2020 MLB Draft Day (6/10/20)

Even though there is no baseball to be played this season (as of right now), the 2020 MLB Draft was held anyway. The Detroit Tigers took Spencer Torkelson first overall and the top pitcher Max Mayer from Minnesota University went to the Miami Marlins 3rd overall.

The Boston Red Sox first selection was 17th overall and they chose 18 year old Archbishop Mitty High School second baseman Nick Yorke. The California native hit .457 in his 4 years in high school. Imagine getting on base half of the time you're at the plate. Whether or not this translates to minor league (let alone Major) league success remains to be seen. With the Red Sox having a hole at second base with Dustin Pedroia rumored to be retiring, the Sox may need Yorke in a few years if he's any good.

                                                    This kid could be a star in a few years

The Sox had no second round pick due to being stripped of it for the "video violations" in 2018 so their third round pick was DeSoto Central High School third baseman Blaze Jordan. For those that don't remember, Jordan was the kid who hit a 350 foot bomb at age 11 back in 2013 and a 500 foot blast two years later. Jordan was a tremendous power hitter but fell to the third round because aluminum bats aren't used in the minors or majors. He hit .442 his senior year before he was drafted and if his power DOES translate, we're looking at a potential stud in a few years.

                                                Teenage phenom Blaze Jordan

The Sox used their fourth round pick on Hawaii University's Jeremy Wu-Yelland. This pick is a bit of a mystery as Wu-Yelland had terrible 2018 and 2019 seasons for Hawaii. Still, the lefty was looking good for Hawaii when the 2020 season was shut down due to Covid. The Sox feel he's developing into his body and could be a player in years to come.

                                                   4th round pick - Jeremy Wu-Yelland

The Red Sox selected another pitcher in the fifth round, this time they took Florida State pitcher Shane Drohan. Drohan was considered a prospect in high school but he was also a big football star. He didn't quit football until his sophomore year at Florida State. He was 3-1 as a starter in the 2019 season for the Seminoles and his senior year was cancelled due to Covid. Sox brass are hoping the fact he didn't put up eye opening numbers his college career was his commitment to football, not because of a lack of talent. Time will tell if this works out.

                                              5th round pick - Shane Drohan

Because of Covid, there were only five rounds this season so there will definitely be some undrafted free agents to be signed in the upcoming weeks and months. Its a shame the virus wiped out everything this season but this could be a blessing in disguise for Sox fans. Wu-Yelland may have gone higher if he had a full season in Hawaii and the same could be said for Drohan. A lot of people think Yorke could be the real deal and Blaze Jordan could be a power hitter in the minors. All in all the Sox only drafted four guys but there isn't going to be a season anyway. There are rumors the season could be salvaged but it doesn't look good. Either way hopefully next year things get back to normal and you'll be seeing Yorke, Jordan, Drohan and Wu-Yelland in Salem, Greenville and Gulf Coast.

Spring Training Cancelled, Season Delayed (3/12/20)

Not that Boston Red Sox fans will be complaining after the miserable off-season they had, but Major League Baseball has delayed the start of the 2020 season due to the outbreak of the deadly Coronavirus.

The deadly virus that's decimated China and Italy has swept its way to the US and MLB commissioner Rob Manfred is taking no chances, sending everyone home until the virus is contained.

The ones who benefit the most are the New York Yankees who's roster is devastated with injury. If the season starts in May or whatever, they'll be fresh as daisies to take the American League pennant.

As for the Red Sox, meh. Who cares?

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....

Alex Cora Fired (1/14/20)

Due to the recent scandal rocking Major League Baseball over sign stealing, it was only a matter of time before Alex Cora of the Boston Red Sox got the axe. Yesterday MLB announced the Houston Astros were docked draft picks along with the season long suspensions of AJ Hinch and general manager Jeff Luhnow. Within hours, Hinch and Luhnow were fired by the Astros, Meanwhile the Sox didn't even wait to see what Rob Manfred had in store for Cora, they announced today they have "parted ways" with the troubled, disgraced manager.

                                                      Bye bye Cora

This comes after the shocking report that both the Houston Astros and the Boston Red Sox were guilty of stealing signs electronically. While Houston was far more egregious, especially in the 2017 season, all signs point to Cora of being the mastermind behind it all. Now the Sox have to find a new manager and listen to almost every other team in the league (sans Houston) call them cheaters much like the New England Patriots have had to put up with the last dozen years.

So what happens next? Well commissioner Rob Manfred can't really touch new general manager Chaim Bloom since he had nothing to do with the Sox the last two years. They still can fine owner John Henry and dock draft picks which would cripple Bloom moving forward. The Sox farm system was destroyed by Dave Dombrowski and the worst punishment Manfred can hand down is taking draft picks away that would replenish the system. Can't say it wouldn't be undeserving.

                                               "I'm screwed" - Chaim Bloom

So now the Sox need a new manager. If the coaching staff under Cora is under fire, they may have to go outside the organization for a new one. They can always promote one of their minor league managers but the stench of "cheating" would follow them. We'll see where they go from here but as of right now, bye bye Cora. Thanks for the ring.

                                                               YERRRR OUTTA HERE!

Red Sox Pick Up Arauz in Rule 5 Draft (12/12/19)

Today was the Rule 5 draft and rather than bore everyone by explaining exactly what that is, let's just say the Boston Red Sox picked up 3 players from other teams today.

In the major league portion of the Rule 5 draft, the Sox selected 21 year old infielder Jonathan Arauz from the Houston Astros system. Arauz hit .242 for Houston's Double A team in Corpus Christi and having more infield depth in the minors is never a bad thing. Whether he makes the majors or not is up in the air.

                                                        Arauz is coming to Boston

In the minor league phase of the draft, the Sox selected 28 year old right handed pitcher Raynel Espinal from the New York Yankees system. He was 5-7 with a 4.32 ERA with Scranton this year so he's going to add pitching depth in Pawtucket this year. The other one selected was 22 year old right handed pitcher Jose Espada from the Toronto Blue Jays system. Jose pitched in just 10 games this year for the rookie league and Lansing Single A team. Unlike Espinal who's already 28, Espinal has time to develop and could be a steal if he does.

                                                       Espinal and Espada

It would be unfair to expect Rule 5 guys to turn into ML all-stars, if anything these guys are going to be mainstays in the minors. Arauz and Espada could make the majors someday, time will tell.