5GoldGlovesOF,75

None of us know the extent of his injury or how long it affected his swing before he had surgery. But you can be sure the scouts didn't love him because they craved a batter who could consistently roll over to the second baseman. Now he's healed and we'll see if Yoshida hits it harder this Spring. As to making contact vs. whiffing, you'll never hear anyone who has ever played baseball say they regret barreling a pitch and would rather swing and miss -- even if it results in a double play. Atom balls are an unfortunate part of the game, but serious batters know all they can do is trust the process.

Mock away, but you knew at least he'd make contact. How were you feeling when half a dozen other guys stood in the box waiting to flail away? That's how bad that batting order was in the playoffs, when Boston sent a Quadruple A line-up to challenge the defending AL champs.

I was actually surprised after the playoffs that the first thing on some posters' minds was to get Yoshida off the roster. "He just doesn't fit!" Why not, because he doesn't swing and miss all night? Did anyone actually see the putrid batting order in the Wild Card series, the one with Bregman?

I'll play devil dog advocate.: most posters and many fans (my son included) can't stand the thought of Masataka Yoshida on the 2026 Red Sox. Be careful what you wish for. First, this offense might be ok: Anthony might be a star, Contreras might hit 25 homers for the first time, Story might play another full year, Rafaela and Abreu might repeat clutch, and Duran might still be here. We can only hope. Returning Red Sox 2024-2025 RBIs: Duran 159, Rafaela 138, Abreu 127, Story 106 But even all that may not be enough. Even if it is, this line-up is laden with strikeout whiffers. This is at least where Yoshida can help. We all know Masa can't go yard or run fast or throw hard or stop liners from smashing lights on the Monster. But he can hit... for non-returning Romans, his career batting average is the highest on the team and his K-rate is the lowest. Maybe he's finally healthy from a shoulder injury and surgery which may very well have sapped his strength. People forget last year Yoshi hit .333 in September and October and .571 in the playoffs, where his single up the middle should've eliminated the Yankees (except a baserunner going on the pitch didn't score from 2nd). The Sox owe it to themselves to at least see how he does in the WBC before crossing him off as an option.

Come on, man. I know you played the game -- unless a guy is nursing a nagging injury, no young athlete wants to just DH instead of playing a position. Being on both offense and defense keeps the body loose for best use. Jogging on and off the field before an at bat, and doing occasional sprints in pursuit of a defensive play is way better than just sitting on the bench getting stiff for an hour between at bats (especially on frigid New England Spring nights). Designated Hitter is perfect for an old guy like Orlando Cepeda with balky knees, but young guys with energy like Anthony and especially Duran would drive the dugout crazy as a regular DH. If the Sox retain four outfielders capable of starting in the pasture, a DH rotation is the only way to possibly make this work... at least to find out which guy simply can't DH.

I would say I resemble that remark, but I know you don't like cliches... unfortunately, that's the entire language of sports media, especially pro athletes programmed to answer interview questions with their backs against the wall, because there's no tomorrow, when they play within themselves, because it's too hard to play without themselves. (I've always had a semi-proclivity at turning phrases... sour. That's why Bill Spaceman Lee was so refreshing, for those who also sprinkled mother nature on their buckwheat pancakes).

Breslow disagrees -- if he's not BSing us again (is it another day that ends in a why?) “We tend to get caught up in the pitching portion of run prevention, but there are other key components as well — defense being the most obvious,” said Brez. “It’s really important that we improve our defense, particularly our infield defense... our out conversion needs to be improved... any additions we may make will be mindful of the defensive skillset.” My first thought is that ends any idea of signing of Geno Suarez -- but what does Craig really mean about being MINDFUL? 1. Boston signs E Suarez, who plays soccer with a few of Ranger's grounders, and the CBO says, "I must have been out of my MIND." 2. E. Suarez throws a few hand grenades but hits a few more homers, and the CBO says, "He's like a Devers who likes me, so I don't MIND."

I heard he beat everybody in Woo in an arm wrestle except Payton Tolle. But he didn't Noah Song.

Don't worry. Today's NESN.com dreadline lists the Red Sox as "actively" trying to win the AL East. The other clubs include Toronto and Baltimore. The Yankees are actively trying to be the Yankees. The Rays are active in their yogurt culture, giving fish with bat wings live bacteria which is supposedly beneficial to the whole division.

This was black and white once they traded for Sonny.

Have you ever lived in San Diego? Even visiting for just a week makes hair turn blonde and jelly bellies disappear -- public transportation is roller blading!

Only a half dozen clubs in the big leagues have a better offense than Anthony getting on base, a few guys stealing, and a few others hitting 20 homers? Twenty MLB batting orders can't do better than that? Really?

Good point; I was also in favor of Sale's extension. It was below Price's market-setting deal, and Sale jumped at it -- which was suspicious, since at the time he was the most underpaid star pitcher of his day. Even more urgently, I wanted Eovaldi extended, too. Nate was just coming into his own... 2019-2025 WAR: Eovaldi 16.4, Sale 14.9. (stats do not include postseason, where Eovaldi went 7-2 and won another ring, while Sale was 0-1 and mostly unable to compete).

I can't believe I'm about to attempt to be a voice of reason. Crochet is everything this team -- and any team even in a rebuild -- covets to build around: an ace, a Number One, the All-Star starter who pitches and WINS Game 1 in a playoff series (circa The Bronx '25). If the Red Sox are dumb enough to trade Crochet, they deserve to suck and never wait til next year again. Just like the Tigers. Say they actually do trade Skubal -- for a haul -- and even get some prospects that develop into a core of The Next Good Not Great Tigers, then they'll still be searching all over again for another ace Number One pitcher... just like Boston craved for years since Sale got hurt in the season of the best Red Sox team ever. Keep your aces. Pay your aces. Cover your aces.

It was his parents poor decision to give a newborn and future big leaguer a name that begins with an E. E Suarez has already appeared too many times in the wrong places of box scores. In case anyone is nervous, he has more career errors at 3B than Raffy (but hasn't led his league as many times). And now we know why he likes to be called Geno. At least G Suarez is a gamer.

Stanton was Rivera's lefty set-up man all those years Boston finished second. Red Sox Hall of Shamer.

Timlin! But I blew it because he has more rings than Ortiz: two with Boston ('04, '07), two with Toronto ('92, '93). I only remembered him for his Foulke lore in '92, fielding and throwing to 1B for the last out... on a bunt by another future Red Sox, Otis Nixon.

Red Sox Reportedly Aggressively Interested in Predicting Trade that Aligns with Line-up (with missing link) And now for the partial answer to this weekend's trivial question of which Red Sox Hall of Famer won the same amount of World Series rings as David Ortiz -- and yes, he was a teammate of Papi's: first name is Mike.

Well, it's always easier to catch sometime during their deathtime (they don't move as fast). Speaking of rings, what newly appointed Red Sox Hall of Famer actually won as many World Series rings on the field as David Ortiz?

Who's on second, I Don't Know's on third -- unless he stays healthy for the entire season for the first time in his pro career.

Pressure a Boras' client? I dunno; I'm still in shock how much they paid instead to a pitcher whose average fastball is 90 mph. And I preferred Suarez over Framber and Cease. But the Red Sox -- who in the past year drafted or signed dozens of pitchers 6'6 with extensions?!?!?! Btw: Houck walked past me on Lansdowne St last week and he is gigantic. I know he's listed as 6-5, 225 but he looked closer to 250 or 260 (maybe it was his big winter coat).

To let posters know -- no matter what NESN.com headlines say -- they really don't "like" Geno.

So cutting him would be an option. Actually, I just saw a Fanfest interview where AC tells TC that Moran is an option.

What's on second.

It's hard to say the Red Sox are better than last year because they just added Suarez to the rotation. The guy is a ground ball pitcher, and Boston lost its best infielder -- and has yet to replace him. It defeats the purpose of recruiting a pitch-to-contact starter if you don't surround him with stellar support in the field. Crochet-Suarez-Gray might be as good as any trio in the majors, but don't forget the strength of the '25 Sox was Crochet-Giolito-Bello taking regular turns, with career-years from Whitlock and Chapman closing. Rational posters have cautioned about expectations for Chappy to repeat his automatic 9ths, but what about Whit (1 earned run allowed in 27 games through the '25 second half)?