BoSox Injection » Jose Iglesias

Red Sox Roundtable: What Do The Red Sox Do With Jose Iglesias When Stephen Drew Returns?

Steve Peterson — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 14:00:29 +0000

Last week BSI ran a poll asking what you thought the Red Sox should do with Jose Iglesias once Stephen Drew returns from the DL. What was not know at the time was just how hot Iglesias would remain.

Apr 7, 2013; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Boston Red Sox shortstop Jose Iglesias (10) throws out Toronto Blue Jays baseman Mark DeRosa (not pictured) at the Rogers Centre. Boston defeated Toronto 13-0. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports

As of Sunday’s trouncing of the Toronto Blue Jays Iglesias was batting .529 with a .556 on base percentage. Since mid-way through spring training on through the first week of the regular season he continues to exceed expectations and in doing so may force John Farrell’s hand. Friday night after getting hit in the elbow in an at bat in Toronto he made a stunning backhand stab and submarine strike off his back leg to Dustin Pedroia to get an improbable force out at second base. I’ve watched a lot of baseball. This play stuck with me all weekend.

Proponents of the hardcore business aspects of the decision say that Boston has 9 million reasons to insert Stephen Drew into the lineup. They cut a deal in the offseason to make him Boston starting shortstop and Farrell says he intends on honoring it.

Those who support Iglesias say that he’s ready and is doing exactly what the Red Sox have asked him to do, namely start hitting to complement his stellar field play. From a financial perspective the Red Sox have nearly as much tied up in Iglesias as they do Drew. Including his $6.5 million 2009 signing bonus and salary since the signing, Boston has approximately $8.5 million invested.

After over 100 votes, our poll showed that 90% of you thought that Boston should either keep playing Iglesias and insert Drew once he cools off of stick with Iglesias even if he cools off. Only 10% of you thought that Drew should be inserted into the lineup when he was ready and that Iglesias should be sent back to the minors. Our readers have spoken. Now it’s time for the BSI staff writers to weigh in.

Join the the commentary. This is a juicy one.

Contusion Corner: Iglesias Day To Day With Elbow Injury

Conor Duffy — Sat, 06 Apr 2013 11:59:00 +0000

Big injuries have not yet affected the Red Sox so much in 2013 as in years past (big “yet” right here), but the little ones are starting to add up right now. First David Ortiz, Franklin Morales, Craig Breslow, and Stephen Drew have missed the season’s opener and now Jose Iglesias, Drew’s replacement at shortstop, is going through some troubles of his own. Iglesias was clearly in pain after being hit by a high heater from Josh Johnson right on the elbow joint, as it appeared he may not continue. He did for a few innings, and the injury didn’t stop him from making a magnificent play at shortstop, but he was out of the game by the fourth inning.

Apr 1, 2013; Bronx, NY, USA; Boston Red Sox shortstop Jose Iglesias (10) reached on infield single to third during the seventh inning against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. Boston won 8-2. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports

Surprisingly, the normally light-hitting Iglesias has been a big part of the Red Sox lineup this year as he has reached base in every game and is batting .583 (7-12) on the year. Iglesias is listed as “day-to-day” with a right arm contusion and, with Stephen Drew just about ready to return to the Red Sox, it’s possible that this spells the end for Iglesias as the Red Sox starting shortstop.

If Iglesias was to move out from the starting lineup, he would likely be demoted to Triple-A Pawtucket. The Red Sox would like to see him continue the progress he has shown since last year (he has 7 hits this year compared to 8 in 68 at bats last year). If he becomes an adept hitter, then he is no doubt the shortstop of the future. However, twelve at bats do not a season make and it’s hard to imagine Iglesias starting with Drew, who signed a 1 year/$9 million deal almost solely because the Red Sox didn’t yet trust Iglesias’s bat.

If this really does spell the end, and Iglesias is Pawtucket bound after his recovery, then there will be some disappointment throughout Boston. After all, it’s hard to demote a young guy who has done everything possible to stay with the big club, especially if the results show. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Red Sox eventually flip Drew should Iglesias continue to hit in Triple-A.

Jose Iglesias, No-Hit Shortstops, and Value

Aidan Flynn — Sat, 06 Apr 2013 10:30:40 +0000

Since the advent of Nomar Garciaparra, Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez completely redefining the shortstop position, the all-glove, no-hit shortstop has been a sort of dying breed in today’s game. Where once shortstops were expected to be the backbone of the defense and nothing more, the game’s most prestigious position has certainly become relied on for offensive production as well. Even if it’s not quite the numbers put up by the Nomar, Jeter, A-Rod trifecta a decade ago.

September 30, 2012; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Orioles center fielder Adam Jones (10) is out at second base as Boston Red Sox shortstop Jose Iglesias (58) starts the double play in the first inning at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Joy R. Absalon-USA TODAY Sports

That leads us to Jose Iglesias. Iglesias was the major international signing for the Sox in 2009, inking a record $6.25 million bonus with the club. While fielding has never been a problem, Iglesias has famously struggled to hit throughout his professional career, hitting an absolutely anemic .135/.210/.203 during his abbreviated Major League stints in 2011 and ’12. His minor league numbers aren’t much better either, having hit just .264/.313/.314 with onlytwo (2!) home runs over a 1000 Minor League plate appearances. While Iglesias (deservedly) gets a ton of flak for his overmatched bat, people overlook the fact that even with below average offense, he can still have plenty of value.

In today’s game, the prime example of the no-hit, all-glove shortstop is Seattle’s Brendan Ryan. Ryan’s offense is a little less laughable than Iglesias’, as he is (wait for it) a career .244 hitter. Granted, Ryan has played in one of the more hostile hitting environments the past two seasons (Safeco Field); however, no one is confusing Ryan’s bat as anything more than passable.

Yet, when looking at the annual WAR leaderboards (using Baseball-Reference’s version), Ryan has traditionally been ranked higher than many of his peers, including Derek Jeter and Jimmy Rollins last year. I know not everyone agrees with WAR and I don’t always agree with it either (for example, I’d still take Jeter over Ryan last season). However, I feel it is a much better measurement of value than traditional, “triple crown” stats (AVG/HR/RBI) because it can determine a player’s entire body of work (hitting, baserunning, and defense) and make one number out of it.

People too often overlook the impact that defense has on ballgames because it doesn’t show up in the box scores (errors are a flawed stat for a multitude of reasons; inability to measure range being one of them). A diving play that prevents two runs from scoring; a laser throw from the outfield grass that keeps the leadoff hitter from reaching base; a heads-up play that stops the opposition from tying up the ballgame. All of these plays have value. Although it might not be quite as obvious as an RBI single or home run, a run is a run, no matter how you chalk it up.

Last year, Ryan posted a 3.5 WAR, a number that made him the 63rd most valuable player in baseball while hitting just .194. While that number was driven by a probably unsustainable league leading 3.6 dWAR (WAR comprised from just defensive contributions) and 27 defensive runs saved (numbers of runs above or below average a fielder was), Ryan provided legitimate value without even hitting his weight. Additionally, albeit last year’s career highs may be a bit extreme, Ryan has a long track record of posting at least 2 WAR and 2.6 dWAR annually since he began receiving steady playing time in 2009. When 2 WAR represents a league average starter, and Ryan is surpassing that without practically any offense whatsoever, it further proves that there is more value in defense than most would usually expect.

Iglesias, by all measures (defensive metrics or the simple “eye” test), is in the same sort of league as Ryan defensively; whether it be because of his extraordinary first-step quickness, unparalleled range, or strong arm, Iglesias is the definition of an elite defender. It is not farfetched that he could produce similar WAR totals to Ryan if just given the opportunity.

If Iglesias’ bat breaks out this year (he is batting a robust .583 this season), then the Red Sox shouldn’t have any doubt as to who is their shortstop of the future. But maybe this year represents more of the same, and Iglesias’ bat will simply lag behind his glove. Count me in the latter, as I still think thousands of at-bats with poor results trump 12 at-bats with good results. Even without competent hitting, Iglesias can still have plenty of value on the diamond, and (I think) possibly more than a healthy Stephen Drew. Just don’t give up on him if he is hitting .230 in June; he’s more valuable than you think.

Get Out The Vote! What Would You Do With Jose Iglesias When Stephen Drew Returns?

Steve Peterson — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 22:34:38 +0000

We have received a bit a of action on the Jose Iglesias/Stephen Drew poll question today. I encourage you to weigh in at the end of the article. BSI will publish the results of the poll at the end of that day tomorrow.

Poll data to date:

What Would You Do With Jose Iglesias When Stephen Drew Returns?

Steve Peterson — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 16:47:10 +0000

The knock on Jose Iglesias has always been his hitting both from a production and an approach perspective. The Red Sox have been clear with him; learn to hit and get on base and good things will happen. Iglesias’ defensive skills are unmatched in the organization but it’s his stick that has kept him in the minors.

Apr 1, 2013; Bronx, NY, USA; Boston Red Sox shortstop Jose Iglesias (10) reaches on an infield single allowing a runner to score during the second inning against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports

If you have followed my columns over the past few years you know that I have not been an Iglesias proponent, that is until I pulled my head out of my butt and really watched him during the 2013 spring training season as he hit .294 and had an OBP of .324. To be fair there was a whole lot more to appreciate this season that in years past. In the offseason Iglesias spent four days with Dustin Pedroia trying to understand what it takes to be a Major League hitter. Something must have clicked. Iglesias has not only been hitting but has clearly been more aggressive at the plate. How can you learn from Pedey, after all, and not become a bit frothy at the mouth after drinking his Kool Aid?

Even though Stephen Drew has not played a regular season inning in a Red Sox uniform, John Farrell is going to stick to his promise that no player should be penalized and drummed out of a starting position due to injury even though the fact is it happens all the time. Ask Drew Bledsoe about Tom Brady.

I admire Farrell and Boston’s integrity but this situation has to be managed with the organization’s overall strategy and goals in mind. What if Drew comes back and is slow to come up to speed or his injury hampers him enough to make him underperform but is not so severe that a test would detect it and Drew decides to remain mum about it to keep his job? Stephen Drew’s a stand up guy with a lot of character. Again, however, this stuff happens all the time.

In the meantime you’ll have a demotivated young shortstop possibly on the cusp of filling a decade-long gaping void in the Red Sox lineup who is languishing in the minors waiting for either another injury or for Drew’s two year contract to expire. Personally, this feels like a serve youth Jackie Bradley Jr. moment all over again. You’ve articulated to Iglesias for two years what he needed to do. He’s now doing it, albeit for two games in the regular season (5-9, .556 BA, .556 OBP) but his spring stats support that this may be no fluke. What if he keeps on doing it right up to Drew’s return, the Sox stay hot (their 2-0 start is the first time this has happened in Boston since 1999), get off to a great start and Drew’s minor league rehab performances are lackluster? Mr. Farrell, you hot seat awaits.

This story, however, isn’t about me, the other Red Sox scribes and pundits, nor about Red Sox management. It’s about you. Tell BSI what you think. Post you vote on the poll below and drop a comment at the end if you like. Our writers love hearing from you.

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

“Old Lackey is Back”–New Rookie, Bradley headed for Fenway–Victorino’s hit leads 6-1 win over Phils

Earl Nash — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 05:51:39 +0000

Although Shane Victorino’s game winning hit against his former team will be featured by most media, the two significant take-aways from the Sox 6-1 win over the Phils are: ‘Look out Old Lackey is Back’ and GM Cherington’s confirmation that rookie OF Jackie Bradley is now odds on to start at Fenway on Opening Day.

“Old Lackey is Back”–New Rookie, Bradley headed for Fenway–Victorino’s hit leads 6-1 win over Phils - BoSox Injection - BoSox Injection - A Boston Red Sox Fan Site - News, Blogs, Opinion and More

Iglesias, Gomez Lead 9-2 Offensive Outburst Against Rays

Conor Duffy — Sun, 17 Mar 2013 12:01:04 +0000

The Red Sox continued their winning ways today with another solid win against the Rays. Getting the start was Alfredo Aceves, who lasted 4.1 strong innings in his first game back from pitching in the World Baseball Classic with Mexico. In those innings, he wasn’t great but he got the job done by allowing two runs on six hits and a walk while striking out none. However, Aceves did benefit from some pretty solid run support against opposing starter Roberto Hernandez, formerly Fausto Carmona.

Mar 8, 2012; Fort Myers, FL, USA; Boston Red Sox shortstop Jose Iglesias (10) flies out to the Minnesota Twins during the second inning at JetBlue Park. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

A two-run single by Lyle Overbay, scoring Jose Iglesias and Jackie Bradley from third and second, got the Red Sox off to a quick start in the first inning. They held that 2-0 lead until the second inning where a Ronald Bermudez single scored J.C. Linares to give the Red Sox an easy 3-0 lead. The Rays would cut into it a bit in the third inning, however, when they nabbed a pair of runs off Alfredo Aceves.

Roberto Hernandez settled down a bit after that and pitched scoreless frames until he was pulled after five innings. After that, the Red Sox got individual runs off Rays’ relievers in the sixth and seventh on another RBI single for Ronald Bermudez and a Ryan Lavarnway sacrifice fly (after Jose Iglesias had reached on a leadoff triple). This put the Red Sox up 5-2, but they were far from done.

After a scoreless eighth inning, the Red Sox put together quite a rally in the ninth inning. A pair of leadoff singles put a runner in scoring position, and with one out, prospect Blake Swihart (who played at Single-A Greenville in 2012) doubled to right to score a pair. After Lyle Overbay worked a walk, a Mauro Gomez double would score two more to make it 9-2.

Meanwhile, the Red Sox had received pretty solid pitching in relief of Aceves. He was relieved by the Andrews (Miller and Bailey), who combined for 1.2 innings, striking out 2 and allowing a hit. After a perfect inning for Daniel Bard, always good to see, the Red Sox put a couple of no-name relievers, Chris Martin and Sean Henn, into the game to record a pair of scoreless innings and get out of the game with a seven-run lead.

Red Sox Take It Down To The Wire But Lose 4-3 In First Spring Matchup

Conor Duffy — Sat, 23 Feb 2013 22:37:23 +0000

Red Sox fans got a good game in the first Grapefruit League game of 2013, but it eventually culminated in a loss. Pitching dominated the first game of the year for both sides as the Red Sox eventually wound up losing 4-3 at home to the Tampa Bay Rays. The major story line in the early portion of this game was the Red Sox pitchers, starting with John Lackey, who made his first appearance since having Tommy John Surgery last November. Lackey started off rough, loading the bases with no outs, but he worked out of it with minimal damage; he allowed just one run on a sacrifice fly to Ryan Roberts. After walking one and hitting another of the first two hitters, Lackey had his good stuff going, with a fastball sitting in the high 80′s and decent control.

After Lackey left the ballgame after just an inning, we got to see some of the young pitchers. That started with Drake Britton pitching the second and third inning. For the most part, I liked what I saw from Britton keeping in mind that he’s likely to be a future reliever. His fastball sat in the mid to low 90′s, and although he didn’t have the best control, he also showed a quality slider and change. Britton allowed a run and a hit with a couple of walks in his two innings of work. Alex Wilsonwas the next to enter the game, and he pitched admirably for an inning, recording three strikeouts by mixing a low 90′s fastball and excellent slider.

Feb 17, 2013; Fort Myers FL, USA; Boston Red Sox shortstop Jose Iglesias (10) poses during photo day at JetBlue Park. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

After those three pitchers left the ballgame, there wasn’t too much to watch. The Red Sox bats were mostly held in check for the first six innings and only had three hits (a single for Will Middlebrooks and doubles for Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Jacoby Ellsbury) when the Red Sox entered the seventh inning. One quick out was recorded before Jeremy Hazelbaker worked an eight pitch walk. Then came the big blow as Jose Iglesias of all people decided enough was enough and hit an absolute bomb over the replica Green Monster in due left field to tie the game.

The Red Sox’ momentum was short-lived, however, as the Rays recorded two more quick outs to get out of the seventh. Oscar Villarreal took over to pitch the eighth and after getting an out, he allowed a single to Jack Cust. A Shawn O’Malley forceout put a runner on first with two outs for Rays’ prospect Leslie Anderson. Anderson hit a high drive to right field that just kept carrying out of the ballpark for a long home run to give the Rays a 4-2 lead. Pressure ran high after a scoreless eighth, when the Red Sox put a couple more hits together in the ninth.

With one out in the inning, Jeremy Hazelbaker showed some pop off of reliever Matt Buschmann, doubling off the wall in deep center field. Jose Iglesias flew out pretty much to left-center field to put Hazelbaker in scoring position with two outs. Then came top prospect Xander Bogaerts, who worked a long at bat before grounding a ball up the middle for an RBI single that cut the Rays’ lead in half at 4-3. Again, the momentum was fractured when Daniel Nava struck out looking to end the game one run short.

Near the Edge of the Cliff: What does the future hold for Jose Iglesias?

John Fahrer — Sat, 22 Dec 2012 18:28:54 +0000

With the recent signing (pending a physical) of Stephen Drew, it seems like Jose Iglesias will begin the 2013 season with Triple A Pawtucket. This probably doesn’t come as much of a surprise to a significant percentage of Red Sox fans. Iglesias only hit .118/.200/.191/.391 with one home run in 77 plate appearances in 2012. Though there’s a really good chance the lineup will be a very productive one in 2013, it would still be a big gamble to plug Iglesias in there. Even more so in case the likes of Mike Napoli and Shane Victorino put up numbers that resemble their 2012 versions rather than their stellar 2011 performances. Plus given the club’s decent track record of one-year deals working out for the better, the Drew signing should be a solid one.

At this stage, Iglesias seems to be at the edge of a cliff (metaphorically speaking). Simply moving forward from the edge presents Iglesias with a rocky road. Xander Bogaerts is close to surpassing him on the depth chart. There’s also high ceiling prospects not far behind in Tzu-Wei Lin, Jose Vinicio, and Deven Marrero. This will be the last season where Iglesias can be optioned to the minors while remaining on the 40 man roster. If he doesn’t improve his bat, he will likely be removed from the roster at season’s end, effectively falling off the cliff.

In a recent article for the Boston Globe, Tony Massarotti pondered whether the Red Sox should keep Iglesias or package him in a trade. In his recent mailbag, Nick Cafardo stated that Iglesias has always been available, but nobody’s really offered a decent return. That was until a recent article from NESN.com that stated the Pittsburgh Pirates might have interest. In his recent post, Conor Duffy mentioned that the Red Sox and Pirates have been discussing a trade involving closer Joel Hanrahan. Perhaps Iglesias could be included in such a deal.

What does the future hold for Jose Iglesias? That’s anybody’s guess. If he isn’t traded, he’ll be with the organization for at least one more season. If the bat doesn’t improve, he’ll likely fall of that cliff. But his awesome glove could provide a soft landing, so to speak. Perhaps landing a cozy gig as a starter or backup for a small market team.

Cherington, Fenway High’s “Dean of Discipline” Playing “Bridge” at the GM Winter meetings

Earl Nash — Sat, 10 Nov 2012 17:57:54 +0000

“Discipline…Discipline …Discipline …” is Ben Cherington’s mantra, so don’t expect him to buy a FA with a long-term contract this week at the GM’s meeting. If Ben dated twins while attending Amherst, they would have been named Prudence and Patience; but, even a Puritanical married couple in New England wouldn’t name a baby girl “Discipline”—unless it puts them over a dozen kids.

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Free Agent Flea Market, Part TWO: Sox Shopping for a SHORTSTOP

Earl Nash — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 16:20:06 +0000

Bud’s MLB Free Agent Flea Market opens 12:01 a.m. ET on Saturday, so let’s amble around the folding tables and eager agents to see if there are any SHORTSTOP bargains for the Red Sox. In Part One: Starters and Closers, we identified the following Sox needs: Starting pitcher[s]; closer, SS, OF, 1b. [http://bosoxinjection.com/2012/10/31/free-agent-flea-market-opens-saturday-who-fits-needs-of-red-sox-wallet/] Today, in Part Two [...]

Free Agent Flea Market, Part TWO: Sox Shopping for a SHORTSTOP - BoSox Injection - BoSox Injection - A Boston Red Sox Fan Site - News, Blogs, Opinion and More

Get Lowrie back from Astros to fill Lucchino Loophole at SS

Earl Nash — Tue, 23 Oct 2012 14:03:19 +0000

Since, in his desperation to obtain his former 4-year employee John Farrell from Toronto, Larry Lucchino gave away the team’s starting SS, it’s time for GM Cherington to speed dial Astros’ GM Jeff Luhnow to obtain Jed Lowrie [remember him?] for prospects; since Houston is in “rebuilding” mode, maybe they would take a pair of Carpenters.

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At Long Last, Iglesias Heating Up At The Plate

Conor Duffy — Sat, 22 Sep 2012 12:59:43 +0000

It has certainly taken a while for Jose Iglesias to even become lukewarm at the plate. However, in recent games (the last two series particularly), it appears that Iglesias may have finally found himself at the plate. In Iglesias’ 1-3 performance last night’s 4-2 loss to the Orioles, he actually broke a string of four games that the young shortstop has scored a run.

September 20, 2012; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; Boston Red Sox shortstop Jose Iglesias (58) hits a single in the sixth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-US PRESSWIRE

With Iglesias the only shortstop prospect that the Red Sox have that’s really even close to major league ready, and a better longterm solution than Mike Aviles, it’s good that he’s finally showing what he can do. Although he isn’t great with the bat, even in Pawtucket this year, he only batted .266/.318/.306, he’s always been known for his glove. Just in his brief time in Boston so far, we’ve seen Iglesias make some fantastic plays, including a couple of very difficult double plays last night.

There’s a pretty solid chance that Iglesias will be the frontrunner to be the 2013 starting shortstop, as the Red Sox may pursue a trade of Mike Aviles this offseason. Of course, they could always acquire someone else, but the free agent market is weak and they would have to completely mortgage their farm to make a primetime acquisition like Troy Tulowitzki or Starlin Castro.

No matter what the plans are for this offseason, though, it’s always nice to see a young player performing well. While .143/.265/.238 in 17 games is pretty brutal, the .286 (4-14) with 2 runs scored, a home run, and 2 walks in his last five games is definitely better. It would be excellent if Iglesias could manage to bring his average up above the Mendoza Line before the season’s end (10 more games). Even if he doesn’t, though, he’s probably the shortstop for the next two or three years and we’ll just have to get used to it.

Which Prospects Could The Red Sox Call Up This September?

Conor Duffy — Tue, 21 Aug 2012 01:45:28 +0000

Aug 18, 2012; Boston, MA, USA; Pawtucket Red Sox shortstop

With the Red Sox sitting at 59-63 and in fourth place in the dog days of summer, this season is beginning to look pretty hopeless. The lack of winning this year, though, has opened up some doors for the Red Sox. Normally come September call ups, the Red Sox are in the heat of the pennant race and have no room for prospects, but this year we’ll get a good look at a number of prospects from the higher levels of the minors. There’s a very good chance that come September, we’ll see plenty of younger guys starting games for the Boston Red Sox.

With a season-ending wrist injury for third baseman Will Middlebrooks and a struggling shortstop Mike Aviles, the Red Sox should move Pedro Ciriaco to third base and play Jose Iglesias at shortstop. Normally a light-hitting, slick-fielding shortstop– he’s kept his side of the bargain with the fielding but at the moment has been hitting up a storm at Triple-A Pawtucket. Despite unimpressive numbers on the season– .269/.321/.309 with 1 home run and 23 RBIs– Iglesias is hitting .348/.423/.420 in August. He may not be a tremendous upgrade over Mike Aviles right now, but it’ll be good to get him acclimated to the big leagues and his defense is always fun to watch.

Iglesias is the main position player, but also on the 40-man roster are Che-Hsuan Lin and Ryan Kalish. Neither of those players has hit a ton down in the minors this year at .248/.328/.318 and .268/.349/.455 respectively, but we could see them in limited outfield roles with Carl Crawford headed for Tommy John Surgery. Another outfielder that the Red Sox could see a bit of is J.C. Linares, who has put up a .298/.324/.471 slash line in 50 games with Pawtucket. The 27 year old is yet to make his major league debut but could do so in 2012.

Finally, it never hurts to have some pitching, especially with the 2012 Red Sox, and some rookies may be the answer. 25 year old relief prospect Alex Wilson will almost certainly make his major league debut this year– he is 5-3 with a 3.42 ERA with Pawtucket. The Red Sox will probably also get their first look at Theo Epstein’s compensation Chris Carpenter (1-0, 0.64 ERA in Pawtucket), Kevin Youkilis trade product Zach Stewart (3-4, 4.13 ERA in Pawtucket), and Kelly Shoppach trade product Pedro Beato (4-4, 3.56 between Triple-A Buffalo and Pawtucket). All of those pitchers will likely make appearances out of the bullpen and we could even see Stewart start a few games down the line.

While it’s true that the Red Sox have a fairly bottom heavy farm system with little to no elite talent at the upper levels of the minor leagues, this should be a fun September. Since the Red Sox aren’t winning, seeing all the new faces from Pawtucket should be a bright spot as the Red Sox kind of cut loose. Who knows, some of them could even impress the way Pedro Ciriaco has. In any case, it can’t be worse than last year’s September, right? Right!?

Taking back the Red Sox: FULL TEXT…Parts 1 through 6

Earl Nash — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 17:54:19 +0000

Who kidnapped our Red Sox? The Owner? CEO? GM? Manager? Players?

Hand me my Red Sox souvenir Giant Foam Finger: ALL of the above! And it’s time for the Citizens of Red Sox Nation to take their team back!

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Taking the Red Sox away from these FAILURES: PT. 6: Fans Buy the Red Sox

Earl Nash — Sun, 12 Aug 2012 04:26:37 +0000

[Ed. Note: We have attempted to make the case that the current owner, CEO, GM, manager, and players are ruining the Boston Red Sox. Now, in the last of the 6-part series, we propose a solution.]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We the people of Red Sox Nation, in order to form a more perfect team, believe it is our duty to the Boston Red Sox franchise and the game of baseball to buy the team and own it forever.

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Mike Aviles, Carl Crawford, Nick Punto, and Kelly Shoppach On Waivers

Conor Duffy — Fri, 10 Aug 2012 23:36:12 +0000

Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-US PRESSWIRE

Just because the July 31 Trading Deadline has passed by no means suggests that the hot stove is done for. Waiver deals can be made until August 31, and the Red Sox made their first step towards a few roster moves today by placing four players on waivers: Mike Aviles, Carl Crawford, Nick Punto, and Kelly Shoppach. Players can either clear or not clear waivers, deciding whether these waiver deals are or are not possible. Earlier today, Crawford and Punto actually cleared waivers, so it’s possible that we could see either or both of them traded.

The big name here is former Tampa Bay Rays star Carl Crawford. After several fantastic seasons with the Rays, the Red Sox signed Crawford to a 7 year/$142 million contract in the 2010/2011 offseason. However, so far he’s been a failure to live up to expectations as he batted .255/.289/.405 with 11 home runs and 18 steals last season before starting 2012 injured. He’s been better this year, batting .271/.300/.482 with 3 home runs so far, but it’s not a huge surprise to see him on waivers. With his huge contract, I’d be surprised to see him traded though.

It’s not a huge surprise to see Nick Punto and Kelly Shoppach on waivers. Since being signed to a 2 year/$3 million contract this offseason, Punto has had a quiet season as a backup infielder– batting .200/.302/.278 with 1 home run and 9 RBIs. However, the arrivals of Pedro Ciriaco (.341/.349/.482, 6 steals) and Will Middlebrooks (.292/.326/.515, 15 home runs) has made Punto expendable and he hasn’t played much lately. Meanwhile, it was a bit of a surprise to not see Kelly Shoppach traded at the non-waiver deadline. He’s been one of, if not the best backup catcher in baseball this year– batting .258/.338/.492 with 5 home runs and 16 RBIs. However, with Jarrod Saltalamacchia (.231/.288/.483, 20 home runs) and Ryan Lavarnway (.295/.376/.439 in triple-A) on the roster, there isn’t any room for him and we could see him and Punto traded.

The surprise on this list is Mike Aviles as he’s done a respectable job in his first full season in Boston– batting .253/.280/.396 with 11 home runs and 52 RBIs so far. It’s true that he’s probably not a piece the Red Sox will be building around, but they don’t really have anybody fully ready to take on everyday duties at shortstop. Pedro Ciriaco has been great so far, but he won’t be able to keep up his ridiculous pace over an entire season. Jose Iglesias, maybe? But he’s only hitting .256/.304/.294 (with admittedly great defense) at triple-A. I don’t think the Red Sox will trade Aviles unless they get a great return, but I’m sure we’ll see plenty of Iglesias this September.

Taking the Red Sox away from these FAILURES: PT. 5: Blame the PLAYERS

Earl Nash — Fri, 10 Aug 2012 18:22:30 +0000

We ask for a FIFTH time: Who kidnapped our Red Sox?

Hand me my Red Sox souvenir Giant Foam Finger, YET, ONCE AGAIN!

A: ALL of the above! And it’s time for the Citizens of Red Sox Nation to take their team back!

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The Boston Red Sox All-Minor League Team

Conor Duffy — Tue, 24 Jul 2012 12:33:51 +0000

Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-US PRESSWIRE

Ever since I really got into the Red Sox and major league baseball in general, one part of baseball that’s really fascinated me is prospects. The Red Sox may not have the best farm system in baseball, but it’s certainly an entertaining one. To give all the readers of BoSox Injection an accurate representation of the potential of these minor leaguers, I’ve compiled a full 25-man roster of them. As a whole, this looks like a well rounded and impressive group of top prospects. Fast forward a few years and pretend every current member of the Red Sox is gone, their team may look something like this group I’ve put together.

The Starting Lineup:

Garin Cecchini 3B (.301/.383/.426, 4 home runs, 50 RBIs, 32 stolen bases with single-A Greenville)
Jackie Bradley CF (.339/.449/.503, 5 home runs, 51 RBIs, 21 stolen bases between single-A Salem and double-A Portland)
Xander Bogaerts SS (.284/.358/.466, 12 home runs, 52 RBIs, 20 doubles with single-A Salem)
Ryan Lavarnway C (.300/.386/.451, 8 home runs, 41 RBIs, 21 doubles with triple-A Pawtucket)
Bryce Brentz RF (.274/.340/.444, 12 home runs, 50 RBIs, 21 doubles with double-A Portland)
Keury De La Cruz LF (.309/.356/.526, 14 home runs, 59 RBIs, 6 triples with single-A Greenville)
Travis Shaw 1B (.317/.418/.565, 16 home runs, 72 RBIs, 30 doubles with single-A Salem)
Brandon Jacobs DH (.279/.336/.429, 8 home runs, 48 RBIs, 12 steals with single-A Salem)
Sean Coyle 2B (.243/.305/.383, 7 home runs, 45 RBIs, 25 doubles with single-A Salem)

The Bench:

Michael Almanzar 1B/3B (.296/.348/.451, 8 home runs, 39 RBIs, 27 doubles with single-A Salem)
Alex Hassan OF (.262/.381/.384, 7 home runs, 45 RBIs, 13 doubles with triple-A Pawtucket)
Jose Iglesias SS (.260/.305/.298, 1 home run, 20 RBIs, 10 stolen bases between single-A Lowell and triple-A Pawtucket)
Blake Swihart C (.268/.316/.402, 5 home runs, 37 RBIs, 4 triples with single-A Greenville)

The Starting Rotation:

Matt Barnes (7-3, 2.33 ERA, 110 strikeouts, 89 innings pitched between single-A Greenville and single-A Salem)
Brandon Workman (7-6, 3.40 ERA, 88 strikeouts, 95.1 innings pitched with single-A Salem)
Chris Hernandez (4-8, 3.12 ERA, 64 strikeouts, 109.2 innings pitched between double-A Portland and triple-A Pawtucket)
Miguel Pena (5-5, 2.60 ERA, 68 strikeouts, 72.2 innings pitched with single-A Greenville)
Noe Ramirez (0-2, 2.93 ERA, 31 strikeouts, 40 innings pitched with single-A Greenville)

The Bullpen:

Alex Wilson LRP/RHP (5-2, 3.41 ERA, 61 strikeouts, 58 innings pitched with triple-A Pawtucket)
Aaron Kurcz LRP/RHP (3-4, 3.04 ERA, 72 strikeouts, 50.1 innings pitched with double-A Portland)
Will Inman MRP/RHP (1-3, 2.48 ERA, 51 strikeouts, 40 innings pitched with triple-A Pawtucket)
Josh Fields MRP/RHP (3-3, 3.03 ERA, 51 strikeouts, 38.2 innings pitched with double-A Portland)
Junichi Tazawa SU/RHP (3-2, 2.55 ERA, 56 strikeouts, 42.1 innings pitched with triple-A Pawtucket)
Chris Carpenter SU/RHP (0-0, 3.27 ERA, 13 strikeouts, 11 innings pitched between GCL, single-A Salem, double-A Portland, and triple-A Pawtucket)
Michael Olmsted CP/RHP (0-2, 2.29 ERA, 61 strikeouts, 39.1 innings pitched with single-A Salem)

There you go, that’s my representation of who I’d pick to be on an All-Red Sox team. Would you have done anything different? Please comment and thanks for reading.

You’re Josh Beckett, Family Man and You’re Dreaming about a trade to Texas

Earl Nash — Thu, 19 Jul 2012 21:16:15 +0000

You’re Josh Beckett and you heart skipped a beat when you read this today: “The Rangers, in search of a high-end pitcher to top their rotation…” in Danny Knobler’s Baseball Insider.

“Texas,” the word brings places of remembered beauty to your mind, heart, and spirit.

And you wonder: “Would Boston be willing to trade me to the Rangers?”

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