Accentuate the Red Sox positive for 2016
Sep 24, 2015; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Red Sox president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski (left) introduces Mike Hazen (right) as the team
What went wrong in 2015 (and 2014) have been tossed around by fans and the media almost nonstop since the first cracks appeared back in 2014 and escalated in 2015 with disappointing – and I am being kind and gentle – new acquisitions via trade and free agency.
The angst was apparent as the season progressed, but the faithful still showed up and still had some glimmer of future hope surfaced that certainly dulled the Sword of Damocles that has hovered over Fenway Park for far too long.
Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence. – Helen Keller
Is there optimism for 2016? Let’s look for some nuggets that can be mined from the 2015 season. There certainly are a number of items that point to a visit to the promised land of playoffs and this is but a few.
Sep 30, 2015; Bronx, NY, USA; Boston Red Sox center fielder Mookie Betts (50) hits a two run home run against the New York Yankees during the eleventh inning at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
The rise of the young and influential
Mookie Betts, Travis Shaw, Xander Bogaerts, Eduardo Rodriguez, Blake Swihart, Jackie Bradley and Henry Owens all presented themselves in various stages of development during 2015. E-Rod and Owens give a glimpse of the pitching future as both appear to be the real deal at ending an organizational pitching drought. Rodriguez could even elevate to the lofty ace status in the future and Owens is just tapping the surface of his potential.
Betts and Bogaerts have All-Star circa 2016 and beyond written all over their performance charts. Betts is becoming a huge fan favorite and certainly a nice marketing tool for the team and for Betts. With Bogaerts let the talk officially begin about a future contract discussion with Scott Boras.
Bradley, Shaw and Swihart may or may not be in future plans as both have high-end trade value. When the dilemma is who does the catching – a healthy Christian Vazquez or the very promising Swihart you know the Red Sox are in Red Barber’s famed catbird seat on catching. And Bradley? Bradley is a pitchers best friend with his incredible fielding athleticism at hauling in pitching mistakes before they become extra bases. And, that arm!
Shaw comes out of nowhere. Is Shaw going to be Will Middlebrooks or will he provide consistent power numbers from either third or first? And, do not dismiss Shaw as a potential cog in the outfield. Shaw’s trade value rings of team controllable with much promise in the power department.
This team was a fun team to watch the last two months of the season and it was certainly reflected in on field performance.
Mar 24, 2015; Jupiter, FL, USA; Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Brian Johnson (78) throws against the Miami Marlins at Roger Dean Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
Down of the farm
The Red Sox have a pipeline of projected talent in the system. Some names such as the Yoan Moncada were pricey additions from the international meat market. Others are starting to surface such as Anderson Espinoza and his maturing fast ball.
The Red Sox scouting department may have their own home run in the drafting of Andrew Benintendi who is already drawing comparisons to elite center fielders of the past and the present. Manuel Margot is – like Benintendi – a center fielder who is ranked among the Red Sox top prospects and certainly has the attention of other teams.
Trade talks with other teams will have names such as Michael Kopech, Rafael Devers, Javier Guerra and Brian Johnson mentioned since the upside is quite attractive. The abundance of young and promising talent allows some significant front office flexibility in player decisions. The farm system is in a sweet spot with the sudden surge of talent and that represents promise for 2016 and well beyond.
Sep 27, 2015; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Red Sox center fielder Mookie Betts (50) and second baseman Dustin Pedroia (third from left) celebrate a victory against the Baltimore Orioles at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Mark L. Baer-USA TODAY Sports
The fans
Red Sox Nation is not some marketing concoction that was dreamed up around a bar stool – it exists and is alive and well despite three for four in last place finishes.
Optimism is the madness of insisting that all is well when we are miserable. – Voltaire
A figure that pops up is 94.8% and that is not some exotic metric, but the percentage of capacity that the Red Sox had for Fenway Park in 2015. That means third place in MLB behind the Giants and St. Louis. The figure is actually higher than the 94.4% of 2013 and a World Series team.
So what about this nation?
The Red Sox road capacity figure was 73.8% and that was seventh in MLB and second – behind the Yankees – in the American League. Historically Boston is a valued drawing card on the road and that means fans on a road trip or drawing from the area Boston is playing in. As a fan who occasionally takes some road games in I can attest that much of that percentage is siphoned from the area the Red Sox are playing in. Red Sox fans are like gnats at a summer picnic – they are everywhere.
The Red Sox are a marketing machine and that could not happen without a loyal, knowledgeable and passionate fan base. That is a key to this team and the disappointment of both 2014 and 2015 had virtually no impact on road attendance and minimal on home.
Jul 5, 2015; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Red Sox owner John Henry watches the game between the Boston Red Sox and the Houston Astros during the fourth inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports
This is not your father’s ownership
I grew up following the Red Sox during one of the most depressing stretches in Red Sox history and that is the 1955-1966 block of time. Yawkey was the wealthiest owner in baseball and had a long history dating back to the 1930s of purchasing talent.
During the bonus era of baseball Yawkey had his scouts sign any and all that had a glimmer of potential so money was never a question. Put down a number on the check and add a few zeroes, but what was missing was accountability. Plenty of money with little tangible results except “Twenty-five cabs for twenty-five players.”
This current ownership group demands results. You have seen that clearly demonstrated in the recent management shift, the public pronouncement or player acquisition and from past experience. If a situation with a player did not attain the expected results there was no qualms about adding dead money or making a trade.
The pro-active ownership certainly makes mistakes and enough has been written about them or tossed around by fans, but those mistakes are not left lingering – they are addressed. This ownership has found the current string of failures unacceptable and that is a huge plus. No stagnation as in the Yawkey years.
Show me the money
Aug 12, 2015; Miami, FL, USA; Boston Red Sox left fielder Hanley Ramirez (13) looks on from the dugout during the sixth inning against the Miami Marlins at Marlins Park. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
There will be not $250 a plate benefits for this ownership as they have generated significant cash flow with each year. Now a luxury tax is just a fiscal inconvenience and free agent expenditures can just go on with the next potential prize a top of the line free agent pitcher. The constant for the last twelve years is one of the top-tier payrolls in baseball.
Money allows mistakes to be made and simply absorbed as the penalty for bad business decisions such as Pablo Sandoval and Hanley Ramirez. While some teams have an annual fire sale of jettisoning potential free agents the Red Sox can just relax and examine the market.
Mike Napoli and Shane Victorino became the latest mid-season additions to the dead money pool. The past is checkered with similar payouts – is Julio Lugo and Edgar Renteria still being paid? So the money-go-round will continue and the bill will be willingly paid by RSN.
The Red Sox fans can enjoy the fact that we are rarely looted. I remembered talking to a Royals fan last season in KC who said that Red Sox fans often view a road trip as a scouting journey for potential free agents. The Red Sox have the cash to address issues and that is a big divider in the current world of baseball.
Sources: Baseball-reference/Sox Prospects/ESPN