This is not, by any means, saying that bad luck was the only thing plaguing the Red Sox this year, because that could not be further from the truth. There was conflict in the clubhouse from the get go. New manager Bobby Valentine attempted to impose a much stricter attitude over the team after the infamous "Beer and Chicken" allegations of last September. He had clashes with team leaders Dustin Pedroia, Kevin Youkilis, and Ortiz, leading to Pedroia publicly calling him out, Ortiz complaining to the media, and most importantly, Youk's sudden departure. Now sure, people can say that there was no room for Youkilis with Adrian Gonzalez holding down first base and Will Middlebrooks emerging at third. But boy wouldn't Red Sox Nation love to have Youk back now. The departure of Youk foreshadowed a mega-deal that for all intents and purposes was the raising of the white flag for the season. The Sox unloaded Gonzalez, Carl Crawford, and Josh Beckett to the Dodgers for um...well...pretty much nothing. Yes, the deal cleared up a ton of money to be spent this year in free agency, but apart from pitching (we'll get to that one in a minute), the biggest need in free agency is now...wait for it...first base! With Youkilis and Gonzalez gone, and James Loney as the best option currently on the roster, there is a glaring hole to be filled. The problem is, there's not much available. The best option very well may be Youkilis himself, and who's to say that he would want to return. Past that, the most viable candidate might be (grimaces) Nick Swisher. I'm sure Red Sox Nation would be overjoyed to have him...
Injury and clubhouse matters aside, the most obvious reason for the team's abysmal performance this season was the pitching. The team's supposed "ace", and preseason Cy Young candidate Jon Lester put up a very un-ace-like stat line of 9-14 with a 4.86 ERA. And that's just the beginning. Of qualified pitchers, Clay Buchholz led the team with a 4.56 ERA. Yes you read that correctly. Closer Alfredo Aceves blew 8 saves and put up a 5.36 ERA. Granted, that was in the absence of injured closer Andrew Bailey, but he was even worse when he came back. He returned to make only 6 saves, blowing 3, and posted a 7.06 ERA. The other major bullpen acquisition of the offseason? Mark Melancon, who compiled a 6.20 ERA over the course of the year. Daniel Bard, the once promising future closer of the club was, for whatever reason, converted to a starter. When that failed, he was left in the minors for the year instead of working him back into the pen.
Insert John Farrell. The Red Sox announced over the weekend that Farrell had been hired to be the team's new manager. Farrell had been managing the Blue Jays for the past two years since being the Sox pitching coach under Terry Francona from 2007-10. While with Boston, Farrell led the pitching staff to some of the best numbers in the majors. While that may seem like centuries ago to Sox fans, many of the Sox current pitchers have worked with him in the past, and hopefully having him back will rejuvenate them. While the organization tried to rid itself of all things Francona related after the clubhouse debacle, Farrell was not present for 2011, and will hopefully get the pitching back on track and prove to be a good hire going forward.
However, as Bobby V was not the entire problem last year, Farrell cannot be the entire solution. Personnel changes are much needed. A solid front of the rotation starter (*cough*Greinke*cough*) could do a lot for the team, and obviously a first baseman is needed. If the team can sign another everyday outfielder in addition to those two, next season could see a return to the Red Sox we have all come to expect. With a hopefully improved pitching staff, and promising young position players including Middlebrooks and Ciriaco looking to make an impact in their first full seasons, the outlook is not as bleak as fans may think. We can only hope this managerial change works out better than the last.
I also believe that the departure of Adrian and Crawford may have been moves to bring in players that are perhaps the same pay (or maybe surprisingly enough cheaper) in that of Swisher and maybe the prize free agent Hamilton eventually. As much as I would hate to see swisher leave I do believe he will due to the need to resign the best hitting second baseman in the game who is clearly due for a pay raise. But i also believe Swisher is a liability in the field and without the presance of the right field porch his power stats will go down since he is a more powerful hitter from the left side any way. As for the pitching aspect I would say Greinke is a great fit for Bosten because he is both a experienced and confident pitcher plus I would feel great if he was pitcheing for my team game 7. SO overall i do see Bosten becoming much better this off season due to all the money that was cleared up and with that I see them signing Josh Hamilton, Swisher, Greinke and most likely a above average relief pitcher.
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree that moving Crawford and Beckett to free up some money was necessary, but I'm still against getting rid of Adrian considering the market for first baseman. I'm not the biggest Swisher fan but at the very least he will provide some stability in that lineup. Hamilton would be awesome, I would fully support that. I just hope Cherington isn't to gun-shy after giving huge contracts to Gonzo and Crawford. If the moves that you said happen (and I hope they do), the Sox should be competitive again, and even you Yankees fans can agree that that makes baseball more entertaining.
ReplyDeleteAs much as the Hamilton & Greinke potential signings sound fantastic, there are a few flaws in that even though it seems logical. The Red Sox went off track the second they started playing Yankee-ball and throwing absurd amounts of cash at players rather than playing some Moneyball that won them two championships. Signing Hamilton and Greinke (which would both be mega deals) would be the same story as the last two years. If that happens, when Hamilton injures himself and misses two months and Greinke, who deals with insane anxiety problems (which would only be made worse by coming to one of the crazier yet passionate fan bases in baseball), goes insane, we could be talking collapse again this time next year. I think getting Youk back would be huge and signing Nick Swisher would be a very valuable thing. Plus, what if Youk comes back swinging, and Swisher comes in and eventually grows his long flowing hair back (which he couldn't do with the Yankees)? It'd be like the mid-2000s in Boston again and having Swisher running around the outfield with his flowing mane blowing in the wind would bring back memories of Johnny Damon doing the same for the sox, no? The Red Sox won 2 ships by developing their own players and bringing up a strong core of home grown players. The collapsed when they signed superstars whose egos obviously did nothing to help the team. In my opinion the Sox should stop trying to outdo the Yankees in free agency and build their own team. With some very promising pieces still in play, if the Red Sox play Red Sox baseball, I wouldn't be surprised if they take the division and contend again as soon as next year.
ReplyDeleteYes the trading of Adrian could possibly be one of the most bone headed moves of all time. Why trade away the only player that has kept his mouth shut and produced? But the Red Sox do not have the strongest core as we saw at the end of the year. The pitching rotation was embaressing so i can not see them not making a big move for atleast a pitcher. I do not see a identity for the Red Sox as of right now which is the main thing that swisher brings to a team so I do see that move actually happening. As for Hamilton somebody is going to make a major push someone who is a player or two away from the ring. Perhaps the Yankees move A Rod, most likely to the marlins if it does happen because it puts fans in the seats for Miami and the yankees dont have to deal with the former superstar disappereing from the lineup card in october. Oh and of course that huge contract is gone with a whole in the outfield if swisher is not resigned. We could perhaps see Hamilton in a Yankees Uniform if that happens but highly doubt that. I just get the feeling that the Red Sox will make more moves than the Yankees and as hard as it is to say it may perhaps be the better team in the AL East.
ReplyDeleteMy internet connection died right as I tried to respond to Matt but the basics pretty much agree with Kenny's response. I agree that you can't out Yankee the Yankees, but regardless of Hamilton/Swisher/Youk/any position player, the Sox need to sign a pitcher. Greinke may or may not be ready for a big market yet, but even if it's not him, they need somebody. I agree that the Sox should grow from the ground up, but the farm system has been depleted lately and that will take a while. In the mean time, something needs to be done to keep Bostonians from going crazy.
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