What the Red Sox can learn from the quiet offseason
This has been an incredibly quiet offseason for the Boston Red Sox. Other than a few early deals and a few agreements to avoid arbitration, all has been quiet on the Fenway front. And that’s ok.
If you’re like me, then you’ve yelled at your computer more than you’d like to admit during this offseason. Whether it be in joy with the re-signings of Nathan Eovaldi and Steve Pearce or at the loss of Joe Kelly. This has been an interesting offseason for the Red Sox.
After an active free agency period last offseason many believed Dave Dombrowski and Boston would do what they needed to in order to get back to the World Series in 2019. Bringing back Eovaldi and Pearce was a great start, but that’s where it’s ended.
Yeah, Boston was able to avoid arbitration with several important players, but they would’ve been there anyway. Nothing has truly been done yet to fix the gaps from the 2018 squad.
As we all know the big glaring hole has been the closer position. With Craig Kimbrel still sitting on the outside waiting for someone to cave, the Sox had to turn to in house talent in Ryan Brasier and more importantly, Matt Barnes. But with no movement for Kimbrel or any of the other closers on the market, Red Sox Nation has some worries.
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Like I said before, I’m no different and I’ve spent much of this free agency period looking at the baseball news and wondering when something is going to happen. Then it hit me, what if it doesn’t? Why do the Red Sox NEED to make something happen this free agency? The answer is that they don’t.
WIth several massively important players coming up for free agency next season, Dombrowski needs to start focusing on that problem and now. Yeah, not having a legitimate closer to end games could cause some major issues during the season, but that’s life. Alex Cora has proven to be a strong enough manager that he will be able to make the in-game decisions to correct the path.
I feel that with Brasier as a set-up man and Barnes the knockout punch, Boston will be just fine and will get right back to the big dance in October. I also feel that it’ll be imperative that the Red Sox have another strong postseason showing if they want to keep their star free agents come next season. So what can Dave Dombrowski and the front office learn from their quiet offseason?
It’s simple, the team doesn’t always need to make big acquisitions. Yeah, getting another arm or two for the pen would’ve been nice, but it isn’t do or die. Take a look at the Yankees, they signed up damn near everyone they’ve been linked to this offseason. They went into full panic mode after the ALDS and honestly, they overreacted. But it’s their bank account that’s getting drained, not ours.
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There’s always a chance Kimbrel comes back to Boston, especially after the recent urging by Brock Holt. But it won’t be life or death if he decides to go elsewhere. The important thing is the Red Sox didn’t overdraft on the budget and can begin putting the puzzle together to keep the talented young core they have together. So if having a silent offseason means they’ll be able to keep the squad intact and continue the success, then I’m all for it.