A Red Sox better off with or without him look
By Rick McNair
Jul 20, 2015; Denver, CO, USA; Texas Rangers third baseman Adrian Beltre (29) hits a game tying RBI double during the ninth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. The Rockies won 8-7. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports
Third base
Red Sox – Pablo Sandoval
.252/.304/.376 9 HR 35 RBI
Former Red Sox – Adrian Beltre
.262/.306/.399 9 HR 30 RBI
Beltre was a one-year rental, but what a year it was. His first “Impact” was in Kansas City, where he demolished Jacoby Ellsbury. The other impact was at the plate where Beltre slashed .321/.365/.553 while hitting 28 home runs and bagging 103 RBI. Beltre also was an All-Star and won a Silver Slugger Award.
The Red Sox simply let a devastating right-handed bat go. The plan was that Will Middlebrooks would be the next devastating right-handed bat and that would settle that. Middlebrooks is gone and the Red Sox signed Sandoval to address the third base dilemma.
Sandoval is not producing as expected. The defense is an abomination and his work with the bat questionable. This is starting to have the appearance of a free agent disaster. Beltre has a distinct advantage in any defensive comparison.
EDGE – Beltre