An honest breakdown of the Red Sox’ roster
COMMENTARY
Dave Dombrowki has a reputation for putting together rosters that sometimes are top-heavy with talent. The theory is that he’ll covet and collect superstars, but depth is sometimes neglected, and thus his rosters end up with plenty of irreplaceable talent but too much replacement-level talent.
There is evidence of this. His 2012 Tigers team gave a total of 698 plate appearances to Ramon Santiago, Ryan Raburn, Don Kelly, and Danny Worth, none of whom batted higher than .216 or had an OPS above .586. But most general managers who have had prolonged runs have probably had teams in which subpar players got too many chances.
And after some examination, I don’t think this is the case with the 2017 Red Sox, who are 19-18 and stuck in a strange malaise as they head out on a six-game road trip. No, Kyle Kendrick, who had a 4.72 ERA for the Salt Lake Bees last season, should not have been considered a capable depth option. But for the most part, the Red Sox’ depth issues this season have been revealed at one position: third base.
In reviewing the Red Sox’ current roster construction, it seems apparent that a weak bottom of the roster isn’t their undoing so far. It’s that injuries have plagued them in their few areas of relative weakness, while the established core is only now starting to pick up the slack.
Here’s how I’d categorize the Red Sox’ talent, relevant injured players included:
Superstars: Chris Sale, Mookie Betts, Craig Kimbrel
Sale doesn’t have Pedro Martinez’s charisma away from the mound, but he comes awfully close to matching his results every fifth day, and few pitchers in baseball history can say that. His starts are fast becoming Events, capital E.
Betts was the second-best player in baseball last season, trailing only the boringly transcendent Mike Trout. He has a higher on-base percentage (.375) and OPS (.901) this season than he finished with last year, and he’s just starting to get rolling. Ben Cherington’s greatest legacy here isn’t the 2013 World Series: it’s his refusal to part with Betts and Xander Bogaerts in trades before they were established.
Trusted veterans: Dustin Pedroia, Rick Porcello, Hanley Ramirez, Chris Young, Brock Holt, Sandy Leon, Mitch Moreland
Porcello already has more losses in ’17 (5) than he did a year ago (4), with 20 fewer wins so far. The Run Support Gods were his guardians a year ago, but they’ve forsaken him so far this year. He’s been fine, though.
Ramirez and Pedroia are both heating up, just as expected. By the way, am I the only one who still thinks of them as the 2005 Portland Sea Dogs double-play combo? Hard to believe now that Ramirez – who is embracing the DH life – was ever a shortstop.
Dependable and/or ascending young players: Xander Bogaerts, Andrew Benintendi, Eduardo Rodriguez, Christian Vazquez
Some of you might suggest that Bogaerts belongs with the enigmas, which goes to show how high the standard is for the 24-year-old shortstop. He has not homered in 139 plate appearances this season, and that is unusual. His defense has also been spotty on occasion. But man, it shouldn’t be hard to appreciate what he is doing – which includes hitting .339 with a .396 on-base percentage and an .821 OPS. Complaining about him is the definition of rich-fan problems.
Benintendi finished the weekend in an 0-for-19 slump. With most young players – especially ones who never saw a day in Triple A – that may be a cause for concern. With Benintendi, we just assume it’s the prologue to one heck of a hot streak. Aaron Judge hasn’t locked up that Rookie of the Year award just yet.
Assorted relief pitchers: Matt Barnes, Health Hembree, Robbie Ross, Ben Taylor, Joe Kelly, Fernando Abad, Robby Scott
John Farrell takes a lot of heat for a manager with a World Series ring on his finger, and much of it is valid, especially regarding how he handles his bullpen. But is there anyone in this group he should completely trust? Relief pitching is a volatile occupation, but the performances shouldn’t be as inconsistent game-to-game as they have been with this crew.
Barnes will pitch a decade in the big leagues because of his golden arm and fleeting stretches of dominance, but he should not be the No. 1 option for high-leverage innings in front of the closer. They desperately need Carson Smith or Tyler Thornburg not only to return, but to return to pre-injury form.
Enigmas: Jackie Bradley Jr., David Price, Joe Kelly, Pablo Sandoval, Carson Smith, Tyler Thornburg, Drew Pomeranz
Bradley is so streaky that when he hits a prolonged low, as he has so far this year, it feels all too familiar, and you begin to wonder whether he will ever pull out of it. He does, and he will. Since the beginning of the 2015 season, Bradley has an .808 OPS and 38 home runs in 975 plate appearances. The median of all the streaks equals an above-average offensive player, and his spectacular defense makes him a player who should be appreciated rather than a player to fret about, as frustrating as it can be to wait for the good times.
Here’s hoping the Red Sox aren’t rushing Price back, but do they ever need him – even if it’s last year’s version. In his first season here – which included 17 wins, 230 innings, and 228 strikeouts – he was treated as a disappointment. Now, someone who can put up those numbers looks like a savior, unless for some reason you covet another Henry Owens audition.
Dave Dombrowski has traded Wade Miley, Jonathan Aro, Travis Shaw, and prospect Mauricio Dubon for a total of 10.1 innings of Smith, Thornburg, and Roenis Elias so far. That’s not getting it done.
Oh, and I’ll trust Nuke LaLoosh before I trust Joe Kelly.
Should be summering in Pawtucket: Chase D’Arnaud, Josh Rutledge, Deven Marrero
In 1978, Butch Hobson made 43 errors as the Red Sox third baseman. His fielding percentage of .899 was the first below .900 for an everyday player at any position since 1916. In nine games at third base for the Red Sox this season, Rutledge has an .870 fielding percentage.
He’s not the answer. None of these guys are. The answer to the third base woes may not even be on this roster. But the answers to their other problems had better be.
Follow Chad Finn on Twitter at @GlobeChadFinn.
