If pitchers and catchers report to spring training, but no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?
It’s one thing for fans to be down on a franchise coming off another last place finish, but after an offseason of inactivity, even the national media is smoking this team.
USA Today has the Red Sox sitting at No. 19 in their power rankings, which seems a bit high, but also denotes the ranking is tied to expected hopeful reinforcements being added to the squad. They also gave the Sox a D grade for their offseason so it any sense of optimism comes with a grain of salt.
Yahoo! Sports did not mince words in their prediction of the potential dumpster fire on Landsdowne:
Season prediction: The Red Sox are worse than bad; they are forgettable and irrelevant. Their unwillingness to spend predictably backfires, and the pivot from former head honcho Chaim Bloom to Breslow doesn’t change all that much. The lack of superstardom beyond Devers (and Casas) leads to dwindling interest in the team, and by August, the city of Boston is watching preseason football. Very few people watch the Netflix doc, which, given the circumstances of the season, paints the Red Sox as a disorganized jambalaya of chaos.
So yes the Red Sox are projected to finish last in the AL East by just about everyone, which would accomplish a rare feat for the Sox as that would make it four times in five years and six out of the last 10! If they were to finish in last place yet again, that would mean the Boston Red Sox, over the course of a DECADE, finished in last place 60 percent of the time.
That is absurd.
Compare that to the Orioles who are only going to get better as a team stocked with young talent that already won 101 games last year, the Yankees improved by trading for Juan Soto, the Rays are coming off a 99 win season and always seem to find a way to win 90+ games, and the Blue Jays snatched away one of Boston’s few good players, adding Justin Turner to a team that finished 11 games ahead of the Red Sox last season.
Meanwhile the Sox offseason consisted of whiffing on Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and second tier guys like Aaron Nola in free agency while not even kicking the tires on reigning Cy Young winner Blake Snell or World Series hero Jordan Montgomery, who as we all know has literally been hanging out in Boston all winter.
Are either one of Snell or Montgomery take it to the bank, guaranteed 30 starts and sub 3.50 ERA guys? No, but signing one of them would at least be signaling to the fan base that you’re going to at least try and be competitive and hopefully get some productive years out of players with legitimate track records.
Boston also traded its only representable defender in the outfield in Alex Verdugo to the Yankees, while letting productive veterans Turner and Adam Duvall walk for peanuts. They traded away oft injured, yet default ace Chris Sale in a salary dump for a second baseman in Vaughn Grissom who on his absolute best day profiles as a Dan Uggla cosplay. The Sox did bring in Lucas Giolito, who is now probably out for the season with a UCL tear, but this is the man who is best known for surrendering an absolutely preposterous 41 home runs in 2023. You wouldn’t hit that many dingers playing home run derby in Ken Griffey Jr. Baseball.
One of the highlights of the offseason was the Red Sox signing Liam Hendriks and the team Instagram pretending like it’s 2022 All-Star closer Liam Hendriks and not out (at least) through half of the 2024 season Liam Hendriks as he recovers from Tommy John.
Unsurprisingly John Henry declined to speak to the media at the start of Spring Training once again, which extends his vow of silence in official interviews all the way back to the post-Mookie Betts trade press conference. So Sam Kennedy once again stepped in as Henry’s stunt double, taking all the body blows. I was however shocked to hear Kennedy drop the nugget that yes ownership has in fact set parameters for new head of baseball ops Craig Breslow and he is operating within those parameters.
Breslow when asked why he didn’t sign any notable free agents in his first offseason:
What a wild, wild thing for ownership to let slip, essentially acknowledging huge expectations from the fan base, a vaunted history of success over the past 20 years, yet they will actually be shedding payroll. They actively cut payroll by 20% as if Boston isn’t a major market.
The Red Sox are going to be rolling the Six Million Dollar Man onto the field on April 9th
Rather than building for the short term and the long term in tandem, the Red Sox will instead rely on teenagers, minor leaguers, and top prospects all coming up through the system at around the same time (in the near to distant future) and all producing out of the gate like established big leaguers, and quickly becoming all-stars around the same time, and winning a World Series or four, all doing so before any of them can reach arbitration and ask for a raise.
The Red Sox are fresh off of their fifth last place finish in the past 11 seasons. That is absolutely insane for a team with the resources it has and the scrutiny the Sox face year in and year out. Obviously you can’t win the World Series every year and nobody expects that, but you better believe Red Sox fans expect a playoff team every year. Or at the very least a team that is pushing for a playoff spot and not something half the city tuned out in August.
As the baseball season continues for the more fortunate and we all turn our attention to the Bruins and Celtics, I figured what better time to breakdown the 5 Best and 5 Worst parts of this disastrous season? I won’t lie, it was significantly easier (and faster) to make the 5 Worst List than the 5 Best, but as much of a flaming dumpster this season turned into let’s not lose sight of every positive development.
5 Best Parts of the 2022 Red Sox Season
1.) The Youth Movement Has Officially Arrived
The Sox had what some called the worst farm system in all of baseball just a few years ago to being ranked No. 11 in MLB this season. Great, hooray, lets throw a party, I know I know, BUT that tree is starting to bear fruit at the major league level. It’s still early as all three of these guys made their debut in 2022, but Brayan Bello, Triston Casas and to a lesser extent Kutter Crawford showed they are ready to produce at the big league level. Beyond that, there were legitimate showcases of some seriously elite budding talent at Fenway this season.
Roger Clemens and Barry Bonds say that Brayan Bello’s changeup reminds them of Pedro Martínez.
Then you add in Triston Casas, who has shown *prodigious* power and plate discipline along with a really calming influence over at first base defensively. Now we’re cooking with gas.
Top it off with young guys like Tanner Houck (3.15 ERA) and Kutter Crawford (led the rotation in SO/9) and the Red Sox suddenly have some legitimate young talent on their roster, which is something they’ve struggled to restock in recent years.
2.) This Team Isn’t *Too* Far Off
This isn’t a roster that is so bad that it requires a complete tear down. In fact the Red Sox aren’t all that far off from returning to serious contention. Despite their complete cratering after the All-Star break, they were one of the top 3 teams in the AL in the first half so with a couple of key moves in free agency (read: open the damn wallet) and some (any) actual good fortune with injuries, this team could be right back in the mix next year. There will ample opportunity to shore up the rotation this offseason with free agents including guys like Jacob deGrom, Carlos Rodón, Just Verlander, Chris Bassitt, and that’s before we mention their own guy Nathan Eovaldi.
As for the lineup, after getting Kike Hernandez back from injury, Casas getting called up, and when Trevor Story is actually healthy, this is still one of the better lineups in baseball when at full Megazord power. Xander Bogaerts and Raffy Devers showcased what the heart of the Red Sox order can look like for the next 5 years IF the team is smart and extends both players.
Obviously when I say “this team isn’t too far off” it implies that only remains the case if they stop pretending to be the Tampa Bay Rays and crack open John Henry’s piggy back, but there is a clear path back to contention.
3.) Garrett Whitlock is the Real Deal
Arguably the biggest pro of the 2022 season was Garrett Whitlock proved his success last year wasn’t just a flash in the pan. However, the Sox did exactly what I didn’t want them to do with Whitlock: jerk him back and forth from the bullpen to the rotation. Shockingly, Whitlock’s body didn’t hold up and he hit the IL multiple times before ending his season early to undergo hip surgery. By all reports it doesn’t seem like a major surgery so he should be fine for next season, but the Sox *have* to pick a role for Whitlock and stick to it. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I want him in the rotation. I understand the game has changed and there is less of an emphasis on starters, less pitchers going through a lineup three or more times, and a greater value placed on middle relievers. But that doesn’t change the fact that a top of the line starter is going to give you 200 innings vs maybe half that for a workhorse reliever. Whitlock is incredibly valuable out of the bullpen because he is lights out, but that value was magnified because the Sox just didn’t have many other reliable relievers to turn to this year. Shore up the bullpen with actual, legitimate additions, set Whitlock up to be a top of the rotation starter and lets go.
4.) Michael Wacha Was a Revelation
If you recall, I was not all that optimistic about Wacha coming to Boston because it had been a while since he was an effective MLB starting pitcher. But, I am not afraid to admit when I am wrong and when healthy (my god I am saying that a lot today), Michael Wacha was arguably the best starter on the team. Wacha finished the season at 11-2 with a 3.32 ERA in 127.1 IP and 104 strikeouts. Having signed a one-year contract for this season, the Sox need to bring this guy back.
Simply put, this is the Chaim Bloom experience. Bloom’s roster management is reminiscent of me walking into Marhsall’s. Sometimes I find really solid workout clothes that are comfortable, affordable, and even name brand. Sometimes I buy a pair of jeans for $12 dollars that rip right down the middle after a couple of times wearing them, ya know because they’re $12 jeans. Once in a while I get a real gem, like the time I found a rare throwback red Patriots Tom Brady jersey for just $20. So there are days I find absolute gold for $20, other times I walk out with an absolute piece of shit that I know I’m probably never going to wear more than once. But like Chaim Bloom, I’m never going to stop shopping at Marshall’s. In case this was too dense to read through, Michael Wacha is the red Brady jersey and the $12 jeans are the $10 million James Paxton contract (0 IP in 2022).
5.) Uhh..
5 Worst Parts of the 2022 Red Sox Season
1.) Finished in Last Place, Yet Again
The Boston #RedSox finished last just once from 1933-2011.
The Sox (72-81) now are on verge of finishing last for the 5th time in 11 years.
It certainly has been feast or famine for Sox during this stretch: 4 first place finishes. 2 World Series titles. 5 last-place finishes.
As I mentioned earlier in this blog, this is the fifth time the Red Sox have finished in the basement in the last 11 seasons. If the two World Series titles sprinkled in over that same period have caused people to overlook the low times, then the tweet above should hit you like a sledgehammer. The wild fluctuation of this franchise from top of the mountain to dumpster fire year after year would be impressive if it weren’t so maddening. For a team with a $200M+ payroll it’s just not acceptable to finish in last place. In fairness the division is much improved from the days when it was a two team race between the Sox and the Yankees back in the day, but the Sox finished a whopping 21 games out of first place.
2.) Absolute Abysmal Record vs AL East
This division has grown into one of the toughest in all of baseball, but the Sox got absolutely walloped by their division rivals this year, going 26-50 vs the AL East. If you can’t keep pace with your peers, take advantage of a distinct home field advantage at Fenway, AND finish behind the perpetually rebuilding Orioles, then something is seriously wrong.
3.) Chris Sale Injured Yet Again
Stop me if you’ve heard this before, just wait until Chris Sale is back, Chris Sale will be better than any trade deadline deal, the Chris Sale injury isn’t considered significant etc. etc. I love Chris Sale so this isn’t Sale Slander, but at 33-years-old and after six(!) years in Boston, he is what he is at this point in his career. Coming back from another offseason injury (broken rib, Tommy John, take your pick) Sale pitched only 5.2 innings this year after a comebacker broke his pinky in just his second start back. I actually felt bad for Sale after this one because it’s just one thing after the next for a guy who clearly relishes pitching in Boston and just wants to be on the mound. With that being said, anything the team gets from Sale here on out has to be considered gravy; not something the team can rely on. In 2021 Sale pitched just 42.2 innings, 0 IP in 2020, 147.1 Ip in 2019, 158 IP in 2018, and 214.1 IP in 2017.
It doesn’t take an economics degree to see the trend line there.
So while I love Sale, I am not banking on him to be the savior of this rotation anymore. It’s negligent to do so at this point. The Sox need to act as if he’s not coming back and build a pitching staff that if Sale does come back healthy then the team will have a good problem finding him some innings. We’ve seen he can still be a highly effective pitcher, he just isn’t someone the team can bank on for volume.
And it wasn’t just Sale either, injuries absolutely killed this team with a ton of games missed by him, Kike Hernandez, Trevor Story, Nathan Eovaldi, Garrett Whitlock and others. If this team can get a little bit of luck with health next season then it’ll make a world of difference.
4.) Somehow STILL Finished Over the Luxury Tax
This is probably the most inexcusable part of the entire last place finish. If you want to clear up dead money and acquire some lottery ticket prospects in the meantime, fine. If your owner ties your hands because of luxury tax penalties so you can’t make any big money moves until the books are in order, then fine. But all of those moves are only tolerated by fans because of the promise that it’s building to something in the near future. To finish in last place, trade away key players, let key free agents walk, and STILL finish over the luxury tax that is the definition of insanity. Moves like eating JBJ’s salary just to scoop up a couple of prospects did not help, made only worse by Bradley playing so poorly that the team ultimately released him. Compare that to the guy we traded away for him in Hunter Renfroe having a career year (28 HR and counting) for a fraction of the price. Oof.
5.) Chaim Bloom’s Plan
In fairness, Bloom does seem to be caught between a rock and a hard place. He now runs a BIG market team and works for an owner who loves to be frugal and efficient and smarter than everyone else, yet is *notorious* for flip flopping on organizational philosophies. Remember the whole mantra about how the Red Sox don’t commit big deals to pitchers over 30? That quote got raked over the coals when the Sox finished in last place their first year without 30+ year old Jon Lester (who flourished for Theo Epstein’s Cubs), and the team immediately signed 30-year-old David Price to a 7-year $217M contract. So I get it that his boss may be moving the goal posts on him a bit, but we are now three years into the Chaim Bloom experience.
It is truly put up or shut up time for Chaim Bloom because I do not want to hear any more talk about his five year plan.
It’s been an up and down tenure for the new face of the Red Sox as the team was surprisingly successful last year reaching the ALCS with a team nobody expected a deep run from. Then came the regrettable Hunter Renfroe trade, the bad gambles on injured free agents, playing stiffs at first base for two years while not even bothering to try and resign Kyle Schwarber (46 HRs for the Phillies and headed for the World Series), the near mutiny in the clubhouse when they didn’t bring in any reinforcements this year, dumping Christian Vazquez, attaching top prospect Jay Groome instead of eating salary in the Eric Hosmer deal, the lowball offer to Xander Bogaerts followed by an entire season of drama and I can go on and on and on.
October 28th marks three years since the Red Sox hired Bloom so its time for the drastic organizational shift away from the Dave Dombrowski (also World Series bound with the Phillies) philosophy to start showing dividends.
Bonus No. 6) Dennis Eckersley Retiring
I could write 10,000 words about Eck and what an excellent broadcaster he is, but for now I’ll just say what a bummer it is to see him go. It was a surprising announcement from Eck mid-season that this year would be his last as he wants to move back to Cali to be closer to his grandkids and for that I can’t fault him. However, that doesn’t make it any less sad to see him go, which I think hit harder for Sox fans as they’ve now seen Eck, the late great Jerry Remy, and Don Orsillo leave the NESN booth in just the last few years. The Red Sox broadcast has a steep, uphill battle to find a crew that comes even close to the entertainment, energy, and chemistry that those three guys displayed on a nightly basis over the years with whoever was beside them. We’ll miss ya Eck, don’t be a stranger.
Just like that the Red Sox fall to 0-3 and are already chasing a losing record less than a week into the 2021 season.
Nathan Eovaldi and Tanner Houck looked great in the Red Sox first two games of the season, which was super encouraging to see. Eovaldi struck out 4 in 5.1 innings giving up just 1 run and only got pulled because of the analytics (rather than his performance) and the fact that you don’t want your injury prone 1A starter throwing 120 pitches on Opening Day. Houck was also dynamite as he struck out 8 in 5 innings and surrendered just 2 earned runs. Obviously Eovaldi is an injury waiting to happen and Houck has thrown 22 innings in his entire career so the optimism here is fragile. Oh and in the last game of the opening series Garrett Richards did exactly what we all knew he would do and got shelled giving up 6 earned runs in just 2 innings.
I’m not about to freak out but getting off to a fast start is more important than you think. Just about every time the Sox have had a losing record in April over the past decade they’ve missed the playoffs. Do you realized that despite their massive achievements (two World Series titles since 2013) the Red Sox have missed the playoffs 7 out of the last 11 seasons?? This is no time to start slow because the Sox have shown they cannot dig themselves out down the stretch.
Now there is reason for some optimism here. If Eovaldi (injury prone) and Houck (young and unproven) can be a solid No. 2 and No. 3 and if Eduardo Rodriguez can come back and be the ace the Red Sox expect him to be, then the team’s pitching staff could be…I’m gonna say it…pretty good. At least in the sense that you only need 3 starters to get through a playoff series. Now, I say ace with a small “A” until E-Rod shows he can return to and improve upon his 2019 form (19-6, 3.81 ERA) after a year plus missed due to Covid and now dead arm etc.
That’s before you even start to think about Chris Sale coming back from Tommy John. The team has been very tight lipped about the time table for his return, but mid-late summer would make sense based on when he got the surgery. I’m not pinning my hopes on another guy coming off Tommy John, but if the Sox are in contention by late summer then the return of Sale could be a huge shot in the arm for this team.
The biggest disappointment of this young season though has without a doubt been the offense. Say what you will about the absolute disaster of historic proportions the 2020 Red Sox were, but they still finished 2nd in Hits, 5th in Total Bases, 3rd in batting average, and 8th in Slugging Percentage in all of baseball last season. So we know if nothing else this team can hit. So to get swept by the Orioles with little to no production from the lineup was ugly. Sure it was the first series of the year with temperatures just above freezing at times, but to score just 5 runs in 3 games against the Orioles and the corpse of Matt Harvey is concerning.
The Sox have no time to dwell as they’re right back at it tonight against the defending AL champs, Tampa Bay. With Nick Pivetta and Martin Perez starting the first two games of the series though the Sox will need to finally get the offense going if they want to avoid really falling into an early season hole.
With the Super Bowl in the rear view mirror, and the dog days of the NHL and NBA seasons upon us, it’s time to look forward to baseball season. Long summer days will be here before we know it, so now is the time to take a look at the schedules, put in those summer vacation requests, map out the road trips and book some flights.
If you’re going to make the trek to a new ballpark this season, why not get a free souvenir while you’re there? I planned my first trip to Kauffman Stadium around a Royals 50th season hat giveaway. I drove to Milwaukee a few summers ago specifically to add a powder blue Paul Molitor Brewers jersey to my collection. I once scheduled a California vacation around around Angels Oktoberfest to snag a free glass boot mug. Maybe that free powder blue Cardinals jersey is the incentive I need to finally get to Busch Stadium this summer.
With just over five weeks to go until Opening Day, The 300s will take a look at some of the best giveaways on the docket for the upcoming the 2020 MLB season. You won’t find details on schedule magnets here. We’re on the lookout for jerseys, bobbleheads, and other unique knickknacks. Stuff you can put on the shelves of your own Adam Shefter office at home. So let us help you pick out the dates to circle on your calendars, and let the Quest For 30 continue.
Today, we kick off this series by taking a look at the promotions and giveaways on tap in the American League East in 2020.
NEW YORK YANKEES
All items presented to the first 18,000 fans at Yankee Stadium unless otherwise noted.
Friday, April 24, will be Don Mattingly Bobblehead Night.
Sunday, May 10, will be Mother’s Day and before the Yankees take on the Red Sox that night they will hand out Yankees purses to the first 18,000 fans 18 and older.
On Friday, May 22, the first 18,000 fans 21 and older will receive a 2000 World Champions Commemorative Beer Stein from Budweiser.
Aaron Judge will get the bobblehead treatment on Friday, July 10.
On Saturday, July 11, the first 18,000 fans 21 and older will receive a Yankees Camo Cap from Budweiser for Military Appreciation Day.
Tuesday, July 21, will be another cap night. No further details yet on what type of cap will be offered this evening.
Thursday, August 6, will be Andy Pettite Bobblehead Night.
While not a giveaway day, Old-Timers’ Day 2020 will be Sunday, August 9.
August the 21st be with you. The Yankees will be giving out Gleyber Torres Mandalorian bobbleheads on that night.
Friday, September 25, could be a cool night in the Bronx so the Yanks will be handing out Yankees knit caps that night.
TAMPA BAY RAYS
Mostly bobbleheads in our highlights of Rays 2020 promotions. Bobbleheads go to “all fans, while supplies last.”
On Saturday, May 9, the Rays host the Rangers and will give out Charlie Morton audio bobbleheads.
On Saturday, May 30, the Rays host the Brewers and will give out Willy Adames audio bobbleheads.
Tyler Glasnow will get the audio bobblehead treatment on Saturday, June 13, as the Rays host the O’s.
Saturday, June 27, will see the Rays hand out Ji-Man Choi audio bobbleheads as they host the Mariners.
Tuesday, July 28, will see Blake Snell get the audio bobblehead treatment as the Rays host the Marlins.
Saturday, August 29, will be Austin Meadows audio bobblehead night as the Rays host the Twins.
BOSTON RED SOX
No details yet on how many fans will receive each item. We’ll update this post as that information becomes available.
David Ortiz will be inducted into the Red Sox Hall of Fame in April, and on Tuesday, April 7, fans at Fenway will receive a Big Papi Red Sox Hall of Fame Series bobblehead.
Also getting inducted into the Sox Hall in April is Manny Ramirez. He gets his Red Sox Hall of Fame Series bobblehead on Tuesday, May 19.
On Tuesday, May 26, Red Sox fans can receieve a Red Sox bucket hat.
Rafael Devers bobbleheads will be given out on Tuesday, June 16.
A hat designed by Xander Bogaerts will be given out on Tuesday, June 30. No further details are available at this time, but it has to be better than this year’s Sox spring training hat.
On Tuesday, September 22, Fenway fans will receive a Pedro Martinez Funk Pop.
TORONTO BLUE JAYS
All items presented to the first 15,000 fans at Rogers Centre unless otherwise noted.
On Opening Day, Thursday, March 26, the first 45,000 fans will receive a Blue Jays t-shirt as the Jays open up against the Red Sox.
On Saturday, March 28, the Blue Jays will be giving away Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Home Run Counter bobbleheads.
Tuesday, March 31, will be the first dollar dog night of the season in Toronto, known as “Loonie Dogs Night” north of the border.
Monday, May 18, will be Cavan Biggio “Hit For The Cycle” Bobblehead Giveaway Day.
Saturday, May 23, will be Blue Jays Country Day and the Jays will be handing out army green Blue Jays hats to mark the occasion.
On Saturday, June 6, fans will receive a Lourdes Gurriel Jr. Piña Power Beach Shirt.
On Friday, June 26, the Blue Jays will hand out Hyun-jin Ryu blue replica jerseys.
Wednesday, July 1, will be Canada Day and fans can receive a Vlad & Dad dual bobblehead to celebrate.
On Friday, July 31, the Blue Jays will hand out Randal Grichuk #NEWBLUE replica jerseys.
On Saturday, August 1, fans will receive a Blue Jays floppy (bucket) hat.
“Bo Flow” Bobblehead Giveaway Day will be Monday, August 3.
A hat designed by Hyun-jin Ryu will be given out on Saturday, August 29.
On Saturday, September 19, some chilly fans could walk home in a Blue Jays vest.
BALTIMORE ORIOLES
Most giveaways listed below go to fans 15 and over, unless otherwise noted.
For Mother’s Day on Sunday, May 10, the first 10,000 female fans 18 and over will receive an Orioles infinity scarf.
On Monday, May 25, the first 15,000 fans will take home an Orioles beach towel.
On Saturday, May 30, the first 20,000 fans will taken home a Jim Palmer bobblehead.
On Sunday, May 31, the first 20,000 fans will receive an Orioles cap.
The first 20,000 fans 21 and over at Oriole Park on Friday, June 19, will take home an Orioles floppy hat, thanks to Miller Lite.
On Saturday, June 20, the first 20,000 fans will take home an Oriole Bird Hall of Fame bobblehead.
The Orioles will hand out Orioles soccer jerseys to the first 20,000 fans on Saturday, June 27.
Birdland Hawaiian shirts will be given out to the first 20,000 fans on Saturday, July 18.
The Orioles will hand out 1970 World Series Brooks Robinson replica jerseys to the first 20,000 fans on Saturday, August 8, as they celebrate the 50th anniversary of the 1970 World Series.
Saturday, August 22, will be Boog Powell bobblehead day for the first 20,000 fans as the O’s host the Red Sox.
Sunday, September 6, will be Cal Ripken, Jr. bobblehead day for the first 25,000 fans as the O’s host the Yankees.
Highlights of the A.L. East slate include the Yankees 2000 World Champions Commemorative Beer Stein, Big Papi and Manny Ramirez Red Sox Hall of Fame bobbles, a Blue Jays powder blue jersey, and a 1970 World Series Brooks Robinson jersey.
The Blues Jays look to have the most promising giveaway slate in the division, while the Rays could stand to add some variety. The O’s have a promising slate planned as well but lose points for limiting many giveaways to fans 15 and older. Understandably, alcohol sponsored givewaways are limited to fans 21 and older by most teams, but good luck to the Baltimore retiree working at Camden Yards on June 20 trying to explain why little Timmy doesn’t get an Oriole Bird bobblehead.
WEEI – On Friday, Price surrendered six runs in a losing effort to the Orioles, the worst team in baseball.
Though Eckersley refrained from taking any shots at Price, his ex-Red Sox teammate and fellow Hall of Famer Wade Boggs went right in. “Everybody in the game loves Eck. He was a great teammate,” Boggs said to Shaughnessy. “And David Price? Please. He should ask me what it used to be like to play in Boston. These guys today don’t hear any noise compared to the stuff that was aimed at us. I mean, seriously.
“‘Yuck?’ Give me a break.’’
Lost in all the media noise around David Price pouring gasoline on the Dennis Eckersley feud last week was this quote from Hall of Famer Wade Boggs. After Price made this a gigantic story, he proceeded to get lit up by the Orioles on Friday, a team best described by Michael Felger as one that should be relegated. It was a PTSD flashback of sorts for Price who was faced with his first highly scrutinized start since getting lit up in Game 2 of the ALCS last year. Despite vehemently denying it,
“That doesn’t affect me at all,” Price told reporters after he allowed six runs, including two homers, in four innings in the Red Sox’ 11-2 loss in Baltimore on Friday night “I’m sure it’ll be used in Boston, but it doesn’t affect me. “If you think I’m thinking about that out there on the mound tonight, you’re 100 percent wrong,” Price said. “Or even last night or the night before or whatever the case may be. That’s not the case. No, it didn’t affect me.”
Price predictably let it get to him as he crumbled on the mount. Now granted this whole renewed feud is all the Boston media has talked about the last week and certain sports blogs have been hawking YUCK t-shirts for the better part of two years, Wade Boggs came off the top rope to basically call David Price soft.
“And David Price? Please. He should ask me what it used to be like to play in Boston. These guys today don’t hear any noise compared to the stuff that was aimed at us. I mean, seriously.
“‘Yuck?’ Give me a break.’’
Get your YUCK shirt today!
Depending on where you stand on the Eck vs Price feud you could take this as a laugh out loud funny quote like I did or you could compare Wade Boggs to the old man yelling at a cloud. Either way, it sounds like Price touched a nerve going after not just Eck’s work as a broadcaster, but his character. Eck may not want to get into the mud and talk about this anymore, but his former teammates like Boss Hogg are more than willing to do so. May he Rest in Peace.
Chris Davis is 0-23 this season with 13 strikeouts.
This is one of the more profound questions in Major League Baseball right now. We’ll get into just how bad his contract is later, but the fact that he even has a job in the first place is downright astounding. I could do what he’s done this season and you wouldn’t even have to pay me for it. Just let me drink all the beer in the clubhouse I want and we’re good. When I saw the ESPN headline “Davis now 0-for-44, closing in on futility mark,” I knew exactly who they were talking about. Didn’t even have to check. There are currently 10 players named Davis on MLB rosters, 7 of which are hitters, but only one of them could be this bad. When Adam Jones is talking about keeping the banter to telling players they suck, this is who he’s talking about.
Now I don’t blame him for playing as long as the O’s put him on the field. The guy makes $23 mil a year, which boils down to just under $142k per game. I wish someone paid me that much money to swing and miss. But it’s not like this is a new thing. Let’s take a closer look at his numbers since signing his 7 year, $161 million contract after the 2015 season:
-The reason he was offered the contract in the first place was because he hit 159 homers in a 4 year span. In the 3+ years since, he’s hit 80, 38 of which came in 2016 in the first year of the deal. -In 2016, he led the league with 219 K’s in 566 ABs -In 2017, Davis hit 26 homers. However, he also struck out 195 times, which is twice as often as he was able to record a hit (98). He finished 3rd is Ks that year, but also had significantly less ABs than Aaron Judge, who finished with 13 more Ks and 86 more ABs -In 2018, he finished 4th, with 192 strikeouts, 25 behind the league leader Yoan Moncada. Again, he had significantly less at bats: 108 to be exact. -Also in 2018, he batted .168, good for the worst batting average for qualified hitters EVER. -Since signing the contract, Davis has totaled 1,515 ABs, 619 Ks, 302 hits, 194 walks, 80 HR, 196 RBI and 592 TB. His BA is .199, OBP is .296. -HE HAS MORE STRIKEOUTS THAN TOTAL BASES!! THAT IS FUCKING ASTOUNDING! -To put this into perspective, Jackie Bradley, who we all know sucks at the plate, has the following numbers in that same span: -1,552 ABs, 416 Ks, 385 hits, 158 walks, 56 HR, 210 RBI, 664 TB, a .248 BA and a .322 OBP. -The big difference here? JBJ is one of, if not the best defensive CF in the game. Chris Davis plays first, the most replaceable position in sports.
Davis is now three at bats away from a new record, one nobody wants to set. Which begs the question: if he’s this bad, why the hell is still seeing the field? As I pointed out, Jackie Bradley is not a good hitter, but he more than makes up for it with his defense. Chris Davis does not. I suppose if you are rebuilding the way the Orioles are, you want someone to suck all the time. But why not bench him or cut him? That contract is a sunk cost, so you might as well let one of the youngsters play and hopefully develop. Or continue to put the worst hitter in baseball 7th in your lineup, including against lefties. Go O’s!
ESPN – Boston Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia has doubts about whether he’ll be able to return this season as he continues to recover from major reconstructive knee surgery in the offseason. Pedroia, 34, returned to the lineup on May 26 but was back on the disabled list on June 2 with soreness in his knee. He is headed to Arizona to continue his rehabilitation treatment.
The Red Sox have not ruled Dustin Pedroia out for the year. In fact Alex Cora even said he expects to see Pedroia back on the field this year, but Pedey himself was much more cynical when asked about his return date.
“I’ve healed quick with every other injury I’ve had. But this is obviously different,” Pedroia told reporters Wednesday. “You can’t risk it. If I come back too early and the graft fails, then that’s it.”
That is scary. That sounds like a guy who is seriously concerned about his ability to recover from an injury. Forget returning to previous form, that is a guy who sounds like he might be done entirely.
“The problem for Dustin is and will be, he has a bad knee. He’s had it for years. He’s going to have to deal with that and he does…but he has a bad knee that he’s going to have to watch and we’re going to have to watch for the rest of his career.”
At the time it was kind of out of left field. Sure we all knew Pedroia was constantly battling injuries, but I thought they were just an undersized dirt dog getting banged up from various ailments. Turns out it was a chronic knee issue and Dombrowski let it slip before any of the fans in town even realized.
So Pedroia seems to now be in wait and see mode as there’s not really much you can do to speed up recovery from a knee injury other than flying to Germany to get the A-Rod/Peyton Manning special sauce. For now he’ll chill out in Arizona and rehab at his own speed, but I doubt we see him back on the field at Fenway in 2018.
So if he does miss the rest of the year then what are the prospects for a 35 year old coming off a knee injury regaining his form next season? Can’t be great, right?
It’s something we discussed on The 300s Podcast on a recent episode; the days of Dustin Pedroia as your starting second baseman may be gone. Because when healthy, Pedroia can still absolutely mash and is one of the toughest outs in baseball, but therein lies the problem; Pedroia is rarely healthy anymore. Not even including the lost season that is 2018, in the past 3 years he’s played 105, 154, and 93 games. So in the past 3+ seasons he’s played more than 105 games once. Not a great trend.
The best option for Pedroia may be to accept a utility role and even then the Red Sox may be less than thrilled paying a guy $12-$15 million per year to play 75 games. But, hey that contract of 8 years for $110M was a fucking steal at the time he signed it and anyone who says otherwise is just lying to your face. Pedroia can still hit so slip him into the DH role a couple nights a week and maybe you squeak 100 games out of the former MVP. It’s not ideal, but it’s better than the 3 games he played in 2018 (so far).
PS – Let us never forget that Pedroia’s knee injury flared up and has refused to heal since one very specific incident and that was when that dirtbag Manny Machado spiked him sliding into second last year. If you want Machado on this team then you can’t drink from my canteen.
By now it’s no secret that i’ve been chipping away at my goal of seeing a game at every major league ballpark. Now that the 2018 season is upon us, I thought it would be the perfect time to update you on my quest and ask you the readers what I should tackle next?
Coming into this MLB season I’ve been to 12 ballparks all while experiencing some amazing highs (Pirates, Padres) and some spectacular lows (Yankee Stadium 2.0). My list is as follows, ranked according to my level of enjoyment:
Pirates
Padres
Cubs
Rockies
Brewers
Red Sox
Mets
Dodgers
Orioles
Twins
Phillies
Yankees
It’s kind of hard to do a ranking, especially when the middle of the list doesn’t really have any faults, it’s just that it didn’t have any memorable moments. I rank the Pirates so high because of the views from PNC. Situated perfectly on the river, it’s an incredible sight with the skyline and bridges in the distance. I also managed to snag a beautiful Pirates cowboy hat from the gift shop and free beer from a broken keg, dumping gallons of free suds into the concourse (and into my cup).
Wrigley was a bachelor party so good times were had, Petco Park was a beautiful summer night the weekend of 4th of July, and Citi Field is the home of my team the Mets, so I have a bit of a bias there.
Yankee Stadium did absolutely nothing for me. It felt like a place you’d go watch gladiators fight lions, let alone a game of baseball. It was too sterile, too corporate, all things that have been said time and time again.
2018 will bring my total to 15, as I will be adding the White Sox, Nationals, and Angels to the list.
Is there anything else I should hit? Would you guys like to see some video reviews of some of these places? Let us know in the comments and we will bring you the A+ content.
StarTribune – Brian Dozier thought about approaching Chance Sisco at second base during a ninth-inning timeout Sunday but decided against it…
What needs addressing? In the Twins’ opinion, it’s Sisco’s decision to bunt to the vacant left side of the infield with one out in the ninth, trailing 7-0. Jose Berrios was trying to complete his first career one-hitter and shutout, and there were some players in the visitors’ dugout who felt it inappropriate for the Baltimore catcher to lay down a bunt to end Berrios’ streak of 17 straight outs, rather than swing away.
“Obviously, we’re not a fan of it,” Dozier said.
Ah yes. Baseball is back, with all of its storied unwritten rules.
Last year we learned that it’s in poor taste to bunt against a fat guy. Yesterday we learned that it’s in poor taste to bunt to beat the shift in the ninth inning of a one-hitter, according to Brian Dozier.
Don’t get me wrong, bunting to break up a no-hitter would be a dick move. No argument there. But bunting to beat the shift in the ninth inning of a one-hitter? Give me a break, Brian. Someone needs to remind Dozier that you play to win the game.
The Orioles were down by seven runs, with one out and nobody on in the bottom of the ninth. They were probably going to lose. Does that mean Sisco should just give up, Brian? It’s like a basketball team fouling when they’re down by six points with 30 seconds left to play. It probably won’t matter in the end but at least extend the game and try to make a comeback. Unless it violates some unwritten rule and hurts someone’s feelings, I guess.
Berrios, who followed up by walking Davis on a fastball that umpire Marty Foster ruled was low, and loading the bases on a broken-bat fly by Manny Machado that fell in, said he wasn’t bothered by the bunt. Sort of.
“I don’t care if he’s bunting,” Berrios said. “I just know it’s not good for baseball in that situation. That’s it.”
You know what’s not good for baseball, Jose? Defensive shifts. People want to see some action, not Joe Maddon pore over spray charts in an effort to whittle the game down to the three true outcomes (strikeout, walk, home run).
I can understand David Ortiz not wanting to bunt to beat the shift. David Ortiz racking up infield hits was not going to win the Red Sox more championships. But if you’re going to start shifting against guys like Eduardo Nunez and Chance Sisco all the time, don’t be surprised when they start giving you the unwritten (and unspoken) middle finger.
When the Red Sox first acquired Eduardo Rodriguez in 2014 from the Orioles in the Andrew Miller trade it was deemed a steal for a half season rental of Miller. (Side note: the Red Sox do not get ANY credit for legitimately rebuilding Andrew Miller from the Florida Marlins/Detroit Tigers castoff failed starter that he was to the dominant, lights out bullpen weapon that he is.) E-Rod started off his career lights out going 10-6 with a 3.85 ERA at just 22 years old, but has been routinely derailed by injuries since then.
Rodriguez, of course, has lost months to knee injuries in 3 of the last 4 years.
Seriously, take a look at the number of starts he’s made each season since the Red Sox acquired him.
2015: 21
2016: 20
2017: 24
Not exactly workhorse type stuff. I mean E-Rod is still only making $500K a year so its not a huge financial burden, but in the same vein as Clay Buchholz you need to be able to rely on a guy to make the majority of his starts. Especially when that guy has the ability to be your No. 3 starter. Hopefully this horrific sounding “knee ligament reconstruction” that the Red Sox are describing it as helps get his knee back to where it needs to be. Otherwise break out the duct tape and bubblegum.
The 300s 