Welcome to March, the place the true “madness” is Jordan Montgomery’s ongoing free company because it pertains to the Red Sox.
Here are some new questions (and some repeats) to consider this week:
1. Which Red Sox participant has probably the most on the road this season?
The humorous factor about this query is that whereas each participant has one thing on the road and should show himself annually, it’s onerous to say who really has one thing on the road at this level. At the start of the offseason, I in all probability would’ve mentioned Alex Verdugo, who’s getting into free company subsequent fall, or Chris Sale, as a result of his prolonged damage historical past. Now, maybe it’s Trevor Story who has probably the most to show, particularly if Marcelo Mayer has a powerful season in Double-A and earns a promotion to Triple-A.
However, I’m extra inclined to say that the Red Sox as a franchise, possession, and entrance workplace, have probably the most on the road this season as a result of they’ve formally backed themselves into a decent nook. They fired Chaim Bloom in mid-September, claiming they needed to go in a unique course, however spent the offseason being pretty unaggressive within the pursuit of the upgrades management publicly said the roster wanted. Since spring coaching formally started on Feb. 13, they’ve been known as out for his or her lack of spending on mentioned upgrades by everybody from nameless executives across the league, to Dustin Pedroia, to Jonathan Papelbon, to Rafael Devers. Or as Harry McAfee bemoans in “Bye Bye Birdie,” “You can talk and talk ’til your face is blue – Kids! – but they still do just what they want to do.”
The Red Sox are projected to complete final within the American League East as soon as once more, which might make a three-peat and 4 occasions in 5 years. Fans who’ve tried to belief the method and imagine within the imaginative and prescient of “consistent contention” and homegrown sustainability are fed up by empty phrases, and plenty of will probably retaliate by leaving the seats empty at America’s oldest and most beloved ballpark till they see measurable change.
If the workforce exceeds expectations this yr, they’ll scale back the quantity of criticism being heaped upon the membership. But in the event that they don’t win, it gained’t be solely their fault. At least, it shouldn’t be. Winning fixes lots of issues, however it doesn’t excuse possession’s choice to vow “full throttle” solely to then set an pointless spending restrict.
2. For which participant(s) would a repeat of their ’23 efficiency be acceptable?
Rafael Devers wasn’t glad along with his yr, and there have been actually just a few too many chilly stretches, however 33 residence runs, 34 doubles, and 100 RBI are fairly wonderful by most hitters’ requirements. If Triston Casas can replicate the numbers he put up between June and September, when he hit .299 with a .953 OPS, 85 hits (16 doubles, two triples, and 18 residence runs), 45 walks, and 77 strikeouts over his final 85 video games, it is going to be a greater than stable follow-up to the Rookie of the Year finalist efficiency he placed on final season.
There gained’t be any complaints if Chris Martin repeats his ’23 numbers: he posted a 1.05 ERA throughout 55 reduction outings, and solely issued eight walks throughout 51 1/3 innings. Likewise for Jarren Duran, who was wonderful nearly from the get-go till his unlucky season-ending toe damage.
3. Will the Yellow Sox uniforms nonetheless deliver the magic in ’24?
Somehow, these yellow City Connect uniforms managed to brighten up a few of the darkest stretches of Red Sox baseball over the previous couple of seasons. At some level, the magic has to expire although, proper?
4. If MLB hadn’t applied the Universal DH, which Red Sox pitcher could be the most effective hitter in NL ballparks?
I’ll always remember Rick Porcello smiling on second base after ripping a bases-clearing double in a July ’18 recreation towards the Washington Nationals. That the printed had been mocking his lack of extra-base hits seconds earlier than solely added to the second.
The common designated hitter makes lots of sense, however it additionally meant the tip of such distinctive and surprising happenstances.
5. Will any Red Sox pitcher throw an entire recreation this season?
Forget 9 innings, final yr a Sox pitcher getting via six was about pretty much as good because it received. The ’22 rotation put collectively 5 full video games – Nathan Eovaldi pitched two, and Brayan Bello, Nick Pivetta, and Michael Wacha every had one – however there weren’t any in ’21, both.
The Sox want their starters to pitcher deeper into video games this yr, however they must be persistently efficient and wholesome all through a full season, too. That’s a troublesome tightrope to stroll. But since full video games have turn out to be all however out of date, it’s all the time thrilling to see a pitcher dominate they means they did again within the day.
6. Is Heinz ketchup the most effective Red Sox offseason acquisition?
Red Sox followers had been overjoyed to see that Heinz ketchup is returning to Fenway Park concession stands this yr, and it’s humorous, however it’s additionally no laughing matter that such information elicited extra fanfare on social media than any of the workforce’s offseason strikes.
In equity, followers all the time know what they’re getting from Heinz ketchup; they will’t say the identical from the workforce. As McAfee says, “You know where you stand with a pet.”
7. Will the Red Sox signal Jordan Montgomery?
Over the weekend, USA Today’s Bob Nightengale reported that MLB executives “widely believe” Jordan Montgomery “will wind up” with the Sox. The Sox have been in communication with the free-agent starter, however that’s not precisely new.
As I mentioned in not less than one earlier version of “7 Questions,” I’ll preserve asking this till he indicators someplace.
Source: www.bostonherald.com