While I am a huge Red Sox fan, I am not one to believe the team is perfect or ignore the faults that they clearly have. With the struggles that the team has been having, people have been quick to blame certain players. Jackie Bradley Jr. isn't hitting; Xander Bogaerts isn't very good in the field; Which Clay Buchholz are we going to see? Well I am not going to blame a single player. Every player on this team has their faults. Here is one for each player. And a positive for each just so Red Sox homers do not jump all over me. But this is really to take a look at the negatives... AJ Pierzynski, Catcher Positive: He swings the bat. If the pitcher is going to start AJ off with a fastball right down the middle or is down 3-0 and needs to get one over the plate, Pierznyski is not going to take a pitch that he feels he can drive. Negative: His lack of patience is also a negative attribute of Pierzynski. While I love the fact that he swings at strikes, he also swings at way too many balls outside of the zone. He swung at 47% of pitches that were outside of the zone last year, according to fangraphs. Mike Napoli, First Baseman Positive: He’s got some serious power and is a very underrated fielder. Negative: Napoli, like a lot of power hitters, strikes out a lot. People who try to convince you that a strikeout is just an out like any other, they are wrong. A groundout or flyout can advance a runner, or an error could be made if you put the ball in play. A strikeout is as unproductive as it gets. Dustin Pedroia, Second Baseman Positive: He’s a leader. Negative: He was a leader of the team that drove Terry Francona out of town and showed no respect to Bobby Valentine, saying that Bobby V will learn how it’s done in Boston. No, Dustin, the manager will tell the players who it is done. Will Middlebrooks, Third Baseman Positive: We saw what Middlebrooks was capable of in his first season. He has a ton of power and is not necessarily a .200-.220 hitter. Negative: He has not been able to replicate his 2012 and was even forced to spend half of 2013 in the minor leagues. He also seems to be injury prone. Xander Bogaerts, Shortstop Positive: He looks like a veteran at the plate with his plate discipline. Negative: There’s only one of him. And I guess his fielding has not been up to par. Grady Sizemore, Left Field Positive: While he is nothing what he was before all of his injuries, he can provide a little pop and speed on the bases here and there. Negative: He could be taking up a position in the outfield that top prospect Bryce Brentz could be occupying. He’s 25 years old, how much longer are you going to wait on him? Jackie Bradley Jr., Center Field Positive: He is a gold-glove caliber outfielder. Negative: Like Bogaerts, there is only one of him. And he has not been very consistent at the plate. Shane Victorino, Right Field Positive: The Flyin’ Hawaiian gives it his all every time out. Negative: He is getting up there in age and will not have as good of a season this year as he did in 2014. David Ortiz, Designated Hitter Positive: He is the big bat that every team needs in the middle of the lineup. Negative: He is incredibly selfish. Jon Lester, Starting Pitcher Positive: He is a very good postseason pitcher. Negative: He is an inconsistent starter in the regular season and does not know what a “hometown discount” is. John Lackey, Starting Pitcher Positive: He has proven to Boston that he truly does care about the game with the way he has bounced back the last few years. Negative: He was injured and just plain bad the first few years of his massive contract. Jake Peavy, Starting Pitcher Positive: He brings intensity to the mound. Negative: I think his intensity is a little too much sometimes and is almost a grab for attention. Clay Buchholz, Starting Pitcher Positive When he is on, he is one of the best pitchers in baseball. Negative: He is “off” or hurt more often than he is on. Felix Doubront, Starting Pitcher Positive: He’s your typical end of the rotation starter. He goes out there and usually gives you a decent chance to win. Negative: He has not improved much since joining the starting rotation. Burke Badenhop, Relief Pitcher Positive: He’s been better than expected. Negative: I get a bad feeling about the way the game is going to go whenever he comes in. Craig Breslow, Relief Pitcher Positive: He’s been a consistent option out the pen since joining the Sox. Negative: He was not very good and could not be trusted in the postseason. Andrew Miller, Relief Pitcher Positive: He’s been awesome this year and has a 13.3 K/9. Negative: He has not been awesome this year when it really matters. He struggles late in the game with guys on base. Chris Capuano, Relief Pitcher Positive: He has surprised everybody and become one of John Farrell’s most trusted options out of the pen. Negative: He went to Duke. Edward Mujica, Relief Pitcher Positive: He was brought in as a strike thrower with closing experience. Negative: He is walking batters at a higher pace than he ever has over his nine year career. Junichi Tazawa, Relief Pitcher Positive: He is also one of Farrell’s most trusted options and has been very good in the 8th inning role. Negative: If something happens to closer Koji Uehara, Tazawa has failed as a closer in the past. Koji Uehara, Relief Pitcher Positive: What’s there not to like? Negative: Since he is so awesome, it would take forever to list all of his positives. I do not have the time for that. That is the negative attribute of Koji. David Ross, Catcher Positive: He works well with the pitchers and proved he could do so in the playoffs. Plus, he had the best beard on the team last year. Negative: He is not the best hitter, but that’s ok when you’re so good defensively. Jonathan Herrera, Utility Positive: Herrera can play multiple positions, giving all of the infielders some time off when needed. Negative: He’s not Brock Holt. Mike Carp, First Baseman/Outfielder Positive: He has provided a few big hits for the Sox and can throw a knuckleball. Negative: He is still on the team. They should have dealt him when his value was higher after last season. Jonny Gomes, Outfielder Positive: He seems to be a good clubhouse guy. Negative: Like David Ortiz, he is also selfish and can’t back it up with his play.
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SAMUEL PERICOLOSam is a graduate of Assumption College where he studied History, Marketing, and Political Science and was a Co-Producer on a weekly sports talk television show. Archives
March 2018
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