Matsuzaka. When Buchholz is good, he is very, very good. When he is bad, as he was last year, it's painful to watch. Then there is keeping him off the DL, which is a challenge unto itself. He has not shown enough year-to-year consistency to be counted on to lead the rotation.
James Shields is still available, but his asking price is sky-high given his age and his tendency to be a flyball pitcher. Jordan Zimmerman and Doug Fister would be an upgrade on the current rotation, but the Nationals have no pressing need to trade them, unless they want to clear salary. Therefore, they have all the leverage and can ask for the moon, the stars, and a couple of planets thrown in for good measure. Bringing Jon Lester back was the Red Sox' best chance at building a strong rotation for 2015 without sacrificing the team's best prospects.
The rest of the AL East is not looking all that spectacular. The Rays still have a higher-ceiling rotation than the Red Sox, but they lost quite a few offensive players this winter. The Orioles have lost a few stars of their own and they haven't upgraded their rotation either. The Blue Jays have had an offseason similar to the Red Sox, loading up on offense while not improving much on the rotation. The Yankees have Tanaka, if he's healthy, as well as Pineda. However, the rest of the rotation stacks up pretty evenly with that of the Sox.
However "meh" the AL East looks, the Central and West could easily crush any dreams the Red Sox might have of playing deep into October should they slug their way through a bottom-heavy rotation to win the division or sneak into a Wild Card berth. The 2005-esque rotation could make them a one-and-done candidate, especially in the expanded Wild Card era where one game decides who advances to the division series.
Is it really fair to the offense to expect them to pick up the slack from a so-so pitching rotation? If the Red Sox bats feel like they have to put up 3 or 4 runs every night, they will start pressing, which rarely produces good results. The Red Sox offense spent pretty much all of 2014 pressing, particularly the multiple rookies expected to carry their weight. We saw where that got them, even early in the season, when the pitching was usually very good. If the rotation overperforms, a la 2013, they have a chance to return to October baseball. However, there is just as much, if not more, potential for disaster with as many question marks as the Red Sox have toeing the rubber. An ace may only pitch every five games, but he takes some pressure off of the rest of the rotation and gives the offense a bit of a breather.
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