5GoldGlovesOF,75

In 2020, no one wanted to knock over the cardboard fans in the stands. Now look at 2019. The Red Sox hit 245 home runs and were only 10th in the majors. Two clubs hit over 300 HRs. Eight Red Sox hit 18 or more homers, including Vasquez with 23 and Bradley with 21. Mookie was 4th on the club with 29. (I'm not saying the players were juiced in '19, but then the baseballs definitely were). One 2026 site predicts three Red Sox to hit 18 HRs and lead the team this year.

It's hard to look back on that 2021 team five years ago and see an offense that already had three legitimate All-Star Silver Sluggers -- Devers, Bogaerts and JD -- plus Renfroe 31 HRs, Dalbec 25 HRs and Verdugo 20 HRs (all borderline .800 OPS guys)... and then they added Kyle Schwarber. Looking at this year's powerhouse, maybe it's more understandable why adding Schwarber now wouldn't make that much difference...

This decade -- the 2020s. I think you know how I felt about Dave Dombrowski compared to Boston CBOs this decade. Dombro publicly acknowledged needs for the Red Sox, then went out and got guys to fill them. Some were great and some flopped, but at least fans knew they could trust him.

Werner said yesterday, "We actually have the powder to execute some more moves during the season." Coming from a rich and powerful man, those should be ominous words to both rivals and subordinates. What's in the powder that makes it so lethal it can be used for executions? Has to be stronger than baking soda...

The key to the season is going to be Tyler Samaniego. He's the lefty throw-in from the Password trade: 6'4 but who comes from a low slot -- the different-look southpaw this pitching staff needs in the bullpen. Sure, he's had elbow issues and hasn't made it to Triple A yet, but just wait until they teach him to aim sweepers into the dirt of the righty batter's box.

The only reason that might be dubious is because this entire decade, the Red Sox NEVER upgrade needs at the trade deadline. It happens every summer: the media gossips about all the names on all the teams out of contention, and all the players on expiring contracts -- or guys those poor clubs are desperate to dump -- and then Sox fans get their hopes up... and even entertain the possibilities by mulling all the BTV trade proposals on talksox. Then in the last seconds before the deadline, a CBO from Yale lands a past-his-prime middle reliever that nobody else wanted. And before you can say Kyle Schwarber, remember he was one position player who really couldn't play any positions -- or even hit at the time because of an injury -- that Bloom added with nothing to lose to an offense that already had a good DH... (though not one like Schwarbs who'd average 47 home runs every year since being allowed to sign elsewhere, a pace that will easily put him over 500 career HRs by the time he's 36).

Or even a good manager. Well, he just has to be good enough to let Papi hit and Koji close.

Or -- since most can't reach the fences very often anyway -- just cut down on those swings and stop pulling your heads so you can see the bat actually touch the ball.

"Working" a starter to drive up his pitch count for an earlier exit is not so ideal nowadays. There are just too many fresh arms pushing 100 mph coming out of bullpens to make for pleasurable at bats. The Billy Beane days of On Base won't disappear, but the best approach is to go up there looking to pulverize a tired starter leaking pitches into happy zones. A walk just isn't as good as a hit that advances a runner more than one base.

"It should be a privilege every day to put on a Red Sox jersey which I have never worn in my life. This year's City Connect shirts are going to be see-through, to honor our transparent front office."

Looking forward to the WBC to see Red Sox in early action vs. opponents trying to win. Our four outfielders (five counting Yoshida) will all be playing for separate teams, so they can contribute without trying to beat each other out for PT. Really glad Anthony chosen for the USA experience, reunited with Bregman and the influence of other mentor types like Judge, Harper, Schwarber etc -- plus, hitting coach Matt Holliday, a guy Roman has already taken offseason BP with (along with his sons). Instead of the pressure of being The Guy in Fort Myers, Anthony can just be himself among a roster full of guys reminding him to do just that. Same holds true for Abreu on Venezuela, who'll be able to bond with new teammate and veteran Contreras, as well as hitting coach Miggie Cabrera... and Rafaela on the Netherlands, who'll play with Bogaerts for Manager/Ceddanne idol Andruw Jones... and even Duran for Mexico, who'll play with Rowdy Tellez, a dude actually bigger than him. Yoshida will also get the opportunity to school Ohtani on not whiffing and just making contact. Mainly, Yoshida -- the last WBC's RBI leader -- will actually get to play!

An increase in home runs from guys with already bad K-rates (from trying to hit homers on sweepers that land in the dirt of the opposite batter's box) could also result in lower team OBP this year. Except, hopefuly, for Durbin -- our Great Might Hope.

That's a great chart. And it's also a reminder that the '07 champs that finished 18 in the long regular season also crushed 18 HRs in the Only Sample Size Postseason.

Like I said yesterday, OBP can also be detrimental to the GHOST. If the first guy walks, it just sets up a force at 3rd or worse, a double play, for the next batter, Managers of the defense always have that option of intentional walks or intentionally throwing nothing in the strike zone, depending on who's due up in the batting order. Or as we saw last year -- when hitters couldn't touch the ball -- it was the Red Sox...

Home runs don't mean more wins in the regular season. As a teen it was so fun watching the 1977 Red Sox blasting HRs all summer. Boston led the majors with 213 as the only team to hit over 200. Five guys hit at least 26 homers (more than team leader Story in '25), including AL champ Rice, Scott, Hobson, Yaz and FIsk. They didn't make the playoffs. Flash forward 30 years later to the most underrated world champions in Red Sox history: the '07 SOX only hit 166 home runs. The MLB average was 165; 17 clubs went yard more than Boston. Ortiz cranked 35, but Mike Lowell and Manny only had 21 and 20. Other Sox legends: Varitek 17, Youkilis 16, Pedroia 8, Cora 3, Kevin Cash 0. The '07 Red Sox also had the best pitching staff in the AL, leading in ERA and WHIP, and the best Defensive Efficiency with the lowest Runs Against Per Game. If the '26ers can replicate those standings, it's going to be ok. Btw: the '07 Sox also launched 18 more home runs in the postseason when they went 11-3.

Neither of those specialties is paramount to scoring a Ghost Runner. It's all about making contact and not striking out. The baseball world raved about the Blue Jays' ability to do both for a month last October. Toronto led the AL in batting average -- 11 points higher than runner-up Boston -- but the Jays also whiffed over 300 times less (actually, only 3 more than the Royals, the club with the least Ks). The AL champs were 10-4 in extra innings... and should have won the final game if their third base coach let newest Red Sox IKF take a bigger lead and run on contact.

That's what I mean. At that "risk," a guy riding the pine as an occasional righty DH or pinch-hitter is worth it. And if he brings a beer into the dugout and this time actually opens it, send him packing. Or share it.. And hopefully Durbin's contact skills will help change the culture in situations like extra innings. OPS isn't the end-all be-all stat for scoring the Ghost Runner because drawing a walk with 1B open can actually hurt by setting up the D for a force out or worse, a DP. Plus, while the longball is desired, guys trying too hard for it and whiffing defeats the purpose of moving the ectoplasmic man around the bases. The Sox were 8-12 in extras last year. If they just flipped those numbers, they were right in the mix for the division crown.

Dunno, but most ultra competitive athletes -- especially guys set for life who've already achieved every individual goal possible -- always seem to crave one last chance to win a ring. Notice I italicized "like" Mike Trout. There are always bats looking for homes. I intentionally didn't mention Castellanos all week, even though an obvious change-of-scenery guy who could do damage in a place like Fenway by mistake.

But in a pitchers' duel deep into October will you like our chances better to hope for three hits to score the winning run or one swing by a subsidized DH like Mike Trout, who may be available by August? Sorry... just preparing for all scenarios. And now, for the outrage...

I like Romy and he's a hitter who can contribute in a good batting order... but I never want to see him batting clean-up again with a Refsnyder leadoff like in the playoffs. Breslow gets kudos for the depth he's built on the pitching staff... but he's slicing our soles on broken seashells in the shallows of an offense.

Dang -- take it back. Stop, before this is all over the internet.

They tried eradicating them by arming drones with spear guns, but natives suspected secret bounties when others started disappearing: goliath frogs, electric eels, LED eels, manatees, girlatease...

This rots.

Otters know where it's at. Swimming and fishing all day.

Two guys that can run followed by your four best power hitters? Why are you trying to make sense? No avocado for you.