Red Sox: Blake Swihart the odd man out
By Rick McNair
The Red Sox Blake Swihart has value to the team as a player or more importantly a potential trading chip.
Boston Red Sox catcher/outfielder Blake Swihart is cursed like Al Capp’s comic strip character Joe Btfspik. Btfspik always had a dark rain cloud hovering above him and pouring down upon him. If anything good was going to happen, it took a circular route around Btfspik and apparently is doing the same with Swihart.
Misfortune gave Swihart a break in 2015 when Christian Vazquez went down for the count. Then Ryan Hanigan suffered a few nicks and dents that kept him out of the lineup for extended periods of time. Swihart did not miss his opportunity – at least with the bat – slashing .274/.319/.392 with five home runs and 31 RBI in 84 games.
A different set of circumstances emerged in 2016. Vazquez took over the heavy lifting at catcher and Swihart was sent to Pawtucket after six games at catcher. The switch-hitting Swihart was given a fielder’s glove and manager Kevin Boles pointed to left field and said “opportunity awaits, son” and on the job training began.
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The need became clear in a few short weeks and after 11 games in left Swihart was welcomed to Fenway Park. Swihart then took about a million or so balls off the wall to familiarize himself with the intricacies of Fenway Park’s notorious left field.
After a slow start the hitting perked up and Swihart did not embarrass himself in left field over his 13 games with no errors – this was not Hanley Ramirez. So the Red Sox had the best possible options going for them with a top of the line prospect in Swihart adapting to a new position and giving some quality oomph to the lineup. Then it happened.
The first reaction was a mild ankle sprain and now it has migrated into surgery and the end of the line for 2016. With Vazquez having hitting difficulties that catching option was there and – just maybe – a quick healing of a month could get Swihart back in the lineup. Not so.
The Red Sox were forced to bring up Sandy Leon, who suddenly decided he was Johnny Bench and Yogi Berra with the bat. Sandy-Man would have certainly closed the catching door to any Swihart miraculous recovery. So what awaits after surgery?
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Swihart can certainly move back to left field after he recovers except for another roadblock and this one would take Atlas and Hercules to move – Andrew Benintendi. The 22-year old outfield phenom moved up the organizational charts like locust to a wheat field and is making solid noise with his multi-level skills that say he is here to stay.
Swihart has developed a knack for being the odd man out in various lineup scenarios and his injury even puts a damper on potential trade value. Buyers would certainly want assurances that the goods advertised are in presentable condition and would expect a discount to take such a risk – a discount the Red Sox would be foolish to give.
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The Red Sox hold Swihart’s future firmly in their grasp since they can stuff him in Pawtucket to enhance his skill set or keep him with Boston as a spare outfield or catching part. The real issue is his recovery and that will be noted in spring training. If Swihart is healthy, he will once again become of value for trade and that may represent his best option in the near future.