Five Things I'm Tired of Hearing About the 2016 Red Sox

I want to start this off with a massive disclaimer.  I love the Boston Red Sox, more than most things in my life.  We've been through thick and thin and I've stuck by them through it all.  Maybe it's because they always seem to surprise us.  That's why this blog is kind of bittersweet to write. For all that it's worth, I really hope the Sox make the 2016 playoffs.  I really do.  That being said, I wanted to put this together and discuss these issues from a strictly unbiased, baseball perspective. These are things that I have heard and read that I just simply do not think are true. Some of you may find these takes to be rational, others may find them scorching hot. Nonetheless, these are my thoughts on what people have been saying about the 2016 Red Sox.

1. “It’s way too early in the season to judge this team.”

(Bleacher Report)

Well we’re already into the second week of the regular season and the Sox aren’t looking so hot.  Look, I understand that they’ve only played 7 games.  I understand it completely.  But the ghosts of 2014 and 2015 are already starting to creep back into the picture.  Yes, Dave Dombrowski went out and got his guys: David Price, Craig Kimbrel, and Carson Smith.  Yes, Smith hasn’t pitched yet and both Price and Kimbrel have only had one bad outing each (unfortunately on the same day).  But the rest of the rotation and staff are STILL THERE, and guess what? Once again we find them at the bottom of the barrel, ranking 27^th out of 30 in ERA.  They weren’t just going to magically go away or turn into aces.  This isn’t about this season; this is about the last three out of four years in which the Sox have finished dead last. Any average fan will say that 2012, 2014 and 2015 were fluke years.  Any true fan will tell you that 2013 was the fluke year.  They were not supposed to win the World Series that year but a lot of things just fell their way.   While the 2016 offense has been outstanding, a team cannot be built so that a lineup bails out pitching every night.  It didn’t work last year and it won’t work this year.  Fans have every right to judge this team because the trends are so visible and they have seen what happened and what can continue to happen. As I’ve said before, this is not a playoff team this year but next year should be a much different story when all of this young talent really breaks out.

2. “The Red Sox overpaid for David Price.”

(Winslow Townson/Associated Press)

I really dislike that word in the context of baseball.  Overpaid.  People watch Moneyball one time and all of a sudden they think every team should follow Billy Beane.  Listen, Billy Beane "underpaid" because that was all he had.  Oakland was and still is a SMALL MARKET team.  The Red Sox are a LARGE MARKET team.  This is exactly what blows my mind.  The team needed an ace, and preferably wanted the one who had the most experience and the most success in the AL East, not to mention Fenway as well.  David Price was going to make this type of money no matter where he signed.  The beauty (or flaw depending on your own opinion) of the MLB is that there is no salary cap.  Why would any team who could afford a big time player not go ahead and spend what they can in order to get their guy?  They did not overpay.  They paid him for his dominance in a division they’ve only won twice in the last 20 years.  Furthermore, why are fans so up tight about what teams spend? Higher salaries do not lead to higher ticket prices. In order to get back to a winning season, you have to pay for someone you can build and anchor your staff around.

3. “You can’t really blame John Farrell.”

(USATSI)

The hell I can’t!  Listen, I will always remember 2013 when Farrell led the Sox to a championship in his first year as their manager.  That truly was a special, special year.  But John’s time is up—he has to go.  Farrell is such a poor in-game manager, especially for a team so dependent on its offense right now.  Yes, the moves to start Holt and Shaw have paid off.  But instances such as his inefficient use of the bullpen and substituting Chris Young for Travis Shaw (who has more success against lefties than Young) to face lefties have only compounded his previous record of two straight last place seasons.  The 2013 Red Sox were a team filled with experienced veterans, similar to other teams Farrell had been around in his career up to that point.  Now, the team is much younger and his style of “veteran” leadership has not translated well to on-field success over the last couple of seasons, including 2016.  It’s time for a change, and I think that change is bench coach Torey Lovullo.

4. “The Sox should trade Blake Swihart.”

(Unknown)

Why? Trade the organization’s best offensive homegrown catcher in who knows how long?  To me it makes no sense.  Everyone ripped into Swihart last night after he misplayed a foul ball that would have prevented a game-tying home run. People also constantly denounce his ability to call a game.  Swihart is still very young, and this rotation is filled with veterans (for the time being) who should have the presence of mind to shake him off here and there if they don’t agree on pitches.  The rotation was just as poor last year when he was not the everyday catcher.  Yes, Christian Vazquez is a better defensive catcher and will take over a large workload when he returns.  But for now, I just don't view trading a top-10 hitting catcher in the MLB as the answer. 

5. “Trade Pablo Sandoval for some pitching.”

(Jim Davis/Boston Globe)

Yeah, this might’ve worked a few months ago.  Not now.  Sandoval has pretty much sunken every ounce of value he had left in him with a miserable (and embarrassing) start to the season.  A lot of offseason talk surrounded a possible trade for James Shields as the Padres had been eyeing Sandoval closely.  But with Pablo on the bench making very little of his opportunities, most teams including San Diego have shied away from acquiring him.  A recent shoulder injury certainly hasn't made him any more attractive either.  Unfortunately, Sandoval just isn’t worth enough for the Red Sox to land another pitcher to help boost the staff and at this point it might be best to just release him to free up a roster spot, even though his guaranteed money would have to be eaten.