Tag: Hanley Ramirez

What To Expect From The Red Sox Lineup in 2016

Around the horn with the Red Sox lineup …

DAVID ORTIZ
Ortiz Ortiz is the only major leaguer to slug 30 homers and 100 RBI in each of the last three seasons. The Red Sox need the same  production from their 40-year-old DH during the Big Papi Farewell Tour. The spotlight usually brings the best out of Ortiz, which is good news for the Red Sox. Ortiz rookie and memorabilia cards will be hot commodities by season’s end.

HANLEY RAMIREZ

By all accounts, Ramirez’s transition to first base has been far from flawless, but much better than expected. I still have reservations. Ramirez has frustrated coaching staffs with overall indifference throughout his career. Entering his 13th big league season, should we expect a change in attitude? Ramirez has displayed the ability to field ground balls and handle cut-offs. He struggles with scooping balls thrown in the dirt. I’m having trouble picturing the less-than-nibble Ramirez starting and finishing a 3-6-3 double play. Much of the Red Sox success — or lack of success — will depend on Ramirez’s ability to be an offensive force while learning a new position — a position where there is little room for error.

DUSTIN PEDROIA

When Pedroia is healthy, he’s one of the game’s best all-around second baseman and a lynchpin at the top of the Red Sox batting order. He’s at the point of his career where he may have to sit once a week or so. Keeping Pedroia strong and playing at a high level is one of the main goals of the coaching staff this season.

XANDER BOGAERTS
xanderHe’s becoming one of the game’s top shortstops right before our very eyes. Hard work has brought out his natural offensive and defensive abilities. Look for a little less batting average and a little more power and production in 2016. Buy his baseball cards early and often while they are still affordable.

TRAVIS SHAW

A former first baseman, Shaw has quickly become the best third baseman on the team — not by default, but from tremendous overall play at the end of last season and to this point in spring training. A left-handed hitter with the ability to drive the ball to all fields, the Red Sox are intrigued by Shaw’s Fenway power potential. At this point, Shaw is an absolute must everyday player. Taking a look at Shaw’s early baseball cards isn’t a bad idea.

PABLO SANDOVAL

A complete bust. The weight issues, anemic hitting and lack of range are well documented. Quite simply, Sandoval was MLB’s Least Valuable Player last season. With little defensive ability these days and no proven record as a pinch hitter, the former World Series MVP is not expected to make much of an impact this season. With $75 million still owed to him, Sandoval appears to be untradeable — unless the Red Sox eat a ton of money. Bad situation not matter how you look at it.

MOOKIE BETTS
BettsHe’s young, dynamic, extremely talented, articulate, good natured, and committed to excellence — reminiscent of Andrew McCutchen. Enjoy the ride folks, you don’t see this type of player very often. I’m looking for deals on his baseball cards as well.

JACKIE BRADLEY, Jr.

A bit of an enigma early in his career, Bradley needs to prove he’s more than an all-field, no-hit player. Defensively, Bradley is in a class by himself, combining speed, athleticism and an uncanny ability read the ball off the bat. Offensively he’s displayed stretches of power and production along with on base potential. There have also been miserable stretches of non-stop swinging and missing. Will the real Jackie Bradley Jr. please stand up.

BROCK HOLT

The jack-of-all-trades player will get most of his at bats in left field to start the season. The Brock Star won’t put up huge numbers, but he’s a smart, steady, grinding type of player with lots of energy. One of the more valuable players on the team, Holt will also serve as backup for all infield positions. Just call him Ben Zobrist-lite.

CHRIS YOUNG

Mashes left handed pitching, should be a good fit at Fenway. Platooning with Holt leaves the Red Sox left field is in good hands.

RUSNEY CASTILLO

Castillo has a huge contract and lots of potential, but is fifth on the Red Sox outfield depth chart — not a good place to be considering all of the talent above him. A plus fielder and fast runner, Castillo has yet to prove he can consistently hit major league fastballs. Most of the competition in Cuba threw an assortment of junk, which Castillo mashed. He’s finding the power pitching of the majors much more challenging. Wouldn’t call Castillo a bust just yet, but the Red Sox may have overestimated his talent.

BLAKE SWIHART / RYAN HANIGAN / CHRISTAIN VAZQUEZ

Swihart gets the nod to start the season. The Red Sox expect big things offensively from 24-year-old switch-hitter and continued improvement defensively. Vazquez is a defensive specialist adept at calling games and framing pitches. The Red Sox will bring him along slowly, hoping to restore his cannon arm a year removed from Tommy John surgery. At some point, the Red Sox will need to decide between the Swihart’s offensive production and Vazquez’s defense and leadership. Not a bad problem to have. In the meantime, Hanigan is a sound backup.

Red Sox Leaning Away From Analytics, Emphasizing Scouting?

John Henry’s declaration that the Red Sox have relied too much on analytics in recent years has made for interesting sports radio fodder, but does the Red Sox owner really mean what he says? After all, his team employs Bill James, the father of sabermetrics, and spends more money on statistical analysis than most major league teams. Henry made his fortune analyzing the commodities and stock markets, so crunching numbers is in his blood.sabr

I don’t mean to put words in Henry’s billion-dollar mouth, but I believe he intended to say, “We will continue to use analytics — You remember our 2004, 2007 and 2013 teams, don’t you? — but analytics will no longer trump the obvious.”

The Red Sox projected big numbers from Pablo Sandoval when they inked him to a five-year, $95 million contract over a year ago. But they ignored the obvious, most basic statistics: Sandoval’s batting average and OPS had dropped in three consecutive seasons. Last year, Sandoval’s first in a Red Sox uniform, made four.

The Red Sox also seemed to ignore Sandoval’s ever-expanding waistline. Sandoval has battled weight issues his entire career. His extra pounds likely contributed to his troubles at the plate and clearly limited his range at third base. Statistically, you could argue that Sandoval was one of baseball’s least productive players — offensively and defensively — last season.

The Red Sox also had high expectations for Hanley Ramirez, but again overlooked the obvious. Ramirez’s career has been mired with injuries, peaks, valleys, and overall indifference. Last season was no different. He was one of baseball’s top sluggers for month or so before a shoulder injury limited his play for the remainder of the season. Never much of an infielder, Ramirez played Fenway’s left field like it was covered with landmines.

His work ethic and ability to bounce back from injuries were questioned by previous coaching staffs in Florida and Los Angeles, but the still Red Sox emptied the vault (four years, $88 million) for the unreliable Ramirez to be the focal point of their offense while learning a new position.

The Red Sox also swung and missed with Rick Porcello. Last off-season, the Sox traded a valuable commodity (Yoenis Cespedes) for Porcello and promptly signed the right-handed pitcher to a four-year, $82.5 million contract extension. Paid like an ace, Porcello performed like a pitcher struggling to stay in the majors. The Red Sox clearly saw something in Porcello that others did not. He may emerge as a solid mid-rotation pitcher, but nothing more.

New baseball chief Dave Dombrowski brings different methods and skills to the table. Regarded as a top baseball executive, Dombroski developed his craft in the scouting and developmental departments of the White Sox and Expos before running the shows in Florida and Detroit. Metrics mean something, but his eyes tell him more.

Upon arrival in Boston, he quickly identified the team’s biggest needs and quickly attacked, signing David Price and trading for Craig Kimbrel. Price is the ace every contending team needs and Kimbrel, a bonafide, card-carrying closer that solidifies the entire bullpen. As the Kansas City Royals have proven, the road to the World Series goes through the bullpen these days.

The Red Sox spend significant time and money on scouting and analytics. Dombrowski is charged with merging the two components. He’s old school, so count on the eye test to be the deciding factor. And don’t count on the new Red Sox missing the obvious anytime soon.