David Price Dazzles In Debut, Rafael Devers Delivers In Red Sox 1-0 Win

(Getty Images)

Finally, the Red Sox are a .500 ball-club. Boston put Thursday's devastating loss in the rear-view mirror with a beautifully-pitched 1-0 win over the Tampa Bay Rays. David Price went a long way toward putting his whole 2017 season in the rear-view with seven dominating innings. The big lefty gave up just four hits, walked none and struck out five. Alex Cora—who won his first game as a major-league manager—gave the eighth inning to Matt Barnes tonight, who struck out one in a scoreless inning. Craig Kimbrel was his usual un-hittable self, striking out the side on upper-nineties fastballs for his first save in the ninth inning. The offense was keyed by Xander "Bogie-Two-Bags" Bogaerts who got his third and fourth doubles of the young season and Rafael Devers (an RBI single off a lefty). Hanley Ramirez also chipped in with another two hits. This was a needed win, getting the Opening Day monkey off the team's back and giving Cora the confidence he needs to make the right moves.

Red Sox Look To Rebound From Opening Day Fiasco With David Price

The Red Sox will look to get to .500 at TheMostPulpDome tonight with David Price on the mound at his old stomping grounds. The Boston line-up is: Mookie Betts, RF; Andrew Benintendi, LF; Hanley Ramirez, 1B; J.D. Martinez, DH; Xander Bogaerts, SS; Rafael Devers, 3B; Eduardo Nunez, 2B; Jackie Bradley Jr., CF; Christian Vazquez, C. Price will take to the hill and try and wipe out memories of his frustrating 2017 campaign.

Ten Years Ago, FenwayNation Offered A Real Service To Our Readers

FenwayNation's March 2008 Masthead

On March 25th, 2008, our top story on FenwayNation was a list of Boston bars that would open at 6AM that day for the Red Sox opener in Japan (courtesy of the Dirty Water blog). Now that's a public service if we ever heard one. As you may recall, the Red Sox won the first of two tilts with the Oakland A's that year on a Manny Ramirez two-RBI double in the 12th inning. The libations must have really been flowing! By the way, the establishments that featured the wicked early openings were: Game On, Daisy Buchanan’s, Anchovies, Pour House, The Avenue, Cask’n Flagon, and Pug's Bar and Grille. Ah, those were the days!

Almost Three In Ten MLB Players Born Outside Of United States

Major League Baseball released their accounting of team rosters yesterday and revealed an extremely diverse set of players. Of the 877 total players on current MLB rosters (or on the DL), 29% were born outside the 50 U.S. states. Thus, players who were born in Puerto Rico and other U.S. territories were regarded as from separate geographic entities. In total, players now hail from 21 different countries. Not surprisingly, the Dominican Republic tops the list of foreign-born players with 84. Next on the list is Venezuela with 74, Puerto Rico with 19, Cuba with 17, Mexico with 11 and Japan with 8.

Red Sox Owner Tom Werner Doubles-Down On Roseanne Success

In its first network television run, Red Sox owner Tom Werner was a key player in the huge success of the Roseanne sitcom. Now, he is also involved in the "re-boot" of that series—which garnered 18 million viewers in its debut this week. Roseanne's character—and Roseanne Barr herself—supports President Trump, who called the actress to congratulate her on the solid ratings. Said Werner, "I’m happy the president called Roseanne. Part of what we’re trying to do with this show is generate a conversation about the economic struggles of the Conner family. There’s no doubt one reason Trump was successful in places like Pennsylvania and Michigan and Wisconsin is because there were working-class voters who wanted to see change." Considering Werner's well-known political views—and his partner John Henry's for that matter—that's quite "deplorable" of him. So to speak.

Boston Officials Delay Vote On Yawkey Name Change

It's unclear whether it's an indication of anything, but the Boston Public Improvement Commission delayed its scheduled vote on whether to eliminate the Yawkey Way street name in front of Fenway Park in favor of its original name—Jersey Street. The commission put off a vote until April 12th—a full week after the April 5th home opener. Red Sox ownership petitioned last month for the street name change to "reinforce that Fenway Park is inclusive and welcoming to all." Earlier this month, a poll of FenwayNation readers found four out of five (80%) opposed to the name change.

Red Sox Ticket Sales Down Six Percent From 2017

Red Sox CEO Sam Kennedy admitted yesterday what we have all sensed for a long time: that the Red Sox are not as popular as they have been (even a year ago). In fact, Kennedy told NBCSportsBoston that the team's ticket sales are down "a little more than" six percent compared to this point a year ago. You can all interpret what "a little more" means—heck, that could be 10% or more. Kennedy said that the team has sold "about" 2.1 million tickets so far this year. For comparative purposes, at the end of 2017, they came in just shy of three million tickets sold (2,917,678). Kennedy said the team is uncertain as to whether the drop is due to factors like a slow off-season or is a true indicator of a sagging interest. We'd say the latter.

Pawtucket Looks To Develop Area Around New Ballpark

In an effort to increase public and legislative support for a new baseball stadium in Pawtucket, city officials are looking to hire a development consultant to specifically lay out plans for areas around the site. The city sees "restaurants, shops, breweries, entertainment venues, hotels, and more" around the riverfront site for the proposed Ballpark At Slater Mill. Officials believe that if the environs around the new park are filled with new attractions, it will help offset the public investments that need to be made in the deal. Currently, a plan is before the Rhode Island House—but observers are unclear whether that body will take action in time to stave off a move to more welcoming municipalities like Worcester, Massachusetts.

Perspective On Yesterday's Loss By Baseball Prospectus

In his final column for Baseball Prospectus Boston, the highly-entertaining writer Matthew Kory tried to put yesterday's devastating Red Sox loss into perspective. He cites the Opening Day loss in 2004—to these same Rays—with that year's bullpen blowing a late 4-1 lead. Let's see, what ultimately happened in 2004? Oh, yeah. Exactly. So, as gut-wrenching as Thursday's loss was (and as much as you can question Alex Cora's decision-making), it's one game out of 162. Boston lost the opener in the 2007 championship year as well—and won the first game in the successful 2013 season. So, go figure. A win today and they're a .500 ballclub. With 160 games left to play.

'Jim Buchanan' Blows Sale Gem, Sox Fall To Rays, 6-4

Welcome to our pain, Alex Cora. The new manager of the Red Sox witnessed the kind of "House Of Horrors" meltdown that Boston fans have come to expect in Tampa's MostPulpDome. Up 4-0 in the bottom of the eighth, Joe "Jim Buchanan" Kelly (108.00 ERA) presided over an inning in which the bullpen walked five Rays and choked out six runs in the eventual 6-4 loss. Carson Smith gave up a crippling three-run triple to Denard 'Grecian Formula' Span and the game was over. Why Cora did not bring in a lefty or go to closer Craig Kimbrel in the eighth will be discussed endlessly on talk radio tonight and tomorrow. This was as big a stinker of a loss as we can remember. Last season, the Red Sox did not blow a lead of more than three runs all year. In game one this year, they have achieved it. Disgusting.

Cy Young Would Have Been 151 Years Old Today

How fitting that Chris Sale will open the Red Sox season today on Cy Young's 151st birthday. Young, of course, embodied what it was to be an elite pitcher—winning 511 games, and hurling complete games in 749 of his 827 decisions. Over twenty-two MLB seasons (eight with the Red Sox), Young posted a 2.63 ERA. While wearing Carmine Hose, Young won 63% of his games (192)—winning more than 30 games twice and more than 20 games in six of his eight years in Boston. The "Cyclone" split his career almost equally between the American and National leagues, but that didn't seem to faze him. In fact, his winning percentage in The Senior Circuit was .624, in the American League it was .610. The game will never see his like again. Maybe Sale can borrow some mojo from Cy on his birthday.

Red Sox Look Like Legit Contenders On Opening Day

Putting aside all the fan-boy stuff, your 2018 edition of The Carmine Hose should have a legitimate shot at a World Series title. Clearly, the Houston Astros are still the class of the American League, and they have actually upgraded their 2017 World Series Championship team. The Evil Ones, of course, have added the top HR hitter in the major leagues. And, Terry Francona's Indians are still a formidable force. But, the addition of J.D. Martinez will likely have a transformational impact up and down the Boston lineup—allowing younger players to relax and perform to their potential. Moreover, both David Price and Rick Porcello seem poised to have solid seasons—making Chris Sale all the more dominant. It's hard to not see at least a Wild Card berth for this team—and possibly a lot more. Play ball!

Christian Vazquez Will Catch Chris Sale In Sox Opener

(Getty Images)

Despite the success Chris Sale enjoyed with Sandy Leon as his primary 2017 battery mate, Christian Vazquez will catch the Red Sox ace in the 2018 opener. Manager Alex Cora's terse comment on the issue went like this, "We feel comfortable with him [Vazquez] catching Sale, too." Last season, Leon caught 31 of Sale's 32 starts—and the lanky lefty had a 2.63 ERA in those contests. This decision would seem like a sure signal (in addition to the three-year contract extension he just got) that Vazquez is the primary backstop going forward.

MLB Fans Will Chomp Down 19 Million Hot Dogs In 2018

According to a survey by the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council, baseball fans will consume more than 19 million hot dogs and 4.6 million sausages during the upcoming 2018 season. As the Council estimates, the hot dog total alone would reach as high as 5,332 One World Trade Centers—that's pretty darned high. Interestingly, famously disengaged Dodger fans eat the most dogs—projected to be more than 3 million this year. Red Sox fans don't even make the top six in chowing down hot dogs, even though any fair test would designate Fenway Franks as—by far—the best in baseball. There is some consolation in the survey: Boston fans do rank fourth in sausage consumption. Our favorite new offering though has to be the Dilly Dog. Rangers fans will enjoy a dill pickle that is cored out and stuffed with an Angus beef jumbo dog, that’s then battered and fried to a golden brown. Now that's eatin'! No doubt, the Dilly Dog is accompanied best by a Bud Light®. Get it?

Season Hasn't Started, But We Have Our First Rainout

So, it turns out that only 28 teams will be playing on Opening Day tomorrow—not 30. Apparently, the weather in Cincinnati will be so lousy on Thursday that the Reds have pro-actively cancelled tomorrow's opener at Great American Ball Park. The game between the Reds and Nationals has been re-scheduled for Friday at 4:05PM Eastern. Luckily, the Red Sox open up at the MostPulpDome in Tampa, so barring any serious ceiling leaks at that dump of a ballpark, they will play.

Yankees Use Player Images On Beer At Concrete Bunker

(Twitter)

During a media event on Monday at Yankee Stadium (AKA: The Concrete Bunker On 161st Street), beer was distributed with the images of Giancarlo Stanton, Aaron Judge, Gary Sanchez and Aroldis Chapman floating in the suds. The 'rocket scientists' on the Yankee management team were apparently unaware that this type of thing is prohibited by Major League Baseball. But, hey, they're the Yankees, they can do anything they want, right? Wrong, Bronx Breath! The team was issued a stern cease-and-desist ruling by MLB and stopped the silliness. Ladies and gentlemen, you just can't make this stuff up.

Former Red Sox Catcher Jerry Moses Passes Away At 71

Jerry Moses (Getty Images)

by Ernie Paicopolos, Editor-In-Chief

In 1992, I was lucky enough to go to Red Sox Fantasy Camp in Winter Haven, Florida—the final year that Boston trained in that dismal spot. My manager was Jerry Remy, my bench coach was Jose Santiago and all was right with the world. On the final day of camp, our teams faced a squad comprised of former major leaguers. I got one plate appearance in that game—and had to face the amazing Luis Tiant. As you might expect, I was extremely nervous as I stepped into the box. Then, I heard a calming voice from behind say, "Take it easy, relax, it's only baseball". It came from Tiant's battery mate that day, Jerry Moses. Moses passed away on Tuesday at the far-too-young age of 71. By all accounts he was as kind to everyone else he met as he was to me that day. By the way, thanks to his words, I was able to muster enough courage to get an RBI ground out against El Tiante. I will be forever grateful to Jerry for that.

FenwayNation's Fearless MLB Predictions For 2018

OK, here we go! The MLB baseball season begins tomorrow—with all 30 teams playing. Here's how we scope out the season:

WORLD SERIES—Red Sox over Nationals

POLL: Seven In Ten Readers See AL East Flag For Sox

Very early voting in our latest FenwayNation Poll shows that fully seven readers in ten (70%) think Boston will wind up winning the American League East in 2018. As the chart shows, three in ten (30%) believe that the Red Sox will not win the division, but snare one of the two AL Wild Card spots. So far, no one thinks The Carmine Hose will completely miss the post-season. You can still vote in the poll HERE.

POLL: Where Do The Red Sox End Up At Season's End?

Which ONE of the following is the most likely scenario?

The Red Sox win the AL East

The Red Sox do not win the division, but get a Wild Card

The Red Sox do not make the post-season

 

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Sox Are Second Most-Expensive Team To Follow As Fan

According to a new study by PlayNJ.com, the Red Sox are the second most-expensive team to follow as an MLB fan. The total cost to attend every Red Sox home game at Fenway Park is estimated to be $12,712.28. The costs for attending 81 games include: tickets, parking, one beer, one soft drink, one hot dog, a cap and a custom jersey. The Chicago Cubs top the list—with a cost of $15,722.77. Just after the Red Sox come The Bronx Embalmers at $12,547.04. Interestingly, the least expensive team to root for as a fan is the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim—coming in at "just" $4,520.66.

POLL: Repeat "Win, Dance, Repeat" In 2018?

A 'miked-up' Mookie Betts suggested that his OF mates might not want to continue the celebration dance—although Mookie wants to keep doing it. Should the Red Sox OF do the celebration dance again in 2018?

Yes

No

 

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Final Spring Tune-Up Has A Very Opening Day Look To It

Despite missing Hanley Ramirez, Xander Bogaerts and Rafael Devers, the Red Sox will otherwise send out a pretty representative squad today in their final Spring Training tune-up against the Cubbies. The Boston line-up is: Mookie Betts RF, J.D. Martinez DH, Eduardo Núñez 2B, Andrew Benintendi LF, Mitch Moreland 1B, Christian Vázquez C, Jackie Bradley Jr. CF, Ivan De Jesus 3B and Brock Holt SS. Hector Velázquez—the team's fifth starter—will take to the hill. The starters may not actually play much of the game—beyond a couple of at-bats—as the last thing the team needs is another injury in a meaningless contest. While Ramirez and Bogaerts are just getting a rest, Devers is suffering from a right knee contusion sustained in yesterday's meaningless contest.

Bird Injury Leaves IF An Even Bigger Mess For Evil Ones

(Getty Images)

Tell the truth, are you scared of the following infield: Tyler Austin 1B, Neil Walker 2B, Didi Gregorius SS, Brandon Drury 3B? No? Well, with ankle surgery scheduled for Greg Bird, that's the likely personnel that The Bronx Embalmers will prance out on the diamond come Opening Day. Other than Gregorius, it is a Quadruple-A level group of players. Now, with the additions to the roster made by The Evil Ones over the winter, they will certainly hit the ball—but at least three players in their lineup are decidedly underwhelming. We'll see if the 'big bashers' can compensate for the 'pea-shooters'.

Jeter Flips-Off $200K Ticket Offer From "Marlins Man"

(Getty Images)

Things are not going well for fans of The Fish. First, their new owner (ex-Evil One Derek Jeter) basically sold-off every decent player on the roster. Now, the team is dissing their most famous fan of all—Florida-based Attorney Laurence Leavy (AKA Marlins Man). You know him, the annoying dude who brazenly wears that bright orange Marlins jersey to multiple sporting events (he must be from New York originally). Anyway, Marlins Man sent Jeter a check for $200,000 for a three-year deal on his four season tickets—tickets he's held since this crappy franchise came to Florida in 1993. Derek said no. Marlins Man said "Fine, see 'ya!" Well, it looks as if garish Marlins Park will have even fewer fannies in the seats than usual this season. Nice PR, Captain!

Rafael Devers "Day-To-Day" With Right Knee Contusion

Yet another weird late-Spring injury happened to the Red Sox last night as 3B Rafael Devers collided with Cubs catcher Victor Caratini at home plate and suffered a right knee contusion. Typically, the Red Sox medical team is "poo-poo-ing" the injury, but Devers is listed as "day-to-day". Manager Alex Cora was extremely optimistic, "He'll be fine. Probably give him [Tuesday] off, see how he reacts, obviously, and go from there. There's no need for him to get at-bats tomorrow or play the field. Expect him to be ready for Thursday." Don't bet on it.

NOG Bucks Politically-Correct Image With "Bacon Bits"

The Dreaded Bacon Bits (Aramark photo)

Stop the presses! The Red Sox will take the radical step of offering a new politically-incorrect food item on the menu at Fenway Park this year. The team's food service—Aramark—announced that they will be topping their new FenwayTaters with "savory bacon bits, sour cream and fresh chives" (from the look of the photo, they are 'itsy-bitsy' bacon bits). Now, maybe the chives were grown on the park's rooftop "foo-foo" organic farm, but bacon bits? Oh, the hog-manity! Perhaps to counter this clearly animal-unfriendly menu offering, the team is also featuring an oh-so-chic Crème Brulee French Toast this year. OK, that should mollify the anti-bacon crowd—a little bit. No word yet on how outrageously pricey these new items will be—but take out a Home Equity line of credit right away just to be prepared.

Red Sox Will Have Highest 2018 Payroll In All Of MLB

For the first time since at least 1990, the Red Sox will own the highest payroll in all of Major League Baseball. At $223 million, John Henry's minions will pull down more salary than players on 29 other teams. Amazingly, despite their multiple player additions in the off-season, The Bronx Embalmers come in at seventh on the list—the lowest they've been ranked since 1992. Boston's payroll breaks a four-year streak by the Los Angeles Dodgers as the top salaried team. After The Carmine Hose, the San Francisco Giants come in second at $203 million, followed by the Chicago Cubs at $183 million. The Evil Ones will come in at around $167 million—well under the luxury tax threshold for the first time ever. Of course, the highest payroll comes with high expectations.

Sox Place Knuckleballer Wright On 10-Day Disabled List

Well, now three potential members of the Red Sox rotation are on the disabled list. After announcing earlier in the day that both Drew Pomeranz and Eduardo Rodriguez would start the year on the DL, the team also placed starter Steven Wright on the disabled list. So, it's looks as if Brian Johnson and Hector Velazquez are your fourth and fifth starters at the beginning of the season. Buckle your seat belts, folks!

Sox Make Four Roster Moves Before Monday Cubs Game

The Red Sox announced four new roster moves this morning—all dealing with pitchers. First, the team has sent down two hurlers—Brandon Workman was optioned to AAA Pawtucket and Justin Haley was optioned to minor league camp. In addition, pitchers Drew Pomeranz (left forearm strain) and Eduardo Rodriguez (right knee) were both placed on the 10-day disabled list.

Red Sox Among 'Select Seven' In CBS Power Rankings

Matt Snyder of CBSSports.com has come out with his 2018 MLB Power Rankings and the Red Sox are right in the thick of things. Snyder identified seven power teams that he considers head-and-shoulders above the rest. They are: 1.) Houston Astros, 2.) Chicago Cubs, 3.) New York Yankees, 4.) Boston Red Sox, 5.) Washington Nationals, 6.) Los Angeles Dodgers and 7.) Cleveland Indians. All things being equal, we'd have to say that Snyder is 'spot-on' with his rankings—and certainly any one of the "Super Seven" could win the World Series if all things fall into place. The other AL East teams rank in the following order: 11.) Toronto Blue Jays, 20.) Baltimore Orioles,  23.) Tampa Bay Rays. Let the games begin!

M(ookie)VP Candidate Looks Ready For Season Opener

Red Sox RF Mookie Betts seems just about ready to start the 2018 campaign. Yesterday, Betts led off Boston's 6-1 win with a solo blast and then clouted a two-run shot off annoying closer Fernando "Cocked Hat" Rodney. Considering that—after a slow start—Mookie is now hitting .340 with a 1.106 OPS, we figure he can't wait for Thursday. This may be the year that the 25-year-old superstar puts it all together—and captures an AL MVP crown. Stay tuned—this could be a fun ride with the Mookster.

Sox Option Out Seven More, Bobby Poyner May Stick

Considering the moves the Red Sox made after today's 6-0 win over the World Series Champion Astros, it appears that Bobby Poyner is "poised" to be a lefty out of the Boston bullpen come Opening Day. The team optioned LHPs Robby Scott and Roenis Elias to AAA, along with infielder Tzu-Wei Lin. Backstop Dan Butler, infielder Iván De Jesús Jr., and OFs Rusney Castillo and Aneury Tavárez were sent down to minor league camp. With the trade of Deven Marrero, eight spots have been vacated off the Boston roster—which needs to get down to 25 by Thursday.

Chris Sale Leaves Today's Game With Left Hip Contusion

UPDATE: X-Rays negative on Sale's hip
The Red Sox Nation Angst Meter™was revving into the danger zone earlier as Chris Sale was struck on the hip by a line drive in the first inning of today's game. The start was meant to be be the "tune-up" for Sale's Opening Day start against the Rays on Thursday in Tampa. Now, despite typically optimistic spin coming from the Red Sox, that start has to be in doubt. The blast knocked Sale off the mound and seemed to also affect his knee (perhaps twisted in his effort to avoid the shot). The team did say that he will be "further evaluated"—so stay tuned. This could be bad. Or it could be nothing.

Red Sox Trade Deven Marrero To Diamondbacks

During the game at Fort Myers this afternoon, the Red Sox announced that they have traded IF Deven Marrero to the Arizona Diamondbacks for a player to be named and cash considerations. Marrero was selected by Boston in the first-round of the 2012 MLB draft and has spent his entire professional career in Carmine Hose. He has played 109 major leagues games at a variety of positions. This move likely means that Brock Holt and Blake Swihart will both make Boston's 25-man roster.

Steven Wright Suspended 15 Games For Domestic Abuse

Major League Baseball handed down a 15-game suspension today to Red Sox starting pitcher Steven Wright for violating the league's domestic violence policy. The suspension must be served when Wright is fully healthy—and cannot be carried out while the pitcher is on the disabled list. Wright is still recovering from right knee surgery. Last December, Wright was arrested in Tennessee for an incident involving his wife. He was formally charged with domestic assault and released on $2,500 bond.

POLL: Blake & Hanley Seen Most Likely To "Wow" Fans

Early voting in our latest FenwayNation Poll shows that two players lead the list of those likely to "wow" fans by their 2018 performance. As the chart shows, Blake Swihart garners the most votes on this score (31%), followed by Hanley Ramirez at 23%. David Price and Brian Johnson tie for third position on the "wow" list, pulling in 13% of responses, respectively. Carson Smith comes in next at 9%, followed by Bobby Poyner at 4% and Eduardo Nunez at 3%. Another 4% choose players other than those on the poll's list. You can still vote in the poll HERE.

Red Sox Stop 'Un-Stoppable' Evil Empire, Win, 5-0

As Spring Training winds down, games become a little more indicative of how things may go in the regular season. If that's the case, Boston's 5-0 shutout of The Evil Empire today is nothing but good news. Likely fourth starter (at least at the beginning of the season) Brian Johnson was stellar—going 4.2 innings, giving up just two hits and no runs while striking out five Pinstriped Posers. Speaking of the Posers, they notched nine strikeouts—including Aaron Judge who whiffed twice, and Gary Sanchez who fanned once. The Red Sox offense was keyed by the long-ball—as Ivan De Jesus, Jr. (3-4, 2 RBIs) and Sam Travis both went yard. For Travis it was his sixth round-tripper of the Spring—sparking cries of "Where will we play Sammy?". And, Justin Haley turned in another solid bullpen outing—going 4.0 innings of two-hit, no-run ball while K'ing four Bronx Embalmers. Haley's Spring ERA is now 2.12. All in all, a pleasant, nationally-televised win.

Jacoby Ellsbury A Very Expensive Yankee Scratch Today

(Getty Images)

Former Red Sox OF Jacoby Ellsbury will be paid $21,000,000 this year by The Bronx Embalmers (and the same amount for the next three years after this). And yet, he will not start for The Evil Ones today against Boston. Why? Because of (surprise!) an injury. Ellsbury has been plagued by injuries throughout his career—in the past complaining that the crack Red Sox medical staff mis-diagnosed and mis-treated his various ailments (which we fully believe, by the way). Many fans forget that Ellsbury was an elite player for Boston—especially during his monster year in 2011 (.321, 32 HRs, 105 RBIs, 39 SBs). Somehow, he finished second in the AL MVP voting to Justin "I'm With Kate" Verlander. People also tend to forget that he's been an All-Star, Gold Glove winner and two-time World Series Champion with the Red Sox (2007, 2013). So, frankly, we can't give him too much grief for not showing up to today's game. Now, willingly signing as a free-agent with The Pinstriped Posers—that's another thing entirely.

POLL: Which Red Sox Player Will Make You Say "Wow!"?

Which ONE of the following Red Sox players will deserve this comment at the end of the year: "Wow, he really surprised me by stepping-up and making a difference"?

Brian Johnson

Eduardo Nunez

Bobby Poyner

David Price

Hanley Ramirez

Carson Smith

Blake Swihart

OTHER (specify in comments section)

 

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POLL FINAL: Seven In Ten Pulling For Swihart On Bubble

Final results to our latest FenwayNation Poll show that fully seven readers in ten (70%) are pulling for Blake Swihart as the 'bubble guy' they want to stick with the team and have a solid 2018 season. As the chart shows, trailing way behind Swihart is Brock Holt at 11%, followed by Brian Johnson (today's starter against the Yankees) at 8%—and a host of other players registering in the low single-digits. Just 1% selected a player that was not offered as a choice in the poll.

Judge To Hit Lead-Off For Evil Ones Against Sox Today

Red Sox left-handed starter Brian Johnson will be facing a 6'7" obstacle when he throws his first pitch today against The Bronx Embalmers. The manager of The Evil Ones—Aaron "F." Boone—has inserted Aaron Judge at the top of his line-up, something he says he might do often against left-handed starters. Brett Gardner, the normal lead-off hitter for The Pinstriped Posers, hit just .209 against lefties in 2017 with a pathetic .590 OPS. Watching the lumbering Judge whiff on three straight Johnson pitches will be a welcome start to the contest. Be sure to tune in!

David Ortiz Sees Sox As Positive Underdogs In AL East

(Getty Images)

Red Sox legend David Ortiz thinks his arch rivals—The Bronx Embalmers—are the favorites to win the American League East in 2018. Don't get him wrong, though, he thinks that's a good thing for his former teammates. Big Papi feels that playing the underdog role will help Boston—and put undue pressure on the over-hyped Pinstriped Posers. Said Ortiz, "They pretty much stacked the lineup with more power. I don’t think anyone else in the division can compete with that. I think the Red Sox are the one team that, as an underdog, is going to be out there exceeding expectations more than usual." Ortiz also sees the addition of J.D. Martinez (essentially as the new Papi) as critical to Boston's success, "The Red Sox always need that one guy in the middle of the lineup who creates a balance by taking a lot of pressure off the top and bottom of the lineup. And J.D. is that one guy." Sage analysis by the best clutch hitter in MLB history.

John Farrell To Join ESPN's Baseball Tonight Lineup

(Getty Images)

Former Red Sox manager John Farrell recently announced that he will be joining the scouting staff of the Cincinnati Reds. So, it's a little strange that today it was announced that Farrell will also be joining the on-air staff of ESPN's Baseball Tonight. Thus, it's hardly likely that Farrell will be dishing out neutral commentary on pitchers on the Cincinnati team or facing the Cincinnati team or ones who might someday become part of the Cincinnati team. Isn't this a rather blatant conflict of interest? Obviously, other managers have taken media gigs in between MLB assignments—like Terry Francona and Alex Cora—but doing both at the same time seems a little sordid. Then again, it's ESPN—The Worldwide Leader In Conflicts of Interest.

Before There Was Brock Holt, There Was Billy Goodman

Billy Goodman (Getty Images)

"He was like the perfect guy to be on a ballclub because he could play so many different positions. As a utility player he was perfect in that way, too. He could go in any time and do a good job." Brock Holt of the Red Sox, right? Actually, that quote was from Bobby Doerr, about his teammate Billy Goodman. Had he lived, today would have been Goodman's 92nd birthday. He played 11 seasons in Carmine Hose, hitting .306 over that span with a .386 OBP. He played everywhere—first base, short, second base, left-field. Wherever he was needed on the Red Sox teams of the late 1940s through the late 1950s, Goodman was your guy. And, while he lacked power, he was a terrific hitter—winning the American League batting title in 1950 with a .354 average. He finished up his his 16-year MLB career at exactly .300. Goodman was also a two-time All-Star and finished second in the AL MVP voting in 1950—unheard of for a utility player. He lost that year to Yankee Phil Rizzuto. So, just remember, the "utility" role did not just show up lately—it's been a Red Sox thing for a long time.

Left Side Of Red Sox Defense Makes Us Feel 'Defensive'

(Getty Images)

There are many good signs out of Red Sox Spring Training that make us feel like the team will be more than competitive in the AL East. However, one nagging little issue is the strength (or lack thereof) of the defense on the left side of the diamond. Among Rafael Devers (3B), Xander Bogaerts (SS) and Andrew Benintendi/J.D. Martinez (LF), there aren't exactly many Gold Glove candidates (to put it mildly). As pointed out by Cam Ellis of Baseball Prospectus, Devers may be the most troubling of the lot. Ellis argues that improved defense by the 21-year-old would actually be more valuable to the 2018 team than his obvious hitting prowess. The Boston lineup is already loaded with offensive potential beyond Devers—it's catching the ball on the left side that may determine how far this team goes.

Can The Red Sox Slow Down The Yankees In 2018?

"Boston Red Sox: Opening Day 2005" by Mark Waitkus

This season should be an interesting one in the rivalry between the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox. While the Sox have had the upper hand in recent seasons, the Yankees appear to have made some moves that have them poised to climb back atop Boston for the foreseeable future. But, without a single game having been played yet, one has to wonder if the Red Sox can still find a way to neutralize the Yankees and find a way to beat them for the American League East crown. 

There is no denying that Major League Baseball teams around the country are worried about the Yankees after the team made a deal to bring in former Miami Marlins slugger Giancarlo Stanton. Combining Stanton's power with the power of Aaron Judge and Didi Gregorius makes the Yankees one of the most dangerous lineups in the recent history of the sport. And, with Stanton already saying that he is not scared of the pressures of New York, the team is confident that they are headed in the right direction. While all of that sounds great, it still needs to happen on the field for it to be worth any of the money that the Yankees have spent to put all of these offensive stars on the same team. Stanton could find that the pressures of being a star in New York are much worse than he anticipated, causing some issues with his game. It has certainly happened before in Yankees franchise history, where even players beloved by the fans and media have buckled under the immense pressure.

Is Brock Holt Mentally Preparing For Boston Departure?

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With every passing day, it appears and more more likely that Brock Holt may be the Red Sox "bubble" guy who gets traded out of town. Ironically, this comes at a time when most of Holt's vision and dizziness issues (from last year's bout with vertigo) have gone. In fact, he's having a great Spring at the plate (.345) and playing his usual multiple positions. His recovery and versatility may be the very traits that make him attractive to other teams. Said Holt yesterday, "Yeah, I'm not too worried about it. If the Red Sox don't want me on the roster, I'm sure there's 29 other teams that would be happy to have me on the roster. That's one of those things, you don't worry about it. I feel like I'm deserving of a spot on the team and I think if you ask anyone in the clubhouse, they would say the same thing. So I'm not too worried about it. Whatever happens happens, and you go from there." Those are tough words to hear from those of us who remember his 2015 All-Star status and his overall long-term value to the team. Stay tuned!

Seafood, But No Avocado Ice Cream For Mr. David Ortiz

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In an appearance on the Pardon My Take podcast, Red Sox legend David Ortiz revealed that his wife wants him to adopt the famous TB12 diet plan of Tom Brady. Big Papi was quick to shoot down any possibility of his committing to 'treats' like avocado ice cream, "I'm like, 'Beautiful, I'm gotta eat everything you put in front of me, so let's not even go there. I'm gonna crush it.' I was born one day and I know I'm gonna die another, so I'm gonna enjoy life. You're gonna tell me my boy Brady, he's not suffering because of the diet?" Oh, and David's favorite diet choice? "Seafood". The omnivores here at FenwayNation could not agree more.

Drew Pomeranz Will Open Season On DL With Arm Strain

Not surprisingly, a key piece of the 2018 Red Sox starting rotation will start the year on the disabled list. Drew Pomeranz went down with a left forearm flexor strain on March 2nd in a Spring game against the St. Louis Cardinals. Of course, the crack Red Sox medical team 'poo-pooed' the injury as nothing major. Now, the lefty will be sidelined for an unknown length of time. In addition, it's still unclear whether either Steven Wright or Eduardo Rodriguez (both with lingering knee issues) will be ready to start the season. Stay tuned.

Jerry Remy Begins 2018 TV Comeback This Thursday

Remy And E-I-C in 1992

Red Sox legend Jerry Remy will broadcast his first game of 2018 on Thursday of this week (1:05 PM Channel 25 in Boston/NESN elsewhere). Emerging this Spring after his fifth bout with cancer, Remy plans to broadcast 115 of the team's 162 games this season. After his most recent June 2017 surgery, Remy has undergone both chemotherapy and radiation treatments. Everyone in The Nation looks forward to Jerry's debut tomorrow and a full season of his peerless commentary from the broadcast booth.

David Ortiz Refutes Charges Of Racism In Boston

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David Ortiz, perhaps the most beloved athlete in Boston sports history, appeared on a podcast yesterday to discuss Boston's reputation as a racist city. Appearing on The Glass Half Empty Podcast, Ortiz stated the following: "I never lived in any racial situations in Boston. Boston was a city that loved me, (and) I loved Boston. I don’t think it’s fair to blame the whole city of Boston when a couple of knuckleheads go out there and do something stupid. That’s not fair. There’s a lot of good people in Boston. I think that racial barrier is something that’s far behind. I’m not saying that situations are not gonna be out there in cases where people feel that way. But Boston has been way over the racial statement. Me personally, I live in Boston, I lived in a neighborhood where the only black folk was me. Everybody was great to me. Everybody was wonderful to me. I think people need to start seeing and looking at Boston differently than what people say that it was back in the day." You can hear the full podcast HERE. 

Red Sox To Play Evil Ones In London During June 2019

Multiple reports indicate that the Red Sox and New York Yankees are very close to a deal that will see them play two regular season games in London, England next June. The series would be played at London Stadium—the home of the West Ham United soccer team of the English Premier League. The stadium—in the eastern part of London— was also host to the 2015 Rugby World Cup and the 2017 Athletics World Championships. The venue also hosted the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2012 Olympic Games. In 2008, the Red Sox played two regular season games against the Oakland A's in Japan at the start of that season—causing an awkward return to the states to finish out Spring Training. This trip would occur near the middle of the 2019 campaign. Baseball is the only major US professional sport never to have played in Europe. Stay tuned for further details on the series.