Red Sox: The five top performers of Red Sox spring training thus far
As spring training games roll onward, here’s a look at the top-five Boston Red Sox performances thus far, based on both notably and statistically.
Spring training games are well under way for the Boston Red Sox. Headlines have been overblown, pitchers have had not-so-good performances, and hitters are either tearing the cover off the ball or having not-so-stellar seasons.
The World Baseball Classic has whisked players away from spring training facilities to represent their respective countries for an event that in American baseball culture at least, baseball fans have turned a blind eye to.
Major League Baseball is giving more coverage to Tim Tebow than any other actual baseball player this spring combined.
Regardless, performances into this part of the spring can offer some sort of value for Red Sox fans. It’s important to note the overhype of performances like the 2013 spring performance of Jackie Bradley Jr., who became mistakenly, in retrospect, the first Red Sox rookie to make his major league debut on an Opening Day roster since Shea Hillenbrand did in 2001. However, it’s also important to note that the value of performances of up and comers, established veterans or cast-off busted prospects could and may hold some foretelling value about budding stardom, changes in attitude, offseason work coming to fruition and just possibly for some, finally realizing they may have major league talent.
The following is a look at some of the top performances thus far of the Red Sox spring and the value they may hold going forward.
Following Scott’s 2016 performance as a September callup — 7G, 6 IP, 0.00 ERA — many speculated why Scott was left off the postseason roster, or if he was simply having the stats he was because of unfamiliarity and not a lot of scouting done on the lefty. That was compounded by the ERA of lefty-specialist Fernando Abad, who waltzed his way to an ERA over six in 18 games with the Red Sox.
Abad struggled early this spring, while Scott has continued the pace he set last year with the Red Sox, compiling an ERA of zero in four innings while only giving up three hits. Abad also left the team this week to pitch out of the bullpen for the Dominican Republic.
If Scott can continue making the pitches he has and producing the kind of stats he compiled at the end of last season and through this spring, it could spell a tough decision for Red Sox manager John Farrell.
Would Farrell pass up the second chance to keep Scott on the major league roster in favor of Abad this time, or are we more than likely to see Abad break camp with the Red Sox no matter his stats in the World Baseball Classic or in spring training?
Via Jen McCaffery of MassLive.com, it appears that Farrell may value sticking with the team leading up the season over leaving in the midst of a position battle, something that could spell good fortunes for Scott with continued success while Abad is away,
“You love the fact that his country looks upon him as a guy to contribute for the WBC,” manager John Farrell said. “He’s pitched four times; there’s been early-camp mixed results, which are not uncommon. But in those positions of competing for a spot, you’d like to think that a guy’s going to be here to make that mark here. He’s aware of his status on the roster competing for a spot. When he returns, it’s constant evaluating that’s going on.”
There’s no other way to put it, Deven Marrero’s 2016 season was putrid. While Marrero only played in 98 games for AAA Pawtucket, the Arizona St. product couldn’t stay above the Mendoza-line, hitting .198 with an OBP of .245 and OPS of only .487.
Frankly put, if Marrero wants to contribute to any major league baseball team, let alone the Red Sox, Marrero is going to have to show and steadily show that he can hit to at least somewhat to make a ball club be interested in his plus-plus glove at shortstop. If Marrero could hit .230 even, the amount of defensive runs saved he could produce would probably make his lack of hitting seem more minuscule.
Well, coming off of last year’s performance, Marrero has come out in the early going this spring hitting like it hasn’t been a hamper to his major league track.
Through eleven games played for Marrero, the 26-year-old is 9-24 (.375 BA) with three doubles and a .900 OPS.
It also appears that the Red Sox are trying to get him as many at-bats as they can going forward in the spring, as Marrero has appeared in 11 of 12 total games for the Red Sox this spring.
Realistically, Marrero’s path to regular time in Boston is slim and none, but if he continues to have a good spring and uses that momentum to start the AAA season, he could provide some quality depth on the bench, being able to play short, second or third.
The early rookie of the year candidate for the American League, Andrew Benintendi is showing continued success off of last season.
Thus far in the Red Sox spring, Benintendi is hitting .409 with two home runs and a 1.298 OPS over 22 at-bats. The 22-year-old’s home runs have come off of starters with heavy velocity this spring, with the first coming off of Baltimore’s Dylan Bundy, and the second off of Atlanta’s Arodys Vizcaino.
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Even more so, the bulk he put on in the offseason seems to be playing to the kinds of hits he’s having this spring, and hopefully will be maintainable throughout the course of the year. While obviously it’s unlikely Benintendi will be able to keep up at this pace, six of his nine hits this spring are extra base hits.
After 118 plate appearances culminating in a .295 batting average, Benintendi looks to have continued the momentum from his torrid-paced 2016 and by continuing his strong performance this spring following his late-season call-up, Benintendi could emerge as not only a stalwart of the Red Sox lineup, but one of its biggest run producers as well.
According to Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports, the Red Sox are playing around with the idea of moving Benintendi into the third spot in the lineup, in order to separate the amount of consecutive righties the Red Sox will have in a row at the heart of the order.
Pablo Sandoval’s spring is not a conclusion of certain reemergence, let that be clear first and foremost, but the man has had a good spring, and Red Sox fans should be encouraged the front office might actually get some quality play in a major league regular season game out of the panda sometime in the near future.
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So far this spring, Sandoval is hitting .333 with two doubles in 21 at-bats. He hasn’t committed any errors while manning third base. He’s getting meaningful swings and making the most of the opportunities given to him for the first time in a long time, something which Red Sox fans should really take notice of.
I’m not saying that Sandoval’s demeanor has changed or that all the words and workout videos he provided Red Sox social media this offseason will amount into the same hitter he once was, but the numbers provided thus far is surely welcomed.
While the position was always his to lose following the Red Sox trading Travis Shaw for Tyler Thornburg, Sandoval still had to show that he’d be adequate. He’s done enough for plenty, including Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald, who’s far and away ready to give the job to Sandoval at this point of the spring.
At this point in time one of the biggest busts among free agent signings in Red Sox history, Castillo has had a renaissance of sorts for himself this spring statistically.
With an OPS of 1.167, a batting average of .467 and an OBP of .435, Castillo is having the best spring thus far for the Red Sox.
Yes, you read that right. Rusney Castillo is having the best spring thus far for the Red Sox.
In a Boston media market where much of the news regarding Castillo is notably negative, as it should be, this is a welcome change to the aura surrounding the prospects of the young Cuban.
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As it looks now, though, Castillo is still obviously going to be in AAA as the Red Sox have the best young outfield in the American League. If Castillo can parlay his spring success into success against AAA pitching, he could become an interesting trade chip for the Red Sox down the line to a non-contender who won’t go over the luxury tax and be fined by purchasing Castillo’s contract.