Red Sox: What potential disasters await in 2017?
The Boston Red Sox have one of the best team in baseball and with that comes the worry. Just what can go wrong?
Since I enjoy apocalyptic literature and movies a natural transition exists for a segue into another favorite topic – baseball. The Red Sox are teetering on a great performance abyss – a natural assumption for those of us who have honed our everything Red Sox and the potential – real or imagined – of imminent disaster. What can go wrong will undoubtedly do just that – go wrong.
Several reputable baseball sites have predicted the Red Sox to accomplish another division title and eventually wind-up in another 21st century World Series appearance.
Will it happen? A great cataclysmic event that in the movies or print brings civilization to an abrupt end? What seeds of doubt are surfacing that cause a sudden revelation that all behind that curtain must not be ignored? So in my focus on the negative and placing of the positive deep within, I will put forward my list of potential nightmares.
The trade that failed.
The blockbuster trade for Chris Sale has all the possibility of catapulting the Red Sox into the World Series. Sale is the real deal in every possible definition of it in baseball pitching terms. He is young, signed, and a routine choice for the upper echelon of being anointed a Cy Young Award. That has me firmly wearing my worry beads into pea size grains.
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This is too good to be true, so I expect something to go wrong. The accumulation of innings simply causes the eventual you know what. Maybe a less disastrous event such as the hamstring injury that continues on until the next ice age arrives. Maybe just nothing. In the parlance of noted Red Sox observers, he may just suddenly “suck.”
Let’s for the sake of debate say that Sale performs as expected and the Red Sox go into a three and done again in the playoffs. And to continue to abuse Nostradamus – Yoan Moncada has suddenly been the talk of baseball and becomes Rookie of the Year. That is the famed “Double Tap” or “Double Whammy” that all will dread. The Red Sox need a quality year from Sale and that means going deep into the playoffs.
The Staff
David Price has storm warnings flying at a snappy clip with his recent concerns. The crisis has been averted – at least momentarily – but hovering in the background to all – especially Price – is will the next pitch be “The One?”
Newcomer Tyler Thornburg became a spring training pitching piñata in his first few appearances. How bad was it? I am certain Stevie Wonder would have hit Thornburg. Is it just a minor adjustment to a new routine? Thornburg will start the season on the DL. I will fan the flames of doubt with a simple phrase – Carson Smith.
Drew Pomeranz – a noted failure of 2016 – has developed a slight muscle strain, but just what is slight? Will it be of continuing concern? Will he simply go the way of a Yugo?
Steven Wright may be back on his pitching track after last season’s shutdown. That – quite naturally – has me in Missouri “Show Me” mode. A big ditto to Eduardo Rodriguez and his knee. Even Rick Porcello’s tweak of a thumb causes me check out sleep aids. All (supposedly) have passed the pitching litmus test. I have certainly heard that before – just don’t look behind the curtain.
If it is June and Kyle Kendrick is being considered our ace then the season is officially lost.
Leadership
This is one topic that I have long had a reason to dismiss or at least minimize the impact. One reason is that you really can’t quantify it. No metric except the much stated he is a good “Clubhouse Guy.” David Ortiz certainly was a Nobel candidate – if they had the honor – for leadership.
More from BoSox Injection
- Red Sox Nation deserves far more from Fenway Sports Group
- 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
The Red Sox have a young squad and with youth sometimes comes to a certain petulance attached and that is where the grizzled veteran is supposed to earn his chops. The idea that a Jonny Gomes type is available to calm down one and all with humor, sage advice or threat of physical harm. Will such a player take on the role for 2017? Is it even needed?
Another facet of leadership is the manager and his sub-group known as the coaching staff. Manager John Farrell has managed to divide the great Red Sox Nation into a love him or hate him, crowd. This is one of the few Red Sox topics I have been consistent on and that is that Farrell is a great force for stability, but a loose cannon on game management. In a close contest, my five-year-old granddaughter may put forth a more reliable game decision.
The next level is not attained
The young players on the Red Sox have some marvelous projections attached to their collective futures, but projections sometimes are dismantled by reality. A few years ago Andrew McCutchen had comparisons to Willie Mays based on his performances and potential. Now he is trading fodder. A former Most Valuable Player whose stock is fast approaching penny stock status.
Will the same happen to Mookie Betts? Xander Bogaerts? Jackie Bradley? Bogaerts and Bradley give mild cause for concern with some degrading of statistics as the second half of 2017 advanced. Betts appears immune – just like McCutchen.
Andrew Benintendi is a favorite for Rookie of the Year and rightly so. The smooth swinging Benintendi looks like a .300 hitter with power and speed tossed in. Will it happen? The Red Sox and baseball history are littered with “Can’t Miss” that did just that.
Next: What lineup should the Red Sox use on opening day?
Other players of youth have question marks attached. Will Blake Swihart even be on the team? Swihart has an option and in the great roulette of roster numbers that makes him a prime target to be demoted. Christian Vazquez continues to improve after missing a season. His arm is not – at least appears to be – back to its near deadly accuracy. But is his bat of any help?