Red Sox Strut: Sandy Leon and Chris Sale start season strong

The weekly article series where we examine the two players who deserve to strut their stuff for the Boston Red Sox. This week — Sandy Leon and Chris Sale.

If you want to fully understand what the Red Sox Strut is, it means to have reason to walk with a confident, proud air around you. Some people mistake it for vanity, arrogance, or being pompous. This incorrect assumption is not what we mean. The Strut is about knowing that your deeds showed off your amazing skills to the baseball-loving public.

It was a strange opening week for the Boston Red Sox in that they had the built-in off day for after the season opener, but they had also had the final game of the series against the Pirates get rained out at Fenway.

They then headed to Detroit for a series of day games only. In addition to the scheduling quirks, Boston was also ravaged by a brutal stomach virus that provided John Farrell with limited lineup options. The virus even claimed NESN play-by-play announcer Dave O’Brien as one of its victims! Still, Boston was able to finish the week with a winning record at 3-and-2.

OFFENSIVE PLAYER: Sandy Leon

With Xander Bogaerts out on bereavement, and Mookie Betts and Hanley Ramirez sidelined due to the aforementioned stomach bug, you knew that a role player or two would have to step up if Boston was going to have any success. A couple guys answered the bell and elevated their play over the course of the last week.

Andrew Benintendi hit a big three-run homer in the season opener that propelled the Sox to victory. He’s hitting .200 with four RBI and has had a decent start considering there were rumblings that he was also hit by the virus but didn’t miss any time.

Pablo Sandoval struggled at times, but also hit a big late inning three-run blast of his own that almost kept the Sox undefeated through three games. Marco Hernandez has been a solid fill-in went called upon hitting .364 with an RBI.

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You can always count on good ol’ Pedey – Dustin Pedroia – to contribute. He went 6-for-21 to hit .286, but only has one RBI to show for it. More of the same from newly acquired Mitch Moreland – 5-for-20 (.250) with an RBI.

Most of the guys have had a moment here or there for the first week, but Sandy Leon has proven to be a big time asset early on which has earned him the right to Strut this week. A quick glance at the Red Sox team stats page will provide you with the necessary evidence to honor Leon, however it is also about timely, clutch hitting.

Leon is currently 7-for-16 (.438) with five RBI, three runs scored and a huge homerun to give a Boston a victory in walk-off fashion in Chris Sale’s first electric start. He also had another big time hit on Sunday with a single in the eighth inning that knocked in two runs to give Boston the lead that they wouldn’t let go of.

His play behind the plate has been solid as well, both calling the game and defensively. There was a period last season when Leon got very hot at the plate toward the end of the year, and he seems to be repeating that early on in 2017.

Some analysts, including the Boston Herald’s Michael Silverman, didn’t think Leon deserved the amount of playing time he is projected to get this season, but he’s keeping them quiet for the moment. He’s a streaky player, but Boston needs anyone and everyone to rally at this point so it’s come at a great time. Leon is strutting into week two of the regular season.

PITCHER: Chris Sale

Only one starter for Boston was able to make an appearance in two games thus far, and that is 2016’s Cy Young Award winner Rick Porcello. There was a chance that Porcello would get the honors this week, but the truth is that he’s been good, not great. His ERA is 4.38 in 12.1 innings with 17 total hits and two walks allowed. I would like to see Porcello go a little deeper in his next couple starts.

Eduardo Rodriguez and Steven Wright were just OK in their starts, but have ballooned ERA’s at the moment – 7.20 and 5.40 respectively. Due to the schedule, Boston has not needed the services of a fifth starter as of yet.

Going into 2017, the bullpen was a bit of a concern for most fans with Tyler Thornburg and Carson Smith both on the shelf due to injury. The bullpen has most definitely struggled a bit with Joe Kelly, Heath Hembree and Craig Kimbrel all looking pretty shaky at times. Matt Barnes was away on the bereavement leave, but returned Sunday to pitch two very nice innings. That wasn’t enough to allow him Strut around the clubhouse though.

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For the first week of 2017, the most impressive pitching performance came from the biggest acquisition of the offseason in the whole league. Ladies and gentlemen, Chris Sale has officially arrived to Boston! Sale came as advertised with a violent fastball and a slider that completely baffled opposing batters on Wednesday night. Sure, the cold temps probably helped him a bit, but I don’t think Pittsburg could have done much damage if it was 90 degrees at Fenway.

He threw seven scoreless innings allowing just three hits and one walk (late in the game) and looked dominant in doing so. It’s going to be a treat getting to watch him on the mound every fifth day, and fans are going to love him. He was visibly upset with himself for allowing that one walk. Boston fans really love when their athletes show emotion and accountability. That won’t be an issue for Sale.

Next: Red Sox vs. Tigers: Chris Sale day lineups and notes

I expect to be saying this quite often in 2017 – Chris Sale, it’s time for you to Strut sir!

The weekly article series where we examine the two players who deserve to strut their stuff for the Boston Red Sox. This week — Sandy Leon and Chris Sale.

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