LOTS TO LIKE (OR NOT)
These Sox entertaining in oh-so many ways
In order to avoid even the suggestion that today’s column has been written by the whiz kids from the Red Sox’ marketing department, I’d like to add a few “negative” assessments before getting to the heart of the matter.
The heart of the matter being my belief that the 2018 Red Sox are a hugely exciting team worthy of a) your attention, and b) your hard-earned entertainment dollar.
But hey, you were promised some negative stuff first. (Clicks, baby!) Here goes:
• The Red Sox still run the bases like rock heads.
It’s almost to the point where a horrendously bad display of baserunning is as much a part of each game as the national anthem and the seventh-inning stretch, to the degree that I believe the day is coming, and soon, when fans with a jones for exotic wagering will be able to bet on First Red Sox Player to Do Something Stupid on the Bases. On Sunday it was Xander Bogaerts making a tragically late decision to advance from second to third after a fly to center and getting thrown out by, you guessed it, a mile. But Bogie’s not alone; it was just his turn. The baserunning gaffes can be looked at as fun when your team has one of the best records in baseball, but let’s see who’s laughing when it costs the Sox a playoff game.
• Hi, Red Sox, I’d like to introduce you to Dustin Pedroia.
It’s clear the Sox have never met the man, or else they’d know he’s a hugely aggressive athlete who plays a demanding position, is getting up there in age and has a habit of rushing back to the lineup too soon following an injury. If the Red Sox did know Pedroia, they might have given him a few more weeks of rehab following his offseason knee surgery.
• So much for Roseanne Way outside Fenway Park.
I spoke with Red Sox chairman/ Hollywood television producer Tom Werner and gave him an opportunity to explain his decision to bring Roseanne Barr back to the small screen, despite a history of wildly inappropriate social-media behavior predating the actress’ racist tweet about former President Barack Obama advisor Valerie Jarrett. Werner declined, pointing to the statement he issued last week in which he referred to those “abhorrent and offensive comments” and the hope that “Roseanne seeks the help she so clearly needs.” Not enough. Given how fervently the team fought to have the late Red Sox owner Thomas A. Yawkey’s name erased from the City of Boston street directory, this because Yawkey was at the helm during decades of troubling racist history in and around Fenway Park, it behooved Werner to be more transparent about Roseanne. So there.
Now let me tell you why you should be embracing the Red Sox:
• They will be better in the long run without Hanley Ramirez.
It is true Hanley was well-liked by Sox fans. The guy deserves props for trying to be a Big Papilike presence in the clubhouse, but, alas, there was only one Big Papi. If there’s going to be a true leader on this team, it’s going to be J.D. Martinez or Mookie Betts, and, anyway, the Sox are a better defensive team with Mitch Moreland at first and Martinez at DH. And now that Hanley is gone, can we stop with the postgame Gatorade dousing of whichever player is being interviewed on NESN? So trite. Instead, bring back the Dance of the Outfielders following Sox victories. Now was original.
• The Sox could charge admission just to watch Andrew Benintendi hit off a batting tee.
High-school coaches everywhere would bring their players in to watch that magnificent swing. Benintendi is heating up, highlighted by two long home runs over the weekend in Houston. Home runs are extra special when they’re from Benintendi, as they keep him off the base paths. (See above.)
• Mookie Betts can be/should be the Red Sox’ Derek Jeter.
As in: Red Sox for life. He’s a great player, a well-liked player, who never, ever seems to get flustered by the Boston Baseball Experience. As we have learned, and keep learning, it can never be assumed a new player will adapt to Boston. Which is why the Sox should hold onto players who can thrive here. And it’s why trading Jon Lester was one of the biggest blunders in team history.
• Jackie Bradley Jr. and the glove.
Each and every Red Sox game offers the possibility Bradley will make a catch you’ll talk about all year. But he needs to hit a little.
• NEWS FLASH: I’m told Dennis Eckersley will join Jerry Remy and Dave O’Brien in the NESN booth for Sunday’s Fenway matinee.
If these guys worked regularly, they’d challenge the Mets’ Gary Cohen, Ron Darling and Keith Hernandez for the laurels of best three-man team in baseball; as it is, we need to celebrate those occasions when they do work together. Again, that’s Sunday.
• “Where’s Waldo?” (Fenway edition)
Half the fun of looking for the Red Sox lineup card on Twitter is seeing where manager Alex Cora is playing Blake Swihart. There will come a day when Swihart, playing for another team, plays all nine positions in one game. But just as we have no idea where he’s going to end up in his career, we have no idea where he’s going to end up in tonight’s lineup card.