Nine to Know: Red Sox Under Pressure

I’m thinking about how Lester Holt is feeling as he prepares for his on-air “audition” as Brian Williams‘ replacement.

I’m thinking about the pressure some talented person is about to hear when his/her/their agent says Comedy Central wants to talk to you about possibly replacing Jon Stewart on The Daily Show.

I’m thinking about the Red Sox as they load that truck with pressure for the trip to spring training.

(cue music: David Bowie’s “Under Pressure”)

Pressure, pushing down on me
Pressing down on you, no man asks for
Under Pressure
That burns a building down
Splits a family in two
Puts people on streets

This has been an amazing offseason for baseball with transactions as relentless and on-going as the Boston snow. It was the end of October that the Sox re-signed Koji Uehara and it seems like ages ago that the Red Sox announced their Thanksgiving signings of Pablo Sandoval and Hanley Ramirez.

Then in the space of two days in mid-December, the Red Sox picked up Rick Porcello and Wade Miley and other than dealing Will Middlebrooks for Ryan Hanigan, this team was basically done with significant transactions.

Did they strike too early?

Could they have gotten more by waiting?

Who knows if we will ever really be able to answer those questions, but it’s one of the reasons that Ben Cherington is on the Red Sox “Under Pressure” list.

Nine to Know: Red Sox Under Pressure

1. Ben Cherington
Cherington was the alchemist who made all the right moves in preparation for 2013. He was passive following the World Championship and it resulted in a return to last place. This offseason, the Nationals spent more than any other team, adding Max Scherzer and others for a mere $224 million. The team that spent the second most was the Red Sox who spent $214 million and they don’t have an ace and have a left fielder who never played the outfield before. Had Cherington waited would he have been able to acquire Matt Kemp instead? Ben has pressure.

2. Hanley Ramirez
Let’s talk about the new Red Sox left fielder. Ramirez is a great offensive force when healthy. And that has not been the case in recent years (he’s played over 145 games in a season once since 2010). He was a defensive liability in the infield for the Dodgers and has never played the outfield. What if it becomes an issue? What if it plays games with his head? What if it affects his offense? Hanley is under pressure.

3. Dustin Pedroia
Pedey knows how to play one way: all out. As a result of this his hands have gotten beaten up and his body has been hurting. Pedroia’s OPS has been in a steady four year decline and at 31 he’s no longer a kid at second base. I for one think that Dustin likes being under pressure and if that’s case, he’s a happy man.

4. Xander Bogaerts
Last February, Dan Shaughnessy wrote in the Boston Globe, “He’s already won a World Series, now he gets to be Rookie of the Year. There is no slowing down for Xander Bogaerts, no warning track. Only the fast track.” Dan continued, “Bogaerts is as close to a sure thing as you are going to get in big league baseball. If he doesn’t blossom into an All-Star, it means that all scouting, all analysis, and Bill James-ian projection mean nothing. ESPN has declared Bogaerts the second-best prospect in all of baseball.” This February, Bogaerts has to once again (or is it the first time?) show that he’s a solid major league shortstop. That’s pressure.

5. Clay Buchholz
On a team with four number-three starters, and with his seniority, there is an excellent chance that Buchholz will start on Opening Day. Coming off a season with a 5.34 ERA and a 1.386 WHIP, it’s likely that Clay will be the worst game one starter in the bigs. Buchholz is in the final year of his contract, but Boston has an option for $13 million team option, or a $245,000 buyout. When you look at the financial difference, you see his pressure.

6. Mike Napoli
As long as we are on the subject of prospective 2016 free agents, let’s talk Mike Napoli. He arrived on the scene with hip worries (which have been appropriately forgotten) and he spent the last season sleeping walking through a somewhat down season. Nap (admittedly an ironic nickname for someone with sleep apnea) is 33 and probably has one big payday left, but he needs to perform in order to get it. If he manages the pressure, he’ll be sleeping pretty.

7. Shane Victorino
Last season, the Red Sox spoke of Shane Victorino as if he were a combination of Hank Aaron and Willie Mays. Victorino was the only Red Sox to miss considerable time last season and yet everyone was bemoaning and attributing the team’s miserable play to his absence. He’s 34 and you should never play in fewer games than your age (he appeared in 30 last season). This 2016 free agent is under huge pressure if he wants to secure an outfield slot this coming season.

8. Blake Swihart
This switch-hitting catcher will be 23 just as the season begins. He has never played a game in the major leagues. He has only played 18 games in Triple A (and hit .261 with a .659 OPS). Last season, Baseball Prospectus ranked Swihart 73rd in their ranking of prospects in baseball. This season, he’s No. 17 and the top catching prospect. Why is this kid on this pressure list? Because it’s his inclusion in a trade to the Phils that is stopping the Sox from acquiring Cole Hamels. He better be at least Buster Posey-quality or better.

9. John Farrell
We started with management; we might as well end with management. John Farrell is entering his fifth season as a big league manager and third with the Red Sox. In two years with Toronto, he was 154-170. In two years with Boston, he’s gone 168-156 with one season winning 97 games and one season losing 91 games. If the Sox struggle out of the gate in 2016, John Farrell will be feeling the heat.

So there you go, that’s just some of the Sox pressure (and I didn’t even mention the bullpen).

Don’t worry, just relax, and listen to some music.

After reading this, I suggest singing along with Pharrell, at least he’s “Happy.”