Be prepared, Boston Red Sox fans, as the cost of pitching could mean the departure of several top prospects.
Boston Red Sox fans have a tradition along with their media accomplices and that is to extol the virtues of hitting, especially the long ball variety. A recent example has been the surfacing of the fact that Xander Bogaerts does not hit home runs, but that seems to have dissipated with a long ball surge.
The narrow focus has its roots in the fact that Fenway Park – long a noted baseball bandbox – is a place where hitter’s blossom and the right field roof box gives testament to that with various numbers retired. Wade Boggs is there primarily for his bat and Dwight Evans is missing simply over the fact his numbers are not electric, but consistent. The stellar glove work should be enough to place his digits on the roof.
Given the litmus test of would you rather have a 20 game winner or a 40 home run masher, invariably the siren song of the home run will win out as the mesmerized will take Mr. Home Run. You see that in recent pronouncements over the need for more punch or the degradation of a superior defensive force at catcher – Christian Vazquez – simply for his failure to morph into a Carlton Fisk type hitter, or even a Sammy White type hitter.
More from BoSox Injection
- Bizarre trade deadline comes back to haunt Red Sox after Nathan Eovaldi departure
- Red Sox’ Moneyball-style offseason continues with Corey Kluber contract
- Rich Hill’s Red Sox departure puts him within striking distance of unique MLB record
- Red Sox offseason takes another nasty hit with Nathan Eovaldi departure
- Why Red Sox fans should be rooting for Carlos Correa’s Mets deal to go through
However, I have noted a shift over the years as the perceptual dynamic has changed. For many it is an inner conflict of the attraction of the hitting versus the reality that the key to winning is having some good arms that are consistently reliable. Much of this is the result that the latest generation to the Nation and the older members such as Moi have seen the impact of a Curt Schilling, Josh Beckett, Pedro Martinez and the rare home-grown talent of Jon Lester.
Lester was unique and I was baffled on why the Red Sox decided to go all Wal-Mart in an offer for what was a pitching stud. That management foolishness is on display in Chicago, where Lester and former exile John Lackey are performing far superior to our $217 Million Wunderkind.
The Red Sox need pitching and that is a given. Even the most reticent Red Sox fan or media culprit has now realized that. You simply need it. You need to get it and the price tag will be enormous and painful.
Speaking of price, that brings us to David Price. Management certainly realized the necessity for an ace and the decree was to get one and they did. So far the purchase has been less than rewarding, with home runs being a far too often occurrence for Price, but – as with the financial industry – he is simply too good to fail.
The emergence of Steven Wright and the return of Rick Porcello to 2014 form leaves a very good “Top Three” and my personal expectation is that the bruised and battered knee of Eduardo Rodriguez will come around and you will have a stable four. However, this is not baseball of 1962 and a four man rotation is no longer a baseball given.
The fifth slot should not be left to chance. Clay Buchholz, Henry Owens and Roenis Elias are not the answer. They are merely baseball fodder to face the Grim Reaper of other team’s lineups. Joe Kelly is destined for the bullpen or early retirement so the Red Sox leadership – Dave Dombrowski – now is in search for talent and that talent should be exceptional and not consigned to being labeled a bottom of the rotation arm. You need to go Tiffany.
I had mentioned pain and to get talent one must relinquish talent of equal quality, either on the roster or a farm system supposedly ladled with it. You want a Jose Fernandez then be ready to send Mookie Betts to South Beach. If you are lucky, maybe another GM will “only” require Yoan Moncada and Andrew Benintendi. That is the price of pitching.
The mindset of RSN is that somehow each prospect in our top ten is just hanging around for 15 or so seasons as they accumulate Hall of Fame numbers and that is a fantasy. The Red Sox and their fans better be prepared to pay and just place yourself in the perspective of another GM – would you sellout for our sloppy seconds? Of course not.
Next: Red Sox Andrew Benintendi Doesn't Pitch
DD has an illustrious history of pulling the baseball trigger and this will be no different. Expect a few moves that will not be a collective yawn, but roster changing in a scope that could set a firm foundation for the next five years or create a sink hole of epic proportions.