Red Sox' relative strengths and weaknesses

[Orange Juiced]

As currently constituted, let's evaluate these areas of strength or weakness on the Red Sox. Here are the categories:

 

- Power

- Getting on base

- Speed/baserunning

- Starting pitching

- Bullpen

- Infield defense

- Outfield defense

- Position player depth

- Management

- Farm system

 

 

Power

The Sox have one player with tremendous power (Ortiz), but he's getting long in the tooth. Nonetheless, the last two seasons he's hit 72 homers (35 and 37, respectively, the last two years). They also have a number of guys who can hit between 15-25 homers (Hanley, Pedroia, Pablo, Betts, Shaw, Bradley). Long story short, they have the potential to hit a lot of homers as a team. Last year they finished 9th in the AL with 161 homers. I think they should be in the top 5 or 6 in the league in homers next year.

 

Grade: B+

 

 

Getting on base

Last year they were 3rd in the AL in OBP. I see that improving this year as well. Their young guys have another year of experience. Pedroia is healthy again. This is a team strength.

 

Grade: A-

 

 

Speed/baserunning

Bradley, Betts, Pedroia, Bogaerts, and Swihart are good baserunners. The team has some speed (Castillo, Betts), but they don't steal a lot of bases. They won't scare too many teams with their baserunning, though they are solid enough.

 

Grade: C+

 

 

Starting pitching

The addition of Price changes the outlook here. Losing Miley hurts, but not as much as adding Price helps. The current rotation looks like this: Price, Buchholz, Rodriguez, Porcello, Kelly. Owens, Wright, Johnson, and Elias are waiting in the wings. If Clay is "good Clay" - that is, healthy and pitching to his capability - this rotation could be outstanding. If Clay is "bad Clay" - that is, either injured or not effective - then this rotation looks a lot weaker. Unfortunately, we just don't know what Clay we're going to get. Porcello and Kelly came around the second half of the year, so that bodes well. On the whole, the rotation is now a strength.

 

Grade: B (Potential for anywhere between a C and an A)

 

 

Relief pitching

Three additions make this bullpen one of the best in the league, IMO. Kimbrel is truly one of the best relievers in all of baseball - and he's been historically good over the course of his career. Smith is a dominant 7th-8th inning guy who could close. And Koji - well, he's not an addition to the roster, but with him healthy, he adds a lot to the bullpen. Throw in Taz and Layne (death on lefties), and this bullpen is versatile and skilled. They can really shorten a game, taking pressure off the rotation. This went from one of the worst groups in baseball to one of the best.

 

Grade: A

 

 

Infield defense

Sandoval is average at third. Bogaerts is well above average at short. Pedroia is a gold glover at second. That leaves.....Hanley at first. And frankly, who knows about him. If he's bad, it impacts the whole infield defense. If he's average, then the infield defense is pretty solid. Hanley is a real wild card though. Holt and Shaw give them solid defense in reserve.

 

Grade: C+ (potential for a D+ to an A-)

 

 

Outfield defense

This is probably the greatest strength of the current Red Sox. Castillo is very good. Betts is outstanding. And Bradley is otherworldly. Young is very capable when he's in there, and if Holt had to play OF, he has shown he can do that with solid ability as well. The Red Sox' outfield defense is almost certainly the best in all of baseball. Speed. Gloves. Terrific throwing arms. They have it all in this area.

 

Grade: A++

 

 

Position player depth

The bench right now looks like this: C - Hanigan; IF - Shaw; IF/OF - Holt; OF - Young. Good mix of lefties and righties. Good mix of youth and veterans. Solid defensively. Good power. Versatile. Shaw can play 3b, 1b, and corner OF if need be. Holt can play anywhere. Young can play any OF position. For just having four players, they have everything covered WELL. Excellent bench.

 

Grade: A

 

 

Management

Farrell is...well....we're not really sure what he is. Won a World Series, so great. But also had a couple of last place finishes, so not so great. I think he's a so-so manager. Makes some mind-numbing moves, but does a good job managing people. You could do better, but you could do worse. Dombrowski is one of the best GMs in the sport, so the Sox are in good hands there. Ownership is willing to spend and put together a great on-field product.

 

Grade: B

 

 

Farm system

The Red Sox have one of the best farm systems in all of baseball. Adding Price and Kimbrel and Smith and Elias hasn't cost the Sox' system too much. They still have a horde of prospects that have very high ceilings. Moncada, Devers, Espinosa, Benintendi, Kopeck, Travis, Marrero, Chavis, etc. Just loads of prospects waiting in the wings.

 

Grade: A

[Dojji]

Pedroia is always healthy in the offseason. He is nearly always injured while playing.

 

I would still like to move the man whilke his value is high. His constant injuries do not bespeak a long career into the mid to late 30's, nor frankly does his size and build, which result in a lot of those injuries as he has to go at 120% just to compete with larger players. He's a good veteran second sacker with an MVP background who's still well above average but I am not comfortable with what I perceive as a very high chance to decline early.

[mvp 78]

Pedroia is always healthy in the offseason. He is nearly always injured while playing.

 

I would still like to move the man whilke his value is high. His constant injuries do not bespeak a long career into the mid to late 30's, nor frankly does his size and build, which result in a lot of those injuries as he has to go at 120% just to compete with larger players. He's a good veteran second sacker with an MVP background who's still well above average but I am not comfortable with what I perceive as a very high chance to decline early.

 

^ The Maineiac gets it.

[iortiz]

Well, this is how I see my team.

 

Power B

Getting on base. B

Starting Pitching. C

Relief Pitching B

Infield defense D

Outfield defense A

Position player depth C

Management C

Farm System B

[mvp 78]

Is IF defense a D when Pedroia/Xander/Vasquez playing?

[GomesBeard]

Is IF defense a D when Pedroia/Xander/Vasquez playing?

 

I think with Vasquez behind the plate, the Sox are very strong up the middle. Pedroia makes up for his (slightly) lessening range by positioning, a la Jeter for the last 5 years, while Bogaerts will only improve. Hard to believe he is still only 23.

[Elktonnick]

Bogaerts should have won the gold glove, Pedroia has won one in the past. The problem with the Sox infield defense is Sandoval and HR if he plays first. You have an A at short and second and at best a C minus at third and at best a D at 1st. Sandoval and Ramirez bring the infield down to just over a C. If Swihart starts then it remains a C with Vasquez it approaches a C plus.

[User Name]

Except that no one actually knows how HR and Panda will actually play next season. Both could improve, or both could erode further and turn the infield D into an F. There's just no way to know.

[Dojji]

We have too many other good options for me to believe that Farrell will permit Sandoval or Hanley to be gaping holes in the defense

[iortiz]

Well, I'm giving them a D because the corners. Panda and Hanley sound scary to me. Also Pedroia seems like a injury prone player moving forward and XB is not that good at D, so a D or at best a C is what a I see right now. Edited December 11, 2015 by iortiz

[User Name]

Bogaerts is not that good? That's a joke right.

[Elktonnick]

Well, I'm giving them a D because the corners. Panda and Hanley sound scary to me. Also Pedroia seems like a injury prone player moving forward and XB is not that good at D, so a D or at best a C is what a I see right now.

 

XB was a terrific defender last year. He was a bona fide gold glove candidate

[sk7326]

On base is an A ... could be better, but plenty good for 2016

 

Power is a B ... a lot of this comes down to Hanley being "playable" and healthy

 

Infield defense is suspect ... although I think more at 3B than at 1B. I am reasonably confident in Ramirez just coming back to an infield position. I'd still prefer him at 3B and Sandoval in another uniform

 

Outfield defense is an "A" ... you're not going to get much better, this side of Kansas City

 

Starting - what is nice about the Price signing is that the rest of the staff could fall into place. I expect Porcello to have a bounceback to "solid #3 level" - his final month showed quite a bit.

 

Relief - No point grading it. Bullpens are flimsy, and you can never have too many arms to throw at it. But the Red Sox made some positive strides and there is reason to be hopeful.

 

Manager - Farrell is fine. Now he might not add too much value, but he doesn't actively detract from the operation (see Matt Williams, Dusty Baker) either.

[cp176]

Bogaerts is one of the best shortstops in the game. He will continue to get better. I am optimistic about Sandoval at third base. We won't know until it all gets going, but I think that he will get it done. As for Ramirez at first, I don't see how anybody can have an absolutely optimistic feeling about this one. He will be involved in too many plays to make me feel real optimistic. We hoped he could become an outfielder last year and we hope he can become a first baseman this year.

[BSN07]

I am with you Dojji, love Pedroia and what he brings to the field but he is not going to age well. I said it when they signed him to his extension. Unfortunately he is owed a lot of money still and hasn't finished a season in a few years not on the DL. Not sure many teams are gonna be lined up to make a deal for him. We as fans are just gonna have to suck it up and cross our fingers for his remaining years just like Yank fans had to with Jeter. And in the end I'm ok with that considering who he is and what he has done for the Sox in his career.

[mvp 78]

Bogaerts is not that good? That's a joke right.

 

Idk...

 

Honestly though, I don't see Hanley and Pablo manning the corners at the same time all that often. One of them is getting dealt most likely.

[mvp 78]

Also, Castillo's D hasn't been exciting to me. OF is probably B+ at best.

[cp176]

Sandoval might get dealt. maybe somebody would want him. Nobody wants hanley. We would have to pay his whole contract.

i don't see Hanley being our future dh either. Encarnacion. If he can't play first, they will have to give him away.

[mvp 78]

I'd give him away. Problem is, they have to take on a bad contract or eat some salary.

[Palodios]

The Red Sox's season depends on bounceback seasons.

 

Starting pitching? They need good seasons from Porcello/Kelly.

Relief pitching? They need good seasons from Koji/Taz.

Infield defense? They need good seasons from Hanley/Panda, and a healthy Pedroia.

Power? They need good seasons from Hanley/Panda.

Speed? They need a healthy Pedroia and a good season from Castillo.

[Kimmi]

Except that no one actually knows how HR and Panda will actually play next season. Both could improve, or both could erode further and turn the infield D into an F. There's just no way to know.

 

Hanley at first base scares me to death. But who knows, he may surprise us.

 

Up until last year, Panda has always been an average to slightly above average defender. Last year, he was the worst defensive 3B in baseball. He may be declining, but I think last year was largely a fluke. He shouldn't have been that bad, and I think we will see some improvement this year.

 

Reports are that both he and Hanley have been working really hard on their conditioning this offseason. That is worth something.

[Kimmi]

You guys with your "trade Pedroia" nonsense, knock it off.

[Kimmi]

Also, Castillo's D hasn't been exciting to me. OF is probably B+ at best.

 

Castillo's defense has actually been pretty good, bonehead plays aside. IMO, he seems right at home in left field.

[Spudboy]

Castillo's defense has actually been pretty good, bonehead plays aside. IMO, he seems right at home in left field.

 

I agree with this. Hopefully we will see fewer bonehead plays this year. Including on the base paths!

[cp176]

The Red Sox's season depends on bounceback seasons.

 

Starting pitching? They need good seasons from Porcello/Kelly.

Relief pitching? They need good seasons from Koji/Taz.

Infield defense? They need good seasons from Hanley/Panda, and a healthy Pedroia.

Power? They need good seasons from Hanley/Panda.

Speed? They need a healthy Pedroia and a good season from Castillo.

 

 

Going into last year's season, we had a ton of questions. Many of those issues have been dealt with. Lots of things can happen still but first base looks like the biggest issue to me right now. I also think that if Hanley shows early that he cannot do it, we have that position covered fairly well also. I like this team. I am curious to see what happens with the following - catcher, first base, and will Castillo and Bradley hit.

[cp176]

The Red Sox's season depends on bounceback seasons.

 

Starting pitching? They need good seasons from Porcello/Kelly.

Relief pitching? They need good seasons from Koji/Taz.

Infield defense? They need good seasons from Hanley/Panda, and a healthy Pedroia.

Power? They need good seasons from Hanley/Panda.

Speed? They need a healthy Pedroia and a good season from Castillo.

 

Dombrowski has a pretty good feel for things it seems. Although we are better in the starting pitching area than we were going into last season, we could still use one good not average, healthy starting arm. Buchholz and Kelly - HOPE - not counting on either one of them to stay healthy though. Porcello might be that good middle of the rotation guy we need. I want to feel confident that E-Rod will continue to just get better. Actually I am sort of confident about that one.

 

Infield defense still has some questions that need to be answered on the field. Can Pedroia stay on the field? Who will catch. If it is Swihart, we start the season average at best in a pivotal position. Ramirez at first ranks about a 0.1 on my confidence chart.

From a power perspective, I don't know. I think they will hit. Once again though, I'm not counting on the pre-2011 Ramirez to show up. i really wish that he would show up on somebody elses roster. I bet DD feels the same way.

[User Name]

Swihart is an above-average catcher right now who should continue to improve. That said, Vasquez is a generational talent defensively.

[Kimmi]

I agree with this. Hopefully we will see fewer bonehead plays this year. Including on the base paths!

 

The "bonehead" plays, especially the ones on the basepaths, seems to have been a teamwide problem last year, which is why some of us questioned the coaching. Hopefully, we see some improvement this year with Castillo's mental game.

[Kimmi]

Swihart is an above-average catcher right now who should continue to improve. That said, Vasquez is a generational talent defensively.

 

From PA:

 

Peter Gammons ‏@pgammo 9m9 minutes ago

 

Good news for Red Sox:Christian Vazquez's last 10 games in Puerto Rico:.366/.381/.415

 

Very small sample, but if he can hit decently, coupled with that defense, he needs to be our #1 catcher.

 

If Vazquez pans out, I would very much like to see Swihart tried out at first/third base. It would be great to have that 3rd catcher on the team, just in case.

[Bellhorn04]

It would be so cool if Vazquez could hit a little.