Stewart: Why So Much Negativity For AL East Leading Red Sox?
BOSTON (CBS) -- Let's start with a positive and the most important thing to me: OUR Boston Red Sox are in first place in the American League East.
They're 8-5 and have yet to lose a series this season. Most importantly to me, and likely to those over at 4 Yawkey Way, they've been fun to watch -- sans Clay Buccholz taking two hours and twenty six minutes to get through his start on Saturday.
These are my quick (or not so quick) thoughts after 13 games, which is 8% of the season:
- On Ortiz's ejection, if he doesn't drop the bat, I bet he stays in the game on Sunday. David Ortiz is smart enough to know he shouldn't be showing up umpires. He should be a Hall of Famer when his career is over, but he's not entitled to special treatment as the self-proclaimed face of baseball. Stay humble, David. Don't forget you were once cut by the Minnesota Twins.
It's safe to say that the next time David Ortiz agrees with a called strike against him, it will be the first time. Good for the home plate umpire for standing up for a teammate.
Each of Ortiz's last three ejections have come against Baltimore (last: 7/27/13 at Baltimore). I admit that the phone he destroyed in Baltimore is a personal favorite:
- Luck is for losers!
Isn't the Red Sox cashing in/being opportunists when teams are coughing up the baseball a good thing? Wasn't this a problem with the Red Sox last year in that they WEREN'T putting the ball in play?
It's great that the Red Sox are cashing in when other teams are having problems fielding the baseball, isn't that the job?
The Red Sox were 11th in the American League last year in runs scored, 11th in hits and third in walks. They've improved greatly this season, as they're third in runs scored, fifth in hits and first in walks.
They're getting on base and getting those runners home.
(Yup, that's groundbreaking analyst right there.)
- Hanley Ramirez looks unsure of himself in the outfield.
Remember Mookie Betts last year in center field? He looked unsure of himself and was using his early 20s natural athletic ability to make up for mis-judging the balls hit to him. I know Hanley Ramirez has a history of dogging it, but I don't believe that's the case, not this season. I feel like he has no idea what he's doing in the outfield. If we get to game 81 and he looks like he has no clue, then the Red Sox have a big-time problem.
If Hanley has no idea what he's doing in the outfield, shouldn't we blame the Red Sox for that? The Sox had problems on offense, went and spent money to get the two best hitters on the free agent market and bought one hoping he'd figure out how to play a new position in the field. On paper it looked like a good idea, but if Hanley can't field, that's on Ben Cherington, John Henry, Larry Lucchino, Mike Gordon, and whom ever suggested and approved the idea.
The good news, Hanley's struggles in left field have not hurt him at the plate. Through 12 games, he has five home runs and 12 RBI. He projects to be over 20 home runs, 80 RBI and an .800 OPS. That's a win for the Red Sox.
- PFP Struggles
We saw on national TV that Clay Buccholz had issues backing up bases, but the new $20 million man had an issue during his last start as well. I guess Pitcher's Fielding Practice wasn't a big thing during Spring Training.
On Sunday, Sox starter Rick Porcello was late to cover first base on what was scored an infield single in the top of the 5th inning. What's the problem with these pitchers NOT covering or backing up bases? We're 13 games into the season and they've forgotten basic fundamentals? What a joke. Guess who I blame?
John Farrell!
In fairness, Farrell's been good so far this season. He pinch hit Daniel Nava for Shane Victorino on Friday night when the situation called for it. The result was not successful, but the move was the right one based on the matchup.
While Farrell has left his starting pitchers in games for too long, his bullpen has been strong to quite strong. On their seven-game home stand, Red Sox relievers have only given up five earned runs in 24.1 innings for a 1.85 ERA.
For those worried about the starting rotation, the Red Sox are making calls trying to add a better pitcher to the starting staff. The Red Sox remain steadfast on NOT moving Blake Swihart, the prospect that is the first name out of any team on the other side of the phone call from Fenway Park.
- Switching gears to the Bruins. I say it is fair to hold an employee hostage.
For our buddy DJ to write that it's unfair for the Bruins to hold current head coach Claude Julien "hostage" while they try to figure out who their next GM is laughable and inaccurate. Claude could resign as "HC of the BB" and doesn't have to accept the check with the Bruins logo on it to be reportedly the highest paid coach in the NHL.
If I'm the Bruins, I have two assets in Peter Chiarelli (yes, he's still under contract for three more seasons, so as long as they pay him they own him) and Claude Julien that I cannot only get a draft pick for, but I can also control where they go. I don't want either to be employed by Toronto or Philly. I fear Claude as a coach.
People forget that Claude was once the Montreal head coach and beat YOU as an eight seed in 2004. The Bruins led that series 3-1, but Claude coached his Montreal team to three wins in a row to the point where one Bruins writer wanted to take the "C" off Joe Thornton's chest.
- The real reason why Cam Neely fired Peter Chiarelli is because Cam wanted final say on the roster. Chiarelli was hired as GM, and as we've found out recently, he had final say on who was on the Bruins roster. Cam could make suggestions, but at the end of the day Peter was making the moves. Now that Chiarelli is removed from his position, Cam can point to the players he wants and his GM has to execute the move. Pretty simple.
If the Bruins hire Don Sweeney as their next GM, Cam Neely will be behind it. If the Bruins hire Ray Shero, it will be a sign that the Jacobs family has final say. Remember, before the Bruins hired Chiarelli, the Bruins wanted Ray Shero.
- The Mike Milbury rumor to be the next Bruins head coach makes me laugh. My guess is Milbury just wants to be offered the job by the Bruins so he can get more money from NBC.
My odds on who the next Bruins coach will be:
Bruce Cassidy 3-1
Mike Babcock 5-1
Todd McLellan 6-1
Adam Oates 15-1
John Tortorella 50-1
Guy Boucher 100-1
Something to file away: If the money is the highest amongst the bidders, Mike Babcock will end up in Boston. His son Michael Babcock is a forward at Merrimack Collage.
- One final item on my agenda: Edmonton ISN'T dealing Taylor Hall. They might deal Ryan Nugent Hopkins, but the deal to get ANY of their young forwards will cost the Bruins Malcolm Subban, Dougie Hamilton and Milan Lucic. In my world of fantasy general manager, I'd make a deal to get Taylor Hall for Lucic, Hamilton and Subban, but I don't believe the Bruins will. The biggest problem in Edmonton is they haven't had a good coach to teach these young players how to play hockey. If Edmonton got a coach like Claude Julien, they could truly grow into a good team.
James Stewart is the executive producer of the Felger and Massarotti Show, which airs 2-6 p.m. on 98.5 The Sports Hub. Find him on Twitter @IAmJamesStewart.
