FenwayNation POLL: Top Red Sox News Story Of 2017?

POLL: What was the top Red Sox news story of 2017?

Red Sox fire John Farrell

Red Sox hire Alex Cora

Red Sox retire David Ortiz's number 34

David Price has airplane spat with Dennis Eckersley

Red Sox have 2nd straight early playoff exit

Red Sox win 2nd straight AL East title

Chris Sale Strikes Out 300

OTHER (Specify in comments section)

 

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Final Warning: Old FN Calendar Has Just One Day Left!

Think of it! This is the last time we'll nag you about buying the 2018 FenwayNation Calendar. After all, the usefulness of the 2017 FenwayNation Calendar has pretty much run out. The new one has a year full of fresh days—and 12 never-before-seen exclusive photos of Fenway and the Red Sox ('never-before-seen' unless you've clicked on the "preview" link on the product page)! Anyway, it's December 30th. If you were ever going to buy this puppy, it's today. Do it, already! It's just $16.99! Buy the calendar HERE.

Are Manny Machado's 2017 Numbers A Cautionary Tale?

Last season, 25-year-old Manny Machado had a year most teams (including the Red Sox) would lust after. In 156 games played, the three-time All-Star clouted 33 HRs and knocked in 95. He had 163 hits—including 33 doubles. Good stuff. Except—ten of his key metrics were down from the 2016 season. Machado had lower numbers on: runs scored, hits, doubles, HRs, RBIs, batting average (a somewhat scary .259 in 2017), on-base percentage, slugging, OPS and OPS+. Again, any team would take the numbers that Machado delivered in 2017—but is the trend an indication of a down-slide or just a one-year blip? Maybe the Orioles know something we don't. Caveat emptor!

Any Manny Macahdo Trade Needs Long-Term Extension

The worst thing the Red Sox could do would be to give up key pieces in a trade for one-year of Manny Machado—only to see him leave in free-agency in 2019 (probably to The Bronx Embalmers). Earlier reports had Boston sending Xander Bogaerts, Eduardo Rodriguez and Michael Chavis to Charm City in exchange for the 25-year-old three-time All-Star. But, clearly, that package was too much of a sacrifice—even for Dealin' Dave Dombrowski. In this previous scenario, Machado would move to shortstop (where he really wants to play) and Rafael Devers would be installed permanently at third base. The new trade rumors have Devers included in the package to Baltimore—which would mean that Machado would have to stay at third, or Xander (A-Rod-like) would move to The Hot Corner. In any event, a trade for Machado would have to come with a "negotiating window" as a condition of the trade going down. Boston would need to have a deal in place that could keep Machado in Carmine Hose for 8-10 years. Otherwise, the whole conversation is a joke.

Now, Sox ARE Reported Interested In Manny Machado

Take any reports on a Boston trade for Manny Machado with a huge grain of salt—in fact, make that one of those mountains of salt at various maintenance areas on the Mass Turnpike. Just yesterday, the consensus was that—while Machado was put back on the market by the Orioles—the Red Sox were NOT among the seven teams still interested in a deal for the 25-year-old three-time All-Star.  Tonight, however, MLBNetwork's Jon Morosi is reporting that Boston is showing "continued trade interest" in Machado. Perhaps more to the point is the follow-up by WEEI.com's Rob Bradford which suggests that the Red Sox interest in Machado is "overstated". Stay tuned!

The 2017 Season Saw Sox Set An MLB Record, Sort Of

While the 2017 Red Sox did enjoy a successful regular season—topping The Bronx Embalmers for the AL East crown—they also set a dubious MLB record that could stand forever. Back in August, former Manager John Farrell forgot to insert a substitute player—Hanley Ramriez—into the batting order in the bottom of the ninth in a 16-3 blowout loss to the Orioles. Ramirez was supposed to hit for the player he replaced—DH Chris Young. ManRam had come into the game as a defensive replacement to play first—since Mitch Moreland had to pitch in garbage time. But, really, he replaced Young in the lineup at DH. Farrell still sent up Young to bat in the ninth—who actually got an illegal hit! Of course, nobody noticed or cared, but it marked the first time in MLB history of an illegal re-entry into a lineup. So, there's that.

Sox Not Among Teams With Revived Interest In Machado

(Getty Images)

After reports that Theo Epstein had made a "substantive" offer to the Orioles of three Cubs players to land Manny Machado, word comes that—in fact—the three-time All-Star is back on the market. The Red Sox are not among the still-interested teams, which include: the Cubs, Cardinals, White Sox, Yankees, Giants, Phillies, and Diamondbacks. Reportedly, the Red Sox had earlier offered Xander Bogaerts, Eduardo Rodriguez and Michael Chavis for the 25-year old Machado (who will be a free-agent at the end of the 2018 season). Stay tuned!

'Six Degrees' Of Hibernation: Fenway Park In Deep Freeze

As you wake up this lovely morning, the weather you face will depend on where you are reading this. If you're on the Left Coast in San Francisco it's 47 degrees; in Santiago, Chile it's a toasty 83 degrees; in Sydney, Australia it's 69 degrees. Ah, but in Balmy Boston, it's a mere 6 degrees—yes, that's 6 degree Fahrenheit with a windchill of -13! Fenway is encased in a bed of white until it blossoms again in all its green splendor on March 5, 2018. It's coming, trust us.

Top FenwayNation Story Of 2017: Free-Agent Un-Loading

You told us with your clicks! The #1 most-read posting this year on FenwayNation.com (unless we come up with a doozy in the next few days) was all about the Red Sox passing on their eight free agents back in early November (by not making them qualifying offers). While they have reeled back-in Mitch Moreland, the others are still out there—mostly notably, Eduardo Nunez and Addison Reed. An amazing 7, 570 of you read that posting—topping all other single posts in 2017. This is a good time to thank all of our readers worldwide (we are now read in 186 countries). Thank you, and stay with us for an exciting 2018 (our 19th season covering The Carmine Hose)! It should be a fascinating ride!

POLL: Seven In Ten Nervous Over Red Sox Inactivity

Continued voting in our latest FenwayNation Poll shows that fully seven readers in ten (70%) express some degree of nervousness over the inaction displayed by the Red Sox this off-season. As the chart shows, more than four in ten (42%) are very nervous, and another 28% are somewhat nervous at the lack of activity by Dave Dombrowski. About one reader in seven (15%) says they are not really that nervous, and 14% say they are not nervous at all. you can still vote in the poll HERE.

2018 Red Sox Still Need Bat, Arm, And Swiss-Army Knife

Despite the propaganda emanating from Yawkey Way, your currently-constituted 2018 Red Sox are going nowhere fast. With the still-unfinished re-tooling of The Bronx Embalmers (they will land Gerrit Cole), Dave Dombrowski is in serious need of three pieces: a "bat" (J.D. Martinez), a lefty relief "arm" (Tony Watson or Brian Duensing), and an infield "swiss-army knife"—a guy who can play multiple positions (lots of options, but Eduardo Nunez would be a nice fit). If we're really greedy, we'd also say the team needs another elite starter—we'd pick Jake Arrieta (hey, it's not our money). Again, that would be greedy—but do you want Rick Porcello serving up meatballs to Giancarlo Stanton at Fenway? Without at least these first three additions, this version of The Carmine Hose will be lucky to grab one of the two AL Wild Cards. With the three adds, they are at least competitive with The Pinstriped Posers. Simple. No propaganda—just facts.

POLL: Near Three-Quarters 'Nervous' Over Sox Inaction

Early voting in our latest FenwayNation Poll shows that almost three in four readers (74%) express some degree of nervousness about Boston's inaction this off-season. As the chart shows, a little over one-third (35%) are "very" nervous, while almost four in ten (39%) are "somewhat" nervous. Just over one in ten (11%) are "not really that nervous", while one in seven (15%) are "not nervous at all". You can still vote in the poll HERE.

Cubs Offered Three Players For Orioles' Manny Machado

(Getty Images)

Former Red Sox GM Theo Epstein offered three Cub players to the Orioles in exchange for three-time All-Star Manny Machado. No deal has yet been consummated, but multiple reports indicate that the Chicago discussions are the most "substantive" of all. The three Cubbies who would head over to Camden Yards are: IF Addison Russell, OF Albert Almora and LHP Mike Montgomery. Machado has stated that he wants to return to playing shortstop, so a move to the North Side of Chicago would fit well with established Cub third-baseman Kris Bryant.

POLL: How Nervous About Red Sox Off-Season Inaction?

With the start of the 2018 season a little over 90 days away, how nervous are you about the Red Sox inaction this off-season?

Very nervous

Somewhat nervous

Not really that nervous

Not nervous at all

 

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Former Sox 3B Naehring Set To Re-Up With Evil Ones

(Getty Images)

As Vice-President of Baseball Operations for The Evil Ones, former Red Sox 3B Tim Naehring has been at the center of the recent Bronx transformation. As such, multiple reports expect The Pinstriped Posers to "re-up" Nearhring's contract very soon. In the wake of a new contract for Naehring's mentor Brian Cashman, there's little doubt the 50-year-old will be a permanent fixture at The Concrete Bunker On 161st Street. Oh, well, he was pretty good for us at The Hot Corner for a number of years.

For New Year, Get A Red Sox/Jimmy Fund License Plate

Here's a way for you to celebrate the advent of 2018—and do something really good on top of it. By getting a Red Sox/Jimmy Fund license plate from the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles, you will directly contribute to patient care and research at Boston's Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. The Jimmy Fund is the sole official charity of FenwayNation, and has been serving the children of our region for nearly 70 years. Begun in 1948 in association with the then-Boston Braves baseball club, it was transferred over to the Red Sox when the Braves fled town in 1953. There is no more worthy cause to support than the Jimmy Fund.

Astros Coach Rich Dauer Nearly Died After Team Win

(Getty Images)

Those of us who are old enough, can remember when Astros 2017 first-base coach Rich Dauer was an MLB player. As an infielder for the Baltimore Orioles, Dauer got into two World Series (1979, 1983), and carved out a more-than-respectable 10-year career (.257 BA, .985 Fld%). But, on the day the Houston Astros celebrated their first ever World Series championship, Dauer almost died. Having slipped and hit his head a day earlier, Dauer fell ill during the parade and victory celebration and was rushed to Houston Methodist Hospital. After he had fallen into respiratory arrest, it was determined that he had suffered an acute subdural hematoma—blood collecting outside of his brain. Surgery was successfully performed, but often these cases result in severe long-term impairment. Somehow, Dauer recovered quickly and completely. While the 65-year-old had already decided to retire before this incident, he can now enjoy that time even more. Thanks to the help of many (teammates, fellow coaches, doctors, friends), he is alive today. Said one of his doctors, "If any of the dominos had fallen differently, we’d be having a very different conversation." We wish him the best.

Get Used To A Bottom-Shelf Red Sox Bat Acquisition

(Getty Images)

Dave Dombrowski apologists in the mainstream Red Sox media are setting us all up for a huge off-season disappointment. Hey, these scribes argue, J.D. Martinez isn't that good. They cite various stat geeks who say that 2017 was an aberrant year for Martinez—projecting that he'll never hit 45 HRs again. Therefore, to preserve John Henry's cash-flow position (so he can support foreign soccer teams), we should sign another bat option—you know, some left-hand-hitting bottom-feeder like Jay Bruce or Logan Morrison (with Hanley Ramirez as the right-handed DH). Those guys, these Dombrowski toadies say, are much more economical when you calculate their HR and RBI ratios per dollar. Bull! The Carmine Hose need a legitimate, top-shelf DH like Martinez to realistically compete with the re-tooled Bronx Embalmers—period. Get him now!

Ninety-Eight Years Ago Today, The Horror Began For Sox

Two years from now—on December 26, 2019—it will be a full century since Harry "F." Frazee unloaded a Red Sox player that he felt he could no longer afford. That player was one George Herman "Babe" Ruth. As of today it's just the 98th anniversary of that perfidious transaction that sent Ruth to The Evil Ones. For a mere $100,000 ($25,000 cash up-front), Boston let go the greatest ballplayer in the history of the game. Now, he only won one more World Series Championship in the Bronx than he did at Fenway—but it still ranks as the worst deal in all of sports history. You know, kind of like when another Yankee—Derek Jeter—gave away the current top HR hitter in the game for a mere pittance to his old bosses in Baghdad-By-The-Husdon. While the 2017 transaction came from south Florida, it could have similar reverberations as the 1919 deal—1,500 miles north in Boston.

Alex Cora: Red Sox Still Looking For Offensive Players

With the entire Red Sox organization in seeming hibernation, it's real news when someone pops their head out from the cave. In an interview with the Puerto Rican paper ElNuevodia.com, new Red Sox manager Alex Cora gave us a glimpse into the mindset of the team during this weirdly moribund period. Basically, Cora stated what we all hoped was the case—that the team is still in the hunt for offensive help. Said Cora, "Right now we are in the process [of looking for players]...It looks like January will be the new December in terms of [signings]...Offensively speaking, this team did not hit many homers." No kidding.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!

Ex-Sox Henry Owens Continues His Tour Of The NL West

(Getty Images)

Henry Owens, the one-time top pitching prospect in the Red Sox organization, was claimed off waivers yesterday by the Los Angeles Dodgers. Two weeks ago, the Arizona Diamondbacks—they of former Boston employees Mike Hazen and Torey Lovullo—had claimed Owens from the Red Sox. Arizona needed to clear a roster spot after acquiring Japanese pitcher Yoshihisa Hirano on Friday. So, Owens became expendable. Now, the lefty will be under the tutelage of another Red Sox alum—Dave Roberts.

Old Friend Daniel Nava Is All-Time Top Human Rain Delay

Red Sox fans loved him from his first MLB at-bat in 2010—heck, his first swing. Daniel Nava clouted a grand-slam on the first pitch he saw in the majors—endearing him to millions. And, he was popular in Boston right up until the point of his departure to the Rays in 2015. Now a member of the Phillies, the 34-year-old has just earned a not-so-endearing distinction—Top Human Rain Delay. According to FanGraphs.com, Nava took an astounding 29.7 seconds between pitches in 2017—the slowest pace ever documented. Not surprisingly, the 2014 version of Hanley Ramirez (then on the Dodgers) ranks as the third-slowest of all time (29.3 seconds). And, our own Boston iteration of HanRam (2017) was the eleventh-slowest of all-time (28.6 seconds). In fact, Hanley shows up two more times on the list at #45 (27.4 seconds) and #50 (27.2 seconds).

'Coal' For Us And 'Cole' For Evil Ones On Xmas Morning?

UPDATE: Cole-Evil Ones Talks Heat Up.
Monday is Christmas, and it's looking more and more likely that John Henry and Dave Dombrowski will be leaving coal in all of our 'Red Stockings'. Meantime, 250 miles to the south, fans of The Evil Empire have already unwrapped their big present—and another one may soon be on the way in the form of starting pitcher Gerrit Cole. While recent reports have suggested a "cooling" in the talks between Pittsburgh and the Bronx—that's just when Brian Cashman gets started. The Stealth GM of the Pinstriped Posers has made a living of swooping in and making deals when you least expect it. Oh sure, there's talk that we still might get J.D. Martinez—but there's also Dombrowski's "we're OK just the way we are" comments. So, it very well could be: coal for us and Cole for them. Bad Santa, no cookies and milk for you!

Two Red Sox AL East Opponents Are Weakened Today

While The Bronx Embalmers have certainly made Boston's road to the post-season tougher, two other members of the AL East fraternity were seriously weakened today. First, the Orioles lost their premier closer Zach Britton for six months with a ruptured Achilles tendon. Second, the Tampa Bay Rays traded away Evan Longoria—the cornerstone of their franchise—to the San Francisco Giants. It's unclear who the Rays will get back from the Bay Area in compensation for Longoria, or how Baltimore will fill the huge void created by the Britton injury. Thus, at least a Wild Card path has been made a little easier for the Red Sox—although they are still in desperate need of another big bat. [UPDATE—EDITOR'S NOTE: Rays get Christian Arroyo, Denard Span, Matt Krook and Stephen Woods in exchange for Longoria].

'Little Rhody' On Verge Of Losing AAA Team To Bay State

Time may be running out on the people of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. Last minute pleas have been made to the Rhode Island General Assembly to fund a new baseball stadium—the Ballpark At Slater Mill in Pawtucket. Without the new stadium commitment, the AAA franchise of the Red Sox will likely move to Worcester, Massachusetts—a community poised to make a commitment for a stadium (with at least the nominal support of Governor Charlie Baker). Said Pawtucket Mayor Donald R. Grebien, "Rhode Island's leaders must act and approve this proposal in January. Our PawSox are going to end up in Worcester if we do not act. We cannot afford to watch the tax dollars go to another city and another state." Hello, WooSox!

Red Sox Announce Special 'Give-Aways' During Season

Apparently, it's getting tougher and tougher for the Red Sox to get fannies into Fenway's "vintage" 1912 seats. As they did last year, the team has announced a series of "promotions" with little tchotchke take-aways for fans. Of the nine promotions, two are related to Andrew Benintendi—which will give you an idea of where their PR indicators are heading. You can get a Benintendi headband on May 25th and a Benintendi Splash Bobble (whatever that is) on June 6th. Other promotions are centered on: Pedro Martinez, Xander Bogaerts, Mookie Betts, Rafael Devers, Christian Vazquez, Craig Kimbrel and Chris Sale. You can get further details on these events and promotions HERE.

O's 'Dissatisfied' With Trade Offers For Manny Machado

(Getty Images)

Multiple reports indicate that the Orioles are not happy with the trade offers they've gotten for Manny Machado—and may soon pull him off the market. Reportedly, the Red Sox were among eight teams who expressed interest in the star third-baseman—the others being The Evil Ones, Phillies, Giants, White Sox, Cardinals, Cubs and Diamondbacks. Boston may have offered Xander Bogaerts, Eduardo Rodriguez (who the Red Sox originally got from Baltimore) and prospect Michael Chavis. Why Dan Duquette would not be thrilled with that offer is beyond us. In any event, the good news is that it looks as if Machado won't be headed to the Bronx either—at least not until next off-season.

Evil Empire Pays Luxury Tax For Fifteenth Straight Year

Anyone who wants to tell you that the Yankees aren't the gluttons of Major League Baseball should just look at their history with the luxury tax penalty. The penalty has been in existence for fifteen years and The Bronx Embalmers have bellied up to the tax bar fifteen times. This time, they're paying a $15.7 million tax on their 2017 salaries. Not to be outdone, the Dodgers—who have gone over the threshold five straight years—will cough up $36.2 million this time. So, collectively, the two Bi-Coastal Behemoths will contribute about $52 million to the till. Only three other teams will pay the tax on their 2017 salaries—the Giants ($4.1 million), the Tigers ($3.6 million) and the Nationals ($1.4 million). Of course, the Red Sox did not go over the threshold in 2017. By not spending more, they also did not strengthen their club at the trading deadline—and went on to a second straight early exit from the playoffs.

Dombrowski Vs. Boras Stare-Down Is Likely Ending Soon

Dombrowski (L); Boras (R)

Now that his client Eric Hosmer is heading somewhere other than Boston, Uber-Agent Scott Boras has lost some leverage over Dave Dombrowski. It's no longer a "two-fer" negotiation—it's now just a stare-down for one player, J.D. Martinez. Moreover, most of the other suitors for Martinez have far less incentive (and money) to splurge on J.D. For example, the Cardinals already got their bat (Marcell Ozuna), the Giants are gun-shy of the luxury-tax penalty—as are the Dodgers. Plus, the Angels just coughed-up $20 million in posting fees for part-time big bat Shohei Ohtani. So, old 'Double D' can push a much harder bargain for the services of our would-be new DH. This could happen quickly.

POLL: Opposition To Machado Trade Grows Stronger

Further voting in our latest FenwayNation Poll shows that majority opposition to a trade for Manny Machado is growing. As the chart shows, 53% of readers are now against the trade—which would hypothetically send Xander Bogaerts, Eduardo Rodriguez and Michael Chavis to Baltimore in exchange for the elite 3B/SS. A minority of 47% still support the transaction—which initially had enjoyed majority support in the early stages of voting. You can still vote in the poll HERE.

Rangers Pitcher Out Until May After Run-In With Bull

Well, you think you've heard everything in baseball—and then this happens. A major league pitcher—Martin Perez of the Texas Rangers—will be out until at least next May because of a run-in with a bull. That right, a bull. Think of all the wisecracks that will inevitably emerge—you know, stuff about Perez being moved from the starting rotation to the (ahem) bull-pen. Apparently, the bull was—in fact—in a holding 'pen' when it made a 'move' that startled Perez. The pitcher fell and sustained an injury that required him to undergo surgery to repair a broken radial head in his non-pitching elbow. We're thinking that, once he's healed, Perez will surely get an endorsement offer from the Toro® Snowblower people. Just sayin'. 

Ortiz Hits The TV Airwaves For His New Career Search

You knew he couldn't stay out of the limelight for too long. Red Sox legend David Ortiz will soon be starring in a new 10-part TV series that is certain to get big ratings in Boston*. Entitled, "Big Papi Needs A Job", the new half-hour series debuts January 31st on the Fusion television network. In the show, Ortiz tries a series of new potential professions—professions not named DH. Says Big Papi, "Ever since I was a kid I've never been known for sitting still — after 20 years on the field, I’m ready for something new. I’ve always been about trying new things, and this series is all about that. I’ve been meeting new people and having a lot of fun. I can’t wait for fans to come along for the ride." This should be very cool!
*[EDITOR'S NOTE: Xfinity (Comcast)—the largest cable carrier in the Boston area, does not currently carry the Fusion TV network]

Red Sox To Go From 'Pitch-Selectivity' To 'Pitch-Hunting'

No matter which big bat (if any) shows up under the Red Sox tree next Monday (or sooner), get ready for a significant change in Boston's approach to hitting. As pointed out by ESPN.com's Scott Lauber, Boston's hiring of pitching coach Tim Hyers (who previously toiled three seasons in their minor league system and worked for the Dodgers the last two years) presages a new batting mind-set. No longer will Red Sox hitters take the patient, grinding pitch-selectivity approach. They will now be pitch-hunting—looking to create a launch angle that's 15-30 degrees into the air—with a launch velocity of 95-100 MPH. This combination usually results in lots of home runs—something the Red Sox were last in the majors in during the 2017 season. It worked for the Dodgers and Astros last year—you know, the two teams that appeared in the World Series. And now, Boston has two guys in management (Hyers and manager Alex Cora) who were key parts of that Fall Classic experience.

Specter Of Machado To Evil Ones Oozes Out Of Bronx

As if life this off-season hasn't been bad enough for Red Sox fans—now there's this. Multiple reports suggest that loopy Orioles owner Peter Angelos may trade Manny Machado directly to The Bronx Embalmers. The Birds, of course, are in serious need of starting pitching, so the names going back to Charm City are Yankee pitching prospects Chance Adams and Justus Sheffield. This new wrinkle comes just days after Angelos poured cold water on sending Machado to the White Sox—for fear that they would just flip him to The Evil Ones! The Chicago management then naively stated that such a "flip" to The Pinstriped Posers would be "unethical". Didn't we just witness the joke trade that Derek Jeter made to his old team? Anyway, the Red Sox are also being mentioned in a possible trade for Machado—with at least one semi-established pitcher going back to his old Baltimore roots in the person of lefty Eduardo Rodriguez. Stay tuned!

Time Is Running Out: Just 12 Days Left In Old Calendar!

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POLL SHOCK: Majority Now Opposed To Machado Trade

After earlier majority support for a trade that would net 3B/SS Manny Machado, our latest poll results have shifted dramatically. A slim majority now oppose the trade—which would hypothetically send Xander Bogaerts, Eduardo Rodriguez and Michael Chavis to Charm City. Earlier voting had nearly six in ten readers (59%) favoring the trade. As the chart shows, readers are pretty evenly divided now—with a full 49% still favoring the transaction (with the assumption that Boston could extend Machado on a multi-year deal). You can still vote in the poll HERE.

Red Sox Need To Trade Or Release Hanley Ramirez

With the re-upping of Mitch Moreland at 1B, and the likely imminent signing of free-agent J.D. Martinez, the Red Sox are facing a problem. That problem's name is Hanley Ramirez. They are not going to trade Jackie Bradley, Jr. to make room for HanRam and it's unlikely that they will platoon him and Moreland at 1B. So, Hanley is owed $22 million for 2018—and has an attainable $22 million vesting option for 2019. That's hard to trade away for a 34-year-old guy on the down-slide of his career. So, the only other option is to simply release Ramirez—eating the $22 million in the process. Of course, as pointed out by Jared Carrabis, when paired with Pablo Sandoval and Rusney Castillo the total dead money on Boston's hands would then be $102,534,429. That's a big banquet full of contracts to ingest. Stay tuned, the trigger needs to be pulled on something pretty soon.

Sox Sign Mitch Moreland To Two-Year, $13 Million Deal

Well, you can kiss Eric Hosmer and Jose Abreu goodbye! In a surprising (some would say shocking) move, the Red Sox re-signed 32-year-old Mitch Moreland to a two-year, $13 million contract today. Of course, this heightens the likelihood of Boston signing free-agent bat J.D. Martinez. But, it's unclear how these transactions—if the Martinez one does occur—dove-tail with any playing time for Hanley Ramirez. Stay close by!

POLL: Solid Majority Would Trade For Manny Machado

Early voting in our latest FenwayNation Poll shows that nearly six in ten readers (59%) would favor a trade for Baltimore's Manny Machado—assuming the Red Sox could lock him up to a long-term extension. This level of support was achieved even though Boston would be trading away a three-player package of Xander Bogaerts, Eduardo Rodriguez and prospect Michael Chavis. As the chart shows, 41% oppose the trade. You can still vote in the poll HERE.

POLL: Favor Or Oppose Trade For Manny Machado?

Assuming we could re-sign him to a long-term deal, would you favor or oppose trading for Manny Machado in exchange for Xander Bogaerts, Eduardo Rodriguez and Michael Chavis?

Favor

Oppose

 

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Did A Mayan God Propel The Red Sox To Victory In 2004?

Maximón

With all the talk of curses prior to the Red Sox breaking their 86-year drought in 2004, we never suspected the intervention of a Mayan God. However, according to Oakland A's fan Jake Stamp, he and a friend (a Red Sox fan known only as "Billy"), the Mayan God "Maximón" may have played a role in the historic outcome of the 2004 season. Stamp and Billy made a pilgrimage to a Guatemalan shrine to Maximón and did the requisite things to bring good fortune to The Carmine Hose and bad vibes to The Evil Ones. We needn't tell you what happened. Hey, it's as reasonable an explanation as any.

Groome And Chavis Top Red Sox 2018 Prospect List

Baseball America's 2018 Red Sox Top Prospect List (complied by Alex Speier) shows left-handed pitcher Jay Groome atop the list at #1—followed by 3B Michael Chavis, RHPs Tanner Houck and Bryan Mata, and OF Cole Brannen. Rounding out the Top 10 are: LHP Darwinzon Hernandez, 1B Sam Travis, RHP Mike Shawaryn, RHP Alex Scherff, and SS/2B Marco Hernandez. The Sox Prospects website has two different players in their Top 10: 1B Josh Ockimey (#6) and LHP Jalen Beeks. (#10). Baseball America also rates the prospects on a range of capabilities. Since Boston needs power offense more than anything this off-season, it is notable that Chavis is listed as the Best Power Hitter. The Best Hitter For Average is seen as Travis.

POLL: Martinez And Hosmer Top Choices For Sox Bat

Final voting in our latest FenwayNation Poll shows that J.D. Martinez remains the top choice as the bat the Red Sox should acquire—chosen by 47% of readers. As the chart shows, Eric Hosmer moved ahead of Manny Machado—narrowly taking the second spot at 22%. Machado follows closely behind at 21%. Eduardo Nunez garnered 5% of the vote, while Christian Yelich got 3%. Kyle Schwarber of the Cubbies got just 2% of reader support.

Dave Dombrowski's 'Secret Plan' To Get A Sox Big Bat

Nixon (L); Dombrowski (R)

Those of you old enough to remember 1969 probably also remember President Richard Nixon's "secret plan" to end the Vietnam War. Of course, that war dragged on for six more years, with no discernible plan in place. Fast forward to 2017. Here is the party line regarding Boston's off-season inaction, given by Red Sox CEO Sam Kennedy, "Let’s face it: The Yankees are being the Yankees. Ever since I was a kid, this is how the Yankees have behaved. As a fan, it drives you a little bit crazy when you see Giancarlo Stanton in the pinstripes. We understand that. But the worst thing you can do is overreact or make a knee-jerk move or reaction based upon what your competitors are doing. Our baseball operations group has a plan; they’re sticking to that plan." Let's call this Dave Dombrowski's "Secret Plan" to halt the domination of the AL East by The Evil Empire. What are the specifics of that plan? They're no more transparent than Nixon's. The more things change, the more they stay the same.

Happy Red Sox Null-Birthday Day—December 18th!

As our loyal readers know, every day FenwayNation features a Red Sox player (past or present) who was born on that particular date. Usually, there are two, three or even four good choices—all of which are sent to our plush (but not overly ostentatious) headquarters for winnowing down to one name. Rarely, a date arrives where not one player born on that day in the history of baseball has ever played for the Red Sox. Today is such a day—December 18th. Maybe it's because the reprehensible (although also great) Ty Cobb was born on December 18th—and no one associated with the Red Sox wanted to share that distinction. Nah. Think of it, of the thousands of players who have donned Carmine Hose down through the ages, not one was born today. Makes you think.

A-Gon Traded, Will Be DFA'd To Become A Free Agent

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Former Red Sox first-baseman Adrian Gonzalez was traded today from the Los Angeles Dodgers to the Atlanta Braves. However, it is understood that he will be designated for assignment by the Braves and become a free-agent. While he would be unlikely to accept a reunion with the Red Sox, it is another intriguing option for Dave Dombrowski. Gonzalez was packaged in The Great Nick Punto Trade, but was the only player in the deal who actually performed well for Boston. Stay tuned.

DOH! J.D. Martinez Prefers Playing Outfield To DHing

Uh-Oh. Dave Dombrowski's "secret plan" to out-stare uber-agent Scott Boras might have hit a fatal land mine. Word from the camp of J.D. Martinez is that he prefers to play an outfield position and not DH. Clearly, Boston's plan is to have him replace David Ortiz at the designated hitter spot—since a young, athletic outfield—basically all center-fielders— is already in place (Andrew Benintendi, Jackie Bradley, Jr., Mookie Betts). To our ears, this is simply a Boras-inspired ploy to goose up the $200 million asking price to "accommodate" a move to DH. So slimy! Stay tuned!

POLL: J.D. Martinez Still Seen As Top Bat Choice For Sox

Continued voting in our latest FenwayNation Poll shows that a plurality of readers (down from an earlier majority) prefer J.D. Martinez as the top choice to fill the Red Sox offensive void. As the chart shows, 46% now choose Martinez, followed by 22% who pick Manny Machado. Picking up the most ground from our last check is Eric Hosmer—who now garners fully 20% of the total vote. Former Red Sox IF Eduardo Nunez checks in next at 7%, followed Christian Yelich at 3% and Kyle Schwarber at 2%. No one has yet voted for Mark Reynolds. We should note that a few voters mentioned their preference for Jose Abreu—who was inadvertently left off the initial poll. You can still vote HERE.

Jacoby Ellsbury's Post-Boston Performance Evaluation

Multiple rumors are floating around that former Red Sox OF Jacoby Ellsbury may be on the move out of the Bronx. The Pinstriped Posers seem to have a bit of a log-jam in their outfield—and a pretty expensive one at that. Unless Ellsbury is moved, he will become a $21,142,857 million bench-warmer in 2018. He might be hard to deal, though, since he's got the potential of $63 million or so more owed to him after 2018. Nonetheless, he's been mentioned in various deals—including one to the Diamondbacks that would net The Evil Ones IF Brandon Drury and SP Patrick Corbin. So, it's interesting to see how things compare on Ellsbury—between his seven years in Boston and his four years as a Bronx Embalmer. As the chart shows, Ellsbury performed better in Carmine Hose is every key category—average, on-base percentage, slugging and OPS. But, all things considered (like advancing age and injury), he performed pretty closely to his Boston stats. Was it worth it to The Steinbrenner Brood to ink him to that seven-year, $153 million contract? Not bloody likely. So far, zero division titles and zero world championships during Jacoby's stay. Oh, well.

Phillies Snare One Red Sox 1B Option In Carlos Santana

Take one more free-agent option off the table. The Phillies signed first-baseman Carlos Santana to a three-year, $60 million contract. If Santana is getting that much, you can rest assured that 'uber-agent' Scott Boras is asking way north of those figures for Eric Hosmer. This fake Dave Dombroski bravado (staring down Boras in a "who-flinches-first" contest) has the real danger of resulting in a totally empty Christmas stocking for Red Sox fans. Stay tuned!

Empire Looks To Bury Red Sox With Acquisition Of Cole

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The only edge the Red Sox have on The Bronx Embalmers—and we mean the only edge—is in the starting rotation. And, frankly, the edge is not all that profound. The one area that Brian Cashman did not smoke Dave Dombrowski this off-season is in upgrading his rotation. Now, it appears that Cashman may be putting the final piece of his 2018 team in place—with the acquisition of SP Gerrit Cole. While Dombrowski makes excuses, Cashman acts. Reportedly, the 27-year-old Cole (12-2 in 2017) would be swapped for excess OF prospect Clint Frazier. Again, the Yankees deal from strength to make their overall team better. Quite a concept—you might want to try it, Dave!

All Of Boston's First Base Options Are "Can't Misses"

2015-2017 Stats (Courtesy: TheScore.com)

Despite the curious geek-inspired hatred of Eric Hosmer, all three of Boston's potential first-base replacements for Mitch Moreland (who wasn't half-bad himself) are solid. No matter how you slice it, Hosmer, Carlos Santana or Jose Abreu would be a major plus for the lineup and the defense. Please, don't even talk to us about bottom-feeder candidates like Mark Reynolds. The roto-heads point to Hosmer's "every-other-year" offensive slippage—but (as usual) the numbers don't tell the whole story. Don't forget, legendary manager Jim Leyland started Hosmer over Paul Goldschmidt in the recent World Baseball Classic—and Hosmer raked and the US won. Over the last three seasons (see chart), the numbers for all three are virtually identical—with Abreu the clear class of the group. But Abreu would cost prospects—Hosmer or Santana would only put a slight dent in John Henry's wallet (don't worry, he'll survive).