Category: MLB

Why Can’t We Get Players Like Adrian Beltre?

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It would take some creative thinking to bring Adrian Beltre back to the Red Sox, nearly eight years after a different front office regime let him get away.

Dombrowski’s mostly winning habit of wheeling and dealing has left the Boston farm system thin in the caliber of prospects required to entice Beltre’s employer, the Texas Rangers, to send him this way…

The margin might be even thinner between the Red Sox’ current payroll (in the range of $233 million) and the massive financial punishment that comes from surpassing the highest luxury-tax tier ($237 million).

It’s a bummer, but it’s the truth.

I’m always in favor of trading prospects for established veterans. Buy low, sell high. Who is the last prospect the Red Sox dealt that turned into a Hall of Famer, MVP, or All-Star? Jeff Bagwell? The Red Sox didn’t get much out of the Jon Lester or John Lackey trades in 2014, but they were sellers that year which kind of proves my point. Even with the Lester trade, though, they later flipped their return in that deal (Yoenis Cespedes) for a future Cy Young Award winner (Rick Porcello).

And remind me, what’s Anderson Espinoza (from the Drew Pomeranz trade) up to these days Tony?

I also do not care about the Red Sox luxury tax situation. Obviously it’s not my money, but the Red Sox have the money. Can you really put a price on another ring?

So when I say the Red Sox shouldn’t pick up Adrian Beltre, it’s strictly for baseball reasons.

Beltre is by all accounts a great teammate and still hitting .309 at age 39 this season. He could give the Red Sox some better at bats lower in their lineup, but it would take plate appearances away from Rafael Devers and Jackie Bradley Jr. Devers is hitting just .234 through 77 games, but he does have 12 home runs and 40 RBI. Bradley is hitting .199 this season, but he’s at .303 over his last 10 games and still provides excellent defense in center field.

Even if you think taking plate appearances away from Devers and Bradley is a good thing, and that Beltre would improve their offense, the offense is not the Red Sox problem. The Red Sox have the highest team batting average in baseball and more hits than any other team. They’re second in runs scored and home runs.

If Dave Dombrowski is going to break the bank next month, he should do it for a bullpen arm.

And one last thing about the Red Sox letting Beltre “get away” after 2010. Before coming to Boston, Beltre was a .270 career hitter who averaged 24 home runs and 87 RBI per 162 games. He had a great season in Boston in 2010, hitting .321 with 49 doubles, 28 home runs, 102 RBI and an OPS of .919 at age 31. How were the Red Sox supposed to predict that Beltre would hit .308 from age 32 on? Nearly 40 points higher than his batting average from age 19 to 31. How would they have predicted he’d average 30 home runs and 104 RBI per 162 games from age 32 on? They also had a chance to acquire the younger Adrian Gonzalez.

I’ll rip the Sox when I think they’re wrong, but I would’ve made the same move and would still make it again tomorrow. Not all moves pan out, but to say the Red Sox let Beltre “get away” is a little bit of revisionist history.

The 300s Podcast: Red Sox Chasing 100 Wins & the Gang Fights a PED Suspension

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A new episode of The 300s Podcast is hot off the presses! This ep is a grab bag of news as we’ve got headlines everywhere from drug rings to a historical run by the Red Sox to PED suspensions and back to NBA free agency. Click here to listen or download on iTunes or Google Play. Subscribe, rate, and review today!

It came out the other day that Hanley Ramirez was allegedly Pablo Escobar andddd now he’s apparently not. Whoops.

The Red Sox are on pace to win 100+ games for the first time since 1946 and I’m still not sold on this team.

Julian Edelman is pulling a Ryan Braun and appealing his 4-game suspension on the way his test was physically handled more so than the actual results.

LeBron “The Decision” James reportedly doesn’t want a recruiting circus this time around in free agency. Is this the height of hypocrisy or has LeBron learned from getting roasted after The Decision?

The 300s has a very exciting announcement to make and that my friends is what they call a big market tease.

The 300s Reviews: Guaranteed Rate Field, Home of the Chicago White Sox

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My quest to see all 30 MLB parks has brought me to Chicago this week. To be honest, I’ve been putting off this park for a while, and like my 300s counterpart Big Z, I wasn’t jumping for joy at the chance to see what Guaranteed Rate Field had to offer.

Situated in South Chicago, I’ve pretty much only heard bad things when the White Sox stadium was brought up in conversation. But alas, I’m not in Chicago incredibly often and the quest is to see all 30, so it was time to bite the bullet and check this place out.

I’ve decided to do this review a bit different than my past reviews. Most of the time I’m writing these as a retrospective piece, trying to recall my favorite and least favorite parts of the experience. However, seeing as I was only at this field yesterday, I thought it would be a little fun to give you an exact play by play of how things went down. While I was there, I took brief notes on my iPhone to really capture the essence of what I was feeling in the moment. So I present to you, an unaltered account of my day yesterday at Guaranteed Rate Field.

12:35 pm: Just arrived at Guaranteed Rate Field. So far I feel like I am the only person at the stadium, it’s a ghost town. Checked out the team store, which has a good amount of Cubs gear for no good reason.

12:45 pm: Got a vodka lemonade souvenir cup for 10 bucks. Pretty god damn strong, good price.

12:56 pm: Apparently it’s the mascots birthday. Kind of a lame mascot. No spark, looks dead inside. Although he is named Southpaw, which I appreciate the lame pun for being on the south side of Chicago, and myself being a lefty.

1:07 pm: Decided to do the speed pitch machine. Arm is completely shot. In actual pain. Great form though and hit 60 mph.

1:08 pm: Fireworks mistaken for gunshots. South side Chicago problems.

1:10 pm: Made my way to the upper deck and we have closed concession stands! Supply and demand!

1:19 pm: First inning just ended. So far the best way to describe this place is lifeless. Guy in front of me has taken his shoes off and is reading a Chicago Tribune. I can’t tell exactly, but there also appears to be a 10 year old sleeping a few seats down from him. Beer guy came through and held up a beer, didn’t bark or try to make a sale, and then went back down the tunnel to the concourse.

1:30 pm: Mascot tricycle race. We’re getting desperate

1:38 pm: They’d like you to believe this is Frank Thomas’s number when in actuality it is today’s attendance.

1:48 pm: Apparently you can’t leave the 500s section if you have a 500 level ticket. Calling kangaroo court on this one. There’s no food open up here, so I will fight my way down to the main concourse.

1:53 pm: There are an excessive amount of people making balloon animals. Just had to mention that.

1:58 pm: Not sure if it’s the sweltering heat or last night’s hangover, but I’m starting to have an existential crisis about being at this game and killing another 7 hours til my flight home.

2:06 pm: Grabbing a vanilla cone to try and lift my spirits.

2:15 pm: Cone made things worse.

2:30 pm: Actually watching some of the game now. Moncada with a 3 run double! There’s audible cheering! We may just have life yet.

2:32 pm: And we’re back to deafening silence.

2:35 pm: Jose Abreu with one of the worst slides I’ve ever seen to kill a nice 2 out rally.

2:39 pm: Remember how I said it was the mascot’s birthday? They’re giving out fucking birthday cake. This place is so bizarre.

2:40 pm: “Overall moist and flavorful for a mass produced cake.” – Laurel B

2:44 pm: The cake has now led to heartburn. Luckily I always keep spare Tums on me.

3:16 pm: Just saw a grown-ass man spike his drink because he missed a foul ball. Hardest I’ve laughed all day.

3:18 pm: I think that’s all she wrote for my day in Chicago, overall just an incredibly strange place to watch baseball. Definitely not my least favorite stadium, but it’s probably bottom 3 for me. Crowd started coming alive as the runs were coming home, so this place has the potential to be fun when it wants to be. Time to catch a flight.

Official review: 6.4 out of 10

The 300s Reviews: Target Field

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Target Field opened in 2010 and brought outdoor baseball back to Minnesota for the first in nearly three decades. The Minnesota Twins moved to Target Field after playing 28 seasons inside the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome. Prior to playing in the Metrodome, the Twins played 21 seasons at Metropolitan Stadium in Bloomington. The Twins shared both of those facilities with the NFL’s Minnesota Vikings. Target Field is the first home the Twins can call their own.

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Moving from a multi-purpose stadium to a baseball-specific stadium is a huge upgrade by itself, but there’s so much more to like about Target Field. The downtown ballpark offers stunning views of the city’s skyline. Sitting along the third-base line you could imagine that the 1965 World Series was played there and not in Bloomington. That’s because Target Field is a perfect example of a retro modern ballpark (a la Petco Park) as opposed to a retro classic ballpark (Camden Yards).

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Gate 29

The exterior of Target Field features limestone and glass, as opposed to the brick and green steel featured at retro classic ballparks. Also visible is the stadium’s canopy, which can help shield fans in the upper level from the elements on cold days and the sun on better days. There were talks of building a retractable roof for this ballpark, but that feature proved to be cost prohibitive.

The entrances for Target Field are numbered with some of the team’s retired numbers, and while there’s no grand main entrance like old Yankee Stadium I think it’s fair to say that Gate 29 (Rod Carew) is the de facto main entrance. At least that’s where the longest lines are on giveaway days.

Despite the ballpark’s relatively small footprint, it does not feel cramped at all. Quite the opposite, in fact. You can do a complete lap on the lower level of the ballpark and never lose sight of the pitcher’s mound and home plate. As someone who enjoys visiting and touring ballparks, I love to move around and check out everything a park has to offer. You can do that in Target Field and not lose track of the game. The small footprint might explain the steep seating in right field, but that’s a minor quibble. You still get a great view of the game from out there.

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Target Field’s concession stands don’t offer anything crazy like toasted grasshoppers, but they do a good job of delivering hot dogs, sausages, burgers, chicken fingers, french fries and all of the other ballpark standards. There are a lot of pop up stands run by local restaurants, including Red Cow and Kramarczuk’s, that feature more “gourmet” options.

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Poutine helmet from Kramarczuk’s

Lines are generally reasonable, and so are the prices. A 24 oz Bud Light draft will set you back $9.50, which seems like a bargain compared to some other parks. And if you’re in town on a Wednesday you can experience what is probably one of the last regular dollar dog nights in the bigs.

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Just $21 for this whole tray!

The park also offers seven (!) bars inside the stadium. Stadium pricing obviously still applies but it is nice to be able to walk around the stadium to grab a beer, especially if you get there early on a hot day.

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And, of course, no ballpark is complete without a mascot race these days.

The Atlanta Braves recently moved out of Turner Field after just 20 seasons and the Texas Rangers will ditch the Ballpark in Arlington in 2020, but I don’t think we’ll see Target Field fall out of favor that quickly. The Twins have already shown a willingness to tinker with and improve the stadium (and the fan experience) on an almost annual basis. There’s no reason why the Twins can’t play at Target Field for the next 50 years. It’s the best ballpark I’ve been to yet.

Big Z Ballpark Rating – 9.3

The 300s Podcast: Red Sox on Pace for 100+ Wins? Are You Team Brady or Team Belichick?

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The latest episode of The 300s Podcast is LIVE! Click here to listen or download on iTunes or Google Play.

On this episode Red and Big Z discuss:

-For a team on pace to win 100+ games I don’t feel overly confident about this Red Sox team in the playoffs.

-The Sox cut their No. 3 hitter and it took less than a week for it to blow up in their face with both Dustin Pedroia and Mookie Betts now on the DL.

-Is JD Martinez the Best Red Sox Free Agent Signing Since Manny Ramirez?

-How concerned are Red and Big Z about all this Patriots drama?

-Are you Team Brady or Team Belichick?

Jake Arrieta Rips His Teammates After Getting Swept aaaand I’m OK With It

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ESPN –  The Philadelphia Phillies have lost six of their past eight games. And after a sweep at the hands of the San Francisco Giants, pitcher Jake Arrieta has reached a boiling point. “Overall, it’s just a really horses— series,” Arrieta said after the Phillies’ 6-1 loss on Sunday. “Really bad. Really bad. We’ve had bad defensive shifts. We had a checked swing. [Shortstop Scott] Kingery should’ve gone to second on that play. And they got three hits in a row. The home run — credit [Andrew] McCutchen for putting a good swing on it, but did not expect a ball like that to get out,” Arrieta said in recounting how a five-run sixth inning for the Giants came together against him.

My fellow lumberjack beard sporting dude Jake Arrieta is having a damn good year for the Phillies (5-3 2.66 ERA) but he was NOT having a good time after getting shellacked and swept by the Giants this weekend. He basically had a meltdown after the game. My first reaction to reading those quotes was bro you cannot do that, especially after just losing 6-1 with the Phillies scoring all of 1 run in the entire series too…

“Sunday’s loss featured the team’s only run scored of the entire series, one driven in by Arrieta with a solo homer in the third inning.”

..which was scored by Arrieta himself…

Rip away, Jake.

If you weren’t dominating on the mound and then personally providing your own run support at the plate I’d tell you to STFU because you know players absolutely haaate when a pitcher calls out his team’s defense. But if you are doing those things then, well, then nobody can really say shit. This is a young team and Arrieta is a Cy Young winner and World Series champion so maybe a swift kick in the ass is just what his team needs.

Less Than a Week After Cutting Hanley Ramirez, Red Sox Place Mookie Betts and Dustin Pedroia on the DL

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Solid plan guys. I understand keeping Hanley Ramirez may have just been a fit issue with fellow 1B/DH Mitch Moreland absolutely crushing the ball lately (.305 and 10 HRs), but you couldn’t find a way to make it work?

As much as I don’t want to see JD Martinez in the outfield, you know he wants to play the field so rotate him out there and get Hanley at 1B or DH and just wait out his recent cold streak. He was only hitting .259 with 6 dingers, but he was still the Sox No. 3 hitter. The guy can rake like no one else when he gets going so to just dust him because the *Boston Red Sox* are worried about $22 Million next year is insane.

In a hilarious turn of events the move blows up in their faces not even a week later with both Mookie Betts and Dustin Pedroia going on the DL. So now we’re relying on Brock Holt and Blake Swihart. Oh and the Sox also called up Sam Travis who was hitting a cool .213 in Pawtucket. Forgive me if I’m not jumping at those options over Hanley.

The Sox also signed veteran 1B free agent Adam Lind too, which would have been awesome if it were 2009. He’ll be emergency depth as the Sox have stashed him at Pawtucket while paying him what I can only assume is the veteran minimum. So its peanuts for a guy, who in fairness, did hit .303 in 301 plate appearances for the Nationals last year. I guess if you’re the Sox you’d rather pay a guy $500,000 to hit just above the Mendoza line than risk locking yourself into $22 million next year.

But have the Sox been penny wise and pound foolish? I would expect Mookie to not miss much time, but its impossible to say what will happen with Pedroia. He’s coming off an invasive knee surgery and will soon be 35-years-old. When healthy he’s still very productive and a tough out, but he’s rarely been healthy recently. Pedroia has played in more than 105 games just once in the last 3 seasons so thats not exactly confidence inspiring. Ideally the Sox would have another bat that could play 2B to fill in for Pedroia rather than trying to mishmash Hanley into the lineup around two other guys that play the same position. However, the Sox don’t have that luxury this year as Eduardo Nunez has crashed back to Earth hitting .259 with just 17 extra base hits on the year.

So long story short? Don’t cut guys that can swing the stick for no other reason than to maybe save a few bucks next year. Not if you’re the Boston Red Sox. Unless of course John Henry and co. are stuffing cash under the mattress to go after a guy like Bryce Harper or Manny Machado this offseason. If thats the case then I’ll print this blog out and eat it with a nice lemon zest for flavor.

PS – Its possible the Sox got rid of Hanley because he was just a total cancer in the clubhouse. I don’t know whether thats true or not, but Ken Rosenthal strongly implies that was a big reason. If thats the case, then do what you gotta do.

“Some with the team believe the removal of Ramirez from the clubhouse will create more room for others to assert themselves and become leaders,” Rosenthal said in a video on FOXSports.com. “One player who is a top candidate to assume such a role? J.D. Martinez. Dustin Pedroia is the only other prominent veteran among the team’s position players and he is back on the DL.”

Red Sox Ready to Release Hanley Ramirez

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The Boston Globe – According to a major league source, the Red Sox informed Ramirez Friday morning that they will designate him for assignment in order to open a spot on the major league roster for Dustin Pedroia, who is returning from the disabled list after his rehab from offseason knee surgery.

The Red Sox are responsible for more than $15 million remaining on Ramirez’s salary through the duration of this season. They will have seven days to trade or release him.

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I did not expect Dealer Dave to drop this bomb the Friday before Memorial Day weekend. Sure, Hanley’s had a tough week. He’s hitless in his last five games, but he did have a hit in ten of his last eleven games before this skid. How bad could things really be going for him?

Well, Hanley’s batting average for the month of May is .163. His batting average stood at .330 on April 30, but today stands at .254. His OPS on the season stands at .708. The only Red Sox regulars with a lower OPS are Eduardo Nunez, Jackie Bradley and whoever the hell the catcher is on a given night.

The Red Sox had the luxury of having three guys for two positions essentially. Hanley, Mitch Moreland and J.D. Martinez were sharing time at first base and DH. With Martinez locked in at the plate, and under contract for four more seasons, and Moreland playing better for much less money, Hanley was the man left standing when the music stopped in this game of musical chairs.

Sure, the Sox could play Martinez in the outfield more to get Bradley out of the lineup and to get Hanley in as the DH. But Jackie Bradley plays superb defense and is not 300 plate appearances away from $22 million next year. Bradley’s a younger, cheaper option with more upside.

The Red Sox have a week to trade or release Hanley. It’s hard to imagine any team trading for him, and taking on more salary than they need to. If they wait a week, they can pick him up for a lot cheaper and leave the Red Sox on the hook for most of his salary. And it’s hard to imagine that Hanley’s Red Sox career isn’t over. I don’t see him walking back into that clubhouse after being DFA’ed.

It’s another bold move by Dombrowski. Another one of Ben Cherington’s big signings has been shown the door. But let’s give credit to Dombrowski. As surprising as the move may be today, I’d rather pay $15 million for a problem to go away instead of $47 million for a year and half of a .708 OPS.

Red Sox Designate Hanley Ramirez for Assignment, Releasing Their Number 3 Hitter

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ESPN – The Boston Red Sox have designated Hanley Ramirez for assignment to clear a roster spot for second baseman Dustin Pedroia, who has been activated from the disabled list, the team announced Friday.Ramirez, 34, has more than $15 million left on his contract this season. The Red Sox will have to pay that money unless they find a trade partner in the next seven days. If not, they will have to release the veteran.

Personally I think its a great idea to release your No. 3 hitter rather than trade the 25th man on the roster just so we can keep Blake Swihart stapled to the end of the bench. Like what the fuck. I understand Hanley was on pace to reach the number of plate appearances that would guarantee his $22 Million option next season, but this seems penny wise pound foolish. The Sox may save some money next year, but now we’re banking on Mitch Moreland (career .254 batting avg) hitting .311 for the rest of the year. Call me crazy, but I’d rather keep a guy with the power to hit one onto the pike.

Someone had to go with Dustin Pedroia being activated from the DL today, but I’m shocked it was Hanley. I fully expected a Swihart trade and I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if Dombrowski made this move out of spite, opting to dump Hanley rather than make a trade just because he had to. Every GM in baseball probably thought they had Dave Dombrowski over a barrel because they all knew he had to trade Swihart by Friday. Instead it seems Dave would rather cut his No. 3 hitter than let anyone take advantage of him in a tricky situation.

Well if thats the case then we better see Blake Swihart in the starting lineup *tonight*

Now what the hell am I supposed to do with this GIF of Dustin Pedroia and Hanley Ramirez bonding over a tin of dip while playing for the Portland Sea Dogs?

The 300s Reviews: Miller Park

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The 300s Reviews ballpark tour is back for 2018 and kicks off in the Upper Midwest at the home of the Milwaukee Brewers, Miller Park.

Miller Park opened in 2001 and replaced Milwaukee County Stadium as the home of the Brewers. Miller Park was the fifth Major League Baseball stadium to feature a retractable roof (not counting Olympic Stadium in Montreal), and in 2001 was the fourth retractable-roof stadium to open in as many years. The retractable-roof craze subsided after Miller Park opened, though, and only one more retractable-roof stadium (Marlins Park) has opened since. Globe Life Field will make it two retractable-roof stadiums since 2001 when the Texas Rangers start playing there in 2020.

The roof at Miller Park has a unique fan shape. Because of its shape, large shadows cover the field during day games when the roof is open (see above). That can make the retractable-roof stadium feel more like a dome with an opening (a la Texas Stadium). That’s not a concern for night games, and at night the stadium feels more like a typical open-air ballpark (see below). I’ve been to Miller Park three times, and the roof was open on all three occasions.

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Aside from the roof, the first thing I noticed when rolling up to Miller Park was its expansive parking lots. That made parking and getting into the ballpark relatively easy and affordable. It also made for perfect tailgating conditions.

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Milwaukee has long been known as one of the best (and few) tailgate cities in all of baseball. If you show up a few hours before the game you will see the parking lots filled with fans, tents, cornhole games, portable grills and empty cans of Miller Lite. [No lie, Miller Lite outnumbered Bud Light about 100 to 1 outside the ballpark.]

If you didn’t pack your portable grill and cooler, Miller Park has an impressive selection of food and beverages inside the park. As you’d expect at the home of the Sausage Race, they have a great selection of sausages, brats and dogs. I ordered a polish sausage and loaded it up with Secret Stadium Sauce. Secret Stadium Sauce is reportedly a ketchup and barbecue sauce hybrid, with a little mustard, smoked syrup and other ingredients mixed in.

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Made by Jeremy Jacobs’s company, so you know it’s gotta be good.

As you’d expect in Miller Park, High Life and Lite flow like wine.  If you want a craft beer instead there’s still plenty of options. Miller Park’s Local Brews stand offers two dozen craft brews from across the Badger State. If you’re looking for a mixed drink instead, try the Long Island Iced Tea at the TGI Fridays at the ballpark. Seriously.

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After figuring out what to eat and drink and getting back to my seat I was able to take in the game experience. I kept a close eye on Bernie’s Dugout (and slide) in left field. Bernie Brewer goes down the slide after every Brewers home run. Not into a vat of beer like the old days, but still cool. Definitely an underrated mascot.

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I made sure to be in my seat in the middle of the sixth inning to catch the famous Sausage Race. The Milwaukee Brewers might not be America’s Team, but most sports fans will be familiar with this in-game promotion, which has been copied by so many other teams since it started in the early ’90s. (see Nationals, Washington).

 

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And before the game was over I made sure to get a look at the Uecker Seats.

Miller Park can feel a bit like bizarro world for a Red Sox fan with it’s ample parking, wide concourses, and (more) reasonably priced beer, but it is a prime example of the retro-modern ballpark trend. The park can feel massive when your sitting in your seat, and the outfield dimensions are basically symmetrical, but those are minor quibbles. Everything else going on in (and around) the ballpark makes a trip to Miller Park an enjoyable and memorable experience. It also doesn’t hurt that I snagged giveaway items in two of my three visits.

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I wouldn’t rank Miller Park ahead of Fenway Park or Target Field (which will be the next stop on our tour), but I do prefer it to Camden Yards and Angel Stadium.

Big Z Ballpark Rating – 7.7