A Red Sox better off with or without him look
By Rick McNair
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