Red Sox: End of 2018 BoSox Injection roundtable discussion

The BoSox Injection team collaborated on a roundtable discussion to answer questions about the 2018 World Series Champion Boston Red Sox.

The year is coming to a close and we’d like to wrap things up with a group discussion that reflects on an amazing year for the Boston Red Sox.

A lot happened to this franchise in 2018. Alex Cora was brought in to be the new manager and J.D. Martinez was signed to a lucrative free agent deal to solve the power outage in Boston’s lineup. It’s safe to say both moves panned out. The Red Sox won a franchise record 108 games en route to a World Series championship. Cora was a finalist for Manager of the Year in his first season in the role and Martinez entered the MVP conversation by making a valiant run at the Triple Crown.

The MVP would end up going to Martinez’ teammate, Mookie Betts, who also won a Gold Glove and a Silver Slugger. It seems about half the position players on this roster won a Gold Glove, Silver Slugger, or both.

So, yes, it was a busy year for the Red Sox. Too much to fully capture in one space but before we welcome the new year, we wanted to reflect on some of the best moments of 2018. I asked our staff five questions pertaining to this year’s championship team.

Let’s take a look at their responses.

Who was the most underrated player of the year?

Brendan Mizgala: Brock Holt. This guy did everything that was asked of him all season long. Whether it was as a utility fielder or pinch hitter. He never gave any pushback to Alex Cora. Holt is the ultimate team player is he will do whatever it takes to help his squad get the “W.”

Rick McNair: In early April, Brian Johnson won a start against Miami, which is similar to beating a Double-A team. Then Johnson became the invisible man until July. The Boston rotation needed a booster shot in July and August and that was Johnson. He made 13 starts (4-3, 4.15) for the season, but the Red Sox were 9-4 in his starts. That’s exactly what you want from a spot starter – giving your team a shot at a win.

Josh Greenberg: I think the most underrated player this season was Eduardo Rodriguez. He battled through injuries and was overshadowed by the meteoric rise of Nathan Eovaldi, but he was mostly excellent when he was able to pitch. 13-5 with a sub-4 ERA is nothing to sneeze at and gave him a lot to build on for next season.

Robert Bouffard: Brock Holt. People have been down on him the last couple of years, but he was healthy this year and contributed his best season since he was an All-Star in 2015. He sort of had a rough go of it from mid-July until the end of August, but he had a really solid September. His versatility was even more important this year, as he was contributing offensively, too.

Steve Atkinson: Brock Holt, who only hit seven home runs this season but had 46 RBI’s. He really improved his batting average from .200 last year to .277 in 2018. Holt shined in the postseason, hitting for the cycle in Game Three of the ALDS. Also, he was a leader in the clubhouse. He didn’t get much talk in 2018 but clearly, his numbers improved.

Rudi Richards: Eduardo Nunez – I think with star players like Mookie and J.D. getting awards and the likes of David Price getting all the recognition, Nunie is a name that’s underrated, in terms of his offense. He brought a lot of big batting moments to the team and throughout the second half, he was fantastic as a stand-in at 2B and 3B.

Jason Ward: Xander Bogaerts was the most underrated player of the year in my opinion because he was overshadowed by the amazing seasons of Mookie and J.D. But Bogey was consistently productive at the plate and always seemed to come through with runners on base. He rather silently had a career year with 103 RBIs and was a major contributor for the Red Sox in their historic season.

Hunter Noll: Once again, Brock Holt covered most of the field. He helped keep second and third base – as well as shortstop – afloat while the Red Sox battled injuries. The utility-man doesn’t hit for much power but did manage a career-best seven home runs and 46 RBI. He also posted a career-high .377 OBP. His “floating” position kept him out of the spotlight more than he should’ve been.

What was the top defensive play on the year?

Brendan: The Benintendi diving catch in the ALCS. The catch not only saved the ALCS for the Sox, as it gave them a 3-1 lead which is night and day to the 2-2 it could’ve been. But when he got up, that roar sent a chill down my spine. These guys weren’t gonna lose. And it was the AP Play of the Year!

Rick: Plenty of great plays and the one I pick was not the “best”, then there are the circumstances surrounding the play.  Game four of the ALCS in the ninth inning and Kimbrel has fallen apart – again. Minute Maid Park is going nuts and Bregman hits a two-out sinking liner to left – Benintendi makes a do-or-die play and in this case, it was do, and Red Sox get an 8-6 win.

Josh: The best defensive play was Benintendi’s gem in Game 4 of the ALCS. Not only was it a spectacular, JBJ-esque play, but it also saved the game and perhaps the series and season.

Robert: Benintendi’s catch to end Game 4 of the ALCS could have changed the course of the postseason. He took a huge risk by completely laying out. If that ball gets by him, three runs score and the Astros win to tie the series at two games apiece. But instead, he makes the catch, the game is over and the Red Sox are one game away from the World Series.

Steve: Benintendi in Game Four of the ALCS. With that catch by Benintendi, they were one win away from the American League Pennant. Alex Bregman was up with the bases loaded in the ninth inning against Craig Kimbrel. Bregman hit a shot into left field but Benintendi’s diving catch to save the season for the Sox was an all-timer. It’s going to be a catch that people will be talking about for a long time. Kimbrel was about to blow it but the defense behind him didn’t let that happen.

Rudi: Benny’s ALCS catch that put the Red Sox ahead 3-1 instead of evening the series at 2-2 remains so important.

Jason: No doubt the top defensive play of the year is Benintendi’s diving catch in the ALCS to win the game. Kimbrel made a lot of Red Sox fans nervous in that 9th inning, but Benny saved us all, saving the game and potentially the season. Sox very well could’ve not made it to the World Series if he didn’t catch that.

Hunter: Benintendi’s catch in Game Four of the ALCS. If he doesn’t make that catch, the Houston Astros score three runs and tie series 2-2. Instead, Benitendi dove for the game-winning catch and the Red Sox took a commanding 3-1 lead and never looked back.

Who had the best pitching performance of the year?

Brendan: Nathan Eovaldi in Game 3 of the World Series. Eovaldi was set to start Game 4 but came in and threw 97 pitches and wouldn’t let AC take him out. It was a dominant heartfelt performance that solidified his spot in Red Sox Nation.

Rick: Rick Porcello‘s one-hit and one run complete game against the Yankees on August 3. That one hit was a home run by Miguel Andujar. How good was Porcello?  The grand total was 86 pitches and 69 were for strikes. And it gets better. The game lasted just 2:15.  And it gets still better! The next game, Eovaldi went eight innings of three-hit shutout ball, but the game staggered on for all of 2:33.

Josh: The best pitching effort of the year was clearly Eovaldi in that 18-inning slog against the Dodgers in the World Series. That performance will be talked about forever. Though he lost the game, he inspired the team and saved the bullpen from further damage. It was nothing less than heroic.

Robert: Porcello in the third game of the four-game sweep against the Yankees could go down as an all-timer. He gave up a solo homer to Andujar in the third inning, but that was it. No walks. No other hits. Nine strikeouts. 86 pitches. Against the Yankees, again, during an important series at the end of July. Porcello has always had it in him, but this was simply on another level.

Steve: Eovaldi’s performance in Game Three of the World Series is one people will be talking about for a long time. Not only did the game last 18 innings but Eovaldi pitched a gem. Cora sent Eovaldi to the mound for the third time in four days. In the seventh inning of relief, he was still throwing 98 MPH. Even though the Sox lost the game that pitching performance really brought that team together. They rallied around Eovaldi and supported him even though they lost.

Rudi: Porcello’s 0 ER pitching performance against New York, I think remains a strong contender. But in the postseason, Eovaldi’s World Series heroics stole the show.

Jason: I think it’s Porcello’s complete game 1-hitter against the Yankees with Eovaldi’s six innings of relief in World Series Game 3 as a close second. It was Porcello’s best start of the season and potentially of his career, pitching 9 innings with only 86 pitches. He gave up a home run early to Andujar, but that homer was the only run and only hit gotten off him as he retired 21 straight batters after it. He also struck out 9 while walking 0 batters.

Hunter: David Price’s Game Five start against the Houston Astros in the ALCS. It was the series-clinching game but meant so much more than that. Price went six scoreless innings, allowing just three hits and no walks while striking out nine. There were definitely “better” starts this season. This was, however, the postseason start that finally got Price over the hump. His postseason struggles were highly documented before this, but he threw two strong starts and one relief appearance after this. Price no longer having the postseason struggles on his shoulders makes this the best pitching performance of the year.

Aside from winning the World Series, what was your favorite moment of the year?

Brendan: My favorite moment came in the ALDS. Sending the Yankees packing to the land of the offseason IN Yankee Stadium is just too damn sweet. Beating the Yankees is always great, but ending their season in their house is just that much better.

Rick: Down 7-1 going into the eighth at Atlanta on September 5 and the Red Sox looked absolutely lost. Then they roll and put up six only to give one back to Atlanta in the last half of the eighth. And then in the ninth, Brandon Phillips puts one out for two runs and a 9-8 lead that Kimbrel saves.

Josh: The best moment of the year was bouncing the Yankees in the ALDS in New York, and then rubbing it in by playing “New York, New York” in the locker room to celebrate. Baseball needs more of that kind of pettiness, especially in the great, old rivalries.

Robert: Jackie Bradley’s grand slam against the Astros got me very excited. I’ve always been a JBJ supporter through the good and bad, so it was great to see him come through in a big spot and to see all of Red Sox Nation have his back.

Steve: The Red Sox taking care of business and beating the Yankees at Yankee Stadium. The Sox and Yankee rivalry seemed to come back last offseason when the Yankees got Stanton. But the Sox got J.D. Martinez instead and destroyed the Yankees all season. The ALDS was even more special because it brought back memories of winning the ALCS at Yankee Stadium in 2004. Beating the Yankees is always something special but doing it at Yankee Stadium is even better.

Rudi: Mookie’s grand slam against remains a highlight for me. This just signified our dominance this season and remains the undisputed MVP’s defining moment during a season which saw him hit for the cycle.

Jason: My favorite moment of the season was without question Mookie Betts’ 13-pitch at-bat resulting in a grand slam. It was an epic battle between an All-Star pitcher and an MVP hitter that every baseball fan would love. On the 13th pitch, Mookie sent it over the Green Monster and Eck said the line of the season: “It’s time to party”. And the party never stopped.

Hunter: Ryan Brasier‘s return. The 31-year-old hadn’t thrown a pitch in the Majors since 2013. Back then he came into the league with tons of promise. Multiple injuries slowed down the hype though and he found himself pitching outside the Country. The Red Sox went to his workout and took a chance on him and the rest is history. Brasier dominated the Minors only to look even better in the Majors. Everyone loves a good comeback story, and Brasier looks like he’s not going to need another one.

What were your favorite moments, performances, plays and wins of the 2018 season? Let us know in the comments!