A false dilemma if you ask me.
DUMBrowski loves the high heat. This is no secret. Wright will be given a shot, but he is realistically 8th on the starting rotation depth chart here (Johnson, Owens and Kelly having a clearer path to getting a spot in the rotation).
Keeping him closer to the action should keep his mind from wandering. He also has spent his whole life fielding grounders at SS, not fly balls. He should be way better.
"Now if he can only revamp his selection at the buffet..."
Obligatory fat jokes.
Please just hit this year, Pablo. Replacement level defense would be great too.
Mookie in CF?!?!? Are you crazy?????????
I don't think the rotation will be fantastic unless ERod takes another leap and Clay has a career year.
I think Hanley will be fine at 1b.
Not sure Castillo will be batting 6th.
I think this is an 88 win team. Should be in the hunt in Sept.
Waiting on a FA class isn't your best bet. They were lucky Price didn't get a new contract during the year.
If I was GM last year, they would have Max and Lester, but no Hanley, Panda or Price.
Ben is just shorthand for "Front Office." No one really knows who did what and it doesn't matter. When things go wrong Ben, Larry, Tom and John were all equally to blame. When things were going well they can all equally share the adoration.
Ben did a great job with the 2013 team (not a fluke). He did a good job with the farm system. He s*** his pants in 2014 and 2015 though. Boston isn't a small market and shouldn't have to have disastrous results like that when ticket prices are so expensive and the payroll is towards the top of the league. His undoing was when he signed Hanley and Panda without adequately addressing the starting rotation.
JBJ is a terrific 4th outfielder at the moment. I hope he develops into an everyday player. He hasn't reached that potential yet.
If he doesn't get there this year, he probably won't ever.