Now We Know Why Papi Doesn't Play So Big Anymore
"Ban 'em for the whole year."
That was Red Sox slugger David Ortiz's suggestion on what to do with MLB players who test positive for performance enhancing drugs (PEDs). At least that's what he said during Spring Training.
I wonder how Ortiz feels now?
Care to put your money where your mouth is, David?
When Ortiz was asked about the revelations of a 2003 drug test before today's game, he told The New York Times: "I'm not talking about that anymore. I have no comment."
Sorry, David, but that just won't do. You took a very strong public stance against PEDs and the players who use them, so there's no backing down or ducking out now. You've got some explaining to do.
As for Manny Ramirez, also implicated as a PED user today (which was already old news), the guy just seems to be bullet proof. Manny has always believed that he is different than everyone else and that he gets to operate under a different set of rules.
But Manny is not the Red Sox' problem anymore. He's a Dodger now. Earlier this month LA fans gleefully welcomed him back from a 50-game suspension for using a female fertility drug. Perhaps Manny is attempting to become the first ever pregnant man.
Manny just motors along, unfazed in Manny Land. His personal mantra seems to be, "What, me worry?"
Ortiz and Ramirez were both iconic figures in Boston. They were heroes to Red Sox Nation and idolized by children. But both have now proven to be cheaters, plain and simple. And both are terrible role models to the kids who adore and cheer for them.
So much for rules. So much for ethics. So much for integrity. So much for "playing the game the right way," as players so often love to intone.
Like A-Rod, Sammy Sosa and likely Barry Bonds before them, Ortiz and Ramirez are both liars, cheaters and frauds.
Today's revelation explains once and for all why Ortiz's career has suddenly fallen off a cliff. Quite clearly, Ortiz's performance is no longer enhanced.
It's all so ugly and shameful. The news will only put further pressure on Theo Epstein to make a trade in an attempt to change the headlines in Boston.
As it is, the Red Sox are already the focus of a circus-like media atmosphere at home. Aside from New York, no city has as many reporters covering its team.
This story will become a focal point and take on a life of its own in Boston – just what the slumping Red Sox don't need right now.
Due to his rather rapid and stunning decline, the shine has already come off Ortiz in Red Sox Nation. Today's sad revelation should only serve to tarnish and diminish his once legendary exploits.
Ortiz was always beloved by Red Sox fans. But those fans can't pretend that there are two sets of rules. If they condemned Bonds, Sosa and A-Rod, they should be consistent and condemn Ortiz as well.
Copyright © 2009 Sean M. Kennedy. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the author’s consent.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Rice Was Always Worthy
Jim Rice was the most feared hitter in the American League over a 12-year span. That says it all.
But for 14 years, Rice failed to garner enough votes for entrance into the Hall of Fame. This year, with a weak field of candidates, Rice had his best, and last, opportunity. And now, finally, he gets to join the other all-time greats in the hallowed halls of Cooperstown.
Why it took so long is difficult to figure.
Rice deserved an earlier entrance. In an era when power numbers are suspiciously viewed through the lens of steroids and other performance enhancers, Rice's production over the course of his 14 years merited additional consideration.
While it's often said that Rice played 16 seasons in the Majors, he didn't.
Rice was a September call up in 1974 and had only 67 at bats in 24 games. It wasn't enough to qualify him as a rookie, so it's not enough to be considered a season.
Furthermore, Rice played only 56 games in 1989, his final season. That year, Rice had just 209 at bats. To qualify for a batting title, a player must have at least 400 at bats. In a typical season, an everyday player might see as many as 600 at bats.
So, the reality is that Rice played just 14 seasons, and in that time he amassed absolutely phenomenal statistics.
If Rice had just sat out those 56 games in 1989 – when his eyesight had long since failed him – he would have finished his career with a .300 average. Many believe that if Rice had simply lifted his average a measly .002 points that he'd have been inducted to the Hall years ago.
An argument used against Rice was that he wasn't a great fielder. Dale Murphy, another player of Rice's era who has also been a borderline candidate, was a five time Gold Glove winner. Yet, his career fielding percentage is just .002 higher than Rice's. Either the criteria for a Gold Glove wasn't as strict in the National League or Rice was simply overlooked. Believe it or not, from 1975-1986 Rice led the American League in outfield assists. Simply put, he was always underated as a defensive player.
Rice's numbers are impressive -- 382 homers, 1,451 RBI -- and they aren't tainted. We lived through an era era when the 40-homer season became common and when the achievements of Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa and Barry Bonds -- the three best power hitters of their generation -- are highly dubious.
Yet, there is no such suspicion of Rice.
Sure, Rice fell short of the 400 career homer mark, which used to almost assure election. But his accomplishments over a 12-year span were nothing short of spectacular, though clearly under-appreciated. Rice was the most dominant hitter of his time, outshining all of his contemporaries. That alone qualifies him for the Hall.
Longtime Red Sox public relations executive Dick Bresciani issued a highly-detailed, four-page report on Rice's achievements and the former left fielder owes Bresciani a debt of gratitude. That report surely had an influence on the Baseball Writers of America.
When it comes to stats, Rice's were considerable. Red Sox fans who witnessed his exploits have always had a bias toward his selection, but Rice's numbers speak loudly and convincingly for him.
Though some have argued that Rice wasn't great for a long enough period of time, for a period of 12 years -- 1975-86 -- Rice led all American League players in 12 different offensive categories, including home runs (350), RBI (1,276), total bases (3,670), slugging percentage (.520), runs (1,098) and hits (2,145). The other categories were games, at-bats, extra base hits, multiple hit games, go-ahead RBI, and the previously mentioned outfield assists.
What these statistics bear out is that over this remarkable period Rice was not only durable, but consistent and clutch as well.
During that span, Rice averaged 29 homers, 106 RBI, 91 runs scored and a .303 average. Though his career slugging percentage is .502, Rice wasn't just a power hitter – he was a hitter, plain and simple. In four of those seasons he collected over 200 hits. He hit .300 or better seven times and he hit .290 or better nine times.
Put Rice's accomplishments in context: he led every player in his league in virtually every significant offensive category for twelve consecutive years. Even if you add in all of the National League players from the same era, Rice still leads in five categories and finishes second in three others.
Finishing first or second in eight different categories for a dozen years means that Rice is certainly well qualified for the Hall. If Kirby Puckett was deserving, Rice is more deserving.
Some say that if Rice had just hit 18 more homers and lifted his .298 career batting average a mere two points, that his election would have be guaranteed a lot earlier. Perhaps, but that's splitting hairs.
Rice dominated his era, finishing in the top five in the MVP voting six times in an eight-year span, more than any other player between 1963 and 2005.
He won the MVP award in 1978, when he collected a staggering 406 total bases, becoming the first American League player to crack 400 since Joe Dimaggio. During that phenomenal year, Rice also hit .315, had 213 hits, 46 home runs, 139 RBI and amassed a .600 slugging percentage.
An eight-time All Star, Rice led the AL in homers three times, RBI twice, and total bases four times. He is the only player in Major League history with three consecutive seasons of 35 homers and 200 hits. He led the AL in total bases for three straight seasons, tying a record held by Ted Williams and Ty Cobb. Furthermore, Rice, Babe Ruth and Jimmy Foxx are the only players in AL history with three consecutive 39-homer, .315 average seasons. Enough said.
Lest anyone need more convincing, feel free to measure Rice against the all-time greats. Among all Major Leaguers, only nine players have compiled as high a career batting average and as many homers. They are: Ted Williams, Babe Ruth, Mel Ott, Hank Aaron, Jimmie Foxx, Lou Gehrig, Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays and Stan Musial.
All of them are in the Hall of Fame and Rice has finally joined them -- where he rightfully belongs.
Copyright © 2009 Sean M. Kennedy. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the author’s consent.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
The Red Sox Offense has been Offensive
July has not been kind to the previously formidable Red Sox offense
Though the Red Sox remain fourth in the AL in runs scored, it's truly hard to believe right now. For the past month, the Sox offense has looked positively anemic. It says a lot about their pre-July production.
Throughout the Red Sox order, there is a glaring deficiency; most of these guys simply aren't hitting right now. At .261, the Red Sox team batting average has fallen into the bottom half of the AL.
Players generally expected to perform at a high level are doing anything but. Eight Red Sox players are hitting below .260, including Jason Bay (.252), JD Drew (.233) and David Ortiz (.228).
Bay's slump is hard to figure. A lifetime .279 hitter, the All Star has 20 homers and 72 RBI so far this season. But Bay has suddenly hit the skids. The left fielder has just one homer in the past month, covering 23 games. In that same period he has just three RBI and four extra-base hits. It's been one very ugly month for the Canadian native.
But, in his case, it's probably just a typical midseason slump that he will soon snap out of. Bay has a strong track record and it's a good bet he is poised to breakout. Over the past five seasons Bay has averaged 29 HR and 95 RBI, while batting .282.
JD Drew, on the other hand, is another story altogether. Since coming to Boston as a free agent three years ago, Drew has been a huge disappointment.
The Red Sox signed Drew to be a middle-of-the-order hitter, based on his "sweet swing" and lots of perceived promise. But in the ten previous seasons, Drew had hit .300 twice, hit 30 homers once, and drove in 100 runs once. None of that warranted paying him $14 million per season, especially since no other team was stepping up to do so. The Sox are now paying for their ill-advised decision, both literally and figuratively.
In his 2 1/2 years in Boston, Drew has 42 HR, 166 RBI, 213 runs, 10 SB, and a .261 average. The Sox' $75 million investment hasn't gotten them much. Even when the Sox signed him three years ago, Drew was a whole lot more hype than hope. Julio Lugo was a bust indeed, but Drew cost the Sox a whole lot more. And Lugo didn't come with all the same hype and hoopla as Drew. The expectations of Drew have been a lot higher and he has failed miserably to live up to them.
Over his first five seasons in Boston, David Ortiz became a folk hero. He came to Boston as a Minnesota castaway, with no hype and no expectations whatsoever. In that time he became known as the "greatest clutch hitter in Red Sox history, and in 2006 set the team's single-season home run record with 54 moon shots.
But last year his season was cut short due to wrist surgery. Truthfully, he's never been the same since 2007. More than ever, Ortiz looks overweight, slow-swinging, and old. Could he really be just 33?
Despite the widespread hope that Ortiz was coming out of his early season slump, he isn't. It's late July and this is simply the new reality for Ortiz. In three of his six previous seasons with the Sox, Ortiz hit at least .300. That now seems like a long time ago. Sadly, Ortiz's career seems to have suddenly gone over a cliff. It's hard to get excited about his 12 homers when he has a .315 OBP and isn't even batting his hefty weight.
We love David Ortiz for all he's done for the Red Sox. He was a key part of two World Series championships and helped make the Red Sox a powerhouse. He brought life and excitement to the team and was always fun to watch. But those days are long since over.
Though he's hit an improbable 13 home runs – matching his total from all of last year – Jason Varitek is hitting 30 points below his career average. And it's important to note that his .261 carer average was pulled down by batting .220 last year. At this point, Varitek is no longer overpaid. But he isn't much of an offensive threat either.
With just 288 career at-bats, Jed Lowrie is still a work in progress, and perhaps just an inexpensive, low-expectation experiment. Though he's had just 28 at-bats this season, he is batting a mere .107 and is 2 for 10 since his return from the DL.
George Kottras, though only playing every five days, makes us grateful for that. So far he hitting just .213 with 1 HR and 9 RBI in 33 games this season. At this point, it seems clear that he is not Jason Varitek's successor, nor the long term solution to the Sox' catching quandary.
After a hot start, Nick Green has fallen back to earth, and is now hitting .250. But considering his solid defensive play, and how little was expected of the non-roster Spring Training invitee, Green has been a blessing in the absence of Jed Lowrie and the continued demise of Julio Lugo.
Rounding out this group of tepid Red Sox hitters is Mark Kotsay, who is currently batting .257, 24 points below his career average. Having hit a combined total of 15 homers over the past four seasons, he is not a deep threat or a prototypical first baseman or corner infielder. That's because the natural center fielder has been playing out of position since coming to the Sox last August. The true team player has done an admirable job of filling in wherever and whenever Terry Francona has asked him.
Though he plays solid defense and by all accounts is well-liked by his teammates and coaches, Kotsay looks like the odd man out in a pending numbers game. The Sox will have to trim their 25-man roster by one to make room for the newly acquired Adam LaRoche, a true first baseman and power hitter. It seems that Kotsay's time in a Sox uniform may be running out.
It's obvious that LaRoche is not the sole answer to the Red Sox offensive struggles, but they hope he can provide a bit of thump to a lackluster lineup.
The Red Sox offensive malaise has spread throughout the clubhouse like a contagion, and hopefully a couple of hitters will come around soon. But as the numbers dictate, the Sox offense is not bolstered by enough good hitters, and the club still seems to be at least one potent bat short of being the team to beat in the highly competitive AL East.
That's why the next week could be eventful and even fruitful for the Sox. The funk they're presently mired in makes it highly unlikely that Theo Epstein is done dealing.
Copyright © 2009 Sean M. Kennedy. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the author’s consent.
Though the Red Sox remain fourth in the AL in runs scored, it's truly hard to believe right now. For the past month, the Sox offense has looked positively anemic. It says a lot about their pre-July production.
Throughout the Red Sox order, there is a glaring deficiency; most of these guys simply aren't hitting right now. At .261, the Red Sox team batting average has fallen into the bottom half of the AL.
Players generally expected to perform at a high level are doing anything but. Eight Red Sox players are hitting below .260, including Jason Bay (.252), JD Drew (.233) and David Ortiz (.228).
Bay's slump is hard to figure. A lifetime .279 hitter, the All Star has 20 homers and 72 RBI so far this season. But Bay has suddenly hit the skids. The left fielder has just one homer in the past month, covering 23 games. In that same period he has just three RBI and four extra-base hits. It's been one very ugly month for the Canadian native.
But, in his case, it's probably just a typical midseason slump that he will soon snap out of. Bay has a strong track record and it's a good bet he is poised to breakout. Over the past five seasons Bay has averaged 29 HR and 95 RBI, while batting .282.
JD Drew, on the other hand, is another story altogether. Since coming to Boston as a free agent three years ago, Drew has been a huge disappointment.
The Red Sox signed Drew to be a middle-of-the-order hitter, based on his "sweet swing" and lots of perceived promise. But in the ten previous seasons, Drew had hit .300 twice, hit 30 homers once, and drove in 100 runs once. None of that warranted paying him $14 million per season, especially since no other team was stepping up to do so. The Sox are now paying for their ill-advised decision, both literally and figuratively.
In his 2 1/2 years in Boston, Drew has 42 HR, 166 RBI, 213 runs, 10 SB, and a .261 average. The Sox' $75 million investment hasn't gotten them much. Even when the Sox signed him three years ago, Drew was a whole lot more hype than hope. Julio Lugo was a bust indeed, but Drew cost the Sox a whole lot more. And Lugo didn't come with all the same hype and hoopla as Drew. The expectations of Drew have been a lot higher and he has failed miserably to live up to them.
Over his first five seasons in Boston, David Ortiz became a folk hero. He came to Boston as a Minnesota castaway, with no hype and no expectations whatsoever. In that time he became known as the "greatest clutch hitter in Red Sox history, and in 2006 set the team's single-season home run record with 54 moon shots.
But last year his season was cut short due to wrist surgery. Truthfully, he's never been the same since 2007. More than ever, Ortiz looks overweight, slow-swinging, and old. Could he really be just 33?
Despite the widespread hope that Ortiz was coming out of his early season slump, he isn't. It's late July and this is simply the new reality for Ortiz. In three of his six previous seasons with the Sox, Ortiz hit at least .300. That now seems like a long time ago. Sadly, Ortiz's career seems to have suddenly gone over a cliff. It's hard to get excited about his 12 homers when he has a .315 OBP and isn't even batting his hefty weight.
We love David Ortiz for all he's done for the Red Sox. He was a key part of two World Series championships and helped make the Red Sox a powerhouse. He brought life and excitement to the team and was always fun to watch. But those days are long since over.
Though he's hit an improbable 13 home runs – matching his total from all of last year – Jason Varitek is hitting 30 points below his career average. And it's important to note that his .261 carer average was pulled down by batting .220 last year. At this point, Varitek is no longer overpaid. But he isn't much of an offensive threat either.
With just 288 career at-bats, Jed Lowrie is still a work in progress, and perhaps just an inexpensive, low-expectation experiment. Though he's had just 28 at-bats this season, he is batting a mere .107 and is 2 for 10 since his return from the DL.
George Kottras, though only playing every five days, makes us grateful for that. So far he hitting just .213 with 1 HR and 9 RBI in 33 games this season. At this point, it seems clear that he is not Jason Varitek's successor, nor the long term solution to the Sox' catching quandary.
After a hot start, Nick Green has fallen back to earth, and is now hitting .250. But considering his solid defensive play, and how little was expected of the non-roster Spring Training invitee, Green has been a blessing in the absence of Jed Lowrie and the continued demise of Julio Lugo.
Rounding out this group of tepid Red Sox hitters is Mark Kotsay, who is currently batting .257, 24 points below his career average. Having hit a combined total of 15 homers over the past four seasons, he is not a deep threat or a prototypical first baseman or corner infielder. That's because the natural center fielder has been playing out of position since coming to the Sox last August. The true team player has done an admirable job of filling in wherever and whenever Terry Francona has asked him.
Though he plays solid defense and by all accounts is well-liked by his teammates and coaches, Kotsay looks like the odd man out in a pending numbers game. The Sox will have to trim their 25-man roster by one to make room for the newly acquired Adam LaRoche, a true first baseman and power hitter. It seems that Kotsay's time in a Sox uniform may be running out.
It's obvious that LaRoche is not the sole answer to the Red Sox offensive struggles, but they hope he can provide a bit of thump to a lackluster lineup.
The Red Sox offensive malaise has spread throughout the clubhouse like a contagion, and hopefully a couple of hitters will come around soon. But as the numbers dictate, the Sox offense is not bolstered by enough good hitters, and the club still seems to be at least one potent bat short of being the team to beat in the highly competitive AL East.
That's why the next week could be eventful and even fruitful for the Sox. The funk they're presently mired in makes it highly unlikely that Theo Epstein is done dealing.
Copyright © 2009 Sean M. Kennedy. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the author’s consent.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
With Trades, Red Sox Attempt to Create Something From Nothing
Since they'll be paying virtually all of his salary for the next season and a half, the Red Sox were able to pawn Julio Lugo off on the St. Louis Cardinals in exchange for outfielder Chris Duncan, plus a player to be named later.
For the Cardinals, who lack depth at the shortstop position, Lugo actually represents an upgrade since there is no true backup shortstop on their roster.
The 28-year-old Duncan is the son of Cardinals pitching coach Dave Duncan, and the brother of former Yankee first baseman Shelly Duncan.
Papa Duncan was reportedly none too happy that his son was traded. However, he noted that Chris is happy with the move and that his son has always done better on the road than in St. Louis, so he expected the move would benefit him.
The left-handed hitting Duncan is primarily a left fielder, but also plays first base. He batted .227 (59-for-260) with five home runs and 32 RBIs in 87 games for the Cardinals this season, going 4-for-12 (.333) as a pinch hitter. He ranked second on the club, and was tied for ninth among left-handed National Leaguers, with 41 walks.
But, after a strong April, Duncan went into a funk that he's not ben able to shake. In May, he hit .227 and slugged .386, and in June his slugging percentage fell all the way to .289. Duncan is just 1-for-31, without an extra base-hit, since June 29. He'd also gone over a month without an RBI. His poor play earned the scorn of the St. Louis media and the usually supportive Cardinal fans.
Duncan's season was cut short last July 22nd due to a herniated cervical disk that eventually required surgery. This morning, one year to the day later, he was optioned to the Cardinals AAA affiliate, the Memphis Redbirds, before being traded to the Red Sox.
Over parts of four seasons, the 6'5", 230-pound Duncan has shown some power, notching 55 career homers, or one every 21 at-bats. His most productive season was 2007, when he hit 21 homers with 70 RBI. Before being injured, Duncan, a career .257 hitter, had back-to-back 20-plus homer seasons.
After being acquired by the Red Sox, Duncan was immediately assigned to Pawtucket. The fact that he isn't out of options and could be assigned to Triple A made him a perfect fit for the Sox. The team wasn't required to make a corresponding roster move to accommodate him, a significant part of the reason that Lugo was designated when Jed Lowrie was activated.
This was the best possible scenario for the Red Sox; they were able to get something in return for Lugo instead of simply losing him without compensation. And they got a player with options who won't force additional roster moves, allowing the club greater flexibility.
But the bigger news today was the Red Sox acquisition of Pirates first-baseman Adam LaRoche, who , like Duncan, also has a brother with Major League experience (his former Pirate teammate, Andy).
LaRoche gives the Red Sox a power bat and another option at first base, should the team need Kevin Youkilis to spell Mike Lowell from time to time at third. Lowell is still recovering from hip surgery and it is unknown how much he can be depended on in the second half.
One important note to this signing is that is will result in a corresponding roster move. Which player is demoted, traded, or DL'd remains to be determined.
The 6'3", 205-pound LaRoche has swatted 20 or more homers in each of the last four seasons, and with 12 so far this year is on pace to do so again. In that span, he has averaged 25 homers and 85 RBI. A career .269 hitter, his best season was 2006, when he had 32 HR, 90 RBI, and a .285 average.
However, the slumping first baseman is hitting just .109 since July 4. The good news is that he is a consistently torrid second-half hitter whose career OPS after the All-Star break is .901.
The Sox are hoping this pattern continues and that LaRoche can help spark a club that is hitting just .192 over the six games since the All Star break. In that span, the Sox have scored only 2.2 runs per game, resulting in a 1-5 record.
As further evidence of the Sox significant offense needs right now, six of the nine starers in Wednesday's lineup are hitting less than .260 at present.
The left-handed LaRoche has also shown great defensive prowess at first base, with one error in 836 total chances. He ranks second among NL first basemen with a .999 fielding percentage. The Sox can sub him for the Gold Glover Youkilis at any time and not miss a beat.
The incredible part of the story is that to obtain LaRoche, the Red Sox only had to part with two lesser prospects, shortstop Argenis Diaz, and pitcher Hunter Strickland.
Though a slick-fielding shortstop over six pro seasons, Diaz was hitting just .253 with no homers and 24 RBI for Double A Portland. The willingness of the Sox to trade him says a lot about their belief in minor leaguer Yamaico Navarro, as well as the recently-signed Jose Iglesias and Jose Vinicio, as the likely shortstops of the future.
The 20-year-old Strickland was an 18th-round pick in the 2007 draft. He is 5-4 with a 3.35 ERA in 18 games, including 12 starts, at Greenville. The Sox' incredible pitching depth made him easily expendable.
Now in his sixth season, LaRoche is eligible for free agency this fall. The health of Mike Lowell may determine whether or not the Sox attempt to resign LaRoche in the offseason.
In the meantime, he adds more versatility to the Sox roster and adds some much needed left-handed power to an offense that sorely needs it right now. But his at-bats will come at the expense of not just Lowell but also the light-hitting Mark Kotsay.
Both players are said to approve of the move and hope that it will improve the ball club.
We can only hope it does. One way or the other, the Sox have now added two left-handed hitting first baseman with power to their arsenal. That was something that neither Julio Lugo nor Argenis Diaz could provide them.
That makes these moves savvy, and likely beneficial, in both the near and long terms.
For the Cardinals, who lack depth at the shortstop position, Lugo actually represents an upgrade since there is no true backup shortstop on their roster.
The 28-year-old Duncan is the son of Cardinals pitching coach Dave Duncan, and the brother of former Yankee first baseman Shelly Duncan.
Papa Duncan was reportedly none too happy that his son was traded. However, he noted that Chris is happy with the move and that his son has always done better on the road than in St. Louis, so he expected the move would benefit him.
The left-handed hitting Duncan is primarily a left fielder, but also plays first base. He batted .227 (59-for-260) with five home runs and 32 RBIs in 87 games for the Cardinals this season, going 4-for-12 (.333) as a pinch hitter. He ranked second on the club, and was tied for ninth among left-handed National Leaguers, with 41 walks.
But, after a strong April, Duncan went into a funk that he's not ben able to shake. In May, he hit .227 and slugged .386, and in June his slugging percentage fell all the way to .289. Duncan is just 1-for-31, without an extra base-hit, since June 29. He'd also gone over a month without an RBI. His poor play earned the scorn of the St. Louis media and the usually supportive Cardinal fans.
Duncan's season was cut short last July 22nd due to a herniated cervical disk that eventually required surgery. This morning, one year to the day later, he was optioned to the Cardinals AAA affiliate, the Memphis Redbirds, before being traded to the Red Sox.
Over parts of four seasons, the 6'5", 230-pound Duncan has shown some power, notching 55 career homers, or one every 21 at-bats. His most productive season was 2007, when he hit 21 homers with 70 RBI. Before being injured, Duncan, a career .257 hitter, had back-to-back 20-plus homer seasons.
After being acquired by the Red Sox, Duncan was immediately assigned to Pawtucket. The fact that he isn't out of options and could be assigned to Triple A made him a perfect fit for the Sox. The team wasn't required to make a corresponding roster move to accommodate him, a significant part of the reason that Lugo was designated when Jed Lowrie was activated.
This was the best possible scenario for the Red Sox; they were able to get something in return for Lugo instead of simply losing him without compensation. And they got a player with options who won't force additional roster moves, allowing the club greater flexibility.
But the bigger news today was the Red Sox acquisition of Pirates first-baseman Adam LaRoche, who , like Duncan, also has a brother with Major League experience (his former Pirate teammate, Andy).
LaRoche gives the Red Sox a power bat and another option at first base, should the team need Kevin Youkilis to spell Mike Lowell from time to time at third. Lowell is still recovering from hip surgery and it is unknown how much he can be depended on in the second half.
One important note to this signing is that is will result in a corresponding roster move. Which player is demoted, traded, or DL'd remains to be determined.
The 6'3", 205-pound LaRoche has swatted 20 or more homers in each of the last four seasons, and with 12 so far this year is on pace to do so again. In that span, he has averaged 25 homers and 85 RBI. A career .269 hitter, his best season was 2006, when he had 32 HR, 90 RBI, and a .285 average.
However, the slumping first baseman is hitting just .109 since July 4. The good news is that he is a consistently torrid second-half hitter whose career OPS after the All-Star break is .901.
The Sox are hoping this pattern continues and that LaRoche can help spark a club that is hitting just .192 over the six games since the All Star break. In that span, the Sox have scored only 2.2 runs per game, resulting in a 1-5 record.
As further evidence of the Sox significant offense needs right now, six of the nine starers in Wednesday's lineup are hitting less than .260 at present.
The left-handed LaRoche has also shown great defensive prowess at first base, with one error in 836 total chances. He ranks second among NL first basemen with a .999 fielding percentage. The Sox can sub him for the Gold Glover Youkilis at any time and not miss a beat.
The incredible part of the story is that to obtain LaRoche, the Red Sox only had to part with two lesser prospects, shortstop Argenis Diaz, and pitcher Hunter Strickland.
Though a slick-fielding shortstop over six pro seasons, Diaz was hitting just .253 with no homers and 24 RBI for Double A Portland. The willingness of the Sox to trade him says a lot about their belief in minor leaguer Yamaico Navarro, as well as the recently-signed Jose Iglesias and Jose Vinicio, as the likely shortstops of the future.
The 20-year-old Strickland was an 18th-round pick in the 2007 draft. He is 5-4 with a 3.35 ERA in 18 games, including 12 starts, at Greenville. The Sox' incredible pitching depth made him easily expendable.
Now in his sixth season, LaRoche is eligible for free agency this fall. The health of Mike Lowell may determine whether or not the Sox attempt to resign LaRoche in the offseason.
In the meantime, he adds more versatility to the Sox roster and adds some much needed left-handed power to an offense that sorely needs it right now. But his at-bats will come at the expense of not just Lowell but also the light-hitting Mark Kotsay.
Both players are said to approve of the move and hope that it will improve the ball club.
We can only hope it does. One way or the other, the Sox have now added two left-handed hitting first baseman with power to their arsenal. That was something that neither Julio Lugo nor Argenis Diaz could provide them.
That makes these moves savvy, and likely beneficial, in both the near and long terms.
Sunday, July 19, 2009
The Julio Lugo Experiment Comes to a Merciful Ending
It was bad for Julio Lugo right from the start.
Lugo called Red Sox management during the winter they signed him, saying he had a sickness that resulted in the loss of 15 or 20 pounds. When he showed up for Spring Training, he lacked both strength and quickness. He started slowly and didn't recover, never again becoming the player he was with Tampa.
Ultimately, Lugo never lived up to the four-year, $36 million contract he signed before the 2007 season. So the Red Sox did what had seemed inevitable for so long and released the disappointing shortstop.
“It’s a sunk cost. I’m sorry it didn’t work out better for Julio, but keeping him on the team wasn’t going to change that,” said GM Theo Epstein.
The Red Sox have been trying to deal the underperforming Lugo since last offseason, but the combination of his lackluster offense, poor defense, and large salary nixed any chance of a deal and the Sox have found no takers.
Though the Red Sox won the World Series with Lugo as the everyday shortstop in 2007, the Sox were just 11-16 when he started at short this season, compared to 42-15 when Nick Green is in the lineup.
According to the Providence Journal, Lugo has gained a reputation around the league as a player who does not work as hard as the players around him. That reputation will make it very difficult for the Red Sox to trade him, especially given the remaining $3.5 million of his $9 million salary for 2009, $9 million for 2010 and a $9 million vesting option in 2011.
His poor work ethic was painfully obvious.
For their 2 1/2 year, $36 million investment, the Red Sox got 10 HR, 103 RBI, and 42 errors from their shortstop. From the get-go, Lugo was a liability at the plate and in the field.
During his time in Boston, Lugo's defensive skills steadily eroded, and he'd made seven errors in 97 chances this season.
Theo Epstein, who signed Lugo, referred to the shortstop's abbreviated tenure as "A lesson learned, for sure.’’
“Sometimes the best organizations make mistakes,” said Epstein. “It was a free-agent signing that didn’t work out. We ended up paying for past performance, not current performance. It was a mistake, and as the decision maker, that’s on me. We’ll move on. We’re a better organization having gone through it and we’ll make better decisions going forward.”
It was always hard to understand Epstein's "man crush" on Lugo. What compelled Epstein to bid against only himself, and offer a pretty average player a four-year, $36 million contract?
After all, Lugo batted a mere .219 with the Dodgers before Eptein made his bid. And he had never scored more than 83 runs, hit more than 15 homers, driven in more than 75 runs, or even batted .300 before joining the Red Sox.
Yet Epstein saw him as the solution to the problem that shortstop had become in Boston.
But Lugo followed up his dismal tenure in LA by batting just .237 in is first year with the Red Sox. And though he raised his average to .268 last season, he was the worst hitter in baseball with runners in scoring position, hitting just .139.
Epstein says his goal is to build the organization from within so it doesn’t have to rely on the free-agent market. Aside from Lowrie, he says organizational players, such as Argenis Diaz and Yamaico Navarro, along with soon-to-be-signed Jose Iglesias and Jose Vinicio, are the likely shortstops of the future.
“You dabble in free agency, sometimes these things happen,’’ Epstein said. “That’s kind of the nature of the beast. We’re trying to grow the organization to a point where we don’t have to go out and get a free agent. We’re probably closer to that point now than we were two or three offseasons ago.’’
We can only hope he's right.
Copyright © 2009 Sean M. Kennedy. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the author’s consent.
Lugo called Red Sox management during the winter they signed him, saying he had a sickness that resulted in the loss of 15 or 20 pounds. When he showed up for Spring Training, he lacked both strength and quickness. He started slowly and didn't recover, never again becoming the player he was with Tampa.
Ultimately, Lugo never lived up to the four-year, $36 million contract he signed before the 2007 season. So the Red Sox did what had seemed inevitable for so long and released the disappointing shortstop.
“It’s a sunk cost. I’m sorry it didn’t work out better for Julio, but keeping him on the team wasn’t going to change that,” said GM Theo Epstein.
The Red Sox have been trying to deal the underperforming Lugo since last offseason, but the combination of his lackluster offense, poor defense, and large salary nixed any chance of a deal and the Sox have found no takers.
Though the Red Sox won the World Series with Lugo as the everyday shortstop in 2007, the Sox were just 11-16 when he started at short this season, compared to 42-15 when Nick Green is in the lineup.
According to the Providence Journal, Lugo has gained a reputation around the league as a player who does not work as hard as the players around him. That reputation will make it very difficult for the Red Sox to trade him, especially given the remaining $3.5 million of his $9 million salary for 2009, $9 million for 2010 and a $9 million vesting option in 2011.
His poor work ethic was painfully obvious.
For their 2 1/2 year, $36 million investment, the Red Sox got 10 HR, 103 RBI, and 42 errors from their shortstop. From the get-go, Lugo was a liability at the plate and in the field.
During his time in Boston, Lugo's defensive skills steadily eroded, and he'd made seven errors in 97 chances this season.
Theo Epstein, who signed Lugo, referred to the shortstop's abbreviated tenure as "A lesson learned, for sure.’’
“Sometimes the best organizations make mistakes,” said Epstein. “It was a free-agent signing that didn’t work out. We ended up paying for past performance, not current performance. It was a mistake, and as the decision maker, that’s on me. We’ll move on. We’re a better organization having gone through it and we’ll make better decisions going forward.”
It was always hard to understand Epstein's "man crush" on Lugo. What compelled Epstein to bid against only himself, and offer a pretty average player a four-year, $36 million contract?
After all, Lugo batted a mere .219 with the Dodgers before Eptein made his bid. And he had never scored more than 83 runs, hit more than 15 homers, driven in more than 75 runs, or even batted .300 before joining the Red Sox.
Yet Epstein saw him as the solution to the problem that shortstop had become in Boston.
But Lugo followed up his dismal tenure in LA by batting just .237 in is first year with the Red Sox. And though he raised his average to .268 last season, he was the worst hitter in baseball with runners in scoring position, hitting just .139.
Epstein says his goal is to build the organization from within so it doesn’t have to rely on the free-agent market. Aside from Lowrie, he says organizational players, such as Argenis Diaz and Yamaico Navarro, along with soon-to-be-signed Jose Iglesias and Jose Vinicio, are the likely shortstops of the future.
“You dabble in free agency, sometimes these things happen,’’ Epstein said. “That’s kind of the nature of the beast. We’re trying to grow the organization to a point where we don’t have to go out and get a free agent. We’re probably closer to that point now than we were two or three offseasons ago.’’
We can only hope he's right.
Copyright © 2009 Sean M. Kennedy. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the author’s consent.
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Pedro Martinez: Never Can Say Goodbye
Like Other Greats Before Him, Pedro Just Can't Walk Away
It's tough seeing great athletes get old.
To see a legend in any sport become faded and ineffective is sad, and it's a reminder that we too are getting older. For so many years the elite players seem eternally youthful, vigorous and mighty. At times they can appear almost superhuman.
But, inevitably, age sets in, injuries take their toll and performance declines.
For many premier athletes, it's difficult to know when to hang 'em up and say goodbye. When retirement appears to be the obvious choice to the rest of us, the player is still relatively young and still possesses the fire to play.
It's got to be tough to be told you're old and over the hill when you're not even halfway through your projected life span.
Many athletes are unprepared to give up their true passion – the thing that gave them fame, wealth, glory and even their identity. Most have been playing since childhood, have known no other life, held no other job and just can't imagine living without the game.
Obviously this describes Pedro Martinez. He is a true competitor who loves a challenge.
However, over the last three seasons, Pedro's record is 17-15. In 2006, his ERA reached 4.48 and last season it leapt to 5.61, almost twice has career ERA.
Despite posting a 5-6 record and only 87 strikeouts through 109 innings in 20 starts last season, apparently Pedro can't let go and wants to prove that he's still got it.
After letting it be known that he wanted to pitch again this year, a few teams were intrigued enough to take a look. All but one said, "No thanks."
This week, the Phillies signed the future Hall of Famer to a one-year, $1 million deal. It was quite a come down for a player who was seeking a pro-rated $5 million dollar pact. Pedro had previously been playing under a four-year, $53 million contract that expired during the offseason.
After telling reporters this spring that he wouldn't accept the one-year, $1 million offer that his former Mets teammate Tom Glavine signed with the Braves, Pedro ultimately did just that.
Apparently, reality got in the way of other plans. But reality clearly isn't dictating any of Pedro's actions these days.
We've seen this movie before. Too many great athlestes have stayed around too long, embarrassing themselves and diminishing their great legacies in the process: Willie Mays, OJ Simpson, Joe Namath, Emmitt Smith, Mario Lemieux, Muhammed Ali and Evander Holyfield all come to mind. Nobody likes to see former greats look feeble and humbled.
It will be unfortunate if Pedro blemishes his stellar career by continuing to pitch the way he did last year or the past few years, when his shoulder was toast.
The 37-year-old has a career record of 214-99, and a .684 winning percentage – the third highest of the modern, Post-WW II era, behind only Whitey Ford’s .690 and Don Gullett’s .686. He entered 2008 tied with Ford, but fell behind due to his poor and ineffective play.
No matter, Pedro has the second highest winning percentage in Major League history for pitchers with at least 200 career victories.
Despite his injuries and diminished performance over the past three seasons, Pedro has nothing left to prove. Despite his comparatively small stature, he was a giant of the game and reached the pinnacle of the sport on many levels.
If he didn't pitch again, Pedro would have joined Bob Caruthers and Al Spaulding as the only pitchers with more than 200 wins and fewer than 100 losses in their careers. So much for that distinction.
Yet, Pedro is one of 21 pitchers who has a career record 100+ games over .500.
He also has the best-ever career adjusted ERA, which measures the pitcher’s career ERA against his league’s ERA over the pitcher’s entire career. On average, throughout his career, Pedro’s ERA has been 1.68 points below the league average.
He is also just the 15th pitcher in MLB history with 3,000 strikeouts, and just the fourth to reach the milestone with fewer than 1000 walks (752). In addition, he is just one of three pitchers (Nolan Ryan and Randy Johnson) to record 3000 Ks in fewer than 3000 innings.
When you consider that he pitched during the greatest offensive period in baseball history, it's all quite amazing.
But he is not that same pitcher anymore, and never again will be. Many of us will choose to remember Pedro for what he was during his prime, rather than what he is now. It's too bad he can't do the same.
It's so much better to remember the Pedro who was so dominant from 1997-2005, rather than the worn out, broken down pitcher we witnessed over the last three years.
As Perdro himself noted, "I gave it up the last few years. I wasn't the same Pedro Martinez that you're accustomed to seeing. . . . I think I was too brave sometimes. I was stupid sometimes for pitching and knowing that I wasn't in the regular health that you should be in. . . . The last few years have been horrible."
True, true and true.
Copyright © 2009 Sean M. Kennedy. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the author’s consent.
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Wakefield to Make First All Star Appearance
If there's one player Red Sox fans will feel happiest for and most proud of this Tuesday, it will be Tim Wakefield.
The 17-year veteran was one of six Red Sox players selected to represent the club at this year's mid-summer classic, joining Dustin Pedroia, Jason Bay, Kevin Youkilis, Josh Beckett, and Jonathan Papelbon.
With the notable exception of Wakefield, none of them is older than 30. Yet the elder statesman is the only first-timer among them.
The 42-year-old Wakefield became the oldest player to make his first All-Star team since Satchel Paige. Perhaps the greatest Negro League pitcher of all time, Paige went to his first Major League All-Star Game in 1952 at the age of 46.
Jamie Moyer (40 in 2003) and Connie Marrero (40 in 1951) are the only other players to become All-Stars for the first time at age 40 or older.
For Wakefield it is a career achievement, and one he's longed dreamed of.
"When you go and play professional baseball, you always want to make an All-Star team," said Wakefield. "I've had opportunities, but have just never gotten the chance."
Though Wakefield wasn't voted in by his peers, AL All-Star manager Joe Maddon of the Rays personally selected the knuckleballer. And after 17 years in the majors, the veteran pitcher is grateful.
"Obviously, when I see Maddon, I'll thank him deeply for the opportunity to represent not only the Red Sox but the American League at the All-Star Game. I'm very excited about it," said Wakefield of the honor.
The All Star selection is just the latest in what's been a season of milestone's for Wakefield, who has now made the most career starts of any Red Sox pitcher (384) as well as the most career starts at Fenway (191).
Never having won more than 17 games in any season (which he's done twice), Wakefield enters the break tied for the Major League lead with 11 wins, to go along with just 3 losses, Before the year is through, Wakefield could cap his highlight season by reaching 20 victories.
Wakefield has undoubtedly benefitted from solid offensive support, with the Red Sox averaging more than six runs a game when he has taken the mound.
And while his 4.31 ERA and 61/37 K/BB ratio aren't typical All Star material, Wakefield's 12 quality starts are just one shy of Josh Beckett's for the staff lead. And they're good enough for 15th in the AL.
The wily veteran has been consistent all season long, failing to pitch into the 6th inning just three times in 17 starts, and giving up more than three earned runs in just six of those starts.
The All Star selection is a crowning jewel in a long career that has already seen two World Series victories. And before the season is over, Wakefield may have won his 200th career game, pitched his 3000th career inning, and collected his 2000th career strikeout.
Not bad for a guy who has long been viewed as an end of the rotation starter, and a one-pitch, one-trick pony. Needless to say, that one pitch has clearly served him well.
As always, there will be many story lines on Tuesday evening. But seeing a 42-year-old make his first All Star appearance will surely be the feel-good story of the game, and one of the most compelling of the season – not just for Red Sox fans, but for all fans of baseball.
The 17-year veteran was one of six Red Sox players selected to represent the club at this year's mid-summer classic, joining Dustin Pedroia, Jason Bay, Kevin Youkilis, Josh Beckett, and Jonathan Papelbon.
With the notable exception of Wakefield, none of them is older than 30. Yet the elder statesman is the only first-timer among them.
The 42-year-old Wakefield became the oldest player to make his first All-Star team since Satchel Paige. Perhaps the greatest Negro League pitcher of all time, Paige went to his first Major League All-Star Game in 1952 at the age of 46.
Jamie Moyer (40 in 2003) and Connie Marrero (40 in 1951) are the only other players to become All-Stars for the first time at age 40 or older.
For Wakefield it is a career achievement, and one he's longed dreamed of.
"When you go and play professional baseball, you always want to make an All-Star team," said Wakefield. "I've had opportunities, but have just never gotten the chance."
Though Wakefield wasn't voted in by his peers, AL All-Star manager Joe Maddon of the Rays personally selected the knuckleballer. And after 17 years in the majors, the veteran pitcher is grateful.
"Obviously, when I see Maddon, I'll thank him deeply for the opportunity to represent not only the Red Sox but the American League at the All-Star Game. I'm very excited about it," said Wakefield of the honor.
The All Star selection is just the latest in what's been a season of milestone's for Wakefield, who has now made the most career starts of any Red Sox pitcher (384) as well as the most career starts at Fenway (191).
Never having won more than 17 games in any season (which he's done twice), Wakefield enters the break tied for the Major League lead with 11 wins, to go along with just 3 losses, Before the year is through, Wakefield could cap his highlight season by reaching 20 victories.
Wakefield has undoubtedly benefitted from solid offensive support, with the Red Sox averaging more than six runs a game when he has taken the mound.
And while his 4.31 ERA and 61/37 K/BB ratio aren't typical All Star material, Wakefield's 12 quality starts are just one shy of Josh Beckett's for the staff lead. And they're good enough for 15th in the AL.
The wily veteran has been consistent all season long, failing to pitch into the 6th inning just three times in 17 starts, and giving up more than three earned runs in just six of those starts.
The All Star selection is a crowning jewel in a long career that has already seen two World Series victories. And before the season is over, Wakefield may have won his 200th career game, pitched his 3000th career inning, and collected his 2000th career strikeout.
Not bad for a guy who has long been viewed as an end of the rotation starter, and a one-pitch, one-trick pony. Needless to say, that one pitch has clearly served him well.
As always, there will be many story lines on Tuesday evening. But seeing a 42-year-old make his first All Star appearance will surely be the feel-good story of the game, and one of the most compelling of the season – not just for Red Sox fans, but for all fans of baseball.
Tuesday, July 07, 2009
With Smoltz, is This as Good as it Gets?
John Smoltz came to Boston with very impressive credentials; 210 wins, 154 saves, a 3.26 ERA, and 3,011 strike outs. In fact, Smoltz is the only pitcher in history with a combination of 200 wins and 150 saves.
Red Sox Nation was ecstatic; a future first ballot Hall of Famer would be taking the mound every fifth day from June through September, and hopefully in October as well.
That was the whole intention in the Sox' signing of Smoltz in the first place; October - the post-season.
But there were a few red flags from the outset. For starters, Smoltz is 42 and coming off major shoulder surgery. The veteran's right labrum, the one that secures his throwing arm, was repaired last June. His baseball future was immediately placed in jeopardy, so much that the Braves decided to end their 20-year association with him.
However, Smoltz had previously undergone four separate surgeries on his pitching elbow, and had come back strong after each. He missed the entire 2000 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery, but moved to the bullpen upon his return and recorded 154 saves over three-plus seasons as the Braves' closer.
The difference this time was that he was over the age of 40, when the body loses its ability to heal as quickly, or as fully.
But the Red Sox and their fans were cautiously optimistic. In the case of many fans, perhaps overly optimistic.
Though it's a pretty small sample size, Smoltz's early results are not encouraging.
After three starts, Smoltz is 0-2 with a 6.60 ERA. It wasn't until his most recent start, on Monday, that he finally made it to the sixth inning. In 15 innings so far this season, Smoltz has allowed 20 hits and 11 earned runs.
Yes, it's early and, as noted, the sample size is still small. But the Red Sox have to prepare themselves for the possibility that this is as good as it gets. One way or the other, Smoltz's best years are behind him now. That's generally the case with 42-year-old pitchers, particularly those returning from reconstructive surgery.
Indeed, Jamie Moyer (46), Randy Johnson (45) and Tim Wakefield (42) are still pitching, but only Wakefield is doing so effectively. Johnson is now on the DL. Both he and Moyer look like they are best-suited for something other than playing baseball at this point.
The Sox still have high hopes for Smoltz, but it's probably best for the team and its fans to temper those hopes, if they haven't been already.
Smoltz hasn't forgotten how to pitch, and he may well have some successful, if not dominant, outings ahead of him. But it's a good bet that he'll continue to struggle and to feel his age.
It's important to remember that the Red Sox knew what they were getting from the beginning. Theo Epstein consistently referred to Smoltz as a "low cost, high reward" signing.
The Red Sox were fully aware of Smoltz's health history from Day One and were operating under the auspices of caveat emptor. Though they were aware, the reality may now be setting in.
Hopefully Smoltz is just getting warmed up and is poised for a strong second half.
Time will tell.
Copyright © 2009 Sean M. Kennedy. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the author’s consent.
Red Sox Nation was ecstatic; a future first ballot Hall of Famer would be taking the mound every fifth day from June through September, and hopefully in October as well.
That was the whole intention in the Sox' signing of Smoltz in the first place; October - the post-season.
But there were a few red flags from the outset. For starters, Smoltz is 42 and coming off major shoulder surgery. The veteran's right labrum, the one that secures his throwing arm, was repaired last June. His baseball future was immediately placed in jeopardy, so much that the Braves decided to end their 20-year association with him.
However, Smoltz had previously undergone four separate surgeries on his pitching elbow, and had come back strong after each. He missed the entire 2000 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery, but moved to the bullpen upon his return and recorded 154 saves over three-plus seasons as the Braves' closer.
The difference this time was that he was over the age of 40, when the body loses its ability to heal as quickly, or as fully.
But the Red Sox and their fans were cautiously optimistic. In the case of many fans, perhaps overly optimistic.
Though it's a pretty small sample size, Smoltz's early results are not encouraging.
After three starts, Smoltz is 0-2 with a 6.60 ERA. It wasn't until his most recent start, on Monday, that he finally made it to the sixth inning. In 15 innings so far this season, Smoltz has allowed 20 hits and 11 earned runs.
Yes, it's early and, as noted, the sample size is still small. But the Red Sox have to prepare themselves for the possibility that this is as good as it gets. One way or the other, Smoltz's best years are behind him now. That's generally the case with 42-year-old pitchers, particularly those returning from reconstructive surgery.
Indeed, Jamie Moyer (46), Randy Johnson (45) and Tim Wakefield (42) are still pitching, but only Wakefield is doing so effectively. Johnson is now on the DL. Both he and Moyer look like they are best-suited for something other than playing baseball at this point.
The Sox still have high hopes for Smoltz, but it's probably best for the team and its fans to temper those hopes, if they haven't been already.
Smoltz hasn't forgotten how to pitch, and he may well have some successful, if not dominant, outings ahead of him. But it's a good bet that he'll continue to struggle and to feel his age.
It's important to remember that the Red Sox knew what they were getting from the beginning. Theo Epstein consistently referred to Smoltz as a "low cost, high reward" signing.
The Red Sox were fully aware of Smoltz's health history from Day One and were operating under the auspices of caveat emptor. Though they were aware, the reality may now be setting in.
Hopefully Smoltz is just getting warmed up and is poised for a strong second half.
Time will tell.
Copyright © 2009 Sean M. Kennedy. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the author’s consent.
Wednesday, July 01, 2009
Papelbon Makes Red Sox History
In just his fourth season as the Red Sox closer, Jonathan Papelbon has already made a place for himself in the Sox’ record book.
With his 20th save in 22 chances Wednesday, Papelbon became the club’s all-time saves leader with #133.
Starting in 2006, when he recorded 35 saves (the third highest total ever for a rookie closer) Papelbon has steam-rolled past his predecessors, continually moving up the team's all-time saves list.
Papelbon is the first Boston closer to ever have two 30-save seasons, and he did it in back-to-back years. Naturally, he is also the first Red Sox closer to have three 30-save seasons. And he is more than two-thirds of the way there again this year before reaching the All Star break.
Papelbon got his 100th save last season, and it was only a matter of staying healthy before he surpassed the club’s previous saves leader, Bob “The Steamer” Stanley.
Stanley amassed 132 career saves over 13 seasons with the Sox, and held the team record for 20 years since retiring in 1989.
Stanley was a product of another era, and frequently threw long relief and had numerous two and three-inning saves. In fact, Stanley appeared in a club record 637 games, a mind-boggling number when you consider that the next closest Sox pitcher is Tim Wakefield, who has appeared in 519 games in his 15-year tenure with the Sox.
Yes, the save wasn’t even a recognized stat until 1969, so for more than 60 years of franchise history no one cared about or recorded such information.
But in the modern game, in which pitchers operate under fairly strict 100-pitch counts that are usually reached within six innings, the closer has become a much more important position.
Possessing a fastball that has been clocked at 99 miles per hour, plus a nasty split and changeup, Papelbon has been among the game's premier closers since first debuting in the role.
And now, without a doubt, he is the best closer that Red Sox fans have ever seen in a Boston uniform.
Last season, Papelbon leap-frogged past Derek Lowe, Jeff Reardon, Ellis Kinder, and Dick Radatz, in succession. Next up was Stanley, and Papelbon now stands alone in the Sox’ record book as the club’s all-time saves king.
It’s an impressive feat, considering that it was achieved in only four seasons as a closer.
Papelbon is at the top of his game. He possesses a strong will to compete and to win, and he’s got the confidence to match. It can be seen each time he takes the mound.
A fierce competitor with a bulldog mentality, the young righty is absolutely dominating and often overwhelms opposing batters. For most, just making contact probably feels like an accomplishment. Papelbon is averaging more than a strike per inning in his career, and more impressively has a K/BB ratio of 4.3 to 1.
The 28-year-old is one of five Red Sox closers have notched at least 40 saves in a season; Reardon, Ugueth Urbina, Lowe, and Tom Gordon - who had a club-record 46 saves in 1998 - are the others.
Papelbon could potentially break that record by season's end, and if not this year, it’s a good bet that it’s just a matter of time.
It would be quite fitting.
The young phenom is both respected and feared throughout baseball, and every team would rather have him than face him.
The numbers just keep piling up, and with each additional save Papelbon continues to stake his place in the Red Sox' storied history.
Copyright © 2009 Sean M. Kennedy. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the author’s consent.
With his 20th save in 22 chances Wednesday, Papelbon became the club’s all-time saves leader with #133.
Starting in 2006, when he recorded 35 saves (the third highest total ever for a rookie closer) Papelbon has steam-rolled past his predecessors, continually moving up the team's all-time saves list.
Papelbon is the first Boston closer to ever have two 30-save seasons, and he did it in back-to-back years. Naturally, he is also the first Red Sox closer to have three 30-save seasons. And he is more than two-thirds of the way there again this year before reaching the All Star break.
Papelbon got his 100th save last season, and it was only a matter of staying healthy before he surpassed the club’s previous saves leader, Bob “The Steamer” Stanley.
Stanley amassed 132 career saves over 13 seasons with the Sox, and held the team record for 20 years since retiring in 1989.
Stanley was a product of another era, and frequently threw long relief and had numerous two and three-inning saves. In fact, Stanley appeared in a club record 637 games, a mind-boggling number when you consider that the next closest Sox pitcher is Tim Wakefield, who has appeared in 519 games in his 15-year tenure with the Sox.
Yes, the save wasn’t even a recognized stat until 1969, so for more than 60 years of franchise history no one cared about or recorded such information.
But in the modern game, in which pitchers operate under fairly strict 100-pitch counts that are usually reached within six innings, the closer has become a much more important position.
Possessing a fastball that has been clocked at 99 miles per hour, plus a nasty split and changeup, Papelbon has been among the game's premier closers since first debuting in the role.
And now, without a doubt, he is the best closer that Red Sox fans have ever seen in a Boston uniform.
Last season, Papelbon leap-frogged past Derek Lowe, Jeff Reardon, Ellis Kinder, and Dick Radatz, in succession. Next up was Stanley, and Papelbon now stands alone in the Sox’ record book as the club’s all-time saves king.
It’s an impressive feat, considering that it was achieved in only four seasons as a closer.
Papelbon is at the top of his game. He possesses a strong will to compete and to win, and he’s got the confidence to match. It can be seen each time he takes the mound.
A fierce competitor with a bulldog mentality, the young righty is absolutely dominating and often overwhelms opposing batters. For most, just making contact probably feels like an accomplishment. Papelbon is averaging more than a strike per inning in his career, and more impressively has a K/BB ratio of 4.3 to 1.
The 28-year-old is one of five Red Sox closers have notched at least 40 saves in a season; Reardon, Ugueth Urbina, Lowe, and Tom Gordon - who had a club-record 46 saves in 1998 - are the others.
Papelbon could potentially break that record by season's end, and if not this year, it’s a good bet that it’s just a matter of time.
It would be quite fitting.
The young phenom is both respected and feared throughout baseball, and every team would rather have him than face him.
The numbers just keep piling up, and with each additional save Papelbon continues to stake his place in the Red Sox' storied history.
Copyright © 2009 Sean M. Kennedy. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the author’s consent.
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Tim Wakefield in Striking Distance of Red Sox Records
With 382 career starts for the Red Sox, Tim Wakefield now needs just one more to pass Roger Clemens for the most in club history. And the knuckleballer is just five wins from matching Clemens' Fenway Park record of 95.
Clemens, long the team leader in so many pitching categories, has slowly – and surprisingly – been encroached upon by his former teammate.
If he plays one more season -- which seems likely at this point -- Wakefield will pass Clemens in innings pitched, becoming the club's new all-time leader in that category, as well. As it stands, Wakefield needs just 100 more innings to match Clemens.
Throughout his 15 seasons with the Red Sox, Wakefield has certainly established himself as an innings eater, pitching at least 200 innings in five seasons and 195 in another.
And Wakefield is just the second pitcher in Red Sox history to record at least 1800 career strikeouts.
Cy Young never reached 1700 strike outs in his legendary career with the Sox, nor did Pedro Martinez, Luis Tiant, or Smokey Joe Wood. In fact, the only other Sox pitcher to reach the milestone was Clemens, who fanned 2590 batters while with the Sox. It appears that Clemens' mark will be safe for years to come.
However, over the past couple of seasons, Wakefield has passed Clemens in a few areas he'd rather not have. It's part of the mixed bag that you get with Tim Wakefield. You take the bad with the good.
For instance, by rather wide margins, Wakefield is the club's all-time leader in a variety of less than desirable categories: 148 losses; 2571 hits allowed; 351 home runs allowed; 998 walks; and 1287 earned runs.
Much of that is the by-product of his longevity; if you stick around long enough the numbers pile up – for better and for worse. The reality is, Wakefield's place in the team's record book is more a testament to endurance than to greatness.
But attaining double-digit wins in 11 different seasons is quite an accomplishment, and Wakefield should be praised and congratulated for all he's done for the Red Sox through the years.
Incredibly, what was once deemed unimaginable now seems probable; having totaled 174 career victories with the Red Sox, Wakefield has a reasonable shot of surpassing Young and Clemens, who are tied with 192 wins apiece. He'll have to pitch at least another season to do so, but for a knuckleballer it's clearly doable.
As one of only three AL pitchers with 10 wins, Wakefield is having a career year and could well reach 20 wins before the season is over.
Just imagine the interest, the press, and the fanfare should Wakefield surpass Clemens and Young next season. The organization would just love and celebrate it.
We may hold our collective breath whenever he starts, or when one of his knucklers flutters away from the catcher and toward the backstop. But we should appreciate what's left of Wakefield's rollercoaster-like ride with the Sox. Soon to be 43, and on a revolving, year-to-year contract, this won't go on much longer.
Enjoy it for what it's worth. Statistically speaking, we're watching one of the Red Sox all-time greats. And there's no doubt that we're also watching one of the finest, most gracious men to have ever worn the Red Sox uniform.
You won't find an athlete who does more for his community, or who gets more praise from his teammates, than Tim Wakefield. Red Sox Nation should give him thanks for all he's done, both on and off the field.
And when he passes Clemens during his next start this week, he should be rightfully congratulated for such an impressive accomplishment.
Copyright © 2009 Sean M. Kennedy. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the author’s consent.
Clemens, long the team leader in so many pitching categories, has slowly – and surprisingly – been encroached upon by his former teammate.
If he plays one more season -- which seems likely at this point -- Wakefield will pass Clemens in innings pitched, becoming the club's new all-time leader in that category, as well. As it stands, Wakefield needs just 100 more innings to match Clemens.
Throughout his 15 seasons with the Red Sox, Wakefield has certainly established himself as an innings eater, pitching at least 200 innings in five seasons and 195 in another.
And Wakefield is just the second pitcher in Red Sox history to record at least 1800 career strikeouts.
Cy Young never reached 1700 strike outs in his legendary career with the Sox, nor did Pedro Martinez, Luis Tiant, or Smokey Joe Wood. In fact, the only other Sox pitcher to reach the milestone was Clemens, who fanned 2590 batters while with the Sox. It appears that Clemens' mark will be safe for years to come.
However, over the past couple of seasons, Wakefield has passed Clemens in a few areas he'd rather not have. It's part of the mixed bag that you get with Tim Wakefield. You take the bad with the good.
For instance, by rather wide margins, Wakefield is the club's all-time leader in a variety of less than desirable categories: 148 losses; 2571 hits allowed; 351 home runs allowed; 998 walks; and 1287 earned runs.
Much of that is the by-product of his longevity; if you stick around long enough the numbers pile up – for better and for worse. The reality is, Wakefield's place in the team's record book is more a testament to endurance than to greatness.
But attaining double-digit wins in 11 different seasons is quite an accomplishment, and Wakefield should be praised and congratulated for all he's done for the Red Sox through the years.
Incredibly, what was once deemed unimaginable now seems probable; having totaled 174 career victories with the Red Sox, Wakefield has a reasonable shot of surpassing Young and Clemens, who are tied with 192 wins apiece. He'll have to pitch at least another season to do so, but for a knuckleballer it's clearly doable.
As one of only three AL pitchers with 10 wins, Wakefield is having a career year and could well reach 20 wins before the season is over.
Just imagine the interest, the press, and the fanfare should Wakefield surpass Clemens and Young next season. The organization would just love and celebrate it.
We may hold our collective breath whenever he starts, or when one of his knucklers flutters away from the catcher and toward the backstop. But we should appreciate what's left of Wakefield's rollercoaster-like ride with the Sox. Soon to be 43, and on a revolving, year-to-year contract, this won't go on much longer.
Enjoy it for what it's worth. Statistically speaking, we're watching one of the Red Sox all-time greats. And there's no doubt that we're also watching one of the finest, most gracious men to have ever worn the Red Sox uniform.
You won't find an athlete who does more for his community, or who gets more praise from his teammates, than Tim Wakefield. Red Sox Nation should give him thanks for all he's done, both on and off the field.
And when he passes Clemens during his next start this week, he should be rightfully congratulated for such an impressive accomplishment.
Copyright © 2009 Sean M. Kennedy. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the author’s consent.
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Matsuzaka's Meltdown Continues; Placed on DL
Daisuke Matsuzaka's season-long struggles continued Friday night.
In yet another dismal performance, Matsuzaka lasted just four innings, unable to record a single out in the fifth. After allowing consecutive doubles, he was mercifully removed from the game. In just four-plus innings, Matsuzaka gave up six runs on eight hits, and walked four; that's a total of 10 base runners, if you weren't keeping track.
Due to the rough outing, Matsuzaka has finally pitched himself out of the starting rotation.
Matsuzaka's ERA has now ballooned to 8.23 and he has zero quality starts in eight tries. He has yet to last more than 5 2/3 innings in any appearance this season. Now a woeful 1-5, Matsuzaka has yielded fewer than four runs in only two of his eight starts.
As Matsuzaka acknowledged after his latest loss, “If I keep going like this, I have no right to be part of this rotation.’’
That's the most accuracy he's had this season.
Manager Terry Francona apparently agreed, announcing that Matsuzaka is on the 15-day DL, and that there is no timetable for his return. Medical tests and an MRI have been conducted and the diagnosis has rather opaquely been described as a right shoulder strain. Perhaps this is the cause of his ineptitude, perhaps it's simply a smokescreen.
This season, Matsuzaka simply hasn't thrown strikes with any consistency and has no command of his fastball, which he himself acknowledged.
“I couldn’t get strikes with either my fastball or my breaking balls, and I had a hard time hitting my locations with any of my pitches," said Matsuzaka through his interpreter after the game.
The Japanese righty now admits that his troubles may be attributable to pitching in the World Baseball Classic for his native country.
Whatever the source of the problem is, Matsuzaka looks completely confused and lacking in confidence each time he takes the mound.
When the Red Sox invested more than $103 million to obtain Matsuzaka three years ago, they were sure they were getting an ace. Matsuzaka looks like anything but that this season.
In 2007, his first year in the Majors, Matsuzaka went 15-12 with a 4.40 ERA. While the win total was impressive, the number of losses was less than desirable, as was the ERA. But a period of adjustment was expected and it was anticipated that Matsuzaka would get better with more experience against big league hitters.
And last year, at least on the face of it, that seemed to happen. Matsuzaka posted a remarkable 18-3 record to go along with an equally remarkable 2.90 ERA.
Yet there were reasons for genuine concern. Matsuzaka's innings per start dropped from 6.4 in 2007 to just 5.8 in 2008. The shortened appearances were a product of high pitch counts and a lack of command that led to 94 walks, fourth highest in the Majors.
The striking reality lurking underneath the flashy 18 wins was that they were achieved in the fewest innings ever thrown by any pitcher to have at least 18 wins. Ever. In the history of baseball.
Great things were expected again this year. Yet, there were concerns about what pitching in the WBC, with so little preparation, would do to Matsuzaka's arm and his season. Perhaps we now know.
So far this season, Matsuzaka has been impotent. It's simply painful to watch him pitch, and you can't help but feel bad for him. He's been highly successful at every stage of his career; high school superstar, star of the Japanese Pacific League, and two time MVP of the WBC.
But he's now facing the kind of adversity that is completely unfamiliar and foreign to him. This is unchartered ground for Matsuzaka. He is a stranger to failure.
At this point, it's impossible to find anything to feel optimistic about as far as Matsuzaka is concerned. Cumulatively, batters are hitting an astounding .378 against him, and he his 2.20 WHIP is nothing short of absurd.
Last season Matsuzaka allowed just 12 home runs the entire season; this year he's already given up eight long balls in just eight starts.
Yes, Matsuzaka won 33 games over the previous two seasons, the fourth most in baseball. However, of the 12 pitchers to win at least 30 games in that span, Matsuzaka ranks last in innings pitched.
At an average salary of just under $9 million per season, for a pitcher who is averaging just five innings per start over the past two seasons, Matsuzaka makes a ton of money for very little work. Perhaps that could be said of any professional athlete, but it's especially true with Matsuzaka.
I suggested in a previous post that the Sox might consider dealing Matsuzaka if the right offer was made. But at this point, any trade value that Matsuzaka previously possessed has now been ruined.
As of now, Matsuzaka doesn't deserve to be in the starting rotation, or on the staff for that matter. Some time on the DL, followed by a rehab assignment, could build his confidence, while helping him recover both physically and mentally. As I said previously, the big league mound is no place to try to work out a pitcher's issues, be they mechanical or psychological.
With John Smoltz set to make his Red Sox debut this week, the time for Matsuzaka to be replaced in the rotation has finally arrived.
The truth is, it's long overdue.
Copyright © 2009 Sean M. Kennedy. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the author’s consent.
In yet another dismal performance, Matsuzaka lasted just four innings, unable to record a single out in the fifth. After allowing consecutive doubles, he was mercifully removed from the game. In just four-plus innings, Matsuzaka gave up six runs on eight hits, and walked four; that's a total of 10 base runners, if you weren't keeping track.
Due to the rough outing, Matsuzaka has finally pitched himself out of the starting rotation.
Matsuzaka's ERA has now ballooned to 8.23 and he has zero quality starts in eight tries. He has yet to last more than 5 2/3 innings in any appearance this season. Now a woeful 1-5, Matsuzaka has yielded fewer than four runs in only two of his eight starts.
As Matsuzaka acknowledged after his latest loss, “If I keep going like this, I have no right to be part of this rotation.’’
That's the most accuracy he's had this season.
Manager Terry Francona apparently agreed, announcing that Matsuzaka is on the 15-day DL, and that there is no timetable for his return. Medical tests and an MRI have been conducted and the diagnosis has rather opaquely been described as a right shoulder strain. Perhaps this is the cause of his ineptitude, perhaps it's simply a smokescreen.
This season, Matsuzaka simply hasn't thrown strikes with any consistency and has no command of his fastball, which he himself acknowledged.
“I couldn’t get strikes with either my fastball or my breaking balls, and I had a hard time hitting my locations with any of my pitches," said Matsuzaka through his interpreter after the game.
The Japanese righty now admits that his troubles may be attributable to pitching in the World Baseball Classic for his native country.
Whatever the source of the problem is, Matsuzaka looks completely confused and lacking in confidence each time he takes the mound.
When the Red Sox invested more than $103 million to obtain Matsuzaka three years ago, they were sure they were getting an ace. Matsuzaka looks like anything but that this season.
In 2007, his first year in the Majors, Matsuzaka went 15-12 with a 4.40 ERA. While the win total was impressive, the number of losses was less than desirable, as was the ERA. But a period of adjustment was expected and it was anticipated that Matsuzaka would get better with more experience against big league hitters.
And last year, at least on the face of it, that seemed to happen. Matsuzaka posted a remarkable 18-3 record to go along with an equally remarkable 2.90 ERA.
Yet there were reasons for genuine concern. Matsuzaka's innings per start dropped from 6.4 in 2007 to just 5.8 in 2008. The shortened appearances were a product of high pitch counts and a lack of command that led to 94 walks, fourth highest in the Majors.
The striking reality lurking underneath the flashy 18 wins was that they were achieved in the fewest innings ever thrown by any pitcher to have at least 18 wins. Ever. In the history of baseball.
Great things were expected again this year. Yet, there were concerns about what pitching in the WBC, with so little preparation, would do to Matsuzaka's arm and his season. Perhaps we now know.
So far this season, Matsuzaka has been impotent. It's simply painful to watch him pitch, and you can't help but feel bad for him. He's been highly successful at every stage of his career; high school superstar, star of the Japanese Pacific League, and two time MVP of the WBC.
But he's now facing the kind of adversity that is completely unfamiliar and foreign to him. This is unchartered ground for Matsuzaka. He is a stranger to failure.
At this point, it's impossible to find anything to feel optimistic about as far as Matsuzaka is concerned. Cumulatively, batters are hitting an astounding .378 against him, and he his 2.20 WHIP is nothing short of absurd.
Last season Matsuzaka allowed just 12 home runs the entire season; this year he's already given up eight long balls in just eight starts.
Yes, Matsuzaka won 33 games over the previous two seasons, the fourth most in baseball. However, of the 12 pitchers to win at least 30 games in that span, Matsuzaka ranks last in innings pitched.
At an average salary of just under $9 million per season, for a pitcher who is averaging just five innings per start over the past two seasons, Matsuzaka makes a ton of money for very little work. Perhaps that could be said of any professional athlete, but it's especially true with Matsuzaka.
I suggested in a previous post that the Sox might consider dealing Matsuzaka if the right offer was made. But at this point, any trade value that Matsuzaka previously possessed has now been ruined.
As of now, Matsuzaka doesn't deserve to be in the starting rotation, or on the staff for that matter. Some time on the DL, followed by a rehab assignment, could build his confidence, while helping him recover both physically and mentally. As I said previously, the big league mound is no place to try to work out a pitcher's issues, be they mechanical or psychological.
With John Smoltz set to make his Red Sox debut this week, the time for Matsuzaka to be replaced in the rotation has finally arrived.
The truth is, it's long overdue.
Copyright © 2009 Sean M. Kennedy. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the author’s consent.
Sunday, June 14, 2009
To Make Room, Matsuzaka as Bait?
With John Smoltz set to begin the 2009 season after coming off his current 30-day rehab assignment, the Red Sox have a roster decision to make. With five healthy starters already, and a potential Hall of Famer raring to go, something's gotta give.
So far this season, the weakest link in the Red Sox rotation has clearly been Daisuke Matsuzaka. At 1-4, with 7.55 ERA, Matsuzaka has been more than just a disappointment; he's been a disaster. Matsuzaka has yet to give the Sox a single quality start this year, and it's mid-June. In addition, just like last season, Matsuzaka has already been on the DL.
Since returning from his shoulder injury on May 22, Matsuzaka is 1-3 with a 6.20 ERA. And each time he pitches, the Japanese righty is a drain on the Red Sox stellar bullpen, lasting fewer than five innings per start.
Since joining the Red Sox three years ago, Matsuzaka has been plagued by high pitch counts and excessive walks. Matsuzaka's innings per start have declined consistently each year:
2007: 6.4 innings per start.
2008: 5.8 innings per start
2009: 4.4 innings per start
And the high walk totals have contributed to the high pitch counts and early exits. Last year, Matsuzaka's 94 BB were the fourth most in the Majors. In 2007, his 80 walks were the 12th highest in baseball. In all, Matsuzaka has already issued 188 walks in his brief career.
At this point, the Sox expectations of him are so low that other members of the starting rotation volunteered - in advance - to relieve him last night, anticipating a short start. Brad Penny and Tim Wakefield both offered to take the pressure off an already overworked bullpen that had played a key role in the Sox 13 inning victory the previous evening.
If there is one starter whose performance and statistics absolutely scream for replacement, it's obviously Matsuzaka. The Sox could claim that Matsuzaka is not fully recovered from the right shoulder strain that landed him in the DL in April; and perhaps that's just the case. After last night's game, Matsuzaka cryptically mentioned that he's having problems, declining to elaborate. Putting him back on the DL would allow the Sox to create the roster spot for Smoltz, and give time for Matsuzaka and the pitching coaches to work out his issues.
Without question, Matsuzaka is not the pitcher the Red Sox thought they were getting when they paid $51.11 million to the Seibu Lions for the right to negotiate a $52 million, six-year contract. Not quite half way into that pact, Matsuzaka looks grossly overpaid, and the Sox looked suckered.
Matsuzaka is maddeningly frustrating. At times he blows hitters away with a powerful fastball and looks dominant. Other times he can't seem to find the plate or trust his stuff, instead choosing to nibble at the corners. But if a pitcher isn't consistently throwing strikes, hitters won't get fooled into swinging out of the strike zone and help him out. That's Matsuzaka's problem.
Matsuzaka was famously advertised for throwing the "gyroball", and for having a six or seven-pitch repertoire. False advertising. At best, the righty appears to possess a trio of fastballs (two-seam, four-seam, and cutter), to go along with a slider and a good curveball. He occasionally throws an ineffective change-up and splitter, pitches he therefore doesn't trust; and for good reason — they're usually not in the strike zone (42% and 35% of the time, respectively).
That's the overall problem; Matsuzaka doesn't trust himself or the defense behind him. He tries to paint the corners, fearful of giving batters anything decent to hit. In the process doesn't throw strikes. Matsuzaka frequently finds himself in deep counts, resulting in high pitch totals early in games and too many walks.
While there has been plenty of talk of the Sox dealing Penny to make room for Smoltz, a good case could be made for offering Matsuzaka instead. Perhaps he could be packaged with Julio Lugo. It's hard to tell if other clubs would see Lugo as the requisite dead weight to obtain a starting pitcher who won 33 games over his first two seasons, or view Matsuzaka as the necessary sweetener for taking Lugo.
With his weighty contract (roughly $32 million remaining over the next 3 1/2 years) inconsistency, injury history and the number of pitches his arm and shoulder have famously endured since high school, it's hard to determine just what exactly Matsuzaka's trade value would be. He's a proven starter in the tough AL East, yet he can't make it out of the fifth inning and may be poised for further injury and a brief career.
Any trade talk regarding Matsuzaka is nothing more than speculation and conjecture, simply making for good conversation. The reality is that Matsuzaka has a full no-trade clause in his contract. And despite his struggles this season, and how frustrating it has always been to watch him pitch since Day One, he is still just 28-years-old and went 18-3 last season with a 2.90 ERA. Many of those wins were despite himself, and the result of playing on an excellent team with a solid offense. But the Sox may not be ready to give up on him just yet.
Yet, they need to make room for Smoltz, and they have Clay Buchholz waiting in the wings while he mows down AAA hitters. The Sox may quietly inquire with Dice-K about a move to the more pitcher-friendly NL, and to a West Coast team that would place him a bit closer to his home in Japan.
If Matsuzaka agreed, I'm betting that Theo Epstein would gladly listen to any and all serious inquiries and/or offers.
Copyright © 2009 Sean M. Kennedy. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the author’s consent.
So far this season, the weakest link in the Red Sox rotation has clearly been Daisuke Matsuzaka. At 1-4, with 7.55 ERA, Matsuzaka has been more than just a disappointment; he's been a disaster. Matsuzaka has yet to give the Sox a single quality start this year, and it's mid-June. In addition, just like last season, Matsuzaka has already been on the DL.
Since returning from his shoulder injury on May 22, Matsuzaka is 1-3 with a 6.20 ERA. And each time he pitches, the Japanese righty is a drain on the Red Sox stellar bullpen, lasting fewer than five innings per start.
Since joining the Red Sox three years ago, Matsuzaka has been plagued by high pitch counts and excessive walks. Matsuzaka's innings per start have declined consistently each year:
2007: 6.4 innings per start.
2008: 5.8 innings per start
2009: 4.4 innings per start
And the high walk totals have contributed to the high pitch counts and early exits. Last year, Matsuzaka's 94 BB were the fourth most in the Majors. In 2007, his 80 walks were the 12th highest in baseball. In all, Matsuzaka has already issued 188 walks in his brief career.
At this point, the Sox expectations of him are so low that other members of the starting rotation volunteered - in advance - to relieve him last night, anticipating a short start. Brad Penny and Tim Wakefield both offered to take the pressure off an already overworked bullpen that had played a key role in the Sox 13 inning victory the previous evening.
If there is one starter whose performance and statistics absolutely scream for replacement, it's obviously Matsuzaka. The Sox could claim that Matsuzaka is not fully recovered from the right shoulder strain that landed him in the DL in April; and perhaps that's just the case. After last night's game, Matsuzaka cryptically mentioned that he's having problems, declining to elaborate. Putting him back on the DL would allow the Sox to create the roster spot for Smoltz, and give time for Matsuzaka and the pitching coaches to work out his issues.
Without question, Matsuzaka is not the pitcher the Red Sox thought they were getting when they paid $51.11 million to the Seibu Lions for the right to negotiate a $52 million, six-year contract. Not quite half way into that pact, Matsuzaka looks grossly overpaid, and the Sox looked suckered.
Matsuzaka is maddeningly frustrating. At times he blows hitters away with a powerful fastball and looks dominant. Other times he can't seem to find the plate or trust his stuff, instead choosing to nibble at the corners. But if a pitcher isn't consistently throwing strikes, hitters won't get fooled into swinging out of the strike zone and help him out. That's Matsuzaka's problem.
Matsuzaka was famously advertised for throwing the "gyroball", and for having a six or seven-pitch repertoire. False advertising. At best, the righty appears to possess a trio of fastballs (two-seam, four-seam, and cutter), to go along with a slider and a good curveball. He occasionally throws an ineffective change-up and splitter, pitches he therefore doesn't trust; and for good reason — they're usually not in the strike zone (42% and 35% of the time, respectively).
That's the overall problem; Matsuzaka doesn't trust himself or the defense behind him. He tries to paint the corners, fearful of giving batters anything decent to hit. In the process doesn't throw strikes. Matsuzaka frequently finds himself in deep counts, resulting in high pitch totals early in games and too many walks.
While there has been plenty of talk of the Sox dealing Penny to make room for Smoltz, a good case could be made for offering Matsuzaka instead. Perhaps he could be packaged with Julio Lugo. It's hard to tell if other clubs would see Lugo as the requisite dead weight to obtain a starting pitcher who won 33 games over his first two seasons, or view Matsuzaka as the necessary sweetener for taking Lugo.
With his weighty contract (roughly $32 million remaining over the next 3 1/2 years) inconsistency, injury history and the number of pitches his arm and shoulder have famously endured since high school, it's hard to determine just what exactly Matsuzaka's trade value would be. He's a proven starter in the tough AL East, yet he can't make it out of the fifth inning and may be poised for further injury and a brief career.
Any trade talk regarding Matsuzaka is nothing more than speculation and conjecture, simply making for good conversation. The reality is that Matsuzaka has a full no-trade clause in his contract. And despite his struggles this season, and how frustrating it has always been to watch him pitch since Day One, he is still just 28-years-old and went 18-3 last season with a 2.90 ERA. Many of those wins were despite himself, and the result of playing on an excellent team with a solid offense. But the Sox may not be ready to give up on him just yet.
Yet, they need to make room for Smoltz, and they have Clay Buchholz waiting in the wings while he mows down AAA hitters. The Sox may quietly inquire with Dice-K about a move to the more pitcher-friendly NL, and to a West Coast team that would place him a bit closer to his home in Japan.
If Matsuzaka agreed, I'm betting that Theo Epstein would gladly listen to any and all serious inquiries and/or offers.
Copyright © 2009 Sean M. Kennedy. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the author’s consent.
Friday, June 12, 2009
JON LESTER SHINES AGAIN
With his 11 strike outs against the Phillies tonight, Jon Lester became the first lefty in Red Sox history to record double-digit strikeouts in three consecutive starts.
If a casual observer looked at Lester's 5-5 record and 5.09 ERA coming into tonight's game, he/she would be unimpressed. He or she would also be fooled. After a slow start this spring, Lester has been absolutely scorching as of late.
In his last three starts, Lester's line looks like this:
Innings / start 7.1
Runs 3
Earned Runs 3
Walks 8
Strikeouts 34
HR 0
Though his overall numbers obscure it, Lester's recent outings portray him as the burgeoning ace the Red Sox were sure they had in their rotation to start this season.
Going back to last year, Lester's growth and development has been remarkable. Gone are the days when he would throw 100 pitches in five or so innings, burdening himself by walking multiple batters along the way.
Long gone.
When Lester takes the mound these days, the Red Sox, and their fans, expect certain victory. Lester appears unfazed by this and seems immune to pressure. His confidence appears to be sky high, as well it should be, He's once again proving himself to be a stopper and a winner.
Though he didn't get the win (thanks to a Ryan Howard blast off Ramon Ramirez), Lester lowered his ERA to 4.76 and now has 96 Ks this season.
The 25-year-old actually appears to get stronger as the game goes on. Hopefully that same attribute will hold true as the season grinds on. A healthy and potent Lester will make all the difference to the Red Sox in October.
If a casual observer looked at Lester's 5-5 record and 5.09 ERA coming into tonight's game, he/she would be unimpressed. He or she would also be fooled. After a slow start this spring, Lester has been absolutely scorching as of late.
In his last three starts, Lester's line looks like this:
Innings / start 7.1
Runs 3
Earned Runs 3
Walks 8
Strikeouts 34
HR 0
Though his overall numbers obscure it, Lester's recent outings portray him as the burgeoning ace the Red Sox were sure they had in their rotation to start this season.
Going back to last year, Lester's growth and development has been remarkable. Gone are the days when he would throw 100 pitches in five or so innings, burdening himself by walking multiple batters along the way.
Long gone.
When Lester takes the mound these days, the Red Sox, and their fans, expect certain victory. Lester appears unfazed by this and seems immune to pressure. His confidence appears to be sky high, as well it should be, He's once again proving himself to be a stopper and a winner.
Though he didn't get the win (thanks to a Ryan Howard blast off Ramon Ramirez), Lester lowered his ERA to 4.76 and now has 96 Ks this season.
The 25-year-old actually appears to get stronger as the game goes on. Hopefully that same attribute will hold true as the season grinds on. A healthy and potent Lester will make all the difference to the Red Sox in October.
Monday, June 08, 2009
Taking Stock of the Red Sox
Fifty-seven games into the 2009 season, the Red Sox are 33-24, identical to the record they posted one year ago through the same number of games.
The Sox are just over a third of the way through their 162 game grind, and they find themselves a game out of first place with the best home record in the AL (18-8).
Going into the season, the Sox were projected to have one of the finest, if not the best, rotations in baseball. So far, they've been pretty good, with some noticeable hiccups. The Sox are tied for fourth in the AL with a 4.27 team ERA, thanks to a bullpen which is simply the best in baseball.
But that obscures the fact that the Sox starting five have been anything but stellar. In fact, they've been entirely lackluster. Josh Beckett (4.09), Tim Wakefield (4.50), Jon Lester (5.09), Brad Penny (5.85) and Daisuke Matsuzaka (7.33) have a combined ERA of 5.37.
Matsuzaka looks lost, surrendering 44 hits and 13 walks in just 27 innings, and has already lost more games than he did all last season.
Penny, though 5-2, has an ERA approaching six and is winning despite himself, owing his success to offensive support.
All of this provides some reason for concern, though the venerable John Smoltz and Clay Buchholz (4-0, 1.73 ERA at Pawtucket) lie in waiting.
Yet, there is additional reason for reassurance. Namely that after slow starts Beckett and Lester have been coming on as of late.
Josh Beckett Since May 5:
6 starts
4-0 record
2.40 ERA
14 walks
37 strike outs
6 quality starts
5-1 team record
And Lester, though 5-5, is coming off two absolutely dominating performances in which he threw a combined 15 innings, allowing just two runs on five hits. Oh, and then there were the whopping 23 K's. Lester leads the team with 85 strikeouts (in just 74.1 innings) and is on pace to break 200 this year.
And then there's the Red Sox bullpen, which has been lights out this season with a 2.76 ERA, the best in all of baseball. And it's been particularly good over the past month:
Since May 10
23 games
61.2 innings
1.91 ERA
12 home runs (T-Fewest in AL)
Over that period, Hideki Okajima rode a streak of 16.1 scoreless innings, the longest on the Sox this season. Oki has rediscovered the form that made him so successful two years ago. He's deceptive and able to keep hitters off balance. He doesn't throw hard, but he gets hitters out.
Perhaps the biggest, and most pleasant, surprise so far has been the Sox offense, which ranks fourth in the AL in runs scored (300), home runs (66) and OPS (.804). And they've done it without the man who was formerly their most potent hitter.
Surely, the biggest disappointment this year has been the incredible vanishing act of David Ortiz. The man once known as Big Papi is no longer a big time, big game hitter and now routinely comes up small at the plate. Ortiz is batting a miniscule .197, with 55 whiffs and countless weak pop outs.
Ortiz had his eyes checked this week and the results were positive. So it's not a vision issue, a la Jim Rice. Ortiz simply, and suddenly, seems to have about as much pop as the feeble Julio Lugo.
Over the last three years, Ortiz has seen his average fly ball distance significantly drop from 310 feet in 2007, to 275 in 2008, to just 261 feet this season. That's almost at 50 foot drop-off from 2007, the career year in which he hit a club record 52 home runs. What were once home run balls now drop innocently into outfielder's gloves.
Red Sox management has been especially patient, cognizant of what Ortiz has meant to the team and the city since he arrived in 2003. But their Job-like patience is likely wearing thin. Internal and external solutions to the gaping hole in the order that is Ortiz are surely being discussed.
All kinds of names have been bandied about as possible trade targets. Adrian Gonzalez and Victor Martinez are the most desirable mentioned so far, but either would come at a prohibitive price — namely Buchholz, or possibly Lars Anderson. If Andersen is as good as advertised, that could be a big loss since he's the only true power hitter in the system.
Martinez is an excellent hitter who is currently sixth in batting in the Majors (.344) and has 20-25 home run power. But he has inconsistent game calling skills and is 30 years old. He is not the youthful solution at catcher, though he can play first base.
The Sox have long coveted Gonzalez, but Padres GM Kevin Towers described the 27-year-old as untouchable, noting that he is a cornerstone of a rebuilding franchise. With an MLB-best 22 dingers, even if made suddenly available, Gonzalez would generate wide interest and a huge asking price.
Yet, it's easy to envision the Sox anchoring him at first, Youkilis at third, and moving Mike Lowell to DH. Lowell is only under contract for one more year, and the team needs to think about the future anyway.
The Sox have had many inquiries about Buchholz and have never found any offers to be satisfactory. That's simply because good young pitching is harder to find than hitting, and it's what organizations build their teams around. Next year Wakefield, Smoltz and Penny could all be gone. The Sox will need Buchholz and he is poised for a good, long career, which he's only just beginning.
So the Sox will continue to listen to offers, and to make offers. Julio Lugo at half salary anyone? Good luck with that, Theo. The team presently has needs at DH and at shortstop. If Jed Lowrie gets healthy and returns soon, that would solve one problem.
Yet it seems inevitable that at least one trade will be executed, and room will still have to be created for Smoltz and/or Buchholz to join the rotation. Brad Penny, and his bloated ERA, is eligible to be traded one week from now. Despite his ERA, he may command some trade value. Pitching is always a prized commodity.
Undoubtedly, there will be some tinkering in order to make this competitive roster even better.
There is lots to like as is: Kevin Youkilis, Dustin Pedrioa and Jason Bay are all elite players and should be perennial All Stars for years to come. With his .302 average, Jacoby Ellsbury is proving he can hit Big League pitching and is ahead of last year's 50-steal pace. Mike Lowell is having as good a year as anyone could have reasonably expected. And Jason Varitek is on pace for 30 homers! WTF?
Yes, there are questions beyond Ortiz: Can George Kottaras ever be more than a once-a-week catcher and a .188 hitter? Can Rocco Baldelli, Mark Kotsay and JD Drew all stay healthy the rest of the season? Not likely.
But the Sox seem to have more answers than questions and appear to be built for the long haul and the post-season. With a wise trade or two, they could surely be a playoff team once again. And once you get there, who knows? Anything can happen.
Copyright © 2009 Sean M. Kennedy. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the author’s consent.
The Sox are just over a third of the way through their 162 game grind, and they find themselves a game out of first place with the best home record in the AL (18-8).
Going into the season, the Sox were projected to have one of the finest, if not the best, rotations in baseball. So far, they've been pretty good, with some noticeable hiccups. The Sox are tied for fourth in the AL with a 4.27 team ERA, thanks to a bullpen which is simply the best in baseball.
But that obscures the fact that the Sox starting five have been anything but stellar. In fact, they've been entirely lackluster. Josh Beckett (4.09), Tim Wakefield (4.50), Jon Lester (5.09), Brad Penny (5.85) and Daisuke Matsuzaka (7.33) have a combined ERA of 5.37.
Matsuzaka looks lost, surrendering 44 hits and 13 walks in just 27 innings, and has already lost more games than he did all last season.
Penny, though 5-2, has an ERA approaching six and is winning despite himself, owing his success to offensive support.
All of this provides some reason for concern, though the venerable John Smoltz and Clay Buchholz (4-0, 1.73 ERA at Pawtucket) lie in waiting.
Yet, there is additional reason for reassurance. Namely that after slow starts Beckett and Lester have been coming on as of late.
Josh Beckett Since May 5:
6 starts
4-0 record
2.40 ERA
14 walks
37 strike outs
6 quality starts
5-1 team record
And Lester, though 5-5, is coming off two absolutely dominating performances in which he threw a combined 15 innings, allowing just two runs on five hits. Oh, and then there were the whopping 23 K's. Lester leads the team with 85 strikeouts (in just 74.1 innings) and is on pace to break 200 this year.
And then there's the Red Sox bullpen, which has been lights out this season with a 2.76 ERA, the best in all of baseball. And it's been particularly good over the past month:
Since May 10
23 games
61.2 innings
1.91 ERA
12 home runs (T-Fewest in AL)
Over that period, Hideki Okajima rode a streak of 16.1 scoreless innings, the longest on the Sox this season. Oki has rediscovered the form that made him so successful two years ago. He's deceptive and able to keep hitters off balance. He doesn't throw hard, but he gets hitters out.
Perhaps the biggest, and most pleasant, surprise so far has been the Sox offense, which ranks fourth in the AL in runs scored (300), home runs (66) and OPS (.804). And they've done it without the man who was formerly their most potent hitter.
Surely, the biggest disappointment this year has been the incredible vanishing act of David Ortiz. The man once known as Big Papi is no longer a big time, big game hitter and now routinely comes up small at the plate. Ortiz is batting a miniscule .197, with 55 whiffs and countless weak pop outs.
Ortiz had his eyes checked this week and the results were positive. So it's not a vision issue, a la Jim Rice. Ortiz simply, and suddenly, seems to have about as much pop as the feeble Julio Lugo.
Over the last three years, Ortiz has seen his average fly ball distance significantly drop from 310 feet in 2007, to 275 in 2008, to just 261 feet this season. That's almost at 50 foot drop-off from 2007, the career year in which he hit a club record 52 home runs. What were once home run balls now drop innocently into outfielder's gloves.
Red Sox management has been especially patient, cognizant of what Ortiz has meant to the team and the city since he arrived in 2003. But their Job-like patience is likely wearing thin. Internal and external solutions to the gaping hole in the order that is Ortiz are surely being discussed.
All kinds of names have been bandied about as possible trade targets. Adrian Gonzalez and Victor Martinez are the most desirable mentioned so far, but either would come at a prohibitive price — namely Buchholz, or possibly Lars Anderson. If Andersen is as good as advertised, that could be a big loss since he's the only true power hitter in the system.
Martinez is an excellent hitter who is currently sixth in batting in the Majors (.344) and has 20-25 home run power. But he has inconsistent game calling skills and is 30 years old. He is not the youthful solution at catcher, though he can play first base.
The Sox have long coveted Gonzalez, but Padres GM Kevin Towers described the 27-year-old as untouchable, noting that he is a cornerstone of a rebuilding franchise. With an MLB-best 22 dingers, even if made suddenly available, Gonzalez would generate wide interest and a huge asking price.
Yet, it's easy to envision the Sox anchoring him at first, Youkilis at third, and moving Mike Lowell to DH. Lowell is only under contract for one more year, and the team needs to think about the future anyway.
The Sox have had many inquiries about Buchholz and have never found any offers to be satisfactory. That's simply because good young pitching is harder to find than hitting, and it's what organizations build their teams around. Next year Wakefield, Smoltz and Penny could all be gone. The Sox will need Buchholz and he is poised for a good, long career, which he's only just beginning.
So the Sox will continue to listen to offers, and to make offers. Julio Lugo at half salary anyone? Good luck with that, Theo. The team presently has needs at DH and at shortstop. If Jed Lowrie gets healthy and returns soon, that would solve one problem.
Yet it seems inevitable that at least one trade will be executed, and room will still have to be created for Smoltz and/or Buchholz to join the rotation. Brad Penny, and his bloated ERA, is eligible to be traded one week from now. Despite his ERA, he may command some trade value. Pitching is always a prized commodity.
Undoubtedly, there will be some tinkering in order to make this competitive roster even better.
There is lots to like as is: Kevin Youkilis, Dustin Pedrioa and Jason Bay are all elite players and should be perennial All Stars for years to come. With his .302 average, Jacoby Ellsbury is proving he can hit Big League pitching and is ahead of last year's 50-steal pace. Mike Lowell is having as good a year as anyone could have reasonably expected. And Jason Varitek is on pace for 30 homers! WTF?
Yes, there are questions beyond Ortiz: Can George Kottaras ever be more than a once-a-week catcher and a .188 hitter? Can Rocco Baldelli, Mark Kotsay and JD Drew all stay healthy the rest of the season? Not likely.
But the Sox seem to have more answers than questions and appear to be built for the long haul and the post-season. With a wise trade or two, they could surely be a playoff team once again. And once you get there, who knows? Anything can happen.
Copyright © 2009 Sean M. Kennedy. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the author’s consent.
Tuesday, June 02, 2009
Francona Reaches Milestone
Red Sox Manager Records 500th Win Against Detroit
With the Red Sox 5-1 victory over the Tigers tonight, manager Terry Francona became just the third Red Sox skipper to win 500 games with the club. Francona joins the legendary Joe Cronin and Mike "Pinky" Higgins in this distinction.
Cronin, the former Sox shortstop, managed the club from 1935-1947, all but the last three seasons as a player-manager. He is the only manager in the Red Sox long and storied history with as many as 1,000 wins, and was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1956.
However, for all of his greatness as a player and success as a manager, Cronin never led the Red Sox to a World Series Victory.
Francona, on the other hand, led the Sox to two World Series victories in four years, including the team's first in 86 years. Furthermore, Francona managed his way to 500 wins in just 5 1/2 seasons, a rather impressive feat.
The professional Francona responded to the accomplishment in his customarily humble manner.
"That means I've been really lucky with an organization with a lot of players that have been very good and with a staff that helps me out more than I help them," the skipper said.
Francona has guided the Red Sox to the playoffs four times in his first five seasons, the only Sox manager to reach the postseason more than twice. He has won 90+ games four times with the Red Sox, the most in team history. And Francona also has the best winning percentage in team history, among managers with 400 or more games.
Manager Years Record
Joe Cronin 1935-1947 1,071-916
Pinky Higgins 1955-1959, 1960-1962 560-556
Terry Francona 2004-Present 500-362
Bill Carrigan 1913-1916, 1927-1929 489-500
Jimmy Collins 1901-1906 455-376
Jimy Williams 1997-2001 414-352
Don Zimmer 1976-1980 411-304
With the Red Sox 5-1 victory over the Tigers tonight, manager Terry Francona became just the third Red Sox skipper to win 500 games with the club. Francona joins the legendary Joe Cronin and Mike "Pinky" Higgins in this distinction.
Cronin, the former Sox shortstop, managed the club from 1935-1947, all but the last three seasons as a player-manager. He is the only manager in the Red Sox long and storied history with as many as 1,000 wins, and was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1956.
However, for all of his greatness as a player and success as a manager, Cronin never led the Red Sox to a World Series Victory.
Francona, on the other hand, led the Sox to two World Series victories in four years, including the team's first in 86 years. Furthermore, Francona managed his way to 500 wins in just 5 1/2 seasons, a rather impressive feat.
The professional Francona responded to the accomplishment in his customarily humble manner.
"That means I've been really lucky with an organization with a lot of players that have been very good and with a staff that helps me out more than I help them," the skipper said.
Francona has guided the Red Sox to the playoffs four times in his first five seasons, the only Sox manager to reach the postseason more than twice. He has won 90+ games four times with the Red Sox, the most in team history. And Francona also has the best winning percentage in team history, among managers with 400 or more games.
Manager Years Record
Joe Cronin 1935-1947 1,071-916
Pinky Higgins 1955-1959, 1960-1962 560-556
Terry Francona 2004-Present 500-362
Bill Carrigan 1913-1916, 1927-1929 489-500
Jimmy Collins 1901-1906 455-376
Jimy Williams 1997-2001 414-352
Don Zimmer 1976-1980 411-304
Saturday, April 25, 2009
The Torch Has Been Passed
In last night's game against the Yankees, the Red Sox may have unofficially (at least) witnessed a symbolic passing of the torch, or the baton or, more appropriately, the bat.
Stepping to plate in the 9th inning of a tie game, David Ortiz, who built his reputation as "the most clutch hitter in Red Sox history" feebly struck out. Then he did the same again in the 11th. Sadly, it was part of a trend, not only of the night, but of the newly minted 2009 season.
Ortiz struck an embarrassing four times in six at-bats last night, and entered today's game third in the Majors with 20 whiffs. Mired in a what may be more than merely an early season slump, Big Papi is hitting a paltry .215, which doesn't begin to approach his hefty weight, officially listed at 230 pounds.
Ortiz's problems go back to at least last season, when he suffered through a wrist ailment and hit just .264 with 23 homers and 89 RBI.
Over a three year span from 2004-2006, Ortiz averaged 48 homers and 141 RBI. But in 2007, Ortiz, while having an excellent season by most standards, didn't measure up to his Ruth-like past. Ortiz had 35 homers and 117 RBI, while dealing with a knee injury that most believed had hampered his hitting.
But it was simply the first stage of a decline that accelerated last year and looks downright precipitous this year.
Whereas Ortiz made highlight reel moments routine, and created lifetime memories for Sox fans over his first five years in Boston, this year he simply wilts under pressure -- the very moments he used thrive in.
Into the void has leapt Kevin Youkilis. After a career-year in 2008, in which he lead the team in homers (29), RBI (115), and OPS (.959), Youkilis finished third in the MVP voting and established himself as a team leader and one of the game's best all-around hitters.
Last night at Fenway, Youkilis proved that once again, and emphatically established himself as the inheritor of Ortiz's former mantle as the Sox best clutch hitter. In addition, he is now the team's premier power hitter, Jason Bay notwithstanding.
Stepping to the plate in the bottom of the 11th, Youkilis blasted a definitive and decisive shot over the Monster Seats. It was very fitting; Youkilis has surpassed Ortiz as the heart and soul of the Red Sox order. At this point, "Big Youkie" is the team's most potent and dependable power hitter, eclipsing Ortiz and becoming the big bat that Ortiz previously acknowledged the team needed.
In light of that, it's somewhat ironic that the Red Sox miss Ortiz's bat even more than that of Manny Ramirez.
Copyright © 2009 Sean M. Kennedy. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the author’s consent.
Stepping to plate in the 9th inning of a tie game, David Ortiz, who built his reputation as "the most clutch hitter in Red Sox history" feebly struck out. Then he did the same again in the 11th. Sadly, it was part of a trend, not only of the night, but of the newly minted 2009 season.
Ortiz struck an embarrassing four times in six at-bats last night, and entered today's game third in the Majors with 20 whiffs. Mired in a what may be more than merely an early season slump, Big Papi is hitting a paltry .215, which doesn't begin to approach his hefty weight, officially listed at 230 pounds.
Ortiz's problems go back to at least last season, when he suffered through a wrist ailment and hit just .264 with 23 homers and 89 RBI.
Over a three year span from 2004-2006, Ortiz averaged 48 homers and 141 RBI. But in 2007, Ortiz, while having an excellent season by most standards, didn't measure up to his Ruth-like past. Ortiz had 35 homers and 117 RBI, while dealing with a knee injury that most believed had hampered his hitting.
But it was simply the first stage of a decline that accelerated last year and looks downright precipitous this year.
Whereas Ortiz made highlight reel moments routine, and created lifetime memories for Sox fans over his first five years in Boston, this year he simply wilts under pressure -- the very moments he used thrive in.
Into the void has leapt Kevin Youkilis. After a career-year in 2008, in which he lead the team in homers (29), RBI (115), and OPS (.959), Youkilis finished third in the MVP voting and established himself as a team leader and one of the game's best all-around hitters.
Last night at Fenway, Youkilis proved that once again, and emphatically established himself as the inheritor of Ortiz's former mantle as the Sox best clutch hitter. In addition, he is now the team's premier power hitter, Jason Bay notwithstanding.
Stepping to the plate in the bottom of the 11th, Youkilis blasted a definitive and decisive shot over the Monster Seats. It was very fitting; Youkilis has surpassed Ortiz as the heart and soul of the Red Sox order. At this point, "Big Youkie" is the team's most potent and dependable power hitter, eclipsing Ortiz and becoming the big bat that Ortiz previously acknowledged the team needed.
In light of that, it's somewhat ironic that the Red Sox miss Ortiz's bat even more than that of Manny Ramirez.
Copyright © 2009 Sean M. Kennedy. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the author’s consent.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Mark Fidrych: Twice Gone Before His Time
Fidrych Put the Joy in Baseball
I was saddened to hear about the untimely death of Mark Fidrych.
Baseball fans all over the country immediately fell in love with "The Bird" in 1976. He was playful and goofy, without any hint of pretension. Fidrych put the fun in baseball; he was a big kid in a kid's game. One of the game's genuine characters, he simply captured our imaginations.
On the heels of Fred Lynn, Fidrych almost pulled off his own awards double-play; he was named Rookie of the Year and finished second to Jim Palmer in the Cy Young balloting.
Fidrych went 19-7 as a rookie, leading the league in earned-run average (2.34) and complete games (24).
For comparisons sake, Roy Halladay led the Majors with nine complete games last year. My, how the game has changed.
Halladay also led the Majors in innings, with 246. As a rookie, Fidrych threw 250 innings. That would never happen in today's game.
I don't know if modern pitchers are any less durable, or if teams are simply protecting their investments. Bullpens are notoriously dicey, and many games are lost after a manager goes to his relievers. Most teams would be better off just riding their starter through at least eight innings. Perhaps it's all about prolonging careers, or do modern pitchers simply tire earlier than their predecessors? Surely, they are more pampered; no one will ever get used to pitching nine innings and completing their starts unless given the opportunity.
The pitchers of previous eras threw numerous complete games on four-man rotations and still had lengthy, productive careers; many pitched for 20 years, or more.
But no pitcher has reached double digits in complete-games since Scott Erickson had 11 for Baltimore in 1998.
From the 1920's through the mid-‘80's, 20-30 complete games a season were commonplace in baseball. No longer.
Most recently - in 1985 - Bert Blyleven had 24 complete games for Cleveland and Minnesota. And in 1986 Fernando Valenzuela had 20 for the Dodgers. But no pitcher has reached 20 complete games since then, and it's likely that no one ever will again.
Fidrych was a byproduct of that bygone era, when pitchers were truly work horses that could carry heavy loads over great distances.
But his brilliant flame burned out rather quickly; he made just 11 starts in 1977, and a combined total of just 16 over the following three seasons. His career was effectively over in 1980. Fidrych's rocketing ascent briefly scorched baseball's atmosphere before quickly coming back to earth.
However, it wasn't the result of overuse. Fidrych tore knee cartilage while chasing fly balls in the outfield during spring training in 1977 and was placed on the disabled list. He sustained a serious shoulder injury that July while compensating for the knee problem. Sadly, he never fully recovered. Fidrych won just 10 big league games after his remarkable rookie year.
Even more sadly, his life, like his career, ultimately proved to be far too short.
He will be missed by many.
Copyright © 2009 Sean M. Kennedy. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the author’s consent.
I was saddened to hear about the untimely death of Mark Fidrych.
Baseball fans all over the country immediately fell in love with "The Bird" in 1976. He was playful and goofy, without any hint of pretension. Fidrych put the fun in baseball; he was a big kid in a kid's game. One of the game's genuine characters, he simply captured our imaginations.
On the heels of Fred Lynn, Fidrych almost pulled off his own awards double-play; he was named Rookie of the Year and finished second to Jim Palmer in the Cy Young balloting.
Fidrych went 19-7 as a rookie, leading the league in earned-run average (2.34) and complete games (24).
For comparisons sake, Roy Halladay led the Majors with nine complete games last year. My, how the game has changed.
Halladay also led the Majors in innings, with 246. As a rookie, Fidrych threw 250 innings. That would never happen in today's game.
I don't know if modern pitchers are any less durable, or if teams are simply protecting their investments. Bullpens are notoriously dicey, and many games are lost after a manager goes to his relievers. Most teams would be better off just riding their starter through at least eight innings. Perhaps it's all about prolonging careers, or do modern pitchers simply tire earlier than their predecessors? Surely, they are more pampered; no one will ever get used to pitching nine innings and completing their starts unless given the opportunity.
The pitchers of previous eras threw numerous complete games on four-man rotations and still had lengthy, productive careers; many pitched for 20 years, or more.
But no pitcher has reached double digits in complete-games since Scott Erickson had 11 for Baltimore in 1998.
From the 1920's through the mid-‘80's, 20-30 complete games a season were commonplace in baseball. No longer.
Most recently - in 1985 - Bert Blyleven had 24 complete games for Cleveland and Minnesota. And in 1986 Fernando Valenzuela had 20 for the Dodgers. But no pitcher has reached 20 complete games since then, and it's likely that no one ever will again.
Fidrych was a byproduct of that bygone era, when pitchers were truly work horses that could carry heavy loads over great distances.
But his brilliant flame burned out rather quickly; he made just 11 starts in 1977, and a combined total of just 16 over the following three seasons. His career was effectively over in 1980. Fidrych's rocketing ascent briefly scorched baseball's atmosphere before quickly coming back to earth.
However, it wasn't the result of overuse. Fidrych tore knee cartilage while chasing fly balls in the outfield during spring training in 1977 and was placed on the disabled list. He sustained a serious shoulder injury that July while compensating for the knee problem. Sadly, he never fully recovered. Fidrych won just 10 big league games after his remarkable rookie year.
Even more sadly, his life, like his career, ultimately proved to be far too short.
He will be missed by many.
Copyright © 2009 Sean M. Kennedy. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the author’s consent.
Friday, April 10, 2009
For Red Sox, Nothing is a Given
The Red Sox have dropped two of the first three games of the 2009 season. No cause for alarm; it's far to early for that.
But what makes it sting a bit is the fact that they were at home, where they have the best winning percentage in baseball over the past six seasons (.652), and they lost to their newest rival – the defending AL Champion Tampa Bay Rays.
We've all become accustomed to the Red Sox wining their home series, as well as beating up on the lowly Rays. Things are changing. At the least, the Rays have changed.
I must say up front that I have been dubious about the Rays' ability to repeat the success of 2008. After they won the 2006 AL Pennant, the conventional wisdom was that the Tigers were a young, up and coming powerhouse that would contend for years to come. They had speed, defense, power, pitching and a seasoned, successful manager. That didn't quite work out for the Tigers.
I wouldn't be surprised if the same happened to the Rays and they fall back to earth. But, simply by this small three-game sample, perhaps I'm wrong.
For decades, the Red Sox have been a team built on offense. They have had an offense perennially stacked with big boppers and have relied on the long ball to win games. And the Sox of this decade are no exception. From 2003-2008 (the Theo Epstein/Terry Francona era) the Sox have averaged nearly six runs per game. Those days may be a thing of the past.
This version of the Red Sox seems to be built on pitching and defense. Offensively, the current lineup is laden with question marks. Mike Lowell, David Ortiz are aging and coming off injury. JD Drew and Julio Lugo are inconsistent and coming off injury. Their reserves may need reserves; Mark Kotsay will soon return from back surgery, and Rocco Baldelli may be incapable of being an everyday player ever again. George Kottaras has played five career games in the Majors and Chris Carer has played nine. Nick Green is Nick Green. And will Jacoby Ellsbury or Jed Lowrie ever fully mature and develop?
The truth is, the only sure things in the Red Sox nine-man lineup, or bating order, are Dustin Pedroia, Kevin Youkilis and Jason Bay; that's one-third, folks.
I'm not throwing in the towel by any means; again, it's far too early for that. The Sox will have one of the best starting rotations in baseball (if not the best), and perhaps the game's best bullpen. The team has solid defenders at almost every position. But they will have to keep runners off the base paths, and runs off the board, to win. They can no longer rely on three-run homers to win games, or to vault them back into the lead in late innings.
There are many questions on this year's Red Sox; more so than in the club's recent run of success, going back to 2003. Even the vaunted pitching staff has reasonable questions; can Tim Wakefield remain healthy? At age 42, can he remain effective? Will Brad Penny's arm endure the rigors of a full season? Will pitching in the WBC cause Dice-K to run out of gas earlier in the season? Can he manage to give the team at least six innings per start? Can Jon Lester repeat last year's success? It was just one season, after all. Can Josh Beckett put last season's health issues behind him? Is Clay Buchholz ready to step up and become a big league pitcher? Can he ever fully live up to the hype and the promise?
I'm not trying to be negative. I'm asking legitimate questions that have to be asked. This team is shrouded in uncertainty.
The good news is that the Yankees have their issues as well, as do the Angels. There is an excellent chance that the AL Wild Card will once again come from the East this year. Who it will be is anybody's guess, as is who will ultimately prevail as division champs. The Rays will have the kind of pressure on them this year that they've never faced before. They stepped up and answered the initial round of questioning quite nicely in the past few days, however.
Though the Sox have significant and serious questions, at this point they still seem to have as good a chance as anyone else in the AL East, or the entire AL for that matter. All teams have questions; most are just an injury or two from falling right out of contention. The difference for the Red Sox this year, unlike in recent years, is this; there are no givens any longer.
Copyright © 2009 Sean M. Kennedy. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the author’s consent.
But what makes it sting a bit is the fact that they were at home, where they have the best winning percentage in baseball over the past six seasons (.652), and they lost to their newest rival – the defending AL Champion Tampa Bay Rays.
We've all become accustomed to the Red Sox wining their home series, as well as beating up on the lowly Rays. Things are changing. At the least, the Rays have changed.
I must say up front that I have been dubious about the Rays' ability to repeat the success of 2008. After they won the 2006 AL Pennant, the conventional wisdom was that the Tigers were a young, up and coming powerhouse that would contend for years to come. They had speed, defense, power, pitching and a seasoned, successful manager. That didn't quite work out for the Tigers.
I wouldn't be surprised if the same happened to the Rays and they fall back to earth. But, simply by this small three-game sample, perhaps I'm wrong.
For decades, the Red Sox have been a team built on offense. They have had an offense perennially stacked with big boppers and have relied on the long ball to win games. And the Sox of this decade are no exception. From 2003-2008 (the Theo Epstein/Terry Francona era) the Sox have averaged nearly six runs per game. Those days may be a thing of the past.
This version of the Red Sox seems to be built on pitching and defense. Offensively, the current lineup is laden with question marks. Mike Lowell, David Ortiz are aging and coming off injury. JD Drew and Julio Lugo are inconsistent and coming off injury. Their reserves may need reserves; Mark Kotsay will soon return from back surgery, and Rocco Baldelli may be incapable of being an everyday player ever again. George Kottaras has played five career games in the Majors and Chris Carer has played nine. Nick Green is Nick Green. And will Jacoby Ellsbury or Jed Lowrie ever fully mature and develop?
The truth is, the only sure things in the Red Sox nine-man lineup, or bating order, are Dustin Pedroia, Kevin Youkilis and Jason Bay; that's one-third, folks.
I'm not throwing in the towel by any means; again, it's far too early for that. The Sox will have one of the best starting rotations in baseball (if not the best), and perhaps the game's best bullpen. The team has solid defenders at almost every position. But they will have to keep runners off the base paths, and runs off the board, to win. They can no longer rely on three-run homers to win games, or to vault them back into the lead in late innings.
There are many questions on this year's Red Sox; more so than in the club's recent run of success, going back to 2003. Even the vaunted pitching staff has reasonable questions; can Tim Wakefield remain healthy? At age 42, can he remain effective? Will Brad Penny's arm endure the rigors of a full season? Will pitching in the WBC cause Dice-K to run out of gas earlier in the season? Can he manage to give the team at least six innings per start? Can Jon Lester repeat last year's success? It was just one season, after all. Can Josh Beckett put last season's health issues behind him? Is Clay Buchholz ready to step up and become a big league pitcher? Can he ever fully live up to the hype and the promise?
I'm not trying to be negative. I'm asking legitimate questions that have to be asked. This team is shrouded in uncertainty.
The good news is that the Yankees have their issues as well, as do the Angels. There is an excellent chance that the AL Wild Card will once again come from the East this year. Who it will be is anybody's guess, as is who will ultimately prevail as division champs. The Rays will have the kind of pressure on them this year that they've never faced before. They stepped up and answered the initial round of questioning quite nicely in the past few days, however.
Though the Sox have significant and serious questions, at this point they still seem to have as good a chance as anyone else in the AL East, or the entire AL for that matter. All teams have questions; most are just an injury or two from falling right out of contention. The difference for the Red Sox this year, unlike in recent years, is this; there are no givens any longer.
Copyright © 2009 Sean M. Kennedy. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the author’s consent.
Monday, February 09, 2009
The A-Fraud Saga: Just the Latest Disappointing Chapter in Baseball's Recent History
In the wake of a damning SI story, one with four different sources, Alex Rodriquez was forced to do damage control today, admitting that he "did take a banned substance."
And naturally, aside from the admission, which only came when he was flat busted, there was the obligatory public apology.
"For that, I'm very sorry and deeply regretful.... I'm sorry to my fans, I'm sorry to my fans in Texas."
Let's get one thing straight; the only thing A-Rod is sorry about is getting outed – that's it. He was never sorry that he used performance enhancing drugs (PEDs) until he was cornered and could do little else but apologize.
So now we know that the game's highest-paid player, and perhaps its best all-around player, is a cheat. Some will say, 'At least he's not a liar. He came clean.'
A-Rod only came clean when he had to, because he had too. He's seen this play out before, when other beefed up sluggers, similarly accused and on the defensive, made vigorous, yet unbelievable, denials.
Honesty is the best salve. The truth sets you free.
Up to this point, A-Rod had been lying all along. And he still may be.
When questioned on the subject by Katie Couric, during a 2007 60 Minutes interview, A-Rod was unequivocal.
Couric: For the record, have you ever used steroids, human growth hormone, or any other performance-enhancing substance?
Rodriguez: No. I've never felt overmatched on the baseball field. I've always been a very strong, dominant position. And I felt that if I did my work since I was, you know, a rookie back in Seattle, I didn't have a problem competing at any level. So, no.
A-Fraud has no credibility. He is not believable. He is a man watching his reputation go up in flames, and he will say or do whatever is necessary to salvage whatever is left of it. He claims he only used PEDs from 2001-2003. Why should anyone believe him?
In 2000, his last year in Seattle, Rodriguez batted .316 with 41 home runs and 132 RBI.
In 2005, with the Yankees, he batted .321 with 48 home runs and 130 RBI. For his efforts, he won another MVP award.
In 2007, he batted .314 with 54 homers and 156 RBI, winning his third MVP.
Were those performances, in those years, fueled by PEDs as well? We may never know, but based on what we know now, it certainly can be – perhaps should be – viewed with a very suspicious eye.
Rodriguez tested positive for testosterone and Primobolan, an injected or orally administered drug. Primobolan is said to be favored because it is detectable for a shorter period of time than the steroid previously favored by players, Deca-Durabolin.
For baseball, this may be the exclamation point, the final emphasis, on what will forever be known as the "Steroid Era."
Just when baseball thought it was rebuilding its reputation, ridding itself of the dishonor that is Barry Bonds once and for all, this new A-Roid scandal erupts. And the guy that everyone was hoping would erase the black eye that is Bonds is now revealed to be just like Bonds after all.
The player's union is complicit in all of this. For years, union officials refused to acknowledge the extent of the steroid problem; Union chief Gene Orza once said of steroids, "I have no doubt that they are not worse than cigarettes."
And it has now also been revealed that Orza tipped off A-Rod about a pending test in September 2004. At least that's what three anonymous players have told SI. That makes the union, and worse its leader, complicit. And it destroys A-Rod's claim that he stopped taking PEDs after he left Texas. Bullshit, Alex.
The player's union has long been an impediment, fighting testing from the beginning, while ignoring the interests of its members who were put at a competitive disadvantage by not using PEDs.
The union has so much power that it was able to hide not only illicit, but illegal, behavior for years.
That's hubris.
And now we know that Alex Rodriguez suffers from a healthy dose of it as well. But, then again, we knew that already, didn't we?
Copyright © 2009 Sean M. Kennedy. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the author’s consent.
And naturally, aside from the admission, which only came when he was flat busted, there was the obligatory public apology.
"For that, I'm very sorry and deeply regretful.... I'm sorry to my fans, I'm sorry to my fans in Texas."
Let's get one thing straight; the only thing A-Rod is sorry about is getting outed – that's it. He was never sorry that he used performance enhancing drugs (PEDs) until he was cornered and could do little else but apologize.
So now we know that the game's highest-paid player, and perhaps its best all-around player, is a cheat. Some will say, 'At least he's not a liar. He came clean.'
A-Rod only came clean when he had to, because he had too. He's seen this play out before, when other beefed up sluggers, similarly accused and on the defensive, made vigorous, yet unbelievable, denials.
Honesty is the best salve. The truth sets you free.
Up to this point, A-Rod had been lying all along. And he still may be.
When questioned on the subject by Katie Couric, during a 2007 60 Minutes interview, A-Rod was unequivocal.
Couric: For the record, have you ever used steroids, human growth hormone, or any other performance-enhancing substance?
Rodriguez: No. I've never felt overmatched on the baseball field. I've always been a very strong, dominant position. And I felt that if I did my work since I was, you know, a rookie back in Seattle, I didn't have a problem competing at any level. So, no.
A-Fraud has no credibility. He is not believable. He is a man watching his reputation go up in flames, and he will say or do whatever is necessary to salvage whatever is left of it. He claims he only used PEDs from 2001-2003. Why should anyone believe him?
In 2000, his last year in Seattle, Rodriguez batted .316 with 41 home runs and 132 RBI.
In 2005, with the Yankees, he batted .321 with 48 home runs and 130 RBI. For his efforts, he won another MVP award.
In 2007, he batted .314 with 54 homers and 156 RBI, winning his third MVP.
Were those performances, in those years, fueled by PEDs as well? We may never know, but based on what we know now, it certainly can be – perhaps should be – viewed with a very suspicious eye.
Rodriguez tested positive for testosterone and Primobolan, an injected or orally administered drug. Primobolan is said to be favored because it is detectable for a shorter period of time than the steroid previously favored by players, Deca-Durabolin.
For baseball, this may be the exclamation point, the final emphasis, on what will forever be known as the "Steroid Era."
Just when baseball thought it was rebuilding its reputation, ridding itself of the dishonor that is Barry Bonds once and for all, this new A-Roid scandal erupts. And the guy that everyone was hoping would erase the black eye that is Bonds is now revealed to be just like Bonds after all.
The player's union is complicit in all of this. For years, union officials refused to acknowledge the extent of the steroid problem; Union chief Gene Orza once said of steroids, "I have no doubt that they are not worse than cigarettes."
And it has now also been revealed that Orza tipped off A-Rod about a pending test in September 2004. At least that's what three anonymous players have told SI. That makes the union, and worse its leader, complicit. And it destroys A-Rod's claim that he stopped taking PEDs after he left Texas. Bullshit, Alex.
The player's union has long been an impediment, fighting testing from the beginning, while ignoring the interests of its members who were put at a competitive disadvantage by not using PEDs.
The union has so much power that it was able to hide not only illicit, but illegal, behavior for years.
That's hubris.
And now we know that Alex Rodriguez suffers from a healthy dose of it as well. But, then again, we knew that already, didn't we?
Copyright © 2009 Sean M. Kennedy. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the author’s consent.
Friday, February 06, 2009
Manny a Yankee?
Though this is a dreadful notion to Red Sox fans, it is quite possible, if not likely.
Given that Manny just turned down a one-year, $25M proposal from the Dodgers, it would hardly be a surprise if the free agent is sitting on a two-year offer from the Yankees that he's currently trying to leverage.
The conventional wisdom is that Manny doesn't have any options other than the Dodgers; no one truly believes the Giants will make a persuasive offer. Yet he must have gotten a better offer from some other team, and the Yankees are the most logical choice. They have a long history of stealthily swooping in, seemingly out of nowhere, and landing coveted free agents. Mark Teixeira was only the most recent example.
Don't think for a moment that the Yankees are dissuaded by their already crowded outfield; they would gladly trade both Nick Swisher and Xavier Nady if necessary, and would surely find takers for both. It's been reported that they've already fielded calls from interested teams regarding both players.
Signing Manny would be the perfect dagger for the Yanks to wield against to the Sox, and you know they would just love to stick it in and then slowly twist. Moreover, based on his own sort of twisted logic, Manny may feel exactly the same way.
There is little doubt that Theo and co. have considered this very possibility, if not probability. However, the rest of Red Sox Nation may not have fully considered what would be considered a nightmare scenario. Be prepared for a lot of pissing and moaning when/if such an event occurs.
The Teixeira heist (as perceived by Sox fans) was nothing. Manny in pinstripes will cause seizures and heart attacks all over New England, and beyond.
Don't be fooled, and don't be surprised; not even for a minute.
Addendum on the free agency signing process:
If there are between 39 and 62 Type A or Type B free agents available, each team can sign no more than three. Yet, there were more than 62 of these free agents that filed this winter (30 Type A's and 36 Type B's).
According to baseball's Collective Bargaining Agreement, "If there are more than 62 such Players, the Club quotas shall be increased accordingly." However, it does not specify what exactly that increase would be.
Regardless of these limits, a team can sign as many Type A or B free agents as it has lost, even if those signings would put the team over the quota for that winter.
So far, the Yankees have lost:
Bobby Abreu - Type A
Mike Mussina - Type A
Ivan Rodriguez - Type B
Each team can sign as many type A's as it loses, and can add three additional type A's. Re-signing your own Type A free agent (i.e. Andy Petitte) doesn't count against you. Which means the Yankees can add up to six Type A free agents this off-season.
Copyright © 2009 Sean M. Kennedy. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the author’s consent.
Given that Manny just turned down a one-year, $25M proposal from the Dodgers, it would hardly be a surprise if the free agent is sitting on a two-year offer from the Yankees that he's currently trying to leverage.
The conventional wisdom is that Manny doesn't have any options other than the Dodgers; no one truly believes the Giants will make a persuasive offer. Yet he must have gotten a better offer from some other team, and the Yankees are the most logical choice. They have a long history of stealthily swooping in, seemingly out of nowhere, and landing coveted free agents. Mark Teixeira was only the most recent example.
Don't think for a moment that the Yankees are dissuaded by their already crowded outfield; they would gladly trade both Nick Swisher and Xavier Nady if necessary, and would surely find takers for both. It's been reported that they've already fielded calls from interested teams regarding both players.
Signing Manny would be the perfect dagger for the Yanks to wield against to the Sox, and you know they would just love to stick it in and then slowly twist. Moreover, based on his own sort of twisted logic, Manny may feel exactly the same way.
There is little doubt that Theo and co. have considered this very possibility, if not probability. However, the rest of Red Sox Nation may not have fully considered what would be considered a nightmare scenario. Be prepared for a lot of pissing and moaning when/if such an event occurs.
The Teixeira heist (as perceived by Sox fans) was nothing. Manny in pinstripes will cause seizures and heart attacks all over New England, and beyond.
Don't be fooled, and don't be surprised; not even for a minute.
Addendum on the free agency signing process:
If there are between 39 and 62 Type A or Type B free agents available, each team can sign no more than three. Yet, there were more than 62 of these free agents that filed this winter (30 Type A's and 36 Type B's).
According to baseball's Collective Bargaining Agreement, "If there are more than 62 such Players, the Club quotas shall be increased accordingly." However, it does not specify what exactly that increase would be.
Regardless of these limits, a team can sign as many Type A or B free agents as it has lost, even if those signings would put the team over the quota for that winter.
So far, the Yankees have lost:
Bobby Abreu - Type A
Mike Mussina - Type A
Ivan Rodriguez - Type B
Each team can sign as many type A's as it loses, and can add three additional type A's. Re-signing your own Type A free agent (i.e. Andy Petitte) doesn't count against you. Which means the Yankees can add up to six Type A free agents this off-season.
Copyright © 2009 Sean M. Kennedy. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the author’s consent.
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