For the last post, I will look at the other pitchers.
SCOTT ATCHISON
I expected Atchison to be around a lot more than he was, but he was blessed (cursed?) with remaining options so he could be shuttled between Pawtucket and Boston as often as management wanted. He did make it into 17 games in about six different stints with the Red Sox, with an ERA of 3.26 and 17 strikeouts versus only six walks in 30.1 innings. Not bad. I have no idea if he will be back next year or not.
MICHAEL BOWDEN
Bowden is another player who appears to be running out of time to make a difference on the big league club. He has now played parts of four seasons in Boston, never making it into more than 15 games in a season. He is still relatively young, but I think it is time to have him stick in Boston or trade him. Enough jerking him around back and forth.
FELIX DOUBRONT
Doubront apparently did not show up to Spring Training in shape this year and he struggled some in the minors. By the end of the season though, he was in Boston. Perhaps next year is the year that Doubront makes it to Boston full time. He is a left-hander and I previously mentioned Morales might be able to make it as a starter. Doubront has that ability as well.
RICH HILL
Rich Hill completely overhauled his pitching motion and was getting terrific results. The left-hander pitched eight scoreless innings, allowing only three hits and three walks, while striking out twelve. Then he got hurt and his season was over. He was making progress, hopefully Boston sticks with him a little longer.
TOMMY HOTTOVY
I had no idea Hottovy was even still in the Red Sox system until I saw that he was called up to Boston this summer. Hottovy has languished since 2003 in the minor leagues. His persistence finally paid off and he was brought up when Hill went down with an injury. However, he was not terribly impressive, with a 6.75 ERA and a 1.75 WHIP, so he likely will not be back.
ANDREW MILLER
The 2006 first round pick of the Tigers has yet to harness his awesome ability, but he did show some flashes this year. Miller had a few good starts for the Red Sox, but far too many where he simply walked too many batters. It is still too early to give up on him completely though, he is still just 26. If he can harness his command, he could make the starting rotation next year. But that is a pretty big "if".
TREVER MILLER
Miller was acquired towards the end of the season as veteran left-handed relief. He pitched just two innings, without giving up a run, hit, or a walk. Not bad, but it's hard to imagine him coming back next year.
HIDEKI OKAJIMA
Okajima lost favor pretty quickly in Boston and it looks like his Red Sox career, if not his Major League career, is over. Okajima notoriously was upset that Boston sent him down to the minors and refused to come back to Boston when they attempted to recall him. He demanded a trade a couple of times. Too bad it had to end this way, as I really liked him coming into the season.
DENNYS REYES
Reyes broke camp with the Red Sox then had four miserable games to start the season. He was sent to the minors and never returned.
JUNICHI TAZAWA
Tazawa made it all the way back from Tommy John surgery and made it to the Red Sox bullpen by the end of the year. He has pretty good stuff and could be ready to make an impact in the rotation or the bullpen next year.
KYLE WEILAND
I am sure I am not alone in suggesting that Weiland was rushed to the Major Leagues this year. He was simply not ready to face big league hitters. That said, he could be ready to be a setup man next year in Boston as he did perform well in that role late in the season, or he could be trade bait.
RANDY WILLIAMS
Another left-hander that pitched in fewer than ten games as Boston was looking for a good southpaw option in the bullpen. Williams did not fare much better than Reyes, Okajima, or Hottovy. He likely will not be back next year.
Showing posts with label 2011. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2011. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Monday, October 3, 2011
2011 Season Wrap-Up Pt. 3
Today I will be looking at the position players who were on the bench, or only played a partial season.
LARS ANDERSON
Lars Anderson will probably be traded this offseason. He was almost traded at the deadline in July to Oakland for Rich Harden, but Boston was concerned about Harden's medical status and withdrew from the trade. Anderson has nothing left to prove in the minors, and with Adrian Gonzalez locked up in Boston for the next seven years, it is time to move him. Anderson simply did not develop into a legitimate Major Leaguer in time.
MIKE AVILES
I was confused by this trade when it happened, but Aviles definitely prove to be worth it. Aviles hit .317/.340/.436 with two home runs and four stolen bases since arriving in Boston. Even more valuable was his versatility as he played five positions for the Red Sox. Aviles will be back next season as a super utility man.
MIKE CAMERON
Cameron was injured and ineffective for the Red Sox who did not get their money's worth on his contract. Cameron was traded to Florida early in the season and only played 33 games for Boston with an atrocious batting line of .149/.212/.266. He had a nice career, but his time with Boston was not a highlight.
JOEY GATHRIGHT
Gathright only made it into seven games for Boston, mostly as a pinch hitter. He was one for two in stolen base attempts and likely will not be back next year.
JOSE IGLESIAS
We did not see much of Iglesias, which surprised me. His bat is not ready yet for the Majors, but his glove certainly is. It is a shame we have not seen him in the field much yet. He could make an impact next year.
CONOR JACKSON
An injured knee limited Conor Jackson since being acquired from Oakland. He made it into only 12 games with the Red Sox and did not do much other than some sparkling defensive plays when he played. He will likely not be back next year as he is a free agent.
RYAN LAVARNWAY
It may be time to put Lavarnway in the Majors full time. He could play at catcher and designated hitter. His bat is definitely ready as he proved on the next to last game of the season when he hit two home runs. His defensive skills have also improved.
JED LOWRIE
Time is running out on Lowrie. Every time it seems he has locked up the shortstop position, he goes down with an injury. Since coming back from that injury, he did not hit well. He could still be a valuable utility infielder, but with Mike Aviles around, does Boston really need two? Who knows. Lowrie could be a better offensive shortstop than Marco Scutaro, but his defense needs work.
DARNELL MCDONALD
McDonald started very slowly, but started picking up towards the end of the season. He finished with a batting line of .236/.303/.401, not the best numbers, but they seem worse because of his dreadful start. McDonald is a versatile outfielder with power and speed, so he could stick as the fourth outfielder next year.
YAMAICO NAVARRO
Navarro was being groomed to be a utility infielder until he was dealt to Kansas City in the Aviles trade. He is expected to be a similar type of player.
JOSH REDDICK
Overall, Reddick had a nice season. He struggled down the stretch but ended up with a nice line of .280/.327/.457. He should compete with Ryan Kalish for the full time right field job next season. But Kalish has more potential, so we will see what happens.
NATE SPEARS
Not much to say about Spears, he made it into three games and did not produce a hit. He is 26, pretty old to just now be breaking into the Majors. If he makes it back, it will not be as more than a role player.
DREW SUTTON
Sutton was actually fairly impressive in short work as a utility infielder. His line was .315/.362/.444. I am not sure why he did not stick at the Major League level. He may not be back next year with Lowrie and Aviles around.
JASON VARITEK
The Captain will be 40 next year and he still wants to play. He was somewhat valuable this year, as he did hit 11 home runs as a backup catcher. But his defensive skills have continued to decline. It is getting hard to justify keeping him around, especially with Lavarnway ready to step in, but it will be just as hard to let him go, as much as he has done for the organization. It will be an interesting decision-making process.
LARS ANDERSON
Lars Anderson will probably be traded this offseason. He was almost traded at the deadline in July to Oakland for Rich Harden, but Boston was concerned about Harden's medical status and withdrew from the trade. Anderson has nothing left to prove in the minors, and with Adrian Gonzalez locked up in Boston for the next seven years, it is time to move him. Anderson simply did not develop into a legitimate Major Leaguer in time.
MIKE AVILES
I was confused by this trade when it happened, but Aviles definitely prove to be worth it. Aviles hit .317/.340/.436 with two home runs and four stolen bases since arriving in Boston. Even more valuable was his versatility as he played five positions for the Red Sox. Aviles will be back next season as a super utility man.
MIKE CAMERON
Cameron was injured and ineffective for the Red Sox who did not get their money's worth on his contract. Cameron was traded to Florida early in the season and only played 33 games for Boston with an atrocious batting line of .149/.212/.266. He had a nice career, but his time with Boston was not a highlight.
JOEY GATHRIGHT
Gathright only made it into seven games for Boston, mostly as a pinch hitter. He was one for two in stolen base attempts and likely will not be back next year.
JOSE IGLESIAS
We did not see much of Iglesias, which surprised me. His bat is not ready yet for the Majors, but his glove certainly is. It is a shame we have not seen him in the field much yet. He could make an impact next year.
CONOR JACKSON
An injured knee limited Conor Jackson since being acquired from Oakland. He made it into only 12 games with the Red Sox and did not do much other than some sparkling defensive plays when he played. He will likely not be back next year as he is a free agent.
RYAN LAVARNWAY
It may be time to put Lavarnway in the Majors full time. He could play at catcher and designated hitter. His bat is definitely ready as he proved on the next to last game of the season when he hit two home runs. His defensive skills have also improved.
JED LOWRIE
Time is running out on Lowrie. Every time it seems he has locked up the shortstop position, he goes down with an injury. Since coming back from that injury, he did not hit well. He could still be a valuable utility infielder, but with Mike Aviles around, does Boston really need two? Who knows. Lowrie could be a better offensive shortstop than Marco Scutaro, but his defense needs work.
DARNELL MCDONALD
McDonald started very slowly, but started picking up towards the end of the season. He finished with a batting line of .236/.303/.401, not the best numbers, but they seem worse because of his dreadful start. McDonald is a versatile outfielder with power and speed, so he could stick as the fourth outfielder next year.
YAMAICO NAVARRO
Navarro was being groomed to be a utility infielder until he was dealt to Kansas City in the Aviles trade. He is expected to be a similar type of player.
JOSH REDDICK
Overall, Reddick had a nice season. He struggled down the stretch but ended up with a nice line of .280/.327/.457. He should compete with Ryan Kalish for the full time right field job next season. But Kalish has more potential, so we will see what happens.
NATE SPEARS
Not much to say about Spears, he made it into three games and did not produce a hit. He is 26, pretty old to just now be breaking into the Majors. If he makes it back, it will not be as more than a role player.
DREW SUTTON
Sutton was actually fairly impressive in short work as a utility infielder. His line was .315/.362/.444. I am not sure why he did not stick at the Major League level. He may not be back next year with Lowrie and Aviles around.
JASON VARITEK
The Captain will be 40 next year and he still wants to play. He was somewhat valuable this year, as he did hit 11 home runs as a backup catcher. But his defensive skills have continued to decline. It is getting hard to justify keeping him around, especially with Lavarnway ready to step in, but it will be just as hard to let him go, as much as he has done for the organization. It will be an interesting decision-making process.
Saturday, October 1, 2011
2011 Season Wrap-Up Pt. 2
Today, I am going to look at the main starters and relievers.
JOSH BECKETT
Beckett was possibly the ace of the staff this year as he had the most consistent year, other than his final two disastrous starts against the Orioles. Beckett was an All Star for the third time with the Red Sox and lead the team in ERA with 2.89. For a while, he was considered to be a Cy Young Candidate. However, his last couple of starts have more than likely taken him out of the running for any votes at all. It was a nice bounceback year after his awful 2010 though. Hopefully he stays motivated and comes back next year in shape and ready to pitch. Boston desperately needs him.
JON LESTER
Lester took a little bit of a step backwards this year after contending for the Cy Young Award last year. Something just was not right with him parts of the year and he had a lot of trouble with his command down the stretch which lead to three awful starts in a row. Nevertheless, he lead the team in wins and strikeouts with 15 and 182 respectfully. Hopefully this year was not a sign of things to come for Boston's young ace and he gets back to his dominating stuff next year.
JOHN LACKEY
To say John Lackey was bad this year is a massive understatement. I still do not quite understand how this free agent acquisition turned out this badly. Lackey has not been the pitcher that he was with the Angels the entire time he has been in Boston. It is a shame because he could have given the Red Sox another ace-level starting pitcher. Lackey had an absolutely awful year, going 12-12 with a 6.41 ERA. I have no idea what it will take to get him back on track, but something needs to be done over the offseason.
TIM WAKEFIELD
At this point, Wakefield is just hanging on trying to get the Red Sox record for career victories. He has not been pitching very well and most teams run at will on him. He finally got career victory number 200 earlier this year and is six wins away from the Red Sox record. I do not really have a problem with him coming back for that record next year if he is pitching well in Spring Training. Otherwise, I just can not see how a team striving for the postseason can keep him around in anything other than a bullpen role. He finished the year a disappointing 7-8 with a 5.12 ERA. Not his best year.
CLAY BUCHHOLZ
Along with Youkilis, Clay Buchholz's injury was a crushing blow that the team could not overcome. They did not have the pitching depth to cover for the loss of their third ace. Buchholz struggled to start the season but was beginning to figure it out when he went down with a stress fracture in his back. He finished 6-3 with a 3.48 ERA. There was talk that he was ready to pitch in the postseason so he should be back to full health in 2012.
DAISUKE MATSUZAKA
Another injury that Boston could not overcome, though on a lesser scale, was the one to Matsuzaka. Matsuzaka continues to disappoint in Boston ever since his 18 win 2008 season. He still nibbles at the corners way too much which leads to a lot of walks and he gets hit hard. It is about time to characterize his acquisition as a bust. He likely will not make it back until late in the year next year from Tommy John surgery and will be a free agent after the season. It is possible that he has pitched his last game for the Red Sox.
ERIK BEDARD
Bedard was acquired from the Mariners at the trading deadline in order to make up for the losses of Buchholz and Matsuzaka. It just did not work out that way. He had a few solid games, but came away with only one victory and an awful lot of questions. His strikeout numbers were good and his ERA was not bad for a fourth or fifth starter, but he was expected to be more than that. We have probably seen the end of Bedard in Boston and lost four decent prospects to get him.
JONATHAN PAPELBON
Like Beckett, Papelbon had a very good bounceback season for the Red Sox in 2011. His season was even better and he dramatically increased his possible value on the free agent market this year. Papelbon became the first closer to save 30 or more games in each of his first six full seasons. His strikeout numbers were ridiculous, striking out 87 in 64 innings and his ERA was 2.94, which is not overly impressive, but he had one or two bad outings. Now the question is, will he be back next year?
DANIEL BARD
Bard was being groomed to take over Papelbon's spot at closer should he leave, but it is important to have a good setup man too. Bard mysteriously struggled down the stretch but had some good games in the middle too. He is not as dominating as he was last year, but it may have just been a down year. I would not be comfortable going into next season with him at closer without any fallback options, but it is not my decision to make. Who knows, he could excel at the position.
ALFREDO ACEVES
The hero of the season from the pitching staff was Aceves, whose acquisition from the Yankees drew little notice at first. Some astute Yankees bloggers were a little upset that he was let go, but he was deemed expendable by the team. Boston's front office does not agree. Aceves finished 10-2 with a 2.61 ERA, and fit in a variety of roles. He started four games and even had a save. Next year, he should be groomed as a starter. That would go a long way to fixing some of the rotation issues. His stuff is that good.
DAN WHEELER
Wheeler's overall numbers do not look that great, but that was more because of his disastrous first month. He was pitching much better later on until he too went down with an injury. If Wheeler had not been hurt, Aceves could have been moved into the rotation. He has an option and Boston should consider picking it up. A veteran bullpen arm is not always easy to come by, especially one as good as Wheeler.
BOBBY JENKS
He is only in this wrap-up because of the expectations at the beginning of the season. Jenks was acquired as a backup option at closer if Papelbon struggled and otherwise to be a co-setup man with Bard. He only pitched in 19 games though with an ERA of 6.32. His strikeout numbers were good, but he also issued a lot of walks. Hopefully his injuries are healed and he can be ready to come back next year, he is still under contract after all.
FRANKLIN MORALES
A shrewd pickup early on, Morales came in and anchored the pen from the left side. He had some struggles at various points, but by the end of the season, he was every bit as reliable as Bard or Aceves. Morales is another player who could be sent in to the starting rotation, his stuff is electrifying. He finished the season with a 3.61 ERA and 31 strikeouts in 32.1 innings, against 11 walks. Morales was once one of Colorado's top prospects and he started to show why this year.
MATT ALBERS
Matt Albers looked like the under-the-radar pickup of the year for the Red Sox at one point when his ERA was below 2.00. It did not end up that way as he had a string of games in which he was hit all over the field. He was still a somewhat dependable arm out of the bullpen, with some good strikeout numbers, 68 in 64.1 innings. He should be back next year, just not in a setup role.
JOSH BECKETT
Beckett was possibly the ace of the staff this year as he had the most consistent year, other than his final two disastrous starts against the Orioles. Beckett was an All Star for the third time with the Red Sox and lead the team in ERA with 2.89. For a while, he was considered to be a Cy Young Candidate. However, his last couple of starts have more than likely taken him out of the running for any votes at all. It was a nice bounceback year after his awful 2010 though. Hopefully he stays motivated and comes back next year in shape and ready to pitch. Boston desperately needs him.
JON LESTER
Lester took a little bit of a step backwards this year after contending for the Cy Young Award last year. Something just was not right with him parts of the year and he had a lot of trouble with his command down the stretch which lead to three awful starts in a row. Nevertheless, he lead the team in wins and strikeouts with 15 and 182 respectfully. Hopefully this year was not a sign of things to come for Boston's young ace and he gets back to his dominating stuff next year.
JOHN LACKEY
To say John Lackey was bad this year is a massive understatement. I still do not quite understand how this free agent acquisition turned out this badly. Lackey has not been the pitcher that he was with the Angels the entire time he has been in Boston. It is a shame because he could have given the Red Sox another ace-level starting pitcher. Lackey had an absolutely awful year, going 12-12 with a 6.41 ERA. I have no idea what it will take to get him back on track, but something needs to be done over the offseason.
TIM WAKEFIELD
At this point, Wakefield is just hanging on trying to get the Red Sox record for career victories. He has not been pitching very well and most teams run at will on him. He finally got career victory number 200 earlier this year and is six wins away from the Red Sox record. I do not really have a problem with him coming back for that record next year if he is pitching well in Spring Training. Otherwise, I just can not see how a team striving for the postseason can keep him around in anything other than a bullpen role. He finished the year a disappointing 7-8 with a 5.12 ERA. Not his best year.
CLAY BUCHHOLZ
Along with Youkilis, Clay Buchholz's injury was a crushing blow that the team could not overcome. They did not have the pitching depth to cover for the loss of their third ace. Buchholz struggled to start the season but was beginning to figure it out when he went down with a stress fracture in his back. He finished 6-3 with a 3.48 ERA. There was talk that he was ready to pitch in the postseason so he should be back to full health in 2012.
DAISUKE MATSUZAKA
Another injury that Boston could not overcome, though on a lesser scale, was the one to Matsuzaka. Matsuzaka continues to disappoint in Boston ever since his 18 win 2008 season. He still nibbles at the corners way too much which leads to a lot of walks and he gets hit hard. It is about time to characterize his acquisition as a bust. He likely will not make it back until late in the year next year from Tommy John surgery and will be a free agent after the season. It is possible that he has pitched his last game for the Red Sox.
ERIK BEDARD
Bedard was acquired from the Mariners at the trading deadline in order to make up for the losses of Buchholz and Matsuzaka. It just did not work out that way. He had a few solid games, but came away with only one victory and an awful lot of questions. His strikeout numbers were good and his ERA was not bad for a fourth or fifth starter, but he was expected to be more than that. We have probably seen the end of Bedard in Boston and lost four decent prospects to get him.
JONATHAN PAPELBON
Like Beckett, Papelbon had a very good bounceback season for the Red Sox in 2011. His season was even better and he dramatically increased his possible value on the free agent market this year. Papelbon became the first closer to save 30 or more games in each of his first six full seasons. His strikeout numbers were ridiculous, striking out 87 in 64 innings and his ERA was 2.94, which is not overly impressive, but he had one or two bad outings. Now the question is, will he be back next year?
DANIEL BARD
Bard was being groomed to take over Papelbon's spot at closer should he leave, but it is important to have a good setup man too. Bard mysteriously struggled down the stretch but had some good games in the middle too. He is not as dominating as he was last year, but it may have just been a down year. I would not be comfortable going into next season with him at closer without any fallback options, but it is not my decision to make. Who knows, he could excel at the position.
ALFREDO ACEVES
The hero of the season from the pitching staff was Aceves, whose acquisition from the Yankees drew little notice at first. Some astute Yankees bloggers were a little upset that he was let go, but he was deemed expendable by the team. Boston's front office does not agree. Aceves finished 10-2 with a 2.61 ERA, and fit in a variety of roles. He started four games and even had a save. Next year, he should be groomed as a starter. That would go a long way to fixing some of the rotation issues. His stuff is that good.
DAN WHEELER
Wheeler's overall numbers do not look that great, but that was more because of his disastrous first month. He was pitching much better later on until he too went down with an injury. If Wheeler had not been hurt, Aceves could have been moved into the rotation. He has an option and Boston should consider picking it up. A veteran bullpen arm is not always easy to come by, especially one as good as Wheeler.
BOBBY JENKS
He is only in this wrap-up because of the expectations at the beginning of the season. Jenks was acquired as a backup option at closer if Papelbon struggled and otherwise to be a co-setup man with Bard. He only pitched in 19 games though with an ERA of 6.32. His strikeout numbers were good, but he also issued a lot of walks. Hopefully his injuries are healed and he can be ready to come back next year, he is still under contract after all.
FRANKLIN MORALES
A shrewd pickup early on, Morales came in and anchored the pen from the left side. He had some struggles at various points, but by the end of the season, he was every bit as reliable as Bard or Aceves. Morales is another player who could be sent in to the starting rotation, his stuff is electrifying. He finished the season with a 3.61 ERA and 31 strikeouts in 32.1 innings, against 11 walks. Morales was once one of Colorado's top prospects and he started to show why this year.
MATT ALBERS
Matt Albers looked like the under-the-radar pickup of the year for the Red Sox at one point when his ERA was below 2.00. It did not end up that way as he had a string of games in which he was hit all over the field. He was still a somewhat dependable arm out of the bullpen, with some good strikeout numbers, 68 in 64.1 innings. He should be back next year, just not in a setup role.
Friday, September 30, 2011
2011 Season Wrap-Up Pt. 1
I have not been posting much because the last month of the season has been very hard. Boston quite simply played like shit the last month and it is extremely upsetting. With the payroll that this team had, it is unacceptable that they did not make the playoffs at all. Some changes need to be made and it sounds like that change is that Terry Francona will not return next year. Francona had a nice run and was the longest-lasting Red Sox manager since Joe Cronin, but the way this team finished has to have a root cause, and I think it's management. I think Theo Epstein should be on a short leash too right now. His big-money acquisitions have not worked out, and the team has not been able to develop much pitching beyond Papelbon, Bard, Lester, and Buchholz.
There were some nice things to develop out of the season. The biggest one was the development of Jacoby Ellsbury into a legitimate superstar. His motivation was called into question last offseason, but he took things to the next level this year.
Let's look at each of the regulars today and spread this wrap-up out over the next couple of days. Tomorrow will be the pitching staff and principal relievers, then the next post will cover the bench players and short season players.
CATCHER - JARROD SALTALAMACCHIA
Saltalamacchia proved that he was basically ready to be a full-time player. He also proved that he will always be just a little bit inconsistent. I hate using that word because of Joe Morgan, but there is no other way to describe it. Salty was terrible the last month and his numbers really suffered because of it. He is not a particularly good catcher at stopping the running game, but that may be more due to the pitchers on the mound. He really struggled defensively the last month. His offensive numbers were decent: .235/.288/.450 with 16 home runs, but they would have looked better had he done ANYTHING in the last month. I think he will be on a short leash moving forward as Ryan Lavarnway looks ready to take over.
FIRST BASE - ADRIAN GONZALEZ
Gonzalez had a nice season and nearly won the batting title. He should win a Gold Glove as he was a great defensive first-baseman. I was personally a little disappointed with his season, despite nearly winning the batting title and being among the league leaders in RBIs and hits because his home run numbers were down significantly. After the All Star Break, he simply had a power outage. He finished the year with only 27 home runs, his lowest total since his first full season in 2006. Apparently he had some nagging injury in his left shoulder that sapped his power. If that is the case, he should be back to full strength next season. He is only 29 right now, so it is too early to start the decline phase of his career and his numbers were impressive otherwise.
SECOND BASE - DUSTIN PEDROIA
It is hard to imagine but Dustin Pedroia may have had his best season of his career this year. He has already won Rookie of the Year and MVP honors in his young career and he just keeps getting better. This year saw him increase his power and base-stealing numbers. He hit a career high 21 home runs with 91 RBIs and stole 27 bases. I made a prediction earlier on this blog that Pedroia would soon join the Red Sox 20/20 players and he did do that. Pedroia's slash line was an impressive /307/.387/.474 and he contributed with some outstanding defense. Pedroia should be in line to receive his second Gold Glove this year.
SHORTSTOP - MARCO SCUTARO
Scutaro was one of the few players who actually improved his numbers over the last month of the season. Early in the year it looked like he would play out his contract and leave unceremoniously as he battled injuries and the Red Sox looked to replace him with Jed Lowrie, Mike Aviles, or Jose Iglesias. But Scutaro played his heart out over the last month and finished the year at .299/.358/.423, and yes those numbers are better than Derek Jeter's numbers. He was also an impressive defensive player. I have no idea whether Scutaro will be back next year or not. Lowrie has more upside as an offensive player and Iglesias will be better defensively but both players are limited on the other side.
THIRD BASE - KEVIN YOUKILIS
One of the most damaging injuries of the year was the one that limited Kevin Youkilis to 120 games. Youkilis's overall batting numbers were down most of the year, particularly his batting average. Despite that, he turned in a decent line of .258/.373/.459 with 17 home runs and 80 RBIs. Not his best numbers, but nothing to get too worked up over. Youkilis was not a great defensive third-baseman, but he was decent enough. If he returns to full strength next year, there will be nothing to worry about. Otherwise Will Middlebrooks is lying in wait to take over.
RIGHT FIELD - J.D. DREW
J.D. Drew had his worst season ever. He was bothered by frequent injuries, which is not unusual, but this season was particularly bad, even for him. Drew has definitely played his last season in a Red Sox uniform. Drew played only 81 games in 2011 with a line of .222/.315/.302, horrible numbers for a corner outfielder. It is time for him to leave Boston. He had some nice moments, but his salary was probably too high for his production over the course of the contract. I am a Drew apologist as he was pretty damn good a couple years, but this year was horrendous.
CENTER FIELD - JACOBY ELLSBURY
Jacoby Ellsbury has become a star. He made his first All Star Game and has a shot at the MVP award. I do not think he will get it, but his overall numbers are incredibly impressive. Ellsbury became the first Red Sox player ever to hit 30 home runs and steal 30 bases in the same season. He hit .321/.376/.552 and lead the Majors in total bases. He also had more than 200 hits, more than 100 RBIs, and more than 100 runs. Ellsbury also played very well in center field and should give the Red Sox three Gold Glove awards. It is time for Boston to lock up their young star for years to come and hope that this is the player he truly is.
LEFT FIELD - CARL CRAWFORD
Crawford had an absolutely miserable year in his first year in Boston. He was my biggest disappointment personally because I was absolutely thrilled when he signed as a free agent. His line was a terrible .255/.289/.405 with only 18 stolen bases. He also played uncharacteristically bad in left field, just one season removed from a Gold Glove himself. Let's hope that this is just a bad season and not a downward trend. Crawford will only be 30 next year, so he should not be entering his decline yet and he still has several years and a lot of money left on his contract. I genuinely like Crawford, I hate seeing him play like this.
DESIGNATED HITTER - DAVID ORTIZ
Ortiz is a free agent this year as well and I honestly do not know whether we have seen the last of him. He hit well down the stretch, but not for nearly enough power. He finished the season just shy of 30 home runs and 100 RBIs. He improved his batting average significantly and for once actually hit left-handers well. Ortiz will also be 36 next year. He can not keep this up forever. I would like to see him back next year at possibly a reduced cost. There are not a lot of great DH options out there, unless Boston decides to go with a committee. Still Ortiz has been the heart and soul of the team for awhile. I think he should retire as a Red Sox.
There were some nice things to develop out of the season. The biggest one was the development of Jacoby Ellsbury into a legitimate superstar. His motivation was called into question last offseason, but he took things to the next level this year.
Let's look at each of the regulars today and spread this wrap-up out over the next couple of days. Tomorrow will be the pitching staff and principal relievers, then the next post will cover the bench players and short season players.
CATCHER - JARROD SALTALAMACCHIA
Saltalamacchia proved that he was basically ready to be a full-time player. He also proved that he will always be just a little bit inconsistent. I hate using that word because of Joe Morgan, but there is no other way to describe it. Salty was terrible the last month and his numbers really suffered because of it. He is not a particularly good catcher at stopping the running game, but that may be more due to the pitchers on the mound. He really struggled defensively the last month. His offensive numbers were decent: .235/.288/.450 with 16 home runs, but they would have looked better had he done ANYTHING in the last month. I think he will be on a short leash moving forward as Ryan Lavarnway looks ready to take over.
FIRST BASE - ADRIAN GONZALEZ
Gonzalez had a nice season and nearly won the batting title. He should win a Gold Glove as he was a great defensive first-baseman. I was personally a little disappointed with his season, despite nearly winning the batting title and being among the league leaders in RBIs and hits because his home run numbers were down significantly. After the All Star Break, he simply had a power outage. He finished the year with only 27 home runs, his lowest total since his first full season in 2006. Apparently he had some nagging injury in his left shoulder that sapped his power. If that is the case, he should be back to full strength next season. He is only 29 right now, so it is too early to start the decline phase of his career and his numbers were impressive otherwise.
SECOND BASE - DUSTIN PEDROIA
It is hard to imagine but Dustin Pedroia may have had his best season of his career this year. He has already won Rookie of the Year and MVP honors in his young career and he just keeps getting better. This year saw him increase his power and base-stealing numbers. He hit a career high 21 home runs with 91 RBIs and stole 27 bases. I made a prediction earlier on this blog that Pedroia would soon join the Red Sox 20/20 players and he did do that. Pedroia's slash line was an impressive /307/.387/.474 and he contributed with some outstanding defense. Pedroia should be in line to receive his second Gold Glove this year.
SHORTSTOP - MARCO SCUTARO
Scutaro was one of the few players who actually improved his numbers over the last month of the season. Early in the year it looked like he would play out his contract and leave unceremoniously as he battled injuries and the Red Sox looked to replace him with Jed Lowrie, Mike Aviles, or Jose Iglesias. But Scutaro played his heart out over the last month and finished the year at .299/.358/.423, and yes those numbers are better than Derek Jeter's numbers. He was also an impressive defensive player. I have no idea whether Scutaro will be back next year or not. Lowrie has more upside as an offensive player and Iglesias will be better defensively but both players are limited on the other side.
THIRD BASE - KEVIN YOUKILIS
One of the most damaging injuries of the year was the one that limited Kevin Youkilis to 120 games. Youkilis's overall batting numbers were down most of the year, particularly his batting average. Despite that, he turned in a decent line of .258/.373/.459 with 17 home runs and 80 RBIs. Not his best numbers, but nothing to get too worked up over. Youkilis was not a great defensive third-baseman, but he was decent enough. If he returns to full strength next year, there will be nothing to worry about. Otherwise Will Middlebrooks is lying in wait to take over.
RIGHT FIELD - J.D. DREW
J.D. Drew had his worst season ever. He was bothered by frequent injuries, which is not unusual, but this season was particularly bad, even for him. Drew has definitely played his last season in a Red Sox uniform. Drew played only 81 games in 2011 with a line of .222/.315/.302, horrible numbers for a corner outfielder. It is time for him to leave Boston. He had some nice moments, but his salary was probably too high for his production over the course of the contract. I am a Drew apologist as he was pretty damn good a couple years, but this year was horrendous.
CENTER FIELD - JACOBY ELLSBURY
Jacoby Ellsbury has become a star. He made his first All Star Game and has a shot at the MVP award. I do not think he will get it, but his overall numbers are incredibly impressive. Ellsbury became the first Red Sox player ever to hit 30 home runs and steal 30 bases in the same season. He hit .321/.376/.552 and lead the Majors in total bases. He also had more than 200 hits, more than 100 RBIs, and more than 100 runs. Ellsbury also played very well in center field and should give the Red Sox three Gold Glove awards. It is time for Boston to lock up their young star for years to come and hope that this is the player he truly is.
LEFT FIELD - CARL CRAWFORD
Crawford had an absolutely miserable year in his first year in Boston. He was my biggest disappointment personally because I was absolutely thrilled when he signed as a free agent. His line was a terrible .255/.289/.405 with only 18 stolen bases. He also played uncharacteristically bad in left field, just one season removed from a Gold Glove himself. Let's hope that this is just a bad season and not a downward trend. Crawford will only be 30 next year, so he should not be entering his decline yet and he still has several years and a lot of money left on his contract. I genuinely like Crawford, I hate seeing him play like this.
DESIGNATED HITTER - DAVID ORTIZ
Ortiz is a free agent this year as well and I honestly do not know whether we have seen the last of him. He hit well down the stretch, but not for nearly enough power. He finished the season just shy of 30 home runs and 100 RBIs. He improved his batting average significantly and for once actually hit left-handers well. Ortiz will also be 36 next year. He can not keep this up forever. I would like to see him back next year at possibly a reduced cost. There are not a lot of great DH options out there, unless Boston decides to go with a committee. Still Ortiz has been the heart and soul of the team for awhile. I think he should retire as a Red Sox.
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