Don't Look Now But The Red Sox Offense Has Woken Up

TomRicardo

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.300/.358/.498 over the last 14 days
.289/.340/.453 in all of June.
 
Huge part of this is Mookie, Swihart, and Xander stepping up in June.
 
Ortiz and Ramirez have also rebounded and Brock Holt has been in beast mode since become a fixture in the line up.
 
Outside the living corpses of Aza and Leon, the only hole in the Red Sox line up right now is Napoli.
 

Rovin Romine

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TomRicardo said:
.300/.358/.498 over the last 14 days
.289/.340/.453 in all of June.
 
Huge part of this is Mookie, Swihart, and Xander stepping up in June.
 
Ortiz and Ramirez have also rebounded and Brock Holt has been in beast mode since become a fixture in the line up.
 
Outside the living corpses of Aza and Leon, the only hole in the Red Sox line up right now is Napoli.
 
Well, Pedroia is on the DL and may not come back as hot as he left.  Ramirez is also day to day - which may be another lingering injury to get over. 
 
So the holes are 1B - Napoli, .5 of C - Leon, and two other spots - combos of 2B and OF, depending on where Brock isn't playing.  
 
So for the next couple of weeks, on days when Leon starts, we could have 4 dead spots in the lineup.   
 

Philip Jeff Frye

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So what?  The Sox are two games below .500 in June.  From June 11 to June 24 (assuming that's the last 14 days as opposed to the last 14 games), the Sox are 5-8.  We're 5-9 in the last 14 games, for completeness's sack.
 
We were four games out of the AL East lead on May 31 and 5.5 back of the second wild card slot.  We're now 8.5 back in the East and 7.5 back in the wild card.
 
It's of course good to see the future starting to arrive in Betts and Bogaerts and BROCK HOLT!, but we're still a long, long way from success.
 

DJnVa

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Philip Jeff Frye said:
So what?  The Sox are two games below .500 in June. 
 
 
Sure, but they have to start hitting to have any chance to make a sustained run, and the fact that they are at least starting to hit is important. Wins and losses are the bottom line of course, but a team hitting like they are portends much better things long term than if they had hit like shit but somehow eked out a few extra wins.
 

Stan Papi Was Framed

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I've been glad to see them hitting better--especially Betts, Ortiz, Ramirez, X.  Sandoval has been better recently too, and Pedroia and Holt have been good pretty much all year.  Only holes recently have been RF, 1B, and C, as pointed out (and with Swihart coming on, C be on thw upswing--plus Hanigan shoudl be back soon).  JBJ is getting a shot in RF--hopefully he seizes the moment.  Napoli is not looking good, but this is still a hopeful scenario overall.
 
Of course, just as it started to look up, both Hanley and Pedroia get hurt.
 

nattysez

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Philip Jeff Frye said:
So what?  
 
If the offense as presently constructed is workable, then they can largely roll with this same group next year (with 1b having to be sorted out), with JBJ or Rusney playing RF.  This allows Ben to focus on fixing the pitching.
 
If the offense as presently constructed doesn't work, then the off-season becomes exceedingly tricky.
 

dynomite

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nattysez said:
 
If the offense as presently constructed is workable, then they can largely roll with this same group next year (with 1b having to be sorted out), with JBJ or Rusney playing RF.  This allows Ben to focus on fixing the pitching.
 
If the offense as presently constructed doesn't work, then the off-season becomes exceedingly tricky.
But realistically how much Ben can do about the offense either way?

Other than 1B, there are roughly no open spots in the lineup for 2016. Apart from Papi retiring or Hanley shifting to 1B (unlikely, I think) this is roughly the same lineup you'll see in 2016 whether they hit or not, right?
 

Plympton91

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dynomite said:
But realistically how much Ben can do about the offense either way?

Other than 1B, there are roughly no open spots in the lineup for 2016. Apart from Papi retiring or Hanley shifting to 1B (unlikely, I think) this is roughly the same lineup you'll see in 2016 whether they hit or not, right?
Holt, Hanley or Panda will shift to first. The outfield situation will be significantly cleared up and better maximized and Swihart will be a 2nd year Player hopefully showing the same arc as Bogaerts.

They'll hopefully have about 6 new quality pitchers on the staff to supement the 3 starters and 2 relievers they have currently.
 

dynomite

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Plympton91 said:
Holt, Hanley or Panda will shift to first. The outfield situation will be significantly cleared up and better maximized and Swihart will be a 2nd year Player hopefully showing the same arc as Bogaerts.
Sure, all of that is possible. I suppose that my point remains that the 2015 offense is going to be the 2016 offense, by and large, minus Napoli and Victornio (neither of whom will be on the roster on August 1st, I imagine).

Maybe that's a good thing -- they certainly looked good in June.
 

AB in DC

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But the 1B and RF spots in the lineup are so dramatically atrocious that even a leage-average free agent would be a big improvement..
 

ivanvamp

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Savin Hillbilly said:
 
If you can find us a league-average free agent at 1B for 2016, please report back. I'm not seeing him.
 
Chris Davis?  Currently at .233/.330/.446/.796, 119 ops+, 1.4 bWAR.  
 
#6 in the AL among qualified 1b in OPS
#5 in the AL among 1b in WAR
 
Sounds about league average and Cot's lists him as a free agent for 2016.
 

Savin Hillbilly

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ivanvamp said:
 
Chris Davis?  Currently at .233/.330/.446/.796, 119 ops+, 1.4 bWAR.  
 
#6 in the AL among qualified 1b in OPS
#5 in the AL among 1b in WAR
 
Sounds about league average and Cot's lists him as a free agent for 2016.
 
 
While I agree that you can make a pretty good case that he is technically a league-average player, I don't think he's seen as one, and I don't think he'll be paid like one, which is what matters for the Sox.
 

AB in DC

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Savin Hillbilly said:
 
If you can find us a league-average free agent at 1B for 2016, please report back. I'm not seeing him.
 
It doesn't need to be a league-average 1B specifically.  If either Ramirez or Holt* move to being the primary 1B, then all you need is league-average production in the corner outfielder, which shouldn't be as hard to find.  
 
And don't forget, league-average production doesn't have to come from one player -- it could be accomplished through a platoon situation a la Gomes/Nava in 2013).  After Ramirez and Holt, we have at least five players (Castillo, Craig, and JBJ, and two free agent signings) competing for the last two OF/1B slots -- it doesn't seem farfetched that the team could cobble together league-average production somehow.
 
 
*Off-topic, but Holt has earned the right to be more than just Super-sub moving forward.  I would assume that Farrell would install him at one of the OF/1B spots to start the season, with the third-best player of the five above seeing a lot of action whenever Holt needs to play a few games at 2B/SS/3B.
 

jscola85

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Alejandro de Aza is not "a corpse".  So far in a Sox uniform he has a .269/.309/.481 triple slash.  For a guy signed off the scrap heap, he's been pretty darn useful, especially in the wake of Nava's disappearance.
 

Plympton91

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AB in DC said:
But the 1B and RF spots in the lineup are so dramatically atrocious that even a leage-average free agent would be a big improvement..
 
How many times in the past few years has this been written about a position in the Red Sox lineup?
 

Rasputin

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Plympton91 said:
 
How many times in the past few years has this been written about a position in the Red Sox lineup?
What happened when we actually got it?
 

O Captain! My Captain!

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Rasputin said:
What happened when we actually got it?
This is basically what happened with 3b and Sandoval. Say what you like about his contract, his physique/downside as he ages, and whether or not Holt's emergence means we don't need him, 3b was an absolute graveyard for the 2013-2014 Red Sox, though Bogaerts did a good job of covering that in the 2013 playoffs. 
 
The problem was that as one hole was filled, another one (1b), emerged. Many here were excited for Napoli's performance in 2015, but it turns out we should have hoped for a repeat of his 2014.
 

ivanvamp

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Jul 18, 2005
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If 2015 really is shot, trade Napoli for anything you can get for him, even if the return is a pittance. Because he's not in any way a part of the future success of this club.

If you have to, move Craig up to fill the spot. Or move Hanley to first to see how that goes, and let JBJ have a full time role in the OF.
 
Jun 15, 2015
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Given that the season is shot and that Craig is doing well in triple A, I think it behooves the sox to play Craig and find out if he is the answer to first baseman. If so then a massive question for 2016 is answered. If not we are no worse off.
 

Papelbon's Poutine

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Thelobsterroll said:
Given that the season is shot and that Craig is doing well in triple A, I think it behooves the sox to play Craig and find out if he is the answer to first baseman. If so then a massive question for 2016 is answered. If not we are no worse off.
You mean other than his salary now being added to LT calculations?
 

grimshaw

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And the fact that he's slugging .409 with a .351 BABIP.  Not exactly raking.
He's not coming up until he's ALLEN CRAIG.
 
Jun 15, 2015
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Papelbon's Poutine said:
You mean other than his salary now being added to LT calculations?
Yes. The Sox can afford it. If he is not ALLEN CRAIG by the end of the year the sox might as well release him.
 

NDame616

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Thelobsterroll said:
Yes. The Sox can afford it. If he is not ALLEN CRAIG by the end of the year the sox might as well release him.
 
What would be the point of releasing him? They would have to eat the salary anyways. He (sort of) has position flexibility in terms of being able to play 1B or the OF, so unless he's blocking someone there's no point in just releasing him
 
Jun 15, 2015
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If he can't hit then he has no position. I guess I am wondering at what point you wash your hands of him? If he gets another shot this season and still can't cut it isn't it getting close to definitive that he is cooked. Anyway it's been nice seeing the Sox offense the last few weeks.
 

NDame616

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Thelobsterroll said:
If he can't hit then he has no position. I guess I am wondering at what point you wash your hands of him? If he gets another shot this season and still can't cut it isn't it getting close to definitive that he is cooked. Anyway it's been nice seeing the Sox offense the last few weeks.
 
Due to luxury tax implications, if would take a ton, including about 4 or 5 injuries paired with him OPS'ing way north of .900 for him to get a shot
 

Savin Hillbilly

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NDame616 said:
 
Due to luxury tax implications, if would take a ton, including about 4 or 5 injuries paired with him OPS'ing way north of .900 for him to get a shot
 
Yeah, seems like he's pretty well stuck in limbo. Because of the LT thing he's not coming up unless he gets blazing hot, but because they have to pay him anyway they're going to keep him around just in case he does get blazing hot. 
 

jscola85

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Just one game but was frustrating to see this lineup just swing through a bunch of 89-91 MPH fastballs.  Andriese has had a nice start to his career but other than a funky sidearmish delivery, nothing screams "one hitter" stuff.
 

Philip Jeff Frye

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NDame616 said:
 
Due to luxury tax implications, if would take a ton, including about 4 or 5 injuries paired with him OPS'ing way north of .900 for him to get a shot
And yet they were content to leave spring training with him on the roster?  And to acquire him in the first place?
 

NDame616

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Philip Jeff Frye said:
And yet they were content to leave spring training with him on the roster?  And to acquire him in the first place?
 
He did "ok" this spring, and we went into this season having no idea what Napoli was (and now, unfortunately, we may know...) and it isn't like we have a hot 1B prospect he was blocking. Unless he hit under .190 this spring, he was probably going to break camp with the Sox (again, no one would trade for him and he's essentially a sunk cost)
 
So now, since we are paying him anyways, he will probably stay in AAA until he 1) gets white hot and forces the issue, 2) the Red Sox have a rash of 4 or 5 injuries) and/or 3) he hits well enough in AAA where he can be traded for 5 cents on the dollar
 

DJnVa

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jscola85 said:
Alejandro de Aza is not "a corpse".  So far in a Sox uniform he has a .269/.309/.481 triple slash.  For a guy signed off the scrap heap, he's been pretty darn useful, especially in the wake of Nava's disappearance.
 
Point of order, but the Sox didn't sign him off the scrap heap, they traded for him.
 
 
DrewDawg said:
 
Point of order, but the Sox didn't sign him off the scrap heap, they traded for him.
 
True, we received cash and gave up 23yr old AA pitcher Joe Gunkel, but however he arrived, he's at least been a "league average" outfielder for the team, small sample size not withstanding.
To date, 19 games, 62 plate appearances, 17 hits (9xbh), 8 runs, 11 rbi, batting 0.288 OPS 0.899
4.08 pitches per plate appearance (about the same as Ortiz and would put him in the top 20 in MLB)
If every player outperformed their projections as well SOSH would have to find something new to worry about, like who will be enshrined on the new $10 bill
 

DJnVa

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arrowmaker said:
If every player outperformed their projections as well SOSH would have to find something new to worry about, like who will be enshrined on the new $10 bill
 

As a lurker you can't tell, but we have a thread where we're worrying about that as well.