Red Sox Sign Hendriks....and others (2/19/24)

Today had some news for the Boston Red Sox although its pretty laughable. The good news was the Sox signed 35 year old all-star closer Liam Hendriks to a 2 year, $10 million dollar deal.....the bad news was, in case everybody forgot, he had Tommy John surgery last year after going through treatable cancer and isn't expected to pitch this coming season. He wasn't the only injured guy the Sox signed, let's look at some of the other laughable decisions that's been made since the new year started.

                                   "We have no interest in competing this year." - Sam Kennedy

January 3rd - Already covered the Red Sox signing Lucas Giolito

January 24 - Christian Arroyo and James Paxton officially were gone as Arroyo signed with the Milwaukee Brewers while Paxton went to the Los Angeles Dodgers. In response, the Sox signed 30 year old minor league journeyman pitcher Melvin Adon...yippie.

                                                         Paxton out, Adon in

January 30 - Heart and soul of the 2023 Red Sox Justin Turner signed a contract with the Toronto Blue Jays. It would have been unfair for the soon to be 39 year old Turner to replicate his 2023 season but at the same time, a lot of rapport and good vibes left with him.

                                                                Good luck in Toronto

January 31 - The Sox responded to losing Justin Turner by.....claiming 28 year old utility infielder Romy Gonzalez off waivers from the Chicago White Sox. Gonzalez hit a whopping .194 last year, fun!

                                                    Replacing Turner with Gonzalez.....yeah

Feb 2 - The Sox sent a bag of cash to the New York Mets for 32 year old backup catcher Tyler Heineman, mostly a depth signing. The Sox also signed 30 year old journeyman relief pitcher Michael Fulmer.....who's not going to pitch this year due to injury, just like Hendriks. Seems to be a pattern here.

                                                                  Another backup catcher

Feb 6 - The Sox signed 27 year old utility infielder Dalton Guthrie who hit an amazing .167 last season. Full throttle!

                                                              Another utility infielder

Feb 7 - Remember when the Sox signed Max Castillo the same day they signed Lucas Giolito? They put him on waivers and on February 7 he was claimed off waivers by the Philadelphia Phillies. Easy come, easy go.

                                                          That didn't take long

Feb 9 - On the same day Corey Kluber retired, the Sox signed 37 year old journeyman reliever Lucas Luetge to a minor league deal. Luetge inexplicably became one of the New York Yankees best relievers in 2021 and 2022 before falling off a cliff last year with the Atlanta Braves. If nothing else, he's an experienced pitcher to mentor anyone coming up in Worcester.

                                                    Wish they had him two years ago

Feb 17 - Already covered the Red Sox trading Schreiber for Sandlin

Feb 19 - The Red Sox signed injured free agent pitcher Liam Hendriks to a 2 year $10 million dollar deal. Pretty much the exact same contract they gave to James Paxton when he pitched 2/3 of an inning in rookie ball in 2022 before making just 19 starts last year. A 35 year old pitcher coming off Tommy John surgery and cancer treatment is a huge risk but the rumor is the Sox are trying to trade Kenley Jansen. If they're successful then Hendriks might be their closer next year......coming off Tommy John surgery after turning 36 in Spring Training. Just another sign of the times that this franchise is a joke.

                                              Almost unhittable in 2019 and 2020

The bottom line is all these signings are just depth moves on the verge of spring training but with Jordan Montgomery, Adam Duvall and Blake Snell still unsigned, all these moves are amplified in the anti-ownership campaign. Kennedy himself said today that Sox GM Craig Breslow is operating under "parameters" which basically means Craig has no budget to work with. Breslow has to play Billy Beane when he should be playing Theo Epstein. Its going to be a long year.....

Red Sox Trade Schreiber to Royals (2/17/24)

Well its pretty much unthinkable but the Boston Red Sox swapped roles with the Kansas City Royals. After going cheap all off-season (Jordan Montgomery and Blake Snell are still unsigned), the Sox continued to shed contracts by trading reliever John Schreiber to the Royals for 22 year old right handed starting pitching prospect David Sandlin.

                                                                         OUT

                                                                     IN

Schreiber was one of the better success stories the Red Sox have had in the recent past. After being batting practice in Triple A for most of his career, in 2022 he somehow found three more mph on his fastball and became one of the best relievers in the game. Last year his ERA ballooned to 3.86 mostly due to overuse and injury but was still better than other options on the dreary 2023 Red Sox. Well, he was the latest casualty in the inexplicable salary dump the Red Sox have going on. The rumors is that Kenley Jansen is next. The Royals needed bullpen help and the Sox gave it to them, my how times have changed.

                                                            Bye bye Schreiber

Who did the Red Sox get in return? David Sandlin was a starting pitcher for Oklahoma University that went in the 11th round of the 2022 draft fourteen picks before the Sox drafted Marques Johnson. Dandlin posted a respectable 4-1 record with a 3.38 ERA in 12 starts for the Low A Columbia Fireflies. He made two starts at the end of the season for the High A Quad Cities River Bandits. Sox GM Craig Breslow noticed he went from throwing low 90's in college to throwing 95-97 last year. The thinking is that they can harness his power and teach him control. Ironically the Grenville Drive won the SAL championship last year so if he starts 2024 there, he'd be in good company.

                                                     Welcome to Boston

For the first time all off-season ownership isn't lying to our faces about the direction this team is going in.....right in the toilet. If Breslow is going to continue to deplete the roster and play for 2025, I can respect that. They already have Dick Fitts, Hunter Dobbins and Elmer Cruz in the system so adding David Sandlin gives them another arm to try out in the minors. If ownership is telling Breslow they're not going to give him any money to work with, then drafting and developing is a must. Sandlin is at least a year or two away even if he dominates High A and Double A this year. Combined with the Sox trying to trade Jansen and now Chris Martin, its all adding up to just avoid Fenway and the Red Sox in general in 2024.

                                                   Get used to this sight come June