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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Feb 10, 2021 15:54:48 GMT -5
Pete Abraham @peteabe · 16m Spring training bummer: Told that Yaz, Rice, Pedro, Ortiz, Evans, Tiant, etc. won't be in Fort Myers for their usual visits because of the protocols.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Feb 10, 2021 15:57:17 GMT -5
Chris Cotillo @chriscotillo · 1h We know of 17 Red Sox non-roster invitees to this point.
PITCHERS: Blair, Carasiti, Espinal, Gonsalves, Gossett, Grotz, Hart, McCarthy, Simpson
CATCHERS: Baldwin, Pereda
INFIELDERS: Casas, Downs, Muñoz, Ockimey
OUTFIELDERS: Duran, Puello
Another Red Sox non-roster invitee: Yairo Muñoz. He impressed in the majors last year and was outrighted off the 40-man over the winter. He'll be in the mix for a bench spot and among the 75 guys in camp.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Feb 11, 2021 9:06:11 GMT -5
Four Red Sox players with something to prove heading into spring training
By Jason Mastrodonato | jason.mastrodonato@bostonherald.com | Boston Herald February 11, 2021 at 5:39 a.m.
If Alex Cora wants to, he’s more than capable of creating some competition in Red Sox camp next week.
The first official workout in Fort Myers is next Thursday, when Cora will get his first chance to take a look at the roster Chaim Bloom has built for him.
He’s got some work to do.
Here are four guys who we think have the most to prove entering camp:
4. Eduardo Rodriguez, LHP, age 27
2020 stats: DNP
Skinny: The most important thing to remember with athletes coming back from coronavirus-related myocarditis is that doctors have no idea what kind of long-term damage these athletes will endure. Every step of the way in their recovery process, athletes with myocarditis need to be closely monitored as symptoms can return at any time. And if they do, long periods of rest will be required. After missing the entire 2020 season with myocarditis, Rodriguez has been on schedule for a normal spring training. But the schedule can change at the first sign of discomfort. The Red Sox, without Chris Sale until at least May, if not longer, need Rodriguez to return to his 19-game-winning form. And while Rodriguez’s priority will undoubtedly be on his own health, a strong performance on the mound would go a long way toward helping him score big in free agency following the season.
3. Rafael Devers, 3B, 24
2020 stats: .263/.310/.483 with 16 doubles, 11 homers and 43 RBI in 232 at-bats
Skinny: The most important stat of Devers’ disappointing 2020 season is undoubtedly the 14 errors he made in just 57 games at third base. In comparison, he made 22 errors in 152 games in 2019, when he finished 12th in American League MVP voting. With Cora back in the dugout, perhaps Devers can rediscover his footwork around the bag and fine-tune some throwing issues. The concern is that if Devers continues to struggle at third base, it won’t be a viable position for him over the long term. Bobby Dalbec, once the Sox’ minor league defensive player of the year, is a capable third baseman and could provide a little competition if Devers needs a push.
2. Adam Ottavino, RHP, 35
2020 stats: 2-3 record, 18⅓ innings, 25 strikeouts, 9 walks, 5.89 ERA, 1.58 WHIP
Skinny: Few players have shown as drastic a drop from one season to a next as Ottavino did from 2019 to 2020. From one of the best relievers in the game to one of the worst, Ottavino was giving up hard-hit balls more than 50% of the time in 2020. It was one of the worst rates in the majors, and represented a wild dip from his 2019 hard-hit percentage of 29%, which put him in the top 1% across the game. Ottavino is hoping some changes to his breaking ball will allow for a bounce-back season. The Red Sox could sure use him. The Yankees and Rays have predominantly right-handed hitting lineups and Ottavino has traditionally been brutal on righties. A bounce-back year could make the Northeastern alum a force in the Sox’ bullpen, and give him a chance to collect another nice contract when he hits free agency next winter.
1. Michael Chavis, UTIL, 25
2020 stats: .212/.259/.377 with 5 doubles, 5 homers and 19 RBI in 146 at-bats
Skinny: It’s now or never for the Sox’ former first-round pick, who needs to force his way into the lineup and give the club a reason to pencil him into their future. For now, it’s hard to identify a clear spot for Chavis, who has incredible power when he connects, but was one of the worst in baseball at swinging through air last year. His strikeout rate of 31.9% put him in the bottom 9% of the league. Defensively, he never found a home, bouncing from first base to second base to left field. If he’s not going to be an everyday player, he needs to learn how to be productive with two or three starts a week. It’s not an easy task and many big leaguers before him have failed, but if he doesn’t hit for power consistently and prove himself at a corner infield or outfield position, Chavis might find himself on a new club by 2022.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Feb 11, 2021 15:39:41 GMT -5
Red Sox Stats @redsoxstats · 4h As camp is about to open I think this is where things stand. I don't think there is a pitcher limit, so if they can land one of the remaining versatile bench players they could probably go short bench, deep pen, at least early on.
Yes, Valdez was a bright spot last year, but the Sox keep adding pen arms and he has options sooo? He also had a 4.68 xFIP and 1.62 WHIP last year while being a contact guy. I don't think it's a huge slight and he could still easily make the team with a good camp.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Feb 12, 2021 12:27:21 GMT -5
OTM Roundtable: The start of camp
Who are you looking to hear from? By Matt_Collins, Michael J Walsh, Shelly Verougstraete, Phil Neuffer, Jake Kostik, Mike Carlucci, JakeDevereaux, and bryanjoiner Feb 12, 2021, 12:01pm EST
It has been perhaps the busiest week of the offseason, at least in terms of scale of moves, as the Red Sox made their biggest trade of the winter in sending Andrew Benintendi to the Royals in exchange for, among other players, Franchy Cordero. Then they followed that up by signing utility man Marwin Gonzalez to a one-year deal. And amid off this, we are less than a week away from pitchers and catchers reporting down to Fort Myers. For the Red Sox, players will report on the 17th with the first workouts coming on the 18th.
Now, spring training, and early spring training in particular, doesn’t tell us much. However, it does give players and coaches the opportunity to speak much more than the offseason, and over the next week or two we’ll be hearing a lot about how players are feeling coming in and how they’ve been working out this winter. Some of that can generally be taken more seriously than others, and some players are more interesting to hear about. So that was the question this week. Which player are you most interested in hearing from and/or about as camp gets started? And this wasn’t limited to pitchers and catchers nor was it limited to major-league players. Michael Walsh
I’m most excited to hear about J.D. Martinez in spring training. After his lackluster 2020, I’m expecting a bounce-back year from him, and I’m curious to see if age is actually catching up to him. All of his metrics declined significantly last year, including exit velocity, barrel rate, and hard-hit rate. That’s not a good sign for a guy who turns 34 in August and only plays DH. I’m hoping to hear the usual clichés like “he’s in the best shape of his life” or “he’s hitting balls in practice farther than he ever has. After all, he’s under contract until at least 2022. Shelly Verougstraete
The first guy that came to my mind was Eduardo Rodriguez but I thought that was too easy. I’m interested to hear what coaches think of new to the organization pitchers, especially Garrett Whitlock and Connor Seabold. I’ll be interested to hear what they think about their arsenal and what pitches they should really focus on during the spring. Phil Neuffer
There has been a lot of roster turnover for this team, but I’m most interested in what we’ll see from Michael Chavis in the first few days of camp. With the competition for playing time at second base and first base getting more and more crowded, Chavis doesn’t have much room for error. It may be telling if we hear about him making some adjustments to his swing or overall approach at the plate. However, if we don’t hear much, it may mean his chances at a larger role in 2021 are disappearing even more quickly than we thought. I still believe in Chavis, so I’m hoping for the former. Mike Carlucci
He’s not a pitcher or catcher but I’m excited to see at report time is Jeter Downs. Triston Casas may be the top prospect in the system but Downs is the guy with with right mix to be around for a while. Second base is wide open for the first time since 2007 with Pedroia officially retired and not coming back to replace the seat warmers. Unlike first base, second is higher on the defensive spectrum so we’re pretty sure he’s gonna play there until he can’t. This could be a long-term name for the lineup card. As soon as he’s ready the job is pretty much his to lose and the sooner he claims it the sooner the new core (Devers, Bogaerts, Verdugo, Downs, etc.) steps up to carry the team in the rebuild.
Jake Kostik
My answer was going to revolve around Andrew Benintendi. Obviously he is no longer present, so that changes my answer considerably. Instead I will say I had already felt like Andrew Benintendi was my pick for comeback player of the year and leave it at that.
To be honest, there aren’t many players I want or need to hear about. The ones who I am confident will rebound like J.D. Martinez put in the work to improve, I’m sure. The players I don’t feel confident in (like Franchy Cordero) I need to see in an actual meaningful game, and nothing they do over spring training is going to really change my mind, whether it is in a game or from word of mouth about their workouts. Sam Travis put in a ton of work, and had a great Spring Training a few years back, and he’s still not cracking a major-league roster.
Nobody is a terribly boring answer though, so I’m going to say Hirokazu Sawamura. We know who Cordero is. We know who Richards is (when healthy). Hell, we even know who our prospects are, more or less. All of these are guys who we have seen play before, and know a lot about. Sawamura is the only true X-factor on our roster, in my opinion, that we flat out have no knowledge about as far as what we can truly expect.
What we do know is he has a mid-90s faster and a splitter with late break. This will play in the bullpen, of this much I am sure. But we have no idea what his workouts are like. We have no idea what his role will end up being (could be anywhere from sixth inning mop up to closer and everything in between). We don’t know how he will adjust to the differences between NPB and MLB (and there are enough of them to give me pause before saying something I can’t take back, like my feeling that Sawamura may end up being the best reliever in our bullpen by the end of the year). Jake Devereaux
The player I’m most excited to lay eyes on this spring is Rafael Devers. We all know by now that Cora is the master motivator for certain guys on the roster with Devers being one of those guys. Last year life got in the way for Devers in the form of a new baby and a global pandemic. Let’s just say like the rest of us he was not able to overcome the urge to stress eat. See they are just like us! The added weight certainly affected his mobility and ability to play defense at a high level. Devers is a notoriously slow starter offensively as well. I will be looking to see if he visually looks like he is in the “best shape of his life” and to see if that carries over into early season success. Bryan Joiner
As much as I’ve been on the Triston Casas bandwagon, I fully expect him to be slaying those dongs soon enough, which is why Spring Training is Jeter Downs season for me. He’s also likely to play this year and, frankly, after being traded multiple times before landing here, deserves a chance to show his stuff. Plus, the earlier we get started earlier yelling “JETAH’s BETTAH” the earlier it won’t stick in the throat so hard. It’s too weird. Matt Collins
I’m going with the answer that was deemed the obvious one because, well, no one else picked it. I think Eduardo Rodriguez almost has to be the answer here. Everything we’ve heard to this point has been positive about his coming back from a very scary situation last season, but he’s still dealing with a heart condition at the end of the day. I’m curious to see how he’ll be ramping up compared to other starters. Typically I toss aside most quotes from spring training, but I’ll be listening closely in this case to see how they speak about his workload compared to some of the other names in the rotation.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Feb 12, 2021 14:57:47 GMT -5
Pete Abraham @peteabe · 1h #RedSox open Grapefruit League play Feb 28 at the Twins (1:05).
Revised Spring Training schedule for Sox.
8 games vs. Twins and Rays, 9 vs. Braves, 2 each vs. O's and Pirates.
One night game
#RedSox say 24 percent of JetBlue Park will be available in terms of tickets, which will be sold in pods of 2-4 seats.
Per the team: Season ticket holders will be offered first opportunity at tickets. Additional tickets may go on sale to the public depending on availability.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Feb 13, 2021 3:58:39 GMT -5
Casas, Downs among Sox non-roster invitees Boston announces 22 NRIs heading to big league camp this spring February 12th, 2021 Manny Randhawa
Manny Randhawa @mannyonmlb
The Red Sox announced Friday that they have added 22 non-roster invitees to their Major League Spring Training roster for 2021. Among them are first baseman Triston Casas, the No. 44 overall prospect in baseball per MLB Pipeline, and infielder Jeter Downs (No. 49 overall).
Other top prospects in Boston's farm system who will be in camp are outfielder Jarren Duran (the club's No. 8 prospect), right-hander Thad Ward (No. 9), second baseman Nick Yorke (No. 11) and right-hander Frank German (No. 27).
The Red Sox selected Casas with the No. 26 overall pick in the 2018 MLB Draft. The 21-year-old first baseman has a big frame -- he's 6-foot-4 and 250 pounds -- and has demonstrated both raw power and an advanced hitting approach at the plate. In 120 games between Class A Greenville and Class A Advanced Salem in 2019, he slashed .256/.350/.480 with 20 home runs and 81 RBIs.
Downs, 22, has already been in three organizations -- he was drafted by the Reds in 2017, traded to the Dodgers in the deal that sent Yasiel Puig, Matt Kemp, Alex Wood and Kyle Farmer to Cincinnati in '18, and dealt to Boston in the deal that sent Mookie Betts and David Price to Los Angeles in '20.
Downs, who was named after Derek Jeter, hit .276/.362/.526 in 119 games between Class A Advanced Rancho Cucamonga and Double-A Tulsa in 2019, and he has moved through farm systems rapidly enough that he could be given an opportunity in the Majors this year.
Duran, 24, was a seventh-round selection by Boston in the 2018 MLB Draft, and after a strong '19 campaign, he could be in the center-field mix sometime this season. He was red-hot over 50 games for Class A Advanced Salem in '19, batting .387/.456/.543 with four homers and 18 steals. He struggled a bit after a promotion to Double-A Portland, but a strong Spring Training could go a long way toward assuring he'll make his MLB debut in 2021.
Ward, 24, was a fifth-round selection of the Red Sox in the 2018 MLB Draft. The right-hander had a sensational season between Class A Greenville and Class A Advanced Salem in '19, posting a 2.14 ERA and a 30-percent strikeout rate in 25 starts.
Boston selected Yorke with the No. 17 overall pick in the 2020 MLB Draft out of Archbishop Mitty High School (San Jose, Calif.). There's a strong sense in the organization that he'll become an elite hitter at the Major League level, and he held his own at the club's alternate training site last year. The 18-year-old infielder played shortstop in high school, but after undergoing surgery on his throwing shoulder, he may be ticketed for second base.
German, 23, was selected in the fourth round of the 2018 MLB Draft by the Yankees and was traded to the Red Sox, along with reliever Adam Ottavino, in January. In 16 appearances (15 starts) for Class A Advanced Tampa in 2019, he finished with a 3.79 ERA and 1.38 WHIP.
Josh Winckowski, who was acquired by Boston in the Andrew Benintendi trade on Wednesday, has also been added to the spring roster. The 22-year-old right-hander was a 15th-round pick of the Blue Jays in the 2016 MLB Draft. He owns a 3.35 ERA over four Minor League seasons, including a strong 2019, in which he posted a 2.69 ERA and 1.20 WHIP in 24 appearances (23 starts) between Class A Lansing and Class A Advanced Dunedin.
Here's the full list of the 22 non-roster invitees added to the Red Sox's Spring Training roster on Friday:
Right-handed pitchers Matt Carasiti, Durbin Feltman, Frank German, Daniel Gossett, Zac Grotz, Kaleb Ort, Andrew Politi, Thad Ward, Ryan Weber, Josh Winckowski.
Left-handed pitchers Matt Hall, Kyle Hart
Catchers Kole Cottam, Chris Herrmann, Austin Rei.
Infielders Triston Casas, Chad De La Guerra, Jeter Downs, Nick Yorke.
Outfielders Jarren Duran, Michael Gettys, Yairo Muñoz.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Feb 13, 2021 4:16:28 GMT -5
Bill Koch @billkoch25 · 8h Spring training capped at 75 players -- includes non-roster invitees and rehabbers. #RedSox have 5 open spots remaining.
Boston has yet to announce the signings of Hirokazu Sawamura and Marwin Gonzalez. If they DFA and don't release two players who clear waivers, 3 open spots.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Feb 13, 2021 10:15:27 GMT -5
Red Sox announce 30 non-roster invitees for spring training
They include a pair of the newest prospects in the organization. By Matt_Collins@MattRyCollins Feb 13, 2021, 9:01am EST
We are now less than a week from the first official workout of spring for the Red Sox, with pitchers and catchers reporting on Thursday and the first workout coming on Friday. It’s been a long offseason, largely filled with inactivity before a flurry of small and mid-tier moves taking place over the last month or so. Now, we’ll finally be able to see them on the field, at least just to work out at first.
Spring training is going to be a bit different this year with COVID-19 still a major problem in this country. Teams will no longer be able to take players from minor-league camp for big-league games anymore, among other changes. Teams had until Friday night to send in their list of non-roster invitees. This list can change as the year goes on, but teams may not have more than 75 players in camp. To start off, Boston will have 70 after announcing 30 names to be invited on Friday. We’ll quickly go through all 30 below. Catchers
Roldani Baldwin has looked like a strong offensive catcher in the past, but injuries have slowed his development and at this point he’s more likely an organizational player than a true major-league prospect. Kole Cottam was a fourth round pick back in 2018 and like Baldwin is an offense-first prospect. This will be a big season for him to keep his ceiling as a potential MLB backup. Chris Hermann was just recently signed by the Red Sox. There’s no ceiling here whatsoever but he has major-league experience and will serve as the club’s third catcher to start this year. Austin Rei is a former second round pick who has never been able to put it together offensively but plays good enough defense to keep progressing up the minor-league ladder.
Infielders
Triston Casas is, of course, one of the top two prospects in the system and maybe the top depending on who you ask. (I would say he’s the top.) He’ll be on the shortlist of players to watch most closely. Chad De La Guerra gets lost in the shuffle a bit but it was only a couple of years ago that he looked like he would be a surprise call-up soon. He’s fallen off a bit since, but there’s still a chance he’s higher on the depth chart than we may think as a guy who can play all around the infield.
Jeter Downs is the other potential top prospect in the system. Downs hasn’t really gotten a chance to play for the Red Sox organization yet due to COVID, but he could be up in the majors as soon as midseason if all goes well. Josh Ockimey is another guy who can be kind of forgotten, but while there’s often focus on what he can’t do he is still a good power hitter who can hurt right-handed pitching. He could make his debut in 2021. Nick Yorke is an aggressive placement here after having just been drafted out of high school last summer. That Boston is putting him in big-league camp shows how highly they think of him.
Outfielders
Jarren Duran is riding a bit of a hype balloon lately after his performance at the Alternate Site and then in Winter Ball in Puerto Rico. He’s a longshot to start the year in the majors, but we should see him in Boston at some point this summer. Michael Gettys was an early minor-league signing for the Red Sox. A former Padres prospect, Gettys has a bunch of tools but has never been able to put it together consistently. Yairo Muñoz was one of the biggest surprises to be taken off the 40-man this winter, but since he cleared waivers he remains in the organization. He may have the best chance of cracking the Opening Day roster of anyone on this list. César Puello is back for his second stint with the Red Sox to serve as Triple-A outfield depth. He did get a cup of coffee in the bigs at the end of last season.
Pitchers
Seth Blair was a late minor-league signing last summer just before the season got started. He’s an interesting comeback story and could be a surprise in the bullpen in Worcester or Portland with good stuff but some command issues. Matt Carasiti is another recent minor-league signing. He’s working his way back from Tommy John surgery and is potential middle relief depth.
Raynel Espinal was selected in the minor-league portion of the 2019 Rule 5 Draft. COVID wiped out his 2020, so this will be his first time actually pitching in the Red Sox organization. Durbin Feltman has become something of a forgotten man after a disappointing 2019 and then having the 2020 season wiped out. If he gets off to a big start this year don’t be surprised to see him as a real contributor in the big-league bullpen by late summer. Frank German was the prospect who came along in the Adam Ottavino deal. Most see him as a future reliever, so it will be interesting to see what kind of role they’ll have him ramping up to this spring. Stephen Gonsalves was claimed off waivers last summer and then taken off the 40-man this winter. A former top prospect, he was getting some low-key buzz at Pawtucket last year and could be a sleeper to serve as major-league depth this season. Daniel Gossett is another recent minor-league signing. A former Oakland A, the righty will serve as rotation depth with some big-league experience under his belt. Zack Grotz is yet another minor-league signing from this offseason. He has some big-league experience and could be emergency bullpen depth with a focus on getting ground balls over missing bats. Matt Hall is indeed still in the organization, but not on the 40-man. The lefty will again serve as emergency depth, though he’ll start lower on the depth chart than he did a year ago. Kyle Hart is coming back after making his major-league debut last season. He’s hoping if he gets another chance this summer it’ll go a lot more smoothly. Kevin McCarthy is a minor-league signing from early in the offseason. Along with Muñoz, the former Royals reliever is among the most likely to make the Opening Day roster. Kaleb Ort was picked up in the minor-league portion of the Rule 5 Draft this summer and profiles as emergency bullpen depth. Andrew Politi is getting some buzz of late among prospect types. A former 15th round pick, he can bounced between the rotation and the bullpen and has missed plenty of bats in the process. Caleb Simpson was signed right before the league started up again last summer. The righty has big fastball and little command. Thad Ward was one of the biggest breakout prospects in the organization in 2019. After not being able to participate at the Alternate Site last summer, he’ll get a chance to cement himself as a top prospect in the coming season. Ryan Weber is another depth option from last season who remains in the organization after being removed from the 40-man. He’ll be emergency rotation depth this season. Josh Winckowski was just acquired in the Andrew Benintendi trade. It will be interested to see what his stuff looks like after reportedly making big gains at Instructs last fall.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Feb 13, 2021 18:34:45 GMT -5
Red Sox spring training preview A lot of questions to be answered by Red Sox in spring training By Julian McWilliams Globe Staff,Updated February 13, 2021, 2 hours ago
The Red Sox are coming off a 2020 season in which they finished last in the American League East (24-36). In what feels like a bridge year in chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom’s second season with the club, there have been a ton of moving parts. Yet this year, unlike last, the Red Sox have a clean slate without the internal — and self-inflicted — distractions.
Alex Cora is back in the manager’s seat after his yearlong suspension for his role in the Astros’ sign-stealing scandal in 2017. The Red Sox are no longer under investigation for their own sign-stealing scandal in 2018, and they are also a year removed from the blockbuster trade that sent Mookie Betts to the Dodgers and brought back much ridicule from the public.
A new beginning for the Sox with a clearer path forward starts this week. Here’s a breakdown of what that looks like: Get 108 Stitches in your inboxGet everything baseball from the Globe's Red Sox reporters every Monday-Friday during baseball season, and weekly in the off season.
▪ Starting pitching — The Red Sox’ starting pitching remains the team’s biggest concern heading into the 2021 season. No Chris Sale until at least July as he recovers from Tommy John surgery. Plus, there’s no telling what Eduardo Rodriguez will look like after he missed all of 2020 with myocarditis in relation to his bout with COVID-19 (more on that later).
With Sale and Rodriguez absent last year, Red Sox starters had the sixth-worst ERA (5.34) in baseball. The Sox will have a good, long look at Nick Pivetta and Garrett Richards, who has huge upside that the Sox believe they can unlock. Martín Peréz proved himself to be serviceable last year, pitching 62 innings with a 4.50 ERA.
Nate Eovaldi will return to the rotation and likely will claim the ace or No. 2 role. Questions about health, though, still loom. In the 60-game season last year, Eovaldi was impressive, tallying a 3.72 ERA in nine starts and 48⅓ innings.
▪ Rodríguez’s health — Baseball aside, Rodríguez’s health was a huge concern last year. If there was any lesson the public and fans should have taken from Rodríguez’s absence, it was that the coronavirus doesn’t just affect the elderly. The 27-year-old Rodríguez contracted the virus in July; he was cleared to walk on a treadmill in September. Now, roughly five months later, Rodríguez is expected to go out and perform at an elite major league level.
Just two years ago, Rodríguez had a career season. He made all of his starts (34) and carried a 3.81 ERA, striking out 213 batters in 203⅓ innings. Heading into spring training, Rodríguez has had a normal offseason of workouts and is expected to be a full go. But returning to his 2019 form out the gate — or at all this year — isn’t a guarantee. Related: A closer look at Red Sox pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez’s struggle with myocarditis
▪ The bullpen — Red Sox relievers had a 5.79 ERA last season, fourth worst in the majors. However, the lack of starting depth and lackluster production might have played a part. Certainly, though, the loss of Darwinzon Hernandez and Josh Taylor for a chunk of the season because of injuries and COVID-19 affected the bullpen. The Sox added to their bullpen, namely with Adam Ottavino, but the overall production of the pen — including more consistent outings from Matt Barnes — is imperative.
▪ The outfield — Betts has enjoyed sunny Southern California for roughly a year. Now, Andrew Benintendi is gone. Jackie Bradley Jr. probably isn’t coming back. The loss of those three would mark the official end of an era.
Alex Verdugo is a solid candidate to take over center field. Verdugo has 76 games played at that position, but the dropoff from Bradley to Verdugo is significant. Furthermore, if you look down the list of outfielders the Sox did acquire this offseason — Franchy Cordero and Hunter Renfroe — while they project well, it remains unclear whether they can be everyday players.
Granted, the Sox did a solid job of adding versatile players in Marwin González and Kiké Hernández, who are both capable of playing the outfield. Still, after years of Bradley, Betts, and Benintendi as fixtures in the outfield, their presence will be something the Sox will undoubtedly miss.
▪ Cora’s reintroduction — The players wanted Cora back. But how will the rest of baseball receive him, and will it be a distraction to the club?
▪ Jarren Duran — Duran, 24, will be a hot topic during spring training. He started to make a name for himself last spring, and despite losing a minor league season, his name became even bigger at the team’s alternate site. Duran carried that over to winter ball, when he was named MVP of the LBPRC finals. He hasn’t played above Double A, nevertheless he’s a dynamic outfielder with speed whom the Red Sox believe can be a game changer in due time.
▪ Tanner Houck — The 24-year-old righthander was impressive in his debut season last year. He was dominant in his three starts, registering a 0.53 ERA in 17 innings, while striking out 21. Houck offers a glimpse into the future and will likely be in play for some sort of role with the big league club.
▪ Franchy Cordero — The Sox acquired Cordero in the Benintendi trade. Cordero is known as a huge-upside guy. He has immense power and speed, but can he play?
▪ Rafael Devers — The third baseman entered summer camp out of shape last year. It will be interesting to see if he’s locked in from the start.
▪ Jeter Downs — Even though Hernández can patrol second base, top prospect Downs, who was a part of the Betts trade, is seen as the long-term option.
▪ Adam Ottavino — When on his “A” game, Ottavino is seen as one of the best relievers in baseball. He had a great season with the Yankees in 2019, pitching 66⅓ innings to the tune of a 1.90 ERA. But in 2020, his ERA ballooned to 5.89 and he was a non-option in the playoffs. He can serve multiple roles, including closer, which isn’t out of the picture.
▪ Kiké Hernández — He can play multiple positions but is looking for a full-time role at second with the Sox.
▪ Hunter Renfroe — He’s a big power guy that fits well at Fenway.
▪ Marwin Gonzalez — He has a history with Cora and will play multiple positions. The 31-year-old utilityman is coming off a forgettable 2020 in which he hit just .211, but he is still seen as a productive veteran.
▪ Garrett Richards — The king of spin rate. The Red Sox believe they found a diamond in the rough who can get back to some of the success of earlier years.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Feb 14, 2021 4:57:44 GMT -5
Why the Red Sox are letting Nick Yorke mingle with the major leaguers this spring training
By Rob Bradford
One year ago Nick Yorke was a senior at Archbishop Mitty (San Jose) High. Now he is on the verge of sharing a clubhouse with the likes of Xander Bogaerts and J.D. Martinez.
The Red Sox announced their non-roster invitees to major league spring training Friday, a list that includes 22 players.
While the group includes plenty of intriguing candidates -- including outfielder Jarren Duran and infielders Triston Casas and Jeter Downs -- it was the Red Sox 2020 first-round pick who provided perhaps the most intrigue.
Normally, a player drafted out of high school the previous June wouldn't be integrated so quickly into major league spring training less than year after being selected. So why are the Red Sox taking this approach with their young infielder?
Most importantly, without the opportunity for the usual full camp for lower-level minor-leaguers (they are slated to start around April 1 this year), this is a chance to get Yorke some much-needed reps.
The Red Sox want to integrate Yorke into the meat and potatoes of the organization as much as possible, a task that has been made challenging since the Draft due to pandemic-related issues. It's why the 17-year-old was invited to participate in the team's alternate site workouts in late September.
This gives the major league coaching staff to also take a good hard look at a player the Red Sox firmly believes is a big part of their future, steering him in the direction they see fit.
It was also Yorke's performance at the alternate site that made this invitation an option, with the coaching staff coming away impressed with his maturity and advanced skills.
Here are the non-roster player slated to participate in big league spring training:
Matt Carasiti, RHP – Carasiti, 29, was signed by the Red Sox as a minor league free agent in January 2021. He has made 30 major league appearances (five starts) between the Colorado Rockies (2016) and Seattle Mariners (2019), posting a 7.46 ERA (21 ER/25.1 IP). The right-hander has spent time in the Rockies (2012-17), Chicago Cubs (2017, ’19), Mariners (2019), and San Francisco Giants (2020) organizations since being selected by Colorado in the sixth round of the 2012 June Draft out of St. John’s University. Carasiti also pitched for the Yakult Swallows in Japan in 2018. The Connecticut native will be attending Spring Training as a non-roster invitee for the fifth time, having also done so in 2016, ’17, ’19, and ’20.
Triston Casas, 1B/3B – Casas, 21, is ranked by Baseball America as the Red Sox’ No. 1 prospect for the second consecutive year and the No. 47 prospect in baseball entering 2021. The left-handed hitter is also ranked by the publication as having the best strike-zone discipline among Red Sox prospects, as well as being the system’s best hitter for average. Since being selected in the first round of the 2018 June Draft from American Heritage High School in Plantation, FL, Casas has hit .254 (110-for-433) with 51 extra-base hits, 81 RBI, and an .824 OPS in 122 minor league games. In 2019, he was named a South Atlantic League mid- and post-season All-Star and Red Sox Minor League Offensive Player of the Year. Casas hit each of his 20 career home runs in 2019 at just 19 years old, becoming the first Red Sox minor leaguer to hit at least 20 home runs in a season – all before turning 20 years old – since Xander Bogaerts in 2012.
Kole Cottam, C – Cottam, 23, will be attending his first Major League Spring Training camp. Ranked by Baseball America as the best defensive catcher in the Red Sox system, he has thrown out 22 of 115 (19.1%) runners attempting to steal during his professional career. Selected by Boston in the fourth round of the 2018 June Draft out of the University of Kentucky, the right-handed hitter has batted .249 (106-for-425) with 46 extra-base hits and 68 RBI in 119 minor league games. The Tennessee native was named by MiLB.com a Red Sox Organization All-Star at catcher following the 2019 season, which he split between Single-A Greenville and High-A Salem. He played for Yarmouth-Dennis of the Cape Cod Baseball League in 2017.
Chad De La Guerra, INF – De La Guerra, 28, will be attending his fourth consecutive Major League Spring Training Camp with the Red Sox. Selected by Boston in the 17th round of the 2015 June Draft out of Grand Canyon University, the left-handed hitter has batted .265 (395-for-1,492) with 203 RBI in 397 minor league games. The California native has made 182 starts at second base, 150 at shortstop, and 37 at third base during his career. Despite missing most of the 2019 season on the injured list, De La Guerra set career highs in batting average (.288), slugging percentage (.540), OPS (.901), and at-bats per home run (17.4), also matching his career high in on-base percentage (.361).
Jeter Downs, INF – Downs, 22, is ranked by Baseball America as the Red Sox’ No. 2 prospect entering the 2021 season. After being acquired by Boston in February 2020, the right-handed hitter attended Spring Training as a non-roster invitee and spent the regular season at the club’s Alternate Training Site. Downs spent his first two professional seasons in the Reds organization after signing with Cincinnati as the 32nd overall selection in the 2017 June Draft. Acquired by the Dodgers in December 2018, he split the 2019 season between High-A Rancho Cucamonga (107 games) and Double-A Tulsa (12 games) and hit .276 (127-for-460) with an .888 OPS, 35 doubles, 24 home runs, 24 stolen bases, 86 RBI, and 92 runs scored. In 2019, Downs was one of only 10 minor league players with at least 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases.
Jarren Duran, OF – Duran, 24, is ranked by Baseball America as the Red Sox’ No. 5 prospect entering the 2021 season, as well as the fastest baserunner in the organization. The left-handed hitter spent the entire 2020 regular season at the Alternate Training Site after attending Spring Training as a non-roster invitee. Duran spent the 2019 season with Salem and Portland and was named the organization’s Minor League Base Runner of the Year. Between the two clubs, he hit a combined .303 (157-for-519) with 46 stolen bases. Selected by Boston in the seventh round of the 2018 June Draft, Duran has hit .322 (258-for-802) with 38 doubles, 19 triples, eight home runs, 73 RBI, and 70 steals in 199 minor league games. He helped Caguas win the Puerto Rican Winter League title this off-season and was named a Caribbean Series All-Star.
Durbin Feltman, RHP – Feltman, 23, will be attending his first Major League Spring Training camp. Selected by Boston in the third round of the 2018 June Draft out of Texas Christian University, the right-hander is 3-4 with a 4.22 ERA (35 ER/74.2 IP) and 10.85 strikeouts per nine innings in 65 relief appearances in the Red Sox organization. After entering 2019 ranked by Baseball America as the Red Sox’ No. 11 prospect, the Texas native spent the entire season with Double-A Portland – his most advanced level – and led the Sea Dogs in appearances (43). Feltman made five relief appearances for Falmouth of the Cape Cod Baseball League in 2017.
Frank German, RHP – German, 23, was acquired from the New York Yankees via trade in January. He will be attending his first career Major League Spring Training camp. Selected by the Yankees in the fourth round of the 2018 June Draft out of the University of North Florida, the right-hander is 5-8 with a 3.56 ERA (44 ER/111.1 IP) and 128 strikeouts in 30 career minor league appearances (23 starts). Born in Queens, NY, German appeared primarily in relief for High-A Tampa in 2019, posting a 3.79 ERA (32 ER/76.0 IP) in 16 outings (one start). He was ranked by Baseball America as the Yankees’ No. 23 prospect entering the 2019 season.
Michael Gettys, OF – Gettys, 25, was signed by the Red Sox as a minor league free agent in November 2020. The right-handed hitter spent each of the last seven seasons in the San Diego Padres organization after being selected in the second round of the 2014 June Draft out of Gainesville High School in Georgia. Gettys has hit .260 (679-for-2,607) with 131 doubles, 28 triples, 84 home runs, and 337 RBI in 671 minor league games. He spent the 2019 season with El Paso, his first at the Triple-A Level, batting .256 (130-for-507) with an .822 OPS and leading San Diego minor leaguers in home runs (31), RBI (91), extra-base hits (64), total bases (262), and runs scored (97). Gettys has 78 outfield assists, recording at least 10 in a season four times.
Daniel Gossett, RHP – Gossett, 28, was signed by the Red Sox as a minor league free agent in December 2020. The right-hander spent each of his first seven professional seasons in the Oakland A’s organization after being selected by the club in the second round of the 2014 June Draft. Gossett is 4-14 with a 5.91 ERA (76 ER/115.2 IP) in 23 career major league starts, all from 2017-18. The South Carolina native spent part of the 2020 season at the Athletics’ Alternate Training Site after spending the entire 2019 regular season on the injured list recovering from ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction surgery on his right elbow. He made five starts for Mesa of the Arizona Fall League in 2019, going 3-1 with a 2.57 ERA (4 ER/14.0 IP). Gossett was selected by Boston in the 16th round of the 2011 June Draft but did not sign.
Zac Grotz, RHP – Grotz, 27, was signed by the Red Sox as a minor league free agent in January 2021. The right-hander made his major league debut for the Seattle Mariners in 2019 and his first Opening Day roster in 2020, making 19 relief appearances for the club in those two seasons and posting a 7.30 ERA (20 ER/24.2 IP). Selected by the Houston Astros in the 28th round of the 2015 June Draft out of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (FL), Grotz has spent time in the Astros (2015), Los Angeles Dodgers (2016), New York Mets (2018), and Mariners (2019-20) organizations. In 65 minor league appearances (21 starts), he is 17-14 with a 3.29 ERA (66 ER/180.1 IP). He has also pitched for three independent league teams: the Washington WildThings (2016), Bridgeport Bluefish (2017), and York Revolution (2018).
Matt Hall, LHP – Hall, 27, made his Red Sox debut last season after being acquired from the Detroit Tigers in January 2020. The left-hander made his first career Opening Day roster, appearing in four games (one start) across four stints with Boston. Originally selected by Detroit in the sixth round of the 2015 June Draft, Hall spent each of his first five seasons in the Tigers organizations. He made 21 relief appearances for the Tigers, going 0-1 with a 9.48 ERA (33 ER/31.1 IP). Named Detroit’s Minor League Pitcher of the Year in 2018, Hall was ranked by Baseball America as having the best curveball in the Tigers’ system following that season.
Kyle Hart, LHP – Hart, 28, made his major league debut last season after entering 2020 ranked by Baseball America as the Red Sox’ No. 29 prospect. The left-hander made four appearances (three starts) for Boston last season before being placed on the injured list with a left hip impingement on September 2 and missing the remainder of the season. Selected by the Red Sox in the 19th round of the 2016 June Draft, Hart is 25-29 with a 3.13 ERA (147 ER/423.1 IP) in 77 career minor league outings (71 starts). He has allowed only 0.66 home runs per 9.0 innings in his professional career, including a 0.70 mark at the Double-A and Triple-A levels. A native of Cincinnati, OH, Hart pitched at Indiana University from 2012-16.
Chris Herrmann, C – Hermann, 33, was signed by the Red Sox as a minor league free agent earlier this month. The right-handed hitter attended spring training with the Tampa Bay Rays as a non-roster invitee last year before signing with the San Francisco Giants in July and spending the remainder of the season at the Alternate Training Site. Selected by the Minnesota Twins in the sixth round of the 2009 June Draft, Herrmann has appeared in 370 major league games with the Twins (2012-15), Arizona Diamondbacks (2016-17), Seattle Mariners (2018), and Oakland A’s (2019). The Texas native has thrown out 30 of 111 (27.0%) runners attempting to steal in 198 games (165 starts) at catcher. He has also made 31 starts in left field, 23 in right field, one in center field, and one at first base.
Yairo Muñoz, OF/INF – Muñoz, 26, played 12 games for the Red Sox in 2020, making seven starts in left field, four in right field, and one at designated hitter. The right-handed hitter batted .333 (15-for-45) with five doubles and one home run, hitting safely in nine of his 12 games. Originally signed by the Oakland Athletics as a non-drafted free agent in 2012, Muñoz has spent time with the A’s (2012-17), St. Louis Cardinals (2017-20), and Red Sox (2020) organizations. Since making his major league debut with the Cardinals in 2018, the Dominican native has hit .278 (142-for-510) with 28 doubles, one triple, 11 home runs, and 59 RBI in 208 major league games. He has appeared defensively at shortstop (57 games, 40 starts), third base (45, 17), second base (30, 26), right field (33, 11), left field (22, 11), and center field (10, 7).
Kaleb Ort, RHP – Ort, 29, was selected by the Red Sox in the Triple-A phase of the 2020 Rule 5 Draft. The right-hander made his professional debut in 2016 with Joliet in the independent Frontier League, also pitching for the club in 2017. The Michigan native is 11-2 with a 3.14 ERA (46 ER/131.2 IP) in 90 relief appearances in the New York Yankees organization. Ort has averaged at least 10 strikeouts per nine innings for every minor league team he has played for, including a 12.66 mark between the Double-A and Triple-A levels. He has allowed only three home runs in 131.2 innings pitched in the minors. Ort also spent time in the Arizona Diamondbacks organization (2016-17) but did not pitch.
Andrew Politi, RHP – Politi, 24, will be attending his first career Major League Spring Training camp. The New Jersey native has been ranked by Baseball America as one of the Red Sox’ top 30 prospects entering each of the last two seasons, including No. 27 entering 2021. Selected by Boston in the 15th round of the 2018 June Draft out of Seton Hall University, Politi is 6-3 with a 3.76 ERA (45 ER/107.2 IP) and 11.62 strikeouts per nine innings. He spent the entire 2019 season with High-A Salem and ranked second on the team with 33 appearances. Politi pitched for Winnipesaukee and Ocean State in the New England Collegiate Baseball League during his collegiate career.
Austin Rei, C – Rei, 27, will be attending his third Major League Spring Training camp with the Red Sox as a non-roster invitee, having also done so in 2018 and 2019. Selected by Boston in the third round of the 2015 June Draft out of the University of Washington, the California native has made 302 starts at catcher and thrown out 118 of 342 (34.5%) runners attempting to steal. The right-handed hitter has reached as high as the Double-A level, playing in 107 games for Portland between 2018 and 2019. He has hit .217 (240-for-1,104) with 127 RBI in 336 career games. In 2017, he was named the Red Sox’ Minor League Defensive Player of the Year.
Thad Ward, RHP – Ward, 24, will be attending his first Major League Spring Training camp. Entering the 2021 season, the right-hander is ranked by Baseball America as the Red Sox’ No. 10 prospect, as well as having the best control in the organization. Selected by Boston in the fifth round of the 2018 June Draft out of the University of Central Florida, Ward is 8-8 with a 2.46 ERA (43 ER/157.1 IP) and 10.53 strikeouts per nine innings in 36 starts. He was named Red Sox Minor League Pitcher of the Year and a South Atlantic League mid-season All-Star in 2019. The Fort Myers, FL, native worked as a bat boy at City of Palms Park—the Red Sox’ former Spring Training facility—when he was a child.
Ryan Weber, RHP – Weber, 30, spent the majority of last season with Boston, making his first career Opening Day roster and ranking third on the club with a career-high 43.0 innings pitched. He was 1-3 with a 4.40 ERA (21 ER/43.0 IP) in 17 appearances (5 starts), including a 2.25 ERA (6 ER/24.0 IP) and 1.00 WHIP in his 12 relief outings. Signed by the Red Sox as a minor league free agent in 2018, Weber is 3-7 with a 4.73 ERA (44 ER/83.2 IP) in 35 appearances (eight starts) for the Red Sox. Selected by the Atlanta Braves in the 22nd round of the 2009 June Draft, the Florida native has made 59 appearances (16 starts) for the Braves (2015-16), Seattle Mariners (2017), Tampa Bay Rays (2018), and Red Sox (2019-20), posting a 4.86 ERA (85 ER/157.1 IP).
Josh Winckowski, RHP – Winckowski, 22, was acquired by the Red Sox from the New York Mets as part of a three-team trade earlier this week, and was ranked by Baseball America as the Mets’ No. 20 prospect. This will be the right-hander’s first career Major League Spring Training camp. Selected by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 15th round of the 2016 June Draft, he spent his first five seasons in Toronto’s minor league system before being traded to the Mets in January 2021. In 54 career appearances (50 starts), Winckowski is 18-17 with a 3.35 ERA (98 ER/263.0 IP) and 237 strikeouts, reaching the High-A level in 2019 with Dunedin. A two-time league All-Star (2018, ’19), he was named Northwest League Pitcher of the Year in 2018.
Nick Yorke, INF – Yorke, 18, is ranked by Baseball America as the Red Sox’ No. 9 prospect entering 2021. Selected by Boston in the first round (17th overall) of the 2020 June Draft out of Archbishop Mitty High School in San Jose, CA, the right-handed hitter was added to the Red Sox’ Club Player Pool on September 17 and spent the remainder of the season at the Alternate Training Site. Yorke hit .457 (134-for-293) over four seasons in high school, drawing 53 walks while striking out only 26 times.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Feb 15, 2021 11:06:22 GMT -5
Josh Winckowski's crazy path from spring training fanboy to one of the Red Sox' most intriguing pitchers Download the RADIO.COM app Current Time 0:27 / Duration 1:21
By Rob Bradford 2 hours ago
Estero High is 20 minutes from JetBlue Park. So when February rolls around it only makes sense for the kids who have any interest in baseball to drift over for an up-close-and-personal look at real-live big leaguers.
Josh Winckowski was no exception.
"Obviously as a younger guy having the ambitions that I did I went over the Twins and Red Sox spring trainings as a fan," Winckowski told WEEI.com. "I never got really close, face to face with somebody in spring training. They’re doing their thing."
In fact, the only time Winckowski hit the jackpot of meeting a major-leaguer during those spring training days was when he mustered up the courage to take a photo with David Ortiz in a nearby suit shop. That was six years ago. Josh Winckowski Courtesy Josh Winckowski
Starting this week, the 22-year-old is going to finally get his chance to get inside those spring training ropes.
Winckowski, who was part of the trade that sent Andrew Benintendi to the Royals, has been invited to participate in Red Sox major league spring training. This despite not only never getting a chance to fist bump the big boys as a Fort Myers-area high-schooler, but also never receiving an invitation as a professional pitcher to participate in any semblance of big-league camp.
"I have never pitched in a (spring training) major league game. I had never even gone over to the complex," he said. "Sometimes it will be 7:30 in the morning and your buddy has to go over in the stadium so you’re really excited for him and he ends up getting some innings. But I never even went over to the big league side once. The only time I got to mingle with the big league guys is when they were down for rehab. Other than that, there wasn’t a lot of time with the big league guys."
Times have changed. Organizations have changed ... twice.
Perhaps no professional baseball player has experienced the kind of 2021 whirlwind afforded Winckowski, a 6-foot-3 starting pitcher who had only known the Blue Jays organization since being taken in the 15th round of the 2016 MLB Draft.
It all started in the early evening hours of Wednesday, Jan. 27 -- 6:37 p.m., to be exact. That's when the first trade went down, going to the Mets in a deal that sent pitcher Steven Matz to Toronto.
"On the Jays, I really didn’t think I would ever get traded," Winckowski said. "I thought I had done well enough on the Jays but wasn’t known well enough around baseball or had the prospect status. I always kind of thought the Jays asking price for me would be a little higher than other teams were willing to give up. So the initial trade from the Jays was super surprising. So the Mets trade for me and you have 20-25 calls and you’re just trying to get acclimated and you’re describing yourself a whole bunch."
Then, almost two weeks later to the minute, the process happened all over again. That time, his phone showed 7:38 p.m.
"At the time of the Boston trade I was actually on Apex (Legends video game) with a couple of my Blue Jays buddies," he remembered. "We were in the middle of the game and I could feel my phone rumbling on my desk. It was getting later in the game and it was getting pretty intense, but I turn it over and I had two calls from my agent, a voicemail and a couple of buddies texting me, ‘What is going on?’ I’m like, ‘I think something crazy is going on. Can we get this game over with.’ So we come in like third-place and I finally check with my agent and sure enough, he’s like, ‘You got traded to the Red Sox.’ I’m like, ‘No way.’ I mean I was a Met for a week and a half. It was just so surprising. You always know it’s a possibility but … It was just really surprising. I was expecting to play a little bit for the Mets, at least."
Winckowski was a man in demand, and he had the transaction log to prove it.
He had performed admirably at every level throughout his professional career, winning Pitcher of the Year for Single-A Vancouver in 2018 while starting the Midwest League All-Star Game as a member of Single-A Lansing a season later. But, still, this was a guy whose signing bonus and publicity paled in comparison to those being classified as the Jays' top prospects.
But people were taking notice, something Winckowski found out in a hurry.
"I’ve had some good years in the minors and have been fortunate to perform pretty well. There was definitely times where my stuff, my velocity didn’t feel overwhelming and I think that’s one of the reason I went under the radar," Winckowski explained. "But last year in the fall at instructs I kind of saw a little bit of a velocity climb. Going into the 2020 season I got with my agent in Tampa and that was the best I had prepared for a season. I felt really good going into the year. COVID sucked for everyone, but I was really disappointed to go home. The little time I did have a 2020 spring training with the Jay I felt like the best that I had ever felt on the mound. Then I think I saw that carry through in instructs in 2020 Fall. I know the Red Sox pretty much said to me. They said, ‘We’ve seen some of your velocity numbers grading higher.’ And the Mets had said something similar, thinking there was some untapped potential there. That was the messages relayed to me.
"Just being in pro ball kind of elevated my own game. Being more serious in the gym. When I was in high school I didn’t know what to do.
"As weird as this sounds, the longer I have gone in pro ball I have just kept telling myself, ‘You need to throw harder.’ As weird as that sounds. When you’re watching and you see (Jacob) deGrom and (Gerrit) Cole sitting 96-100. It’s like, ‘I kind of want to do that.’ My prep going into 2020, having a different mindset and physically being in a better place has led to that."
Now he finds himself throwing in the upper 90's, sharing a clubhouse with the likes of Chris Sale and Xander Bogaerts. People know his stuff, and they know his name ... a reality that was tough to avoid in the days after the Benintendi trade.
"I’ve always known the love Boston has for Benintendi, but now being traded for him — I don’t mind it at all — there were a lot of comments like, ‘We traded you for Benintendi. You better be good.’ You can definitely see how much the Red Sox Nation loved him," Winckowski said with a chuckle. "Hopefully I can fill his shoes in my own way."
He has finally found his new home just down the street from his old home. (Winckowski does think he rather spend spring training in a hotel instead of his childhood bedroom.)
The kid from Estero has started settling into his new lot in life ... admittedly still with a slight bit of caution.
"I think next Wednesday I will be sweating a little bit. Getting traded three times in a year would be pretty insane," he joked. "That Wednesday and then the following Wednesday after that I will be relaxed after that since I only get traded on Wednesdays. It's been crazy."
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Feb 16, 2021 4:37:45 GMT -5
Red Sox, off another roiling winter, hurt by anything-but-routine spring By Peter Abraham Globe Staff,Updated February 15, 2021, 6:37 p.m.
The Red Sox have started to assemble at their spring training complex in Fort Myers, Fla. Eduardo Rodriguez was among those who arrived on Monday, and the first workout for pitchers and catchers will be Thursday.
In normal times, the Globe would have already written a few stories from JetBlue Park, with accompanying photos of players lugging their equipment bags in from the parking lot, but those hopeful stories will have to wait. Major League Baseball and the Players Association decided to hold reporters out of spring training sites until next week as part of their pandemic protocols.
This will be a spring training defined by new rules designed to keep the players and coaches far apart but still close enough to prepare for the season.
That’s not ideal for the Red Sox. Twenty of their current 40-man roster are new to the organization the last two seasons, and have not played for manager Alex Cora. That number will grow once two recent signees — utility man Marwin Gonzalez and righthanded reliever Hirokazu Sawamura — are added.
Spring training would usually be a perfect time and place to bond and set expectations for the coming season, but that won’t be possible to the extent it usually would be given the guidelines.
The usual team golf outings and dinners won’t be allowed. The annual casino night in the tent outside the stadium has been canceled.
This is one time that long bus rides across Florida and a full schedule of nine-inning games would actually help the Sox. But nearly all of the games this season will be in Fort Myers or an hour up I-75 North. And games can be called after five innings if both managers are satisfied their pitchers got enough work.
The goal this year will be to come in, do your work, and go home. No lingering.
This is an important time for Cora to adjust, too. He was essentially fired by the Red Sox last year for his role in Houston’s 2017 sign-stealing scandal, then re-hired in October. He needs time to adapt to working under chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom in what is a very different organization than the one he first joined.
Cora and former Sox baseball boss Dave Dombrowski had an easy relationship. It was Dombrowski who gave Cora his first chance to manage, and they worked well together for two seasons in a traditional setup.
The Red Sox were championship-driven, no qualifiers necessary. Every move was made with the idea of getting to the World Series.
Under Bloom, the Sox are making decisions with the parallel goals of competing now and preparing for the future. CEO Sam Kennedy has acknowledged the team is not all-in as far as this season.
The idea now is to get to the World Series and be set up to win the pennant again the following season. But that won’t be for a few years. Or at least that’s the plan.
Cora has a two-year contract, and it’s not in his baseball DNA to concede any race before it starts. How that meshes with Bloom’s long-term goals will be a season-long story, as will trying to win back some of the fans who didn’t necessarily want him back given his actions in Houston.
It’s also an uncertain time for the players. Outside of Xander Bogaerts, who has no-trade rights, no Red Sox player can be sure he won’t be dealt. If Mookie Betts and Andrew Benintendi can go, anybody can.
Bloom sees his position, and rightfully so, as being always on the hunt for deals that make sense. Cora’s job will be to create a clubhouse atmosphere that puts that worry in the background.
Kevin Cash has made it work with the Tampa Bay Rays, who played last season with a remarkable sense of purpose. But it’s harder to do with established, better-paid players.
The Sox also need to start convincing fans that there is more to the future than a constant churn of players. Spring training would ideally be a time for people to get to better know Franchy Cordero, Kiké Hernández, Garrett Richards, Hunter Renfroe, and other newcomers.
That won’t be easy with the protocols, but it would be worth the effort to get them in front of cameras and with reporters.
For this particular Red Sox team, there’s a lot of work to be done to convince everybody, themselves included, that the coming season will be a worthwhile one.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Feb 16, 2021 12:00:51 GMT -5
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Feb 16, 2021 12:13:40 GMT -5
What it will be like for fans and players at a reimagined Red Sox spring training By Michael Silverman Globe Staff,Updated February 16, 2021, 33 minutes ago
“Get your 6-foot poles here!”
So goes the unspoken cry at unpacked JetBlue Park, a message that also serves as the unofficial motto for the spaced-out odyssey that every Red Sox player, fan, and employee must endure for spring training in Fort Myers, Fla., to be staged successfully during this pandemic.
From the moment players get their temperatures taken after walking in from their parking lot, to the 75 percent-plus fewer cars and fans driving in with prepaid parking passes to create one more touchless transaction point, virtually nothing will be the same.
And everyone will have all the room they’ll need to savor the changes.
“Working in this environment the last 11 months, it’s required a lot of patience and creativity,” said Jonathan Gilula, Red Sox executive vice president/chief operating officer. “We’re reimagining physical spaces and we’re being forced to redefine operational procedures so that people can enjoy their experiences in the safest way possible.
“That’s our objective, and we’re hopeful that the amount of effort and thought that’s gone into the planning will come to fruition here.”
For the approximately 75 players prepping for a 162-game season and the 75 staff members charged with meeting their every need, the task was to turn a spacious clubhouse essentially inside-out, and into a tent city that’s taking shape behind the ballpark.
Where the players lounge. Where they eat. Where they go to the bathroom. Where they get tested, examined, and treated by the medical staff. Where they get their massages. Where they condition. Where their food is prepped. It’s all being moved outdoors, where virus particles are less transmissible.
Some space in the 10-tunnel outdoor batting cages is being repurposed for strength and conditioning equipment. The extra-wide bullpen that can accommodate a half-dozen pitchers and catchers at once will not be nearly so crowded.
Coordinating the movement of players to maximize their talents and hone their skills while minimizing close contact involves a brand-new caliber of coordination.
“We’re fortunate to have an Ivy League grad in that role this year,” joked Pete Nesbit, senior vice president of baseball operations, referring to new bench coach Will Venable (Princeton, ’05), who is overseeing the spring training plan. “The coaching staff is doing a ton of work on the scheduling side, working with the medical team to make sure we’re not overloading any of these spaces. That’s a huge, critical piece of the puzzle.”
Inside the spacious major league clubhouse, the idea is to spread everyone out and create less indoor density. Lockers will no longer be side-by-side. They’ll be spaced 6 feet apart, separated by plexiglass partitions.
Players squeezed out will find their lockers in other areas of the structure that houses the clubhouse, which sits underneath and behind the left-field wall and seating area of the main ballpark.
Spring training 2020 was shut down in the middle of last March, and JetBlue Park has been getting ready to reopen pretty much ever since, according to both Brennan Whitley, Red Sox senior manager of Florida business operations, and Jay Fandel, senior manager of Florida ballpark operations.
Fandel visited Tampa for the Buccaneers-Chiefs regular-season NFL game in late November at Raymond James Stadium, which helped form a vision for what it would take for the Red Sox to duplicate the effort on a smaller scale. Stadium employees at every level wore face masks constantly — fans at times were not as diligent, Fandel said — with touch points in the stands constantly being wiped down.
Ushers at JetBlue will be packing Lysol wipes and, like everyone else who enters the stadium, wearing masks at all times, (slipping it off while eating and drinking is allowed.)
There will be no ticket-takers; tickets will be fully digital, with fans scanning phones to get in. No bags other than diaper, medical, or small purses (about 5 by 9 inches) will be permitted, keeping lines moving.
Once inside the gates, fans will have the opportunity to buy from a spread of local food vendors — no hawkers — and they will have to eat at their seats. There will still be a 50-50 raffle, but it will feature a single prize at the end of the spring, with tickets sold at a single booth rather than in the stands.
Cash will be discouraged, with every merchandise or food vendor accepting credit cards, Apple Pay, and Google Pay.
Milling and standing around before entering the seating bowl will not be allowed, and there will be no picnic tables to sit at and no classic rock or Jimmy Buffett-inspired combo to listen to pregame. There will be a national anthem, but it will occur via video, a different singer for each of the 15 home dates.
In the bathrooms, every other urinal and sink will be blocked off.
Access to the back fields, a favorite activity of many fans, will not be happening. Neither will open houses for assorted groups or ballpark tours. A 12-foot barrier — basically two rows of empty seats — will be established between fans and dugouts/bullpens, and fans will be seated in small pods, with approximately 75 percent of the 10,000-plus seats zip-tied shut.
Aside from that, everything else — what’s left is basically the warm weather and that it still takes three outs to retire the side — will be exactly the same.
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