Red Sox possibilities for 2018 from the baseball landfill

The Boston Red Sox will pursue two types of players with one being the immediate impact and the other a reclamation project. Here are some reclamation possibilities.

The Boston Red Sox are the same as every other team in major league baseball when they scan to see who has been released or elected to become a free agent or an option has not been exercised. The items of note are the attention-getting impact players who can solidify a lineup, rotation or bullpen.

There is another level and that is players that can fill holes on your roster.  They may not be the shining stars, but give competent support and represent a nice injection of talent.  Certainly not stars, but worthy of filling out your roster.

The last is the baseball landfill. Players on the very cusp of baseball extinction. Teams sign players with the idea that an occasional nugget will surface, and it does. Last season the Red Sox signed Doug Fister out of desperation and the results were positive. Not so with the “star” of spring training pitching – Kyle Kendrick.

The right-handed Kendrick made two very forgettable appearances that resulted in a four-digit earned run average. Kendrick has now elected to become a free agent and will quite possibly surface with a minor league contract elsewhere.

The Red Sox also dabbled in the foreign market and signed Hector Velazquez from the Mexican League.  Velazquez finished his Boston tenure at 3-1 and his Internal League contribution to the Pawtucket Red Sox was 8-4.  The 29-year-old right-hander may be in for a bit more usage in 2018. And don’t forget Blaine Boyer who signed on late spring and provided some respectable innings.

So just who is available?  The early going has players being released or choosing other options.  The Red Sox have an opportunity to go shopping and sign a few who may be either Kendrick or Fister sometime during the season. What one must expect is a simple ‘not much” when contemplating their potential contributions to the organization.

The Red Sox in the 2016 offseason made a spectacular trade of two top prospects for Chris Sale. Sale was outstanding and the players shipped out, Yoan Moncada and Michael Kopech, both seem to be on the fast track solid MLB careers. This was nothing new.

The Red Sox traded top prospect Hanley Ramirez and third-ranked prospect Anibal Sanchez to Miami for two players who became instrumental in delivering a 2007 world title.  Sanchez has now become available as the Tigers have chosen not to exercise their $16 million option.

The downward trend for Sanchez is obvious.  His fastball has lost three ticks and his secondary pitches now provide no puzzle to hitters.  In 2013, Sanchez had an American League-best 2.57 ERA and an AL-best with the lowest HR/9 and 0.4.  Last season Sanchez posted a 2.2 HR/9 and the trend since 2013 has been in that direction.

Can Sanchez either find lost velocity or can Sanchez reinvent himself as a pitcher? That is the unknown, but that can also be discovered with a low impact minor league deal. Sanchez represents that low-risk veteran who could give some much-needed support. Worth a look.

Sanchez has endured an injury littered career, but when he was healthy Sanchez was an excellent pitcher. The now 33-year-old right-hander may choose to call it a career or may be tempted to come back for a possible productive curtain call. That is the unknown. Sanchez, in my opinion, represents the best option of those I will list for risk-taking.

In 2013, left-hander Jeff Locke was an All-Star and also led the National League in walks.  Locke finished 2013 with a 4.5 BB/9 and in 2017 had a 4.2 BB/9. Now Locke has chosen the free agent route and is available for bidders. The point is will anyone bid and is Locke even worth it?

The basics for Locke is a four-pitch selection of a fastball, slider, curve, and change.  Locke still maintains an FB velocity a notch above 90 MPH. Locke’s GB% (ground ball percent) has steadily dropped until it is now 46.8% and what is always in the background is arm issues. Locke signed for 2016 with Miami and spent time on the DL, but examinations showed no arm damage.

Being a lefty always gets an extra look from teams and at 29-years-old there is always the possibility that a 3.52 ERA in 2013 that increased each season to top out at 8.16 in 2017 will reverse. Locke was pictured as a possible ace or at least a solid number two starter in Pittsburgh for the 2014 season, but poor performance resulted in a trip to the minors.

The Red Sox are lefty-heavy at the MLB level and with the disappointing Henry Owens and Brian Johnson still on the roster. Locke has traditionally been a starter and that route may be closing rapidly based on his checkered MLB career. As a New Hampshire native, the Red Sox may have an appeal if Locke is pursued by them.

If the Red Sox are considering starting a basketball team, they may wish to sigh 6’8” Chris Volstad as a power forward. Volstad, a 30-year-old right-hander, has been with nine organizations in his career including a short stay in Korea. As an MLB pitcher, Volstad has an unremarkable 36-53 and 4.92 ERA.

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Volstad relies on a lukewarm fastball in the very low 90s that also passes as a sinker, a slider, curve, and change.  Volstad’s career has a 50.4 GB% and a 3.1 BB/9.  You will not have Walter Johnson strikeout totals since Volstad has a 5.6 K/9 for his career. Volstad also has a 9.8 H/9 for his career. The statistical line is obvious with Volstad – nothing to bet the farm on.

Looking at Volstad’s minor league career show a slightly under .500 career record (67-68) and a release from his Korean team after going 5-7 and having a 6.21 ERA in the hitter-friendly Korean League. There is nothing remarkable about Volstad whose career high water mark was a 12-9 season for Miami in 2010.

Volstad is typical of a player who you will see in Triple-A next season as an MLB will most certainly offer a minor league deal. For the Red Sox, this is very similar to Kendrick, but there is always the chance that at Pawtucket Volstad could make enough of a positive impression to catch a career break.

With 31-year-old right-handed Javy Guerra, it is best to get the negatives out-of-the-way first and there is quite a list.  Foremost is a 50-game suspension for a drug violation.  Next is a list of three surgeries including one on his right shoulder.  Guerra has also been Designated For Assignment (DFA) three times in his career.

What is a positive – at least his most positive moment – happened in his rookie year with the Dodgers in 2011 when Guerra finished 2-2 with a 2.31 ERA while getting 21 saves as the Dodgers primary closer until he spun three blown saves and was replaced by Kenley Jansen.

In 2012 Guerra worked in a non-closer role for the Blue and finished 2-3, 2.60 in 45 games. In 2014 Guerra had some respectable numbers with the Chicago White Sox with a 2-4 record and 2.91 ERA in 45 games out of the bullpen.  In July the following season Guerra grabbed his 50-game suspension.

Guerra relies on a four-seam fastball in the mid-90s, a cutter and a curveball. What Guerra does lack is the one item that can make a relief pitcher a risk – a career 4.2 BB/9. On the plus side, Guerra has a career 0.5 HR/9.

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Guerra is closer material in the minors and certainly has all the signs of a veteran that you often find in Triple-A ball – just think Erik Cordier with Pawtucket last season.  Guerra comes with some heavy baseball baggage, but also some decent MLB experience. Signing a Guerra is pure 3A with a very limited upside for Boston unless the entire staff goes on the DL.