Red Sox name Ron Roenicke Interim Manager (2/11/20)

The long search for the new Boston Red Sox manager is over and Sox brass concluded that Ron Roenicke was the best choice to take over for the disgraced Alex Cora. Roenicke had served as Cora's bench coach the past few seasons. If nothing else, at least he knows the players that are still here and has previous managerial experience.

                                                 Ron Roenicke, Manager

Roenicke was originally an outfielder drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers. He made his debut in September of 1981 for the soon to be world champs but did not play in the World Series. 3 years later he was with the San Diego Padres and he did play in two games during their World Series loss to the Detroit Tigers.

                                                            1984

As a rookie manager for the Milwaukee Brewers, the 2011 Brew Crew won 96 games and the NL Central Division title. They knocked off the Arizona Diamondbacks in the division series but fell to the eventual world champion St. Louis Cardinals in the NLCS. Roenicke finished in second place for NL Manager of the Year behind Kirk Gibson of the Diamondbacks. He had winning seasons in 2012 but the Brewers went down the crapper in 2014 and 2015, leading to Roenicke's dismissal in 2015.

                                  "If you throw Greinke out I'll whoop ya damn ass!" - RR

The past few seasons Roenicke served as Alex Cora's bench coach as the Sox won 108 games and the World Series in 2018.

                                                        Happier days for the Sox

Was this the right move to make? Yes. Fans want Jason Varitek or Dustin Pedroia to take the reigns but the problem is they have no experience. If they think Varitek can get the job done, he should be Roenicke's bench coach this year or do a year in the minors for Lowell, Salem, etc. As long as the front office doesn't further gut the team apart from Betts and Price, Roenicke will be familiar with the guys that are left over from 2018 and last year. Whether he can get through to them like Cora did remains to be seen, but hey....better than Bobby Valentine.

Betts and Price Trade Amended: Sox Get Verdugo, Downs, Wong (2/9/20)

On Tuesday the Boston Red Sox had traded superstar outfielder Mookie Betts and David Price to the Los Angeles Dodgers for Alex Verdugo of the Dodgers and Brusdar Graterol of the Minnesota Twins. The deal was nearly called off when it was revealed Graterol had failed his physical. With things falling apart, the Dodgers removed Graterol from the trade and instead sent the Sox infielder prospect Jeter Downs and catching prospect Connor Wong along with Verdugo.

                                                 Welcome to Boston

As mentioned last week, Verdugo is the 23 year old up and coming outfielder that hit .294 for the Dodgers last year. He's nowhere near the calibur of Betts, he's more in the mold of Andrew Benintendi. He may be the opening day right fielder if he has a good spring.

21 year old Jeter Downs was the Cincinnati Reds first round pick in 2017 that went to the Dodgers in the Yaisel Puig trade. In 2019 he hit 24 home runs and stole 24 bases between A and AA ball. He's a natural shortstop but could compete with Michael Chavis for the second base job in Spring Training. He also could be used for future trades since the Sox are all set at short with Xander Bogaerts.

23 year old Connor Wong was one of the Dodgers top rated catchers in their system. He won't be expected to make the majors this season but he gives the Sox depth at the catcher position which was one of their weaknesses. Like Downs, Wong also slugged 24 homers between A and AA ball in 2019.

Up in Boston, the Sox got incredibly worse now that Betts and Price are gone. The Sox still don't have pitching depth and without Price, their rotation is down to Chris Sale, Eduardo Rodriguez, Nathan Eovald, Martin Perez and pray for rain. As a franchise, this trade gives the Sox two fresh prospects to shore up a farm system that was depleted by Dave Dombrowski. As long as MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred goes easy on the Sox for the video room penalties, current Sox general manager Chaim Bloom has the upcoming draft to replenish the system. It seems like this is going to be a "lost year" and its a shame to lose a prime year for the young  offense because of the bad contracts that still haunt them. Hiring a manager before Spring Training starts would be nice too.

Red Sox Trade Mookie Betts and David Price to Los Angeles Dodgers (2/4/20)

In one of the darkest moments of Boston Red Sox history, the fallout of former general manager Dave Dombrowski culminated with the trade of superstar, MVP Mookie Betts and ace pitcher David Price to the Los Angeles Dodgers. When Dombrowski extended Nathan Eovaldi, Chris Sale and Steve Pearce, it put the Sox over the luxury tax. Sox owner John Henry told new general manager Chaim Bloom to unload the high priced duo to get under the tax. Almost 100 years to the day the Sox sold Babe Ruth to the New York Yankees, the Sox have traded their best player and second best pitcher. Betts and Price were instrumental in the 2018 World Series run, its a shame its all over now.

                                                               Good bye guys

So what did the Sox get in return? 23 year old outfielder Alex Verdugo from the Dodgers and 21 year old pitching prospect Brusdar Graterol from the Minnesota Twins. Verdugo hit .294 in his first full season with the Dodgers and is a few years younger than Betts, but he's nowhere close to the caliber of player Mookie is. Graterol is a flamethrower and was the Twins #3 ranked pitching prospect. These two players don't come anywhere close to what the Sox gave up and its embarrassing to the whole Red Sox organization.

                                               Welcome to Boston

Despite what ownership and the media will spin, this was purely a salary dump. The bad contracts to Pablo Sandoval, Rusney Castillo, Price and others have all led to this point. Betts wants to be paid 30 million a year and 400 total and the Sox simply couldn't afford it. As long as Verdugo doesn't implode like Allen Craig, Betts *could* be replaced by him. The Sox have a hole in their rotation now with Price gone. Sale, Eovaldi, Eduardo Rodriguez and Martin Perez are the 1-4 but now they have no idea who the 5th starter is. With Spring Training only days away, the Sox go into it without Mookie, Price or a manager. So much for this season....