Preview: The Rivalry - 2018 Edition

Photo credit: New York Daily News

The Rivalry returns on Tuesday night. Fenway Park. Or NESN if you can't get there in person. Be there.

This year is on course to be the most intense it has been in years. Both teams have young studs in their lineup that will be superstars in this game, and both teams have high expectations for what they hope to accomplish this season, the least of which will be trying to one-up each other at the end of the season. For the Red Sox, they added a much-needed power bat in J.D. Martinez to a lineup that was near the bottom of the league in home runs last season. In the Yankees' case, they added Giancarlo Stanton to an already stacked lineup that included Aaron Judge, who hit 58 home runs last season. So, who has the edge? Let's find out!

Hitting: Right now, the Red Sox are the hottest team in baseball, hitting .245 as a team, and they have 4 guys (Hanley Ramirez, Mookie Betts, Xander Bogaerts, and Rafael Devers) hitting above .300, while the Yankees are struggling somewhat, hitting .224 as a team. However, the Yankees do hold a 13-7 edge in home runs, and that is where they have the edge over the Sox. They have 4 guys that potentially hit 20+ home runs. 2, I already mentioned - Stanton, who is only hitting .179 at the moment (let's face it - how many people expect that to continue?), and Judge. The other 2 are Didi Gregorious (3 home runs already), and Gary Sanchez (54 last season). That middle of the order is deadly for any pitcher to navigate. However, home runs aren't everything, as the Sox have proven this year. They have roughly half the home runs and 3 more wins.

Verdict: Red Sox I give the Red Sox the slight edge here because of the myriad of ways they can beat you. So far, they can manufacture runs with the best of them this year, and I think that is the way you win baseball game. However, the Sox have to respect the danger that the Yankees lineup will pose throughout the year.

Pitching: This one is easy. The Red Sox have a whole run and a half over the Yankees in the ERA department (2.19 vs 3.64), and a much better pitching staff, at least on paper, then the Yankees. The Yankees have the Red Sox beat in strikeouts (104-78), but that is about the only edge.

Verdict: Red Sox
They have 3 Cy Young-caliber pitchers, and a bullpen that has been mostly excellent so far.

Fielding: What do I always tell you kids about how defense wins championships? Well, it's true, and as of writing this, the Red Sox have yet to make an error, while the Yankees have made 9. Will that hold for the season? That remains to be seen, but right now, the Red Sox are the better defensive team.

Verdict: Red Sox 
0 errors beats 9 errors, last time I checked.

The edge, at least at the time of writing this, goes to the Red Sox. Through 9 games, they have been the best team in baseball, and I believe that will continue.
PS - I just love that picture, don't you?

All stats from espn.com

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Best win of the season?

Photo Credit: Steven Senne/AP

Spoiler alert: Yes. Yes, it is. The only thing that would have made today better would have been if they did this against the Yankees.

Oh, so you live under a rock (or have a perfectly good excuse for missing the game) and you didn't see what happened? Let me fill you in: The Red Sox came back from a 5-run deficit against the Tampa Bay Rays in the 8th inning to win their 8th game in a row AFTER losing Xander Bogaerts, who is their hottest hitter at the moment. How did it happen? Well, it started at 7-2, with Hanley Ramirez being driven in by Mitch Moreland. After that, everything spitballed. Rafael Devers drove in 2, then Christian Vazquez drove in Devers, then Mookie Betts drove in a run, and finally, Andrew Benentendi drove in Mookie to make it 8-7. After that, Craig Kimbrel did what he does best and closed it out in the 9th.

And the best part of all of this? All of the damage came with 2 outs in the inning. It shows the fight in this team, and it sets the tone for the rest of the year. It instills an extra sense of confidence in the team that they are never out of any of the games they play. I think it also gives them extra energy as the Yankees themselves come to town, in what should be an interesting series, and one that will set the tone for the rest of the year.

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5 Takeaways from the First 5 Games

Photo Credit: AP

The Red Sox have come out flying to start the season, taking 3 of 4 games against the Tampa Bay Rays and taking the series opener against the Miami Marlins last night, 7-3. So, what can we take away from the first 5 games of the season?

1. Joe Kelly needs work. Kelly is really one of the only reasons the Red Sox aren't a perfect 5-0 to start the season, and is mainly responsible for the Opening Day loss against Tampa. The team was cruising...at least until Kelly came in and gave up 4 runs in a third of an inning. He allowed 4 runs, 1 hit, and 3 walks in that third of an inning. The most striking part of that, at least for me, is the 3 walks, which tells me that he has some control issues that he has to work through. Now, to Kelly's credit, he came back and pitched a solid scoreless inning out of the pen last night, picking up his 1st big-league save in the process, but he needs a few more performances like that against better teams before I trust him. It's a long season, and one bad performance doesn't make or break a season at this stage.

2. #XGonGiveItToYa: Xander Bogaerts has been a beast out of the gate. .455 average, a home run, and 5 doubles. He's been smoking the ball out of the gate. Yes, he won't continue hitting at a near .500 clip, but if this is a sign of what's to come, I'm excited.

3. Pitching has been on point. With the exception of Joe Kelly's one bad outing in the opener, the pitching has been exceptional so far. Chris Sale struck out 9 on what looked at times to be an "off day," David Price turned in a 7 inning, 5 strikeout performance, and the bullpen has been lights out (again, with the exception of Kelly, which I talked about already). The bullpen is going to be the X-factor for the team. We already know that Craig Kimbrel (2 saves already) is one of the best closers in the game, but the key is going to be bridging the gap and getting to him with a lead intact.

4. J.D. Martinez is still adjusting. As I said earlier with Kelly, the season is a long one, and Martinez isn't the only one struggling out of the gate. He is hitting .200 with 1 RBI through 5 games, which isn't ideal for a guy the Sox just gave a $100+ contract to. Martinez is a good hitter, though, and 5 games is too small of a sample size to rush to any snap judgements, so for now, he gets the benefit of the doubt. Now, if we look up in August & September and he's still struggling, that's a different story, but I think J.D. is too good not to figure it out at some point.

5.Alex Cora is doing a good job so far. The Red Sox came out of Tampa with 3 straight 1-run wins in large part due to Cora's decision-making. Every bench player has made at least one start, and none of his starters have gotten past the 95 pitch mark, according to the Herald. It's been an "all hands on deck" approach so far, and it's paying off. He also seems to have the clubhouse on his side, which is something that may have led to John Farrell's squads not being able accomplish anything outside of 2013. Another interesting tidbit from the Herald: the Red Sox are 3-0 so far in 1-run games, which is something last year's team struggled with.

We have to put everything, good and bad, in perspective, though - it's still early, and anything can happen. We could be World Series contenders or it'll all blow up in our face. Knock on wood, but I don't think I'm alone in hoping for the former.

Stats from espn.com

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Red Sox baseball is back, and so am I

I

Photo Credit: Matt Stone

know it's been a while since I've done a post here, but baseball is back today, and so am I (finally). I'm like a 6-year old kid on Christmas morning at the moment. Without further ado, I'm going to get into what I think we can expect from this year's team.

The Sox are coming off a season in which they won the AL East, but crashed out of the playoffs in the first round to eventual World Series champions, the Houston Astros. This year, they come back with a new manager in Alex Cora, and a new slugger in JD Martinez. Cora's managerial experience is limited, but he was the bench coach on the Houston Astros team that won the championship last year, and Martinez is coming off a year in which he set career highs in home runs (45) and RBI's (104). Adding Martinez will hopefully add some much needed pop to a lineup that was sorely lacking in that department last year.

So, what exactly can we expect from the Red Sox? For starters, they should be aiming to win the AL East for the third consecutive year. Of course, the main competition this year will be from the Evil Empire down in New York, who added Giancarlo Stanton to an already stacked young lineup. I still expect the Red Sox to compete, though. When they're all in form, the Red Sox have one of the better starting rotations in baseball. And, while they may not have the power threats of the Yankees, the Red Sox lineup can still beat you in a multitude of different ways. Plus, Martinez should add some pop, as I mentioned above.

So, is this the year the Red Sox make a serious push towards another World Series? I believe so. I think Alex Cora is the right guy for the manager's job, and I don't think he'll let this team slide, like they have in years past. And, on paper, this is a very talented team that can beat anyone in a 5- or 7-game series come playoff time.

It all starts at 4:00 this afternoon. In the meantime, the Red Sox posted this video on their Facebook page to get us excited for the season:
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Red Sox Rumors: Buchholz on the block

Photo from Masslive

Dear Santa:

All I want for Christmas is world peace, a Red Sox World Series victory in 2017...and the Clay Buchholz trade rumors to come to pass. Give me those things and I'll be one happy kid for Christmas.

Love, Conor.

If you read this, Santa, you might ask why it has to be him. Fair question, and one that is fairly simple to answer, at least for me. 2 reason: First, we have a logjam in our rotation after acquiring Chris Sale earlier this week. 7 major league starters for 5 slots, and we have to drop one. This leads into reason #2: Buchholz has been inconsistent, hence why I would say deal him. He started his career so well with the no-hitter, but after that, he only really had one good stretch in the early part of 2013 when he started out 12-0. He looked like an early Cy Young candidate that year, but he got a neck injury, and he's never looked like the same guy.

So, that's why I would say deal Buchholz. I think he's mediocre at the moment, and maybe a change of scenery will benefit him and help him rediscover his early '13 form. In return, Boston will get to offload Buchholz's $13 million salary and get something in return, so win-win for both team and player. As of right now, the Red Sox are sitting near the luxury tax threshold at a $195 million payroll, per Masslive, and Dave Dombrowski doesn't want to go over, so dealing Buchholz gives the team some financial flexibility if they need to make a deadline move and bring on extra salary in the process.

So, that's why I hope Buchholz gets dealt, Santa. Satisfied? Good. Now, please make it happen. PS - a nice pair of basketball sneakers (Nike) would be great, too. I've been so very, very good this year.

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Was bringing Farrell back for 2017 the right move?

Photo Credit: USA Today Sports

This past week, Red Sox president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowksi announced that John Farrell will return for the 2017. The burning question on fans' minds is "Was this the right move?" My gut feeling is that this is indeed the correct decision. No, he's not Terry Francona, Joe Maddon, or Bruce Bochy, but I would say 2 things in his defense - he was at the helm for 2013 and it would also appear he has this team on the up again after 2 straight last place finishes.

Let's start with the first thing - 2013. We all remember how that turned out, yes? It seemed as if the baseball gods wanted the Red Sox to win that year, but remember that the game is played on the field. And players can lose focus over the course of a 6 month season, and it takes a firm hand in the clubhouse to keep the team focus on the ultimate goal. I give Farrell most of the credit for that.

Reason #2 I would support Farrell for now - this team is heading in the right direction after getting swept by Cleveland. Yes, I know - we got swept, but I'll happily take it over 2 straight last place finishes, wouldn't you? I can't tell you how happy I was to see meaningful late-season and playoff baseball back at Fenway again. Like in 2013, I credit Farrell for keeping the team focused, and it paid off with a division title in the toughest division in baseball this year. Side note: Before fans of other teams start giving me flack, the AL East had 3 playoff teams and 4 of 5 teams over .500, so yeah, I think it qualifies as the best this year. Plus, the team had to deal with the media circus that was David Ortiz's retirement tour this year, but Farrell still kept the team on track.

Yes, I understand the counter-arguments. His in-game management is bad at times (trust me, that frustrates me too), but again, I do believe Farrell deserves a lot of credit for being a steady hand in the dugout, which is a big part of being a manager. My question to the anti-Farrell crowd would be this - would you rather go back to Bobby Valentine? Who would you have manage the team in place of Farrell? I say stick with Farrell for 2017, and see how it plays out before maybe changing managers.

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Season Recap: A farewell to Ortiz and what's next

AP/Charles Krupa

The Red Sox were swept out of the playoffs by the Cleveland Indians on Monday in a disappointing end to David Ortiz's final season with the Red Sox. David Ortiz bid an emotional farewell to Red Sox Nation after losing 4-3 to the Indians. The Red Sox did well to make it to the playoffs, but were outplayed in every phase of the game in the ALDS by a hungry Cleveland team.

So, how bad was it? As a team, the Red Sox hit .214 for the series, and a measly .163 with runners in scoring position. And especially in the first game, Red Sox hitters were swinging at air. Pitching? Forget about it. The team had an ERA of 5.04, and the big money guy, David Price, had a 13.50 ERA (so much for that $214 million contract - yikes!). The Red Sox could not get any momentum in any facet of the game, and with the exception of Andrew Benintendi and Brock Holt, no one on the roster really performed up to the bar they had set all season.

Now for the plus side - this will be a good learning curve for the young guys, and having that playoff experience under their belt will help them next year. And with no David Ortiz on the field, that should put more on the shoulders of guys like Mookie Betts, Jackie Bradley Jr., and the rest of the young core, but I think they are ready.

And the lineup was one huge positive for the Sox all season long, from Ortiz's monster final season to Mookie Betts having an MVP-caliber season, Andrew Benintendi showing flashes of brilliance both at the plate and in the field, and finally having 5 guys (Ortiz, Betts, Xander Bogaerts, Hanley Ramirez, and Jackie Bradley) with over 20 home runs.

What's next?
So, what's in store this off-season? The Red Sox have to fill David Ortiz's very large shoes at DH. In Spring Training, I would have advocated Hanley in that role, and that's still possible, but Hanley proved what I thought early in the year wrong, and I'm grateful for it. He was above average at 1st base, and I'd be fine keeping him there after what he has done this year. Edwin Encarnacion is out there, but I would say try Pablo Sandoval there, but I'm not the one making the decisions, and the verdict is still out on Panda. One thing is clear - filling Ortiz's spot will make for an interesting offseason.

Farwell, Papi:
On that note, it's time for the hardest part: Saying good bye to David Ortiz. He's been without a doubt the most important player in Red Sox history, winning 3 World Series championships. He changed the culture around Fenway, and he played the game with a huge smile from ear to ear every day. It's going to be depressing when he's not on the Opening Day roster, but the time was right for him to go.

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All stats from espn.com

2nd half preview: Can the Sox push towards a playoff spot?

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The All Star break is over, and the Red Sox started the 2nd half of the season off on a good foot by taking 2 of 3 from the New York Yankees in the Bronx. The Red Sox continue tonight against the San Francisco Giants, who are in town for 2 games. Right now, the Red Sox are 1.5 games behind the Orioles, and sitting in the first Wild Card spot ahead of Toronto.

So, the question is, can they continue the momentum from the first half of the season and either overtake Baltimore for the division crown or solidify their hold on the Wild Card spot? Yes, I believe they can.

Why? Let's start with the young guys, namely Mookie Betts, Jackie Bradley Jr., and Xander Bogaerts. All of those guys were named to the All Star Game as starters, and with very good reason. They have been on fire for the most part, and that's not about to change. And it's not just them. Let's talk about the other Red Sox representive in the All Star Game - David Ortiz. He's the current team leader in batting average (.327), home runs (22) and RBI's (72). And he's 40 years old. He looks like he could keep this up for another few years. Unfortunately, that won't happen, but he's doing a good job of making Red Sox Nation believe that he won't retire. The Red Sox can outscore any team on any given day.

The issue is still pitching, but I do believe that David Price will get his stuff together in the second half and show the team why they were willing to drop $217 million on him. Meanwhile, Rick Porcello (11-2, 3.66 ERA) has quietly been having a solid year, and I think that will continue. Not to mention new addition Drew Pomeranz (who makes his team debut Wednesday) gives them a great option at the bottom of the rotation. The only issue is Clay Buchholz (3-9, 5.91 ERA), but I do believe his days with the team are numbered. Whether they get rid of him at the trade deadline or after the season, I don't believe he has a future in Boston beyond this season.

The Sox have the talent to make a run, but it all comes down to consistency, which has been an issue at times. Especially from their big money ace, David Price, but as I mentioned, I do believe he'll turn it around in the second half. And we'll see if Dave Dombrowski tries to add another starter at the deadline, since that would definitely help, but on paper, this is a very talented squad that should be aiming to overtake Baltimore.

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Jackie Bradley Jr. is not human

Photo Credit: AP

When Jackie Bradley, Jr. came up at first, most of us with an eye for baseball recognized his very real defensive talents, yet JBJ struggled early on with the bat. Coming into this season, I would have been thrilled with a .250 average and him continuing with the stellar defense he has shown so far in his young career.

So here we are, a little over a month into the season, and Bradley is riding a Major League best 20-game hit streak. He's hitting a cool .331 with 6 home runs and 30 RBI's so far, and exceeding just about every expectation at the plate. As mentioned above, I would have been more than happy with a .250 batting average, yet he continues to wow me at the plate, and it is amazing to watch. Granted, he's just one guy in an offensive juggernaut that has come to life in the past week especially, but he has managed to stand out even among a red-hot Red Sox lineup because of the generally low expectations for him offensively. 

So, the question remains: Is Jackie Bradley, Jr. human? Until he proves me otherwise, I refuse to believe that he's human, given the way he has been performing this season.

I just hope it continues. He's proved himself an important part of this lineup, no matter where he hits, and that has to continue going forward.

The curious case of the $100 million signing: Pablo Sandoval

AP Photo/ Patrick Semansky

Way back when the Red Sox signed Pablo Sandoval, I was intrigued to say the least. I watched as he deliviered 2 World Series to San Francisco in 2012 and 2014, then signed a 5-year/$95 million deal with Boston. When the deal was inked, I thought it could only help to have someone with his postseason background on our team, but I was worried a little about his weight. I brushed those aside, thinking the deal's value would show in time, but it doesn't help now that those concerns seem to have some validity. I elaborated on that when he showed up to Spring Training with no noticeable improvement.

Now, it has apparently gone from bad to worse with him, as Masslive reports that the Panda may be out for the remainder of the season after he undergoes shoulder surgery. This will be a good thing for one Travis Shaw, who is more than capable of filling in, and is more than deserving to be the everyday third baseman. The one thing that remains, though, is Sandoval's contract. It's clear he's been a bust, and one that cost the team nearly $100 million over 5 years, so he's not cheap either. If Shaw keeps performing at the level he has (.322 average, 3 home runs, 17 RBI's and solid defense so far), the question won't be "Who starts at 3rd?," it will be more like "How do we cut our losses with Sandoval and find a team that'll take him off our hands?"

Maybe Sandoval will be the second coming of John Lackey, who came back in 2013 after a bad start to his Red Sox career and played a major role in helping us win it all in 2013, but that seems unlikely with Panda. He could prove me wrong, and I want him to do just that, but it just seems so unlikely at this point.

The best thing would be to trade him at some point and cut our losses, but right now, I doubt there is a team out there that would take him, even if we ate the vast majority of the remainder of his contract.

Red Sox heat up as April turns into May

AP Photo/Michael Dwyer

The saying "April showers bring May flowers" may not apply to the weather in Boston, but it is proving true for the Red Sox. After a rough start to the season, the Red Sox turned on the jets towards the end of April and into early May and have a half-game lead on the Baltimore Orioles on top of the AL East.

The good news is that almost everyone has contributed, from David Ortiz to Hanley Ramirez to the young guns. David Ortiz looks like he could play until 50. Ramirez has been surprisingly effective at first base, and proving my worries about him from Spring Training wrong, which is a very good thing.

The bad news is that there are still a few noticeable holes, namely David Price and Clay Buchholz. Price has been shaky so far, despite a 4-0 record. He has shown flashes of why he got all the money, but he also has a 6.14 ERA in 6 starts so far. Needless to say, he has to get better. Buchholz has been suffering from the same inconsistencies that have followed him throughout his whole career. Right now, he's going through a down stretch at 0-3 and a 6.51 ERA to go with. He's also been on the mound for the only 2 losses during the Red Sox 8-2 stretch. It is still early for both guys. The season isn't decided in May, and both guys have time to work through their issues, but I think most Red Sox fans would agree that the sooner they do so, the better.

In the meantime, the team has more than enough firepower to get by, especially with a lot of the young guys playing so well. Not to mention they seemed focused at the moment, which seemed easier said than done coming out of Spring Training with a lot of questions. The team will look to continue their momentum into a 3-game series with the 18-8 Chicago White Sox.

Spring Training notes: Sandoval doesn't show weight loss

Photo Credit: Christopher Smith/Masslive

Spring Training is officially underway in Fort Meyers, Florida, and already there's a little interest surrounding Pablo Sandoval. Sandoval arrived earlier today and showed little weight loss. The Red Sox posted the photo below on their Twitter page, and there is hardly a difference from last year to Spring Training this year, let alone the 20-22 pounds promised by John Farrell (source: Masslive).

🐼 in the 🏠! @KFP48 #SoxSpring pic.twitter.com/ExRkIC34GY

— Boston Red Sox (@RedSox) February 21, 2016

The lack of a noticeable difference in his physical fitness, at least so far, is troubling to me as a fan, since the team splashed out nearly $100 million to land Sandoval. Hopefully, he proves me wrong, though. He might think he has nothing to prove, but after a mediocre season at best in 2015, he better be ready to prove to his teammates and the front office that he was worth the investment the team made to get him.

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3 Red Sox story lines to watch in Spring Training

Photo Credit: Bleacher Report

With Spring Training finally almost upon us (pitchers and catchers report on Thursday), it's time to look at a few of the major story lines to keep an eye on down in Fort Meyers.

 1.) The fitness of Pablo Sandoval: A lot has been made of Sandoval's weight since the team signed before last season, and it was reported last month he supposedly lost weight again. If he has lost weight, it's definitely good news for the Red Sox, but how much of a difference will it make? Who knows, but it will definitely be something to watch in Spring Training.

 2.) Hanley Ramirez's play at 1st base: This has been pounded to death among Red Sox analysts (myself included), but it bears mentioning here: I'm more than a little worried about Hanley Ramirez's defense at 1st base. Hanley showed almost 0 effort in the outfield last season, and I'm worried about how that might translated to 1st. It will definitely be something to watch as Spring Training goes on. Who steps up as the first replacement if Hanley struggles will also bear watching - the first choice in my mind would be Travis Shaw, but we'll see.  

3.) How the starting rotation shapes up: David Price will be the #1 guy. We know that. The rest of the rotation is much hard to tell - I've given my projection for how things will shape up, and I stand by that, but it will still be interesting to watch as Spring Training goes on. It'll also be interesting to see who establishes themselves as the first choice starter in case of an injury.

There you have it. Those are the biggest story lines going into Spring Training in my book. Until then, a friendly reminder - only 8 more days until pitchers report.

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Red Sox fan to Giants: Take Pablo Sandoval back

Photo Credit: Yardbreaker

This one was pretty amusing - a kid at the San Francisco Giants Fan Fest asked the Giants if they could take Pablo Sandoval, per Fox Sports. The reaction from the crowd of Giants fans was pretty predictable - most of them booed and laughed off the suggestion (video below).

A video posted by J.Lynn Johnston (@jlynnjohnston) on Feb 13, 2016 at 12:26pm PST

Can't blame the kid for asking, can you? The Panda's first year with the team was forgettable, at best - .245, 10 home runs and 47 RBI's. I admire the kid's guts, but the Red Sox are stuck with him for 4 more years...unless they find a team to take on the remainder of his 5 year/$95 million deal, which is a long shot at best. Nice effort, kid, but the best we can do is hope Sandoval improves this season.

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Dustin Pedroia is on the comeback trail

Photo Credit: AP Photo/Ron Schwane

Dustin Pedroia has had a tough time with injuries in his career, particularly last season, but all reports suggest he's ready to come back better and healthier this season. Dave Dombrowksi told Pedroia to emphasize quickness in the off-season, per Masslive.com, noting how it worked for Ian Kinsler:

"We talked about emphasizing quickness, and I think at his age, you end up being where you need to do that," Dombrowski said in December. "I heard the same thing about Ian Kinsler a couple years ago, (then he) had his best two years defensively that he's ever had. Part of that was he changed his program in that he worked more on his quickness at that time. I've seen that work with guys."

Pedroia himself said that he's trying to expand his game and be more well-rounded:

"I'm training to be an athlete, not do (just) certain things," Pedroia said. "I'm not trying to just hit home runs or drive the ball. I'm trying to whatever is thrown at me be able to acclimate and make a play. Just training to be an athlete instead of more sports-specific." Pedroia has put an emphasis on building his strength the past two offseasons. "I want to beat teams 10 different ways, man: stealing bags, hitting singles, doubles, making plays," Pedroia said. "That's what I'm trying to do. That's my focus — not on just one thing."

Last season, Pedroia started out well, hitting at a .306 clip with 9 home runs, 14 doubles, and 33 RBI's, but went down with a hamstring injury in June. The key for Pedroia will be staying healthy, and it sounds like he's been working on that this off-season. And that spells trouble for other teams - if Pedroia is healthy, he'll be a big factor in our success this season.

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Wade Boggs to have number retired, but should he?

Photo Credit: Getty Images

Wade Boggs played a grand total of 11 seasons in Boston, amassing a .338/.428/.462 slash line and 200 hits every season from 1984-89. He was a part of the 1986 team that was a Bill Buckner freak play away from breaking "The Curse of the Bambino" 18 years early. No doubt he was one of the great players in Red Sox history, but was he good enough to have his number retired? I would have to say yes.

Now, I'm too young to have seen him play with the Red Sox - I was born in 1990, and Boggs left for the Evil Empire (and ultimately won a World Series there in 1996- ouch!) in 1992. The first time I saw him play, in the late 90's, was with the Tampa Bay Rays. But, when your name gets thrown around with Ted Williams, that's worth something. Boggs is right behind Ted Williams in batting titles with the Red Sox (5), and average at Fenway Park (.338). Pretty impressive in my books.

Ultimately, Wade Boggs never brought a World Series championship to Boston, and that affects some of the perception surrounding Boggs. If he had been on the team that had broken "The Curse," I don't think there would be any doubts about him getting his number retired. But there will always be doubts about this, especially since he left for the Yankees, then proceeded to win a title there. That couldn't have been a pleasant feeling for Red Sox fans. For me, though, he was a model of consistency while he was with the Red Sox and that's why he should have his number retired.

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Roster Projection 1.0 - what will the Red Sox look like in April?

Photo Credit: Over the Monster

Before the Red Sox kick off the season in April, I'm going to try and project what the Red Sox roster will look like when Opening Day finally rolls around. This will be the first of several throughout Spring Training since players could get hurt, under- or over-perform expectations, etc. Without further ado, I give you my pre-Spring Training roster projection.

 Outfield: The outfield is the toughest projection to make as far as starters go, because there is such a logjam of talent in the outfield, but here's how I see it shaping up at the start:  

Starters (Left to Right): Chris Young, Mookie Betts, Rusney Castillo Betts was by far the easiest one to choose, as he is probably one of the most promising young players in baseball right now. Aside from his .291 average and 18 home runs, he also posted his highest fielding percentage in center field (.990), so barring an injury. Chris Young, the new signing from New York, will likely start in left. He posts his best fielding percentage in left (.996), but he's also only played 152 games in left, compared to 947 in center field. However, I do see the center field job as Mookie Betts' to lose at the moment, so I think the team will build around that assumption going into Spring Training. Rusney Castillo will likely round out the outfield. He showed flashes of what he can do last season, and I also think the Red Sox will want to avoid making him the most expensive minor leaguer in history. I think Castillo will start the year as the Red Sox right fielder, where he's played the most in his young Red Sox career.  

Bench: Jackie Bradley Jr., Brock Holt
Bryce Brentz and Jackie Bradley Jr are the two guys are the only other outfielders on the 40-man roster right now. However, the Opening Day roster will be trimmed to 25 and, at the moment, Jackie Bradley is the one assured of a major league spot - his glove is fantastic, even if his hitting needs some work. If any of the 3 starters go down with an injury, he'll be the first one off the bench. Right now, Brentz should spend another year down in AAA Pawtucket, and maybe next year, he'll be ready to start at a major league level. The Red Sox also have Brock Holt, who can fill in just about anywhere, so there's really no room for Brentz at the moment.  


Infield:
  
Starters: Hanley Ramirez (1B), Dustin Pedroia (2B), Xander Bogaerts (SS), Pablo Sandoval (3B) This one was pretty simple. Barring a major injury between now and Opening Day, this is what the infield will look like. 3 of those guys have big contracts (Pedroia, Ramirez, Sandoval), and Xander Bogaerts is the most promising young shortstop in the game. As far as Ramirez goes, management has made it clear he'll start at first, so that's beyond a doubt at this point. Sandoval should get another shot, assuming the rumors of him losing weight are true.

 Bench: Brock Holt, Travis Shaw Brock Holt, as I mentioned above, can play just about anywhere, and Travis Shaw will be the first off the bench if the Hanley at 1st experiment goes wrong, so not much question there.  

Catcher: Blake Swihart, Christian Vazquez I do think Swihart gets the Opening Day nod, at least until Vazquez is 100%. And even then, I think they'll be platooning it during the regular season, depending on who's pitching and how they develop with each individual pitcher. DH: David Ortiz. No questions there.

Starting Lineup: This is what the lineup would look like, assuming this holds true: 1.) Mookie Betts, CF 2.) Xander Bogaerts, SS 3.) David Ortiz, DH 4.) Hanley Ramirez, 1B 5.) Pablo Sandoval, 3B 6.) Dustin Pedroia, 2B 7.) Rusney Castillo, RF 8.) Blake Swihart/Christian Vazquez, C 9.) Chris Young, LF

Starting Pitchers: David Price, Clay Buchholz, Rick Porcello, Eduardo Rodriguez, Roenis Elias I already tried my hand at projecting the rotation, and I stand by what I said in that. To read that, click here.  

Bullpen: Koji Uehara, Craig Kimbrel, Carson Smith, Joe Kelly, Junichi Tazawa, Stevan Wright, Robbie Ross Right now, 5 of those guys are locks to be on the Opening Day roster - Koji, Taz, Kelly as a long reliever/spot starter, and the new acquisitions, Kimbrel and Smith. As for the other guys, they all had their struggles last year - but, then again, who didn't last year? However, I do think the bullpen will be the most improved part of the team, with Kimbrel taking over the closer slot from Koji. That will take the pressure of Koji, and I think he'll return to his 2013 form.

So, there you have it. That's my 25 man Opening Day roster projection for the Red Sox. This isn't close to perfect, and I'll do at least a couple more during Spring Training, as I see how players are doing.

Playoffs or bust in Ortiz's final season

Photo Credit: Winslow Townson/AP

The Red Sox are preparing for their final season with David Ortiz as a player, and John Henry has set the bar pretty high for David Ortiz's final season, per Masslive:  

"Given his track record in the postseason, it would be a disaster, that's a strong word, I guess, a big disaster — it would be terrible if he doesn't end his career in the postseason," Henry said here at the Red Sox Baseball Winter Weekend at Foxwoods Resort Casino on Friday.  

Ortiz has a .295 career playoff average, 17 home runs and 62 RBI's in the playoffs, and is also responsible for many of the most memorable moments in recent Red Sox playoff history. He single-handedly brought the team back from the brink in 2004 and ran away with the World Series MVP in 2013, leading some (myself included) to christen him the new "Mr. October."

 John Henry would be absolutely correct in saying that it would be a disaster if they can't make the playoffs this season, even more so given how aggressive the team has been in the off-season. Aside from it being Ortiz's last season, this team should be in a
great position to win the Wild Card at minimum, if not win the AL East. Right now, I'm cautiously optimistic about this season given recent performances (3 last place finishes in 4 years), but fans absolutely have a right to expect the Red Sox to contend this year. Ultimately, I think disaster will be averted and the team will send Ortiz out on a high.

Twitter - @C_Frederick1016 
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Tim Wakefield, Jason Varitek selected to Red Sox Hall of Fame

Photo Credit: AP Photo/Winslow Townsend

The National Baseball Hall of Fame inductions are past, but the Red Sox announced that Jason Varitek and Tim Wakefield, both 2-time World Champions with the Red Sox, are among 4 guys inducted into the team Hall of Fame.

Jason Varitek holds the team record for games caught (1488 from 1997-2011), was a 3-time All Star and Red Sox captain from 2005-11. Tim Wakefield spent 16 years with the team (1995-2011), starting 430 games, winning 186 games and striking out 2,046 hitters among other things. Both guys are very deserving of the recognition, as both had excellent careers with the Red Sox. I grew up with these guys, and they were 2 of my favorite players to watch. Both guys were great team players and exemplified what being a Red Sox player should be.

On a personal note, I had the good fortune of meeting Tim Wakefield on 2 separate occasions, once back in 2004 and once in 2014. I had the pleasure of interviewing Wake in 2014, and he couldn't have been nicer. It was a brief encounter, but he was thorough and thoughtful with the questions I asked (the whole interview is below). He was a real pleasure to sit down with and talk to, and I can think of no one more deserving.
Ira Flagsted and Larry Lucchino were also named to the team Hall of Fame. Flagsted played for the team for 6 years, and led the league in assists (115). Lucchino has owned the team for 14 years and presided over an 820-game sellout and 3 World Series Championships (04,07,13). Congratulations to all, and I can't wait to see the ceremony. The formal induction takes place on the 19th of May, with a ceremony before the Red Sox home game the next day.

PED's & the Hall of Fame: My thoughts

Photo Credit: FiveThirtyEight

I've been a baseball fan since the mid-1990's when I was a young kid and I grew up in the peak of the steroid era. One of my fondest memories of the early years of my watching baseball was the home run race of '98 between Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa. As a kid, it was exciting to watch the rivalry between the 2, but it was also one of the biggest letdowns to find out that it was all bogus and they were using PED's. I also remember Roger Clemens and Barry Bonds play in their peak, but I was disappointed because they were also 2 of the more prominent guys connected to the Mitchell Report. I also appreciate that these were 2 great players without steroids. Even without PED's, I'm sure both would have been on the Hall of Fame ballot.

Which brings me to the point of this article: My thoughts on PED's and getting into the Baseball Hall of Fame. This has always conflicted me because taking PED's is obviously wrong, but at the same time, should that really bar guys like Clemens and Bonds from getting in, since they were likely good enough to warrant a Hall of Fame induction anyway? This is a question I've wrestled with as a fan for some time, but ultimately, I think the guys like Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens should get in. It ultimately comes down to "Were these guys good enough to warrant selection without using PED's?" As I mentioned above, I think Bonds and Clemens both were talented enough without PED's. It's hard to say for sure, but that's just my personal opinion.

However, I do think the Hall of Fame and the Baseball Writers Association of America, who votes on who gets in, might want to put something out along the lines of "We don't condone steroid use, but we felt that the players in here who were connected with the Mitchell Report would have merited selection without steroids." Or something like that. Because there are guys still active like Alex Rodriguez, David Ortz (who never actually failed a test, but was connected with the Mitchell Report), and Manny Ramirez who aren't eligible for selection yet, but who could be on the ballot when their time comes shortly, and this whole debate will start again. That is, if it ever stops.

Well, we'll just have to wait and see what happens, but ultimately, if they were good enough to get in without PED's, they should be at least given their fair shot. That's my 2 cents on the matter.

Twitter - @C_Frederick1016
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