Red Sox: What could possibly go wrong for Boston in 2017?

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Oct 10, 2016; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Red Sox first baseman Hanley Ramirez (13) connects for a RBI single in the eighth inning against the Cleveland Indians during game three of the 2016 ALDS playoff baseball series at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports /

Hanley Ramirez has a power outage

What’s not to like about the free and hard swinging slugger who fully redeemed himself in 2016. The previous season was a performance nightmare by Han-Ram that may have been injury induced and complicated by the psychological of being an embarrassment in the outfield.

Ramirez will be the main man for designated hitter duties with the far more stable glove of Moreland being the most likely first base option. This is a mix and match since Moreland swings left and Ramirez right, but what happens with a Hanley crash?

The numbers that stand out in 2016 are 30, as in home runs, and 111, as in RBI. Toss in a .286 batting average and you have the package the Red Sox expected for around $22 Million a season. What if that is just an anomaly? Prior to last season, Ramirez was just not close to that level of production.

Ramirez also has a history of injuries and at 33-years-old a tweak can mean significantly more than at 23-years-old. Ramirez will also have some nice protection missing in the absence of Ortiz. A lineup that is struggling could force Ramirez into an extended series of bad decisions with the bat – and that can be habit-forming.

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