A Red Sox better off with or without him look

Jul 4, 2015; Boston, MA, USA; Members of the Air Force Reserve stand on the field in front of the flag during pre-game ceremonies for the 4th of July prior to the game against the Houston Astros at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Gregory J. Fisher-USA TODAY Sports

The Red Sox have made several decisions in the last five years that have resulted in mixed reviews on just how they have impacted the team. Some are the result of trades, projecting minor league talent and signing or not signing free agents.

As Dear Abby would say over significant other discord: ” Are you better off with or without him (her)?” Apply that to Boston.

This is an examination of positional players with a comparison to what could have been and what is now on the field. The statistical comparison is for this season and not for the collective years a player has departed Boston. Just who has the edge? Which player has performed equal, exceeded or less than his current Boston counterpart? Again, times can change and a bust one season can be spectacular the next.

And, yes, some of the selections can be, well – selective. And some such as first base and RF have been altered considerably.

Jul 23, 2015; Houston, TX, USA; Boston Red Sox first baseman Mike Napoli (12) hits an RBI double during the eighth inning against the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

First base

Red Sox – Mike Napoli

Team rank is 10th in AL 1B with a 0.7 WAR. Team: .215/.310/.395 15 HR 44 RBI
Napoli in Boston for 2015: .207/.307/.386 with 13 HR 41 RBI

Former Red Sox – Adrian Gonzalez

.292/.369/.517 22 HR 69 RBI

Napoli has been in the rumor mill all season and so far there has been little movement. Napoli, in the last year of his contract, will not return to Boston as they will seek other options – the especially internal movement of players.

The Red Sox long displayed a fondness for Gonzalez and eventually won the sweepstakes to bring him to Boston with a trade and sign the included several prospects – most notably Anthony Rizzo.

For A-Gon it just didn’t materialize in Boston and eventually the famed Nick Punto trade sent Gonzalez to the Dodgers where he continues to do what he does best – hit and play a superb defense.

In Boston Gonzalez did produce reasonable numbers in his two seasons slashing .321/.382/.513 with a less than locally expected 42 home runs and 203 RBI.

EDGE – Gonzalez

Jul 21, 2015; Houston, TX, USA; Boston Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia (15) in the dugout before a game against the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Second base

Red Sox – Dustin Pedroia

.287/.348/.426 9 HR 34 RBI

Former Red Sox – Stephen Drew

.195/.263/.396 15 HR 35 RBI

What a disaster.

The saga of Drew in Boston was a baseball soap opera that will be handed down generation to generation by Red Sox fans.

Drew, originally refused a one year deal qualifier – a rare error on market conditions by his agent Scott Boras. So Drew sat while he waited and waited. Eventually the need surfaced right back in Boston as Xander Bogaerts simply did not live up to expectations.

How bad was it?

Drew was sent to the Yankees in a rare swap between the Hatfield’s and McCoy’s of baseball. The Red Sox also sent along a satchel of money and did receive Kelly Johnson in return. In New York, Drew has been moved to second base and his hitting is well below the Mendoza Line. In Boston, Drew slashed .236/.316/.417 in 573 at bats with 17 home runs and 78 RBI.

Pedroia will eventually join Pedro Martinez in the Hall of Fame and will, no doubt, be in the stratosphere of team records when he finally retires.

EDGE – Pedroia

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

Shortstop

Jul 24, 2015; Boston, MA, USA; Detroit Tigers shortstop Jose Iglesias (1) turns a double play as Boston Red Sox first baseman Mike Napoli (R) slides during the fourth inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Mark L. Baer-USA TODAY Sports

Red Sox – Xander Bogaerts

.314/.341/.409 3 HR 54 RBI

Former Red Sox – Jose Iglesias

.304/.346/.381 2 HR 21 RBI

The development took a few seasons where the bat had to catch up with that remarkable glove, but the wait was worth it. Iglesias is the best defensive SS in the American League and he can hit. Think about the slow development process when tracking the minor league career of Yoan Moncada.

In Boston Iglesias slashed .280/.333/.356 and the constant message was this was a baseball mirage – he can’t have progressed that far with the bat? Jose did.

Iglesias became expendable when the Red Sox needed pitching, had Drew available and Bogaerts in the wings as a top ranked prospect. In the short-term, it worked and that WS banner proves that. But both Iglesias and Bogaerts had a forgettable 2014 season. For Iglesias it was a season lost to injury and for Bogaerts it was MLB growing pains.

Both players will be All-Stars for a long time. What I look at is the superior glove work of Iglesias enough to off-set the dynamic RISP production of Bogaerts?

EDGE – Bogaerts

Jul 21, 2015; Houston, TX, USA; Boston Red Sox left fielder Hanley Ramirez (13) catches a fly ball during the fifth inning against the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Left Field

Red Sox – Hanley Ramirez

.262/.315/.446 19 HR 53 RBI

Former Red Sox – Yoenis Cespedes

.291/.315/.496 19 HR 68 RBI

Both players have attachments to their baseball resumes that question some issues that are best described as “personality deficits.” For Cespedes his stay was a short 51 games in which he slashed .269/.296/.423 with five home runs and 33 RBI.

Cespedes and Ramirez both can hit, but can both field? This season the UZR/150 for Cespedes is 21.3 and for Ramirez it is a -32.1 (last). It would be a kindness to state the defense switch has not quite worked out for Hanley and the Red Sox.

Cespedes has (again) moved on and will cash in with a substantial contract in free agency.

EDGE – Cespedes

Jul 23, 2015; Bronx, NY, USA; New York Yankees center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury (22) hits a sacrifice fly allowing a runner to score during the fifth inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports

Center field

Red Sox – Mookie Betts

.266/.316/.437 10 HR 50 RBI

Former Red Sox – Jacoby Ellsbury

.264/.334/.353 5 HR 23 RBI

The Red Sox diligently attempted to work around the departure of Johnny Damon with mixed results until Ellsbury showed up in late 2007 and took command of CF.

Ellsbury was a force in Boston despite the numerous injuries. A slash of .297/.350/.439 with a Gold Glove, Silver Slugger and three stolen base titles tossed in. The Red Sox had no need to retain Ellsbury since they had a potential star in Jackie Bradley. An eerie similarity to the Damon departure.

What stands out this season for Betts has been his adaptability to center field. Betts has a UZR/150 of 5.1 to Ellsbury’s -15.5.

Enter Betts and a future star that just may pass Ellsbury, and, to me, Betts already has.

EDGE – Betts

Jul 20, 2015; Anaheim, CA, USA; Boston Red Sox right fielder Shane Victorino (18) slides to make a catch during the sixth inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium of Anaheim. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports

Right field

Red Sox – Shane Victorino

Team rank is 12th in AL RF with 1.1 WAR. Team: .236/.306/.341 9 HR 59 RBI
Victorino in Boston for 2015: .245/.324/.298 1 HR 4 RBI

Former Red Sox – Josh Reddick

.282/.331/.453 13 HR 60 RBI

That could be Brandon Moss as a former Red Sox and for Boston it could be Brock Holt or Jackie Bradley or Rusney Castillo since that slot apparently is and has been in flux all season. So I will go with Victorino based on the fact that manager John Farrell declared the position to be Victorino’s back in the spring.

Reddick was part of that triumvirate of promising Red Sox outfielders from ten years ago and all have eventually contributed. Moss has had a productive career, Ellsbury was a key contributor on two championship teams and Reddick has finally lived up to his projected potential.

In Boston Reddick was a spare part and in parts of three seasons slashed .248/.290/.416 with ten home runs and 37 RBI while playing all three outfield positions. Reddick also picked up a Gold Glove in his first season in Oakland so he can certainly be depended upon with the glove.

Victorino is a gamer. The problem is the wheels (legs) are starting to fall off. The in and out of the line-up situation has provided little in the way of stability in right field. Time off the field creates rust when one returns – especially with the bat.

EDGE – Reddick

Jul 23, 2015; Houston, TX, USA; Boston Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz (34) celebrates with left fielder Hanley Ramirez (13) after hitting a home run during the eighth inning against the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Designated hitter

Red Sox – David Ortiz

.255/.346/.503 25 HR 68 RBI

Former Red Sox – Victor Martinez

.244/.306/.378 9 HR 48 RBI

Martinez arrived in Boston from the Cleveland Indians and immediately made a production impact. That never dissipated in Boston, where in a season and a half Martinez slashed an impressive .313/.368/.497 with 28 home runs and 120 RBI. Martinez also made the All-Star team in 2010 and became a free agent after the season ended.

In Detroit Martinez has shifted to DH and a bit of first base tossed in. In 2014 Martinez was an All-Star, finished second on the MVP ballot and led the league in OPS. This season has not been as productive as injuries have mitigated his performance.

For Ortiz 2015 has seen a continual slippage of average and power until something kicked in and Papi is on a tear to another 30 home runs. Ortiz appeared dead in any comparison back in June. Not now.

EDGE – Ortiz

Sources: Baseball-reference/Fangraphs (through 8/13)

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