Tag: Rafael Devers

Red Sox Playing Smart with JD Martinez; Yanks Team To Beat, but Sox Will Contend

Random thoughts as the Red Sox settle into spring training …

  • Kudos to the Red Sox for not bidding against themselves to sign J.D. Martinez.  With the Red Sox being the only viable bidder, Martinez seems to need the Red Sox more than the Red Sox need Martinez, whose opposite-field swing may not play well in Fenway Park.  The Red Sox finished in the bottom of the league in homers and slugging last season, but nearly every position player underperformed for one reason or another.  A fresh, more upbeat approach from Alex Cora and his staff will benefit young core players such as Mookie Betts, Xander Bogaerts, Jackie Bradley, and Andrew Benintendi.  I’m not saying Cora alone will turn the Red Sox line up into Murderer’s Row, but a fresh approach, good health, and a less-expensive bat (a Logan Morrison type) could bolster the Red Sox to the middle of the pack in terms of slugging.  Remember they scored the sixth most runs in the league last year despite the power drout.  Increased slugging combined with continued upper echelon pitching, strong defensive play, and aggressive but more careful base running make the Red Sox contenders.
  • The road to the AL East Division Title clearly goes through Yankee Stadium, but the Bronx Bombers are far from unbeatable.  Yes, the combination of of Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, and Gary Sanchez poses baseball’s most dangerous power threat.  Yes, the deep, fire-breathing bullpen will shorten games and limit exposure of the not-so-deep Yankees starting rotation.  And yes, the roster in comprised to take full advantage of the cozy confines of Yankee Stadium.  But the Yankees — like every other major league team — are not without their share of problems.  The holes are not gaping, but reason for concern.  As of today, the the Yanks are relying on a pair  untested 22-year-olds second (Gleyber Torres) and third (Miguel Andujar)  basemen — a tall task for a team with World Series aspirations.  The pitching rotation lacks depth.  Luis Servino is electric, but has not proved to be a legitimate ace — at least not yet.  With decrepit knees supporting his bulky frame, 37-year-old C.C. Sabathia cannot be expected to match last year’s performance and Masahiro Tanaka has experienced elbow issues.  The line-up, despite its explosiveness, features a ton of strikeouts and sluggers are prone to long slumps.  The Red Sox have the pitching staff to expose the Yankees flaws and stay competitive.
  • If Chris Sale, David Price, and Rick Porcello perform up to expectations, the Red Sox will have one of the game’s more formidable pitching staffs, making the AL East a two-team race. Chris Sale is an annual Cy Young candidate, but, the success of the 2018 Red Sox may hinge on the condition of Price’s left elbow and ability to stay focused between the lines.  Cora will have his hands full managing Price’s innings and limiting his distractions.  When healthy and in the proper frame of mind, Price eats innings, wins games, and saves bullpens.  Porcello’s 2016 Cy Young campaign poses evidence that he can be an elite pitcher, but his 2017 season indicates that he may be just a bottom of the rotation starter.  I suspect the real Porcello lies somewhere in between, which would be a major boast behind Sale and Price.  Drew Pomeranz, who seems to have found the proper balance between his big-breaking curveball and deceiving fastball, would be a No. 2 starter on most teams.  Eduardo Rodriguez enters the season as the team’s fifth starter, but has the potential to be much more.  With two healthy knees, the 24 year-old Rodriguez is ready to emerge.
  • Rafael Devers is talented and powerful, but extremely raw.  Don’t be surprised if the 21-year-old third baseman hits the “second-year” wall as pitchers find holes in his swing.  How he adjusts will determine his success.  In the meantime, Eduardo Nunez provides depth and insurance.
  • Cora has not etched the starting line up in stone, but has discussed Betts batting first.  At first glance, Betts’ swing and approach seems more suited for the middle of the batting order, but the All-Star right fielder seems most comfortable and productive leading off.  After watching George Springer set the tone for the Astros, Cora likes the idea of aggression and power setting the tone.
  • One of the top priorities for new hitting coach Tim Hyers is restoring Xander Bogaerts’ confidence.  After hurting his hand last year, Bogaerts lost confidence and fell into many bad habits.  Hyers will be charged with finding a way for Bogaerts to drive the ball consistently rather than being content as a contact hitter.  Nunez will also play a role in keeping Bogaerts fresh throughout the season.  

Rookie Phenom Devers Powers Sox

Three weeks into his major league career, Rafael Devers has risen from Red Sox savior to rookie phenom.  National attention has made his early baseball cards must haves for rookie card collectors.  

In desperate need for a power hitting third baseman, the Red Sox turned to Devers instead of acquiring a veteran slugger.  The 20-year-old Dominican Republic native responded by slugging eight home runs and 16 RBI while batting .364 in his first 20 games.  His major league debut came too late in the season to be included in any 2017 baseball card sets, so Devers cards bearing the official “RC” logo will be issued in 2018 base sets.  In the meantime, prospect collectors can choose from over 700 Devers insert, subset, and parallel cards.  

The 2014 Bowman Chrome Draft series is the first to include Devers. As part of the “Top Prospects” subset, he is featured in  full MLB gear — three  years before his debut.  The shiney chrome versions are among the hobby’s most popular cards, selling for $8 with more limited Refractor versions getting $18.  Also featuring early cards of Mookie Betts, Kris Bryant, Aaron Judge, Jose Abreu, and Jacob deGrom among others, 2014 Bowman Chrome is a must for prospect collectors.

 

Devers’ national spotlight grew brighter in mid August when the rising star slugged a game-tying ninth inning home run off Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman before a national television audience.  Devers followed his Yankee Stadium heroics by becoming just the 35th player since 1913 to record a two-homer game before turning 21, joining the likes of Ted Williams, Willie Mays, Mel Ott, Mike Trout, and Carlos Correa.  The light shined even brighter the following night when Devers triggered an around-the-horn triple play before the Fenway crowd, the 31st triple play in Red Sox history.

Increased national attention means increased interest in Devers certified autographed cards.  Although the Devers 2015 Bowman Chrome “Prospects Autograph” isn’t his first autographed card, it is the most coveted.  Complete with MLB markings and logos, the on-card autograph is selling for $200 with Refractor versions commanding as much as $400.  Known as “Home of the Rookie Card”, the Bowman name enhances early autographed cards of baseball’s rising stars.

Devers initially caught the eye of Red Sox scouts at the age of 14.  Considered the top left-handed hitter among international free agents two years later, Devers signed a $1.5 million contract with the Red Sox.  After dominating the Dominican Summer League and making the Gulf Coast League All-Star team, Devers sports his Greenville Drive Red Sox uniform in the 2015 Topps Heritage series.  For minor league and oddball card collectors, this is a great  buy for $3. His 2015 Choice minor league card takes the traditional approach of local distribution.  The card is rather simple in design, but a limited print run makes it highly coveted for $15.  Because of the minimal gloss on the card fronts, minor league cards are ideal for in-person autographs.

Devers has already made a significant impact in Red Sox history.  Earlier in the month major league baseball’s youngest player joined Babe Ruth, Williams, Dalton Jones, and Tony Conigliaro as the only Red Sox in the last 100 years with four or more hits in a single game by age 20.  Linked to Red Sox greats from the last 100 years, Devers has become a favorite of memorabilia collectors.  The 2015 Elite Extra Edition “Future Threads” Silhouette Signatures is a rare memorabilia card issued by Panini.  The unique “Future Threads” card is serial numbered to just 125 and has a jersey swatch layered underneath the player image.  The lower portion of the card displays Devers’ signature.  The card value has doubled in the past month, currently selling for $100.  

If the Red Sox continue winning and advance to the postseason with Devers still slugging his way through the league, his cards will heat up the postseason and offseason.