Red Sox: “Killer B’s” in the outfield are killing the offense
By Rick McNair
The “Killer B’s” of the outfield are contributing to killing the Boston Red Sox offense. This may be what you see for the season.
Male bumblebee’s do not sting. They have no stinger and simply buzz around, or dance around like the Boston Red Sox former “Killer B’s,” whose trademark is a dance in the outfield. Face it, folks, Jackie Bradley, Andrew Benintendi and Mookie Betts have no sting this season.
Rookies often hit a wall, even those projected to be a star. Mike Trout – the faux MVP of 2016 – hit just .220 in 40 games as a 19-year-old. The next season Trout was Rookie of the Year. Dustin Pedroia had a rude introduction at .191 and then won the ROY the following season. Now Andrew Benintendi is staggering around.
Benintendi is just not hitting. In the last month, National League pitchers have hit with more authority, but what is even more surprising is the pedestrian glove work in left field – a -0.5 UZR. Benintendi managed to get the UZR hiked up to +0.5 in his center field work time, but still – nothing special.
More from Red Sox News
- 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
- Why Red Sox fans should be rooting for Carlos Correa’s Mets deal to go through
- Red Sox exec claims Mookie Betts loss changed management style, but actions say otherwise
I doubt Benintendi will continue to slide, but sometimes it does happen and maybe the rush factor or the cleverness of major league pitching will keep him mired down for the season. He is not alone among the outfield trio.
Jackie Bradley has shown some life with the bat of late, but still is showing a similar trend that finished off the 2016 season. The positive is Bradley’s activities in center field with defensive moments that are highlights. Another positive is Bradley has some respectable clout with seven home runs. A huge negative is Bradley has been invisible at Fenway Park hitting just .180 with a lone home run. The flip side is the left-handed hitting Bradley was posting a .346 average against lefties.
The last member of the triumvirate is Betts, who won a Gold Glove in 2016 and will win another. Statistically and via eyeball test no one is close in the American League to Betts for right field defensive skills, but the bat has some leaks.
Betts’ power numbers are projected to be slightly down, but he should post 100+ RBI again. Where it is sinking is an average that is over 50 points lower than where Betts finished in 2016. Disappointing, but not alarming.
The Red Sox offense is taking a hit (pun intended) for contributing to a season that has been offensively disappointing. The outfield is a significant factor in that as they are hitting .256 so far in 2017 and hit a league-leading .284 in 2016. The key run production is also sinking in comparison to 2016.
In 2016, the Red Sox outfield finished third in the league in runs (329) and this season they are now 8th (100). The Red Sox are a doubles machine and the outfield finished second in 2016 (121) and are now eighth (36). Where they have held their own is defensive. Ranking fourth as an aggregate group in 2016 and second this season.
The key is the batting and the trio is just not doing it. The “Killer B’s” are contributing to killing the offense. This would certainly be more palatable if production elsewhere had contributed a bit more. It hasn’t. Third base is toxic offensively, Hanley Ramirez is no David Ortiz, Xander Bogaerts is a gifted hitter who has not hit the long ball, and the injuries and lack of a monster bat are telling.
More from Red Sox News
- 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
- Why Red Sox fans should be rooting for Carlos Correa’s Mets deal to go through
- Red Sox exec claims Mookie Betts loss changed management style, but actions say otherwise
This is not suddenly a curable situation where a coach sprinkles pixie dust on bats and they regain their potency. It is lineup wide and after a third of the season it appears to be a situation of what you see is what you get. That leads to manufacturing runs.
The Red Sox seem to consider a bunt as causing Ebola. Quite possibly a manager’s decision or just a skill set that is absence thanks to a system that shuns that part of the game. A bunt to move along a runner is essential as is the bunt as an offensive weapon to take advantage of defensive positioning shifts and speed. The two most memorable bunts were by the two slowest on the team – the catching tandem of Sandy Leon and Christian Vazquez.
That is just one aspect of the game and the other is one that announcer Jerry Remy harps on constantly – the hit and run. Or is it the run and hit? The Red Sox seem to avoid that despite a team that just does not strike out – last in the American League with 379.
Maybe a sudden awakening of the bats will happen – it often does where a few players get hot and the others feed off it. But I doubt it. This team will win with pitching.