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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 27, 2024 18:04:06 GMT -5
Craig Counsell was lame-duck manager; he can relate to Alex Cora’s situation | McAdam Published: Apr. 27, 2024, 5:32 p.m.
By Sean McAdam | sean.mcadam@masslive.com BOSTON — Alex Cora is in the final year of his multi-year contract with the Red Sox, unsure of what the future holds, and perhaps even uncertain whether he wants to return to the same job next year.
Craig Counsell, more than most, can relate.
Last year, Counsell was in the final year of his deal with the Milwaukee Brewers, not knowing if he was going to stay with the Brewers. As the winningest manager in franchise history, he had directed the team to the postseason in four of the previous five seasons.
Both the Brewers owner, Mark Attanasio, and GM, Matt Arnold, were on record saying they hoped to extend Counsell. But Counsell was non-committal, and opted to remain unsigned for the entirety of the 2023 season, giving him options.
“I’m open to everything,” Counsell said before the start of last season, “I want to continue to be open to everything and this is the best way to do that.”
After the Brewers were eliminated in the wild card round, Counsell and agent Barry Meister effectively marketed Counsell as a free agent, listening to offers from several interested teams before agreeing to a landmark five-year, $40 million deal with the Chicago Cubs.
Counsell more than doubled his annual salary, from $3.5 million to $8 million, and in so doing, set a new benchmark for major league managers that may eventually impact Cora’s next contract, which pays him $2.75 million annually.
The one difference, of course, is that Craig Breslow, who will ultimately decide Cora’s fate in Boston, has yet to commit, one way or another.
“Everybody’s got to just run their own race,” Counsell said. “You’ve got to make the decisions that are best for you and best for what you want in your future and that’s it.”
Counsell’s approach was rare. As a respected manager, he enjoyed a strong reputation and could solicit offers from other teams. It may not have been without precedent, but it certainly was an unusual tactic.
“You’re just trying to figure out what’s going on and what your options are,” he recounted. “(For me), that was a lot of things and that included not working. They included, obviously, a couple of places. It was work. You don’t really have to interview as a player (when you’re a free agent). There was definitely some work involved, but all in all, just a normal process.”
As a player, Counsell was active in the Players Association, where there is always a consideration that, whenever possible, players should strive to get the most money possible so as to raise the bar for players who follow. As a manager in a unique situation, Counsell may have felt at least some of that same responsibility to lift the bar for his colleagues. In comparison with coaches in the NFL and NBA, baseball’s salary structure for managers is quite low.
“I was driven by doing whatever I wanted to make myself happy for the next five years,” said Counsell. “That’s it. Was (driving up the salary range) a byproduct? It’s obvious it was going to be a byproduct of it because (my situation) just doesn’t happen very often. But I don’t think ‘goal’ is the right word.”
Particularly because the Red Sox are coming off two straight last-place finishes and with no contract extension on the table, Cora is something of a lame duck. Counsell had more leverage with the Brewers, but also had to deal with questions and speculation about where he was headed.
Counsell, however, said the uncertainty concerning his own future was not a distraction.
“Not in my eyes, it didn’t,” he said. “Seasons are individual, man, and no matter who you are, they’re sacred. Players are on the last year of their contract all the time. We were trying to win and nothing trumps that ever. You’re trying to do the best job for the people around you, for your players, for your bosses. I don’t care what your managerial status is — that’s what I was going to do every single day.
“Other people may have different answers. But from my perspective, I was really comfortable in my situation. We had a pretty good season with a disappointing playoffs. We went after it hard every single day and tried to do the best we could. There not uncertainty if you’re at peace with what’s happening, and I always was. It was never a big deal for me, really.”
The key, added Counsell, was to know that the situation would eventually be resolved and whatever outcome took place would be fine with him. Even if he had taken a year or two off to spend time with his family — Counsell has four children, and two were in college and two in high school, all involved in athletics.
“I know there was a bunch of different outcomes and all of them I I was very comfortable with,” he said. “So from my perspective, it was take each day, go after it and whatever happened next, I was good with whatever happened next. All of us have to do the best we can for the people we work with and the people we work for and then you have to do what’s best for yourself as well.
“You can accomplish all of those things on a daily basis. I think that’s important for all of us to remember. And if you’re doing that, you’re probably going to be pretty good at your job.”
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 30, 2024 11:19:06 GMT -5
Theo Epstein talks about his new role with Fenway Sports Group and the Red Sox By Alex Speier Globe Staff,Updated April 30, 2024, 6 minutes ago
Fenway Sports Group senior adviser Theo Epstein — the former Red Sox general manager and Cubs president of baseball operations who bought a small ownership stake in the company — offered insight into his involvement with the multi-sport conglomerate and the Red Sox in a recent appearance on the NESN podcast 310 to Left.
Epstein detailed the ways in which he’s working with several parts of FSG’s portfolio, a set of responsibilities that includes checking in with Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow (whom Epstein knows well from their time together with the Cubs) anywhere from a few times a week to several times a day.
His role, said Epstein, “means different things for the different organizations. With the Red Sox, it’s really being there for Bres any way I can, kind of the way Bill Lajoie and others were for me when I first took over. Some weeks that means texting or talking on the phone with Bres three or four times a day every day, and other weeks, it means checking in just a couple times, depending on what’s going on.
“Some of the bigger decisions or bigger philosophical questions, he’ll ask me my opinion and why. I don’t make the decisions but I kind of give him a perspective based on my experiences having done that job, and then also having worked in the league office.
“I’ve been around the game a long time. It’s not so much, ‘Hey, we had someone hit the IL, who are we going to call up to take his place,’ although sometimes he’ll ask me my opinion on that.
“But it’s more of a bigger picture — how do we build a great organization, where are we going to find our competitive advantages, etc. It’s being there for Bres and his group anywhere that I can.”
With other FSG entities, Epstein is likewise able to provide counsel, whether it’s talking to Pittsburgh Penguins president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas about competitive advantages, working alongside FSG president Mike Gordon on regime change in Liverpool as manager Jürgen Klopp prepares to step down, or using his experience with MLB rule changes to inform thinking about change in the PGA Tour.
Though he works primarily from home in Connecticut, Epstein has been able to enjoy re-engaging with the Red Sox and seeing how the organization, after three last-place finishes in four years, appears to be moving under Breslow in his first season as head of baseball operations.
Though he acknowledged the Red Sox are in a down period in terms of interest and prominence in the New England sports landscape (“We’re at a bit of a lull right now, a moment in time where the Red Sox aren’t quite as top-of-mind as they had been — they will be, I think, again soon”), he views the team’s strong start (16-13), led by dominant pitching, as a sign of promise.
“As far as how long until the Red Sox are back on top again, I think just like individual players’ development is not linear, it’s the same way with an organization,” said Epstein, who was Red Sox GM from 2002-11, winning a pair of World Series. “Having a robust and really effective and hopefully dominant pitching infrastructure and pitching staff is a great starting point.
“The other strength of the organization is the younger position-player core, many of whom are developing in the upper minors. You put those two things together and you make a lot of good decisions and you use your resources the right way, it can happen a lot sooner than you think.
“I’m not going to put a timetable on it. It’s not my place. It’s not my role. But I think with Bres and AC and the position-player core and what you’re seeing with the pitching infrastructure and the pitching staff, there are a lot of important ingredients in place.”
In February, Red Sox president/CEO Sam Kennedy (who is also CEO of FSG) described Epstein’s role as “a step, maybe a short-term step, along the way to something bigger and better.” Epstein suggested that while he has eventual aspirations to a more prominent role in an ownership group, he is enjoying his current role and is not in a rush to pursue a different opportunity.
“I don’t look at it as interim, but it’s probably not a final destination for me,” said Epstein. “I’m really happy. I love the role. I’m not actively out there looking for anything else. This role has been a perfect combination for me of old friends and new challenges and allows me to do it in a way where I feel like I’m making an impact and I also feel like I can be a good dad and have a good, well-rounded life. So it’s been great.
“Long-term, there’s probably something down the road where I’ll have the opportunity to lead again and make big decisions again and have big plans and try to execute on something that’s meaningful to me and maybe meaningful to a lot of people, but I don’t know what it is.
“When it shows up, when the right opportunity shows up, I’ll know it.
“But this has been a great entry point into ownership. I look forward to my time here and then way down the road, if something comes along, I’ll be better for having been here as well.”
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 3, 2024 6:26:52 GMT -5
MLB Notebook: As Craig Breslow shuffles Red Sox’ roster, margins come into play
Published: May. 03, 2024, 6:00 a.m.
Craig Breslow
By
Sean McAdam | sean.mcadam@masslive.com
The rate at which the Red Sox have made roster moves in the last two weeks has been astounding. Every day brings with it a minor trade or an option or a DFA.
Beginning April 21 through Thursday morning, the Red Sox made a total of 20 transactions involving their major leaguer roster, including some days in which several moves were made. Some involved injured players going on the IL — or, in the case of Triston Casas, shifting from the 10-day IL to the 60-day IL. A total of 17 players were involved.
Thanks to the run of injuries that took place to the parent club, many of these moves were borne out of necessity. When players are hurt, they need to replaced by healthier ones — there are no alternatives. But many were also done as upgrades, where the team thought there were better options available, either internally or externally.
The days of constructing a roster over the offseason and then keeping it largely intact until at least the trade deadline are long gone. Now, the Opening Day roster is merely an outline, a suggested blueprint with regular updates and changes made as as matter of routine.
Every competitive advantage is sought. If a team believes Player A represents a slight improvement to the roster over Player B, there’s a good chance that Player B’s days are numbered.
The game has always been a meritocracy, where roster spots are won and lost based on performance. But never more so than in today’s game.
Just ask Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow.
“You’re constantly balancing long-term and short-term outlooks,” said Breslow, “what the implications are a week from now, a month from now, a year from now. At the same time, it’s important and meaningful to address the roster when opportunities arise to do that. Sometimes it takes being aggressive or thinking in ways we hadn’t. Stabilizing a roster has significant impact on a lot of things, none less important than our ability to win games.
“In the offseason, it’s possible to be a little more deliberate and intentional and think through all of those things. Whereas often (in-season) we have a short window of time to execute. (Recently) a few things have come together that we think allow us to improve our team without costing us in the long run. That should always be our objective. Moves in April or May tend not to be as significant in terms of magnitude as the moves you make in the offseason or July (at the deadline). But that doesn’t mean that they ultimately become less impactful.”
In the last two weeks, the Red Sox have effectively traded Joe Jacques, Joely Rodriguez, Emanuel Valdez and Bobby Dalbec for Cam Booser, Naoyuki Uwaasawa, Bailey Horn, Dominic Smith and Zack Short. (That doesn’t begin to take into account the moves that were made to account for players on the IL).
There are no immortals on that list. But the Red Sox — and most other organizations — believe that even a small (but measurable) uptick in value can make a difference over the course of a long season.
“Of course it’s a star-driven league. We know that,” said Alex Cora. “But what you do with the edge of the roster is very important. Having flexibility is huge. You can move guys around. It’s always important. I do believe the edge of the roster can help you win, I don’t know....eight games, nine games a season. That’s important at the end. It is.
“We have all these projections, all these numbers. Some of them they say 82 (wins), another one is is 78. But at the end, you still have to go out there and play. And if you can steal a win here, steal a win there, it adds up to what you’re trying to accomplish.”
It’s part of an industry-wide trend that may be driven by the reliance on analytics. Just as all teams now have access to the same data points when it comes to evaluating free agents, the same principal applies when it comes to the willingness to make small improvements that could translate into an additional handful of wins.
“Teams generally are more transactional,” said Breslow, “which means there are more marginal players available on waivers and in small trades, or veteran players with (opt-outs). For me, what kind of opened my eyes is my experience in Chicago, where players we acquired via small trades or waiver claims ultimately became the most dependable arms in our bullpen.
“Mark Leiter signing a minor league deal, or Julian Merryweather being a waiver claim — those guys turned into leveraged relievers. I started thinking, ‘Hey, there’s a way to replicate that.’ The other side is, you’re overly aggressive and you don’t give players enough runway to show who they are. So we’re constantly trying to strike that balance. But the one thing we should be doing is being aggressive when we see an opportunity to upgrade our roster.”
Currently, almost one-third of a major league roster — typically, eight of 26 spots — is allotted to relievers, and no area undergoes more churn than the bullpen. Relievers can be invaluable one year and forgettable the next, so there’s bound to be plenty of turnover.
In recognition of that fact, Cora said last September that he hoped to have more major league relievers with remaining options on this year’s roster, allowing him increased flexibility when the inevitable ups and downs occur. Don’t like the way your seventh-inning guy is throwing for now? Send him to the minors in exchange for a fresher arm. And 10 days later, the two can be flipped again.
Breslow acknowledges that even in a time when nearly everything can be quantified, often the decision behind whether to swap out one player for another can be a less exact science.
“Ultimately, we want to evaluate how this potential target compares to the alternatives,” he said. “Is there a (numerical) threshold we’re trying to accomplish? Yes, sometimes there is, like projected WAR. But sometimes it’s not something that can be quantified as easily. Sometimes it’s about upside that can be realized through development intervention that we can make. We might think, ‘If we can add this pitch’ or ‘if we change his usage,’ that’s going to make him X better.”
At times, there are factors that go beyond analytics and quantifiable value. If there’s a choice to be made between acquiring an external option and promoting someone already in the organization and the two players are essentially even, Breslow said the team might lean toward providing opportunity to the player in the minors — to send the right reinforcing message to the player development staff and others in the pipeline.
The danger comes when there’s too much turnover on the roster and it impacts the clubhouse vibe. Relationships are formed and team chemistry can be negatively impacted when players are constantly coing and going.
“We work so hard in spring training (addressing) chemistry and culture, and all of a sudden, you’ve got a whole different roster,” admitted Cora, citing some of the risks.
But in the end, this is a performance business with wins and losses at stake.
“I think,” concluded Breslow, “what teams are realizing is that there are wins available on the margins and in order to realize those wins you have to be transactional. The parameters around what transactions are viable and aren’t are largely driven by the resources you have as an organization. What we have in Boston is the ability to be decisive and aggressive. Hopefully, if we get a lot of these right, which I think we can, we are able to influence the wins on the field. And if we get some of these wrong, they don’t become prohibitive mistakes.”
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After the turmoil they experienced in recent weeks, the Red Sox managed to finish up the homestand without incurring any additional injuries or loss of manpower.
They finished 4-2 on their homestand, a step forward after going a woeful 3-7 on the first one. They began to incorporate a handful of new players who recently joined the roster — the series with the Giants saw no fewer than four players make their Red Sox debut — and seemed to have survived the worst of their recent string of injuries.
Vaughn Grissom is expected to be the next player to make his team debut Friday. It will be another seven weeks or so (when Casas returns) before they can claim to have three-quarters of their envisioned starting infield playing together.
The winning homestand and some stabilization may provide the necessary momentum in the upcoming week, when the Red Sox will have one of their more challenging road trips: three games against the Minnesota Twins, followed by two against the Atlanta Braves.
The Braves supremacy is obvious. Most talent evaluators regard them as one of the two most talented teams in the big leagues and their first month (20-9) has done nothing to dissuade anyone, even with the devastating loss of Spencer Strider.
The Twins, who began the year horribly, have rebounded with 10 straight wins — even if it must be noted that seven of those came against the woebegone White Sox.
“Atlanta is obviously Atlanta, and Minnesota’s been playing really, really solid baseball of late,” said Rob Refsnyder. “But shoot, we have, too. Guys have really stepped up. Young guys are figuring it out, making really great adjustments. Wilyer (Abreu) has been fantastic, and Rafaela’s hit some balls really hard the past coupe of games sand playing really solid shortstop. The bullpen’s settling in, and the starting pitching’s obviously been incredible. It will be a great test playing against these teams.”
Refsnyder credited Breslow for being aggressive with some roster moves to cover for the injuries.
“He brought us some really solid clubhouse guys,” said Refsnyder, “some guys who have had a lot of success in their careers, with Coop (Cooper) and Dom (Smith) and a really versatile piece in Zack (Short). Give Breslow a lot of credit. He went out good some really solid players. And just bringing in some veterans guys with experience helps. So the roster seems a little more stable.”
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Just when it seemed like Mike Trout might becoming himself again with 10 homers in his first 29 games, he suffered a torn meniscus in his left knee, which will require surgery and sideline him for an extended period. The expectation is that Trout will return at some point this season, but this setback continues a disturbing trend.
This season will now likely mark the third time in the last four full-length seasons that Trout will fail to play 100 games. He played in just 36 games in 2021, before rebounding to play 119 in 2022. But last year, he was available for just 82 games.
From his age 29 season, Trout has, because of a succession of physical setbacks including a torn calf muscle, a back injury, a hand injury, and now, his knee, played in fewer than half of his games.
In addition to robbing the sport of his talent for most of the last four seasons, the ailments have drastically altered his career path and profile.
It wasn’t long ago that, with 285 homers through the end of his age 27 season (2019), you could start thinking about Trout becoming a member of the 700-homer club, populated by only Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron and Barry Bonds.
Now, with Trout about to turn 33 in August, that plateau seems impossibly out of reach. With 378 career homers, Trout is under contract for another six seasons. Given how banged up he is and how much time he’s missed, the likelihood of Trout hitting 300-something homers over those final six seasons is remote.
Moreover, there’s the question of his future with the Angels. When asked before the season about his frustration level over reaching the playoffs just once in his career — a decade ago, incredibly — Trout seemed to crack the door open at least somewhat to asking for/demanding a trade if the Angels didn’t become more competitive in the near future.
Given the onerous nature of the contract and the injury risk which will only grow as he ages, it’s hard to think that any team would be willing to absorb the nearly $223 million remaining (starting next season) for such damaged goods.
Worse, whether he rebounds physically and becomes something close to who he once was, there seems little chance the Angels are going to be a contending club anytime soon.
How terrible it would be if one of the game’s greatest ever talents got to the end of his career with a mere three Division Series games to his credit.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 3, 2024 13:12:33 GMT -5
More Red Sox games could move to streaming-only, and start before noon (report)
Updated: May. 03, 2024, 10:13 a.m.|Published: May. 03, 2024, 8:22 a.m.
By
Nick O'Malley | nomalley@masslive.com
Another service is reportedly angling to move more MLB games off of TV to streaming-only.
Andrew Marchand of The Athletic reports that Roku is in “advanced talks” to air MLB games on Sunday mornings, with games starting at 11:30 a.m. or around noon.
Major League Baseball had a similar deal with Peacock last season for “MLB Sunday Leadoff,” which moved 19 games to the streaming platform as part of a one-year deal. Marchand reports that Peacock has been interested in a similar package this season, but didn’t want to pay as much money.
MLB still has a deal in place for “Friday Night Baseball” on AppleTV+, which features two exclusive games each week.
Unlike Peacock and AppleTV+, the Roku games would be available through a free service. Although, moving the games away from the usual cable TV provider still presents a potential headache for fans.
The deal, which is reportedly still pending, could affect the Boston Red Sox schedule moving forward in 2024. If a deal is agreed upon, some games on the schedule could be moved to Roku -- and start at an earlier time.
The Red Sox currently have three games this season scheduled to air exclusively on Apple TV+, May 24, May 31 and June 28 -- with additional dates likely to be added later this year. The Roku deal would likely increase the number of games moved off of TV to streaming-only.
Games starting before noon are a rarity in Major League Baseball. Typically, the Red Sox are the only team with such a start time on their schedule, with the annual Patriots Day game starting before noon.
In 2023, the Red Sox had one game affected by Peacock’s “MLB Sunday Leadoff” package, an Aug. 13 game against the Detroit Tigers, which started at 12:05 p.m.
Red Sox games game typically air on NESN, with occasional games airing nationally via ESPN, FOX and TBS. However, moving to a different channel presents a lesser challenge for viewers who have a conventional cable TV subscription.
While leagues and networks will boast about new services helping to expand their sport’s reach, the rise of streaming-exclusive sports broadcasts have thrown a wrench in the historically simple process of following a local sports team.
Streaming-exclusive broadcasts have gained steam in other leagues as well. The Boston Bruins have had select games limited to ESPN+ in recent seasons. Meanwhile, the NFL has moved games to services such as Amazon Prime and Peacock.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 4, 2024 10:56:27 GMT -5
SUNDAY BASEBALL NOTES There are a lot of good things happening in baseball this season, but also some historic losing By Peter Abraham Globe Staff,Updated May 4, 2024, 35 minutes ago
There are a lot of positive things going on in baseball.
According to Major League Baseball, the average attendance of 26,927 in April was its highest since 2017.
Nationally televised games have had substantially higher ratings than last season and younger audiences are watching. The pitch clock has been a great success, and it’s a better game than it was a few years ago.
But there’s also some historic losing going on. So much so that the 1962 Mets could be off the hook.
The White Sox were 6-25 to start the season, on pace for what would be an astonishing 130 losses. The Rockies are losing at a clip that would result in 125 losses, and the Marlins 117.
Since 1900, only 21 teams have lost 110 or more games, led by the famously bad ‘62 Mets (40-120) and the 2003 Tigers (43-119). Detroit won five of its last six games to avoid setting a record.
In an era where tanking is considered an acceptable method to rebuild, losing is tolerated. The Astros lost 324 games from 2011-13 and have since won two World Series.
But baseball has never had a season with three teams with 110 or more losses. Worse, the Rockies and White Sox aren’t necessarily tanking. They’re just awful.
White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf fired team president Ken Williams and general manager Rick Hahn last August. But he passed on the chance to remake a stagnant organization by promoting assistant GM Chris Getz into the top job.
According to sources, several up-and-coming executives from outside the team were approached by emissaries of Reinsdorf to gauge their interest.
Getz was promoted days later. He retained manager Pedro Grifol, who seems overwhelmed by the job.
Andrew Benintendi, signed to a franchise-record $75 million free agent deal before last season, has a .657 OPS with the team.
The Rockies are another team with top-down trouble. Owner Dick Monfort runs an insular organization that makes a healthy profit every season because of good attendance.
He seems content to ride it out because the organization hasn’t had a winning season since 2018.
Colorado’s starters were 1-17 with a 6.46 ERA through Thursday. It didn’t help that the Rockies were selected to play the Astros in a two-game series in Mexico City and allowed 20 runs.
It’s so bad that the Rockies don’t have any decent veteran players they can trade for prospects.
The Marlins were 84-70 last season and made the playoffs for the second time in 20 years. Owner Bruce Sherman somehow decided that was his cue to force GM Kim Ng out of her job by demoting her.
Manager Skip Schumaker, who earned plaudits for his work last year, asked the team to alter his contract so he can become a free agent after the season. That was granted, and Schumaker will almost certainly join a new team.
The team’s only major league free agent signing in the offseason was infielder Tim Anderson for one year and $5 million. Miami also has a low-ranked farm system.
Sherman hired Tufts graduate Peter Bendix away from the Rays to be president of baseball operations. He has taken the Chaim Bloom route and focused on rebuilding the player development operation.
Meanwhile, the big league product suffers. The Rockies-Marlins series that ended Thursday drew 21,417 over three games.
The Caribbean Series Championship game at loanDepot Park on Feb. 10 drew 36,677.
Those 21,417 fans deserve something for their efforts. Maybe a team photo of the ‘62 Mets. HANGING IN Breslow makes some judicious improvements
Craig Breslow retired as a player after the 2018 season. But he still has a pulse of the clubhouse.
The Red Sox acquired Garrett Cooper, Zack Short, and Dominic Smith over a six-day span that started April 27. At the same time, they dropped Bobby Dalbec, Pablo Reyes, and Joely Rodriguez off the major league roster.
These are not franchise-altering moves by any means. But Cooper is a former All-Star; Smith has been an everyday player for the Mets and Nationals; and Short is an above-average defensive infielder.
The Sox were hit by a wave of injuries but managed to come out of April 17-13. They earned the right to get some reinforcements and Breslow provided them.
At the same time, he shed two hitters who were struggling at the plate and a relief pitcher who couldn’t be trusted in any sort of leverage situation.
Maybe the Sox are only a little better. But the message to the rest of the players is that Breslow saw them fighting.
“I like that we have some more veterans in here now,” Rob Refsnyder said. “They can keep us going.”
Manager Alex Cora joked that his “welcome to the Red Sox” speech is short and to the point.
“Welcome and, hey, do your job,” he said.
Also give Breslow credit for building up enough optionable Triple A starter depth to keep the Sox from using openers as often as they did last season.
“It seemed like last year we were out of gas the whole second part of the season using openers and bullpen games and all that.” Cora said. “We’re in a better place roster-wise, more flexibility.
“It’s very hard to have two openers in a week. At one point it’s not going to work.”
A few other observations on the Red Sox:
▪ It felt like Cora was babying Rafael Devers when he played him only three games from April 11-23 because of a sore left knee.
But the idea also was to make sure the third baseman had completely recovered from the left shoulder injury that hampered him at the plate. When Devers said he was ready, Cora waited two extra days.
There was a payoff. Devers was 13 of 29 (.448) with three extra-base hits and six walks in his first eight games after the layoff.
“He’s the guy here. I know about this kid and I know how it works,” Cora said. “Like I always say, take care of the player and the player will take care of you — or us in this case.”
Now that his shoulder has healed up, Devers is going the other way and taking better swings.
“He likes it. He likes what’s going on here and is glad that he’s a big part of this,” Cora said.
▪ On April 23, a day after Triston Casas was injured, Cora threw his support to Dalbec.
“He’s my first baseman. He’ll play,” the manager said.
Dalbec was optioned to Triple A Worcester nine days later with a .377 OPS over 59 plate appearances this season.
He was 6 for 23 (.261) with a double and three RBIs after Casas went on the injured list but also struck out 10 times.
Like many teams, the Sox are willing to live with strikeouts if a player has power. But Dalbec has one home run over 102 at-bats the last two seasons.
The Sox will move forward with a platoon of Cooper and Smith.
Dalbec, who will be 29 next month, doesn’t seem to have a future with the Sox. He looked like a potential cornerstone from 2020-21 but has faded since.
▪ The story Alex Speier wrote this past week on the Red Sox hiring a company to conduct an audit of the baseball operations department was interesting.
Breslow referred to Sportsology as an “unbiased executor” to help achieve his vision for the front office.
The Sox have nine people in baseball operations listed as executive vice presidents, senior vice presidents, or simply vice presidents, and another 22 as directors, assistant directors, or co-directors.
The Sox are two games over .500 since the start of the 2020 season. The Yankees are 74. That’s what gets “executors” invited to town. It seems changes are coming.
▪ The prospect cognoscenti all but threw a parade in February when Breslow traded John Schreiber to the Royals for righthander David Sandlin, a Single A starter with a healthy strikeout rate.
Schreiber was dismissed as an extraneous righthanded reliever the Sox were smart to deal away.
Schreiber then allowed one run on eight hits over 14⅓ innings in his first 15 appearances for the Royals and held hitters to a .452 OPS. Sandlin, 23, could well prove to be valuable. But he had a 6.75 ERA in his first three starts for High-A Greenville.
With Chris Martin struggling and Josh Winckowski in the rotation, the Sox could use Schreiber.
▪ Singer/songwriter Noah Kahan, who will perform at Fenway on July 18 and 19, bounced a first pitch at a game this past week, much to his chagrin.
But Kahn tossed a perfect game when he visited the Jimmy Fund Clinic on Monday. Director of patient and family programs Lisa Scherber said Kahan had “one of the most special visits” to the clinic.
Kahan, from Vermont, is a Sox fan.
▪ There will be a roundtable discussion with Pedro Martinez and David Ortiz as part of the Hall of Fame Awards Presentation program on July 20 at the Glimmerglass Festival, 8 miles north of Cooperstown.
Joe Castiglione will receive the Ford C. Frick Award for broadcasting excellence at this event.
Go to baseballhall.org/hofwknd to obtain tickets. ETC. No rainbow for Trout
The news that Mike Trout needs surgery on his left knee and will miss at least 4-6 weeks was, well, depressing.
Trout had 10 home runs and an .867 OPS through 29 games and even stole six bases in seven attempts. What looked like a comeback season after three years marked by injuries is now stalled.
Excluding 2020, Trout made the All-Star team every year from 2012-23. That streak is now in danger.
Trout, 32, has remained loyal to the poorly run Angels over the years and not requested a trade. Now he may be at the point where the injuries, his age, and his contract make that almost impossible.
Trout is owed $222.7 million from 2025-30. It’s hard to imagine a team being willing to take a chance on him unless the Angels picked up a large percentage of his salary to facilitate a trade.
That’s something owner Arte Moreno would almost certainly never approve unless he received several high-end prospects in return. So, what now?
Meanwhile, Anthony Rendon is an even bigger disaster.
The third baseman lasted only 19 games before suffering what appears to be a season-ending hamstring tear.
Since agreeing to a seven-year, $245 million contract before the 2020 season, Rendon has a .746 OPS and has missed 361 of a possible 580 games for assorted reasons.
Along the way he has been surly to fans and admitted that baseball is not a “top priority” for him and that he finds the game boring.
Angels GM Perry Minasian has done his best to build a competitive roster. But the obstacles in Anaheim could require years to overcome. Extra bases
Chris Sale is lined up to face the Red Sox on Wednesday night at Truist Park in Atlanta. The lefthander is 4-1 with a 3.44 ERA in six starts with the Braves. Opponents have hit .207 and Sale has averaged 10.3 strikeouts per nine innings. At 35, Sale has not been the dominant force he once was but is still plenty good. The velocity on his fastball and slider have ticked up from last season. Opponents have hit only .159 against the slider. The Braves have been careful to give him extra days off. Wednesday would be the sixth time in seven starts that Sale has worked on six days’ rest. That’s something pitching coach Rick Kranitz wants to continue all season in hopes of keeping Sale healthy. Sale has not faced the Red Sox since June 21, 2016, at Fenway Park, when he allowed one run over seven innings in a 3-1 victory for the White Sox. The only Red Sox batters he has faced are Garrett Cooper (0 for 3) and Rob Refsnyder (2 for 8). Sale made only 31 starts for the Red Sox from 2020-23, going 11-7 with a 3.93 ERA. But he sure did carve up Manny Machado when that was needed . . . The Dodgers were 7-2 in a road trip to Washington, Toronto, and Arizona. Their pitchers had a 1.91 ERA and the offense averaged 5.9 runs. One of the losses came after a nearly two-hour delay in Arizona on Tuesday because a swarm of bees took up residence on the netting behind the plate. The Dodgers could get even better with Walker Buehler set to return to the majors on Monday for his first start since 2022 because of elbow injuries . . . José Abreu had a .632 OPS through his first 163 games with the Astros and is signed for $19.5 million next season. He went into the weekend with three RBIs in 77 plate appearances and no home runs . . . You’ve surely read stories about major league stars paying for lavish postgame clubhouse dinners when they go on a minor league rehab assignment. Max Scherzer took that to a new level when he pitched for Triple A Round Rock last month. Scherzer arranged for a postgame buffet of bone-in ribeye steaks, filet mignon, and lobster tails. He also purchased Apple AirPods for all the players. Roger Clemens once bought couches and televisions for a Single A team in Houston’s organization when he came through town. But that was partially because his son, Koby, was playing for the team . . . Alex Verdugo has been heaping praise on Yankees manager Aaron Boone, a not-so-subtle dig at Alex Cora. Verdugo also recently said New York had “probably my favorite clubhouse I’ve ever been in.” Verdugo played on a 92-win Red Sox team in 2021 that went to the ALCS. That team had an excellent clubhouse. Verdugo also told The Athletic that he was under pressure in Boston to play like Mookie Betts after the Dodgers traded him to the Red Sox. “Everybody wants to say you have to be Mookie and compare yourself to him,” Verdugo said. That, of course, is ridiculous. Nobody in Boston or associated with the Sox expected Verdugo to be anything like Betts. They’re not comparable players in any sense . . . The 181st pick of the NFL Draft was Troy running back Kimani Vidal to the Chargers. He is the great nephew of the late Hank Aaron . . . Happy birthday to Tommy Helms, who is 83. The second baseman was best known for his tenure with the Reds from 1964-71. He was the National League Rookie of the Year in ‘66, a two-time All-Star, and a two-time Gold Glove winner. Helms finished his career with the Red Sox in 1977, playing 21 games. He went to spring training with the Athletics that season and was traded to the Pirates as part of a nine-player deal. Helms was released by the Pirates in June and joined the Sox a week later. Oddly enough, he was used as a designated hitter for the first time in his career and started only three games in the infield. He hit well at Fenway Park (.324 with an .820 OPS). Helms returned to the Reds as a coach in 1983 and had two stints as interim manager.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 5, 2024 6:21:32 GMT -5
Some Things I Think I Think: On Red Sox needing Rafael Devers to carry offense
Published: May. 05, 2024, 5:15 a.m.
By
Sean McAdam | sean.mcadam@masslive.com
* Before the start of the season, the Red Sox envisioned the heart of their lineup would consist of Rafael Devers, Trevor Story and Triston Casas. There were real questions about the bottom half of the batting order, the thinking went, but at least the Red Sox would have that reliable trio near the top.
Injures soon took care of that idea. Story suffered a major shoulder injury in the eighth game of the season and is lost for the year. Last month, Casas joined him on the IL with a ribcage injury that will sideline him until late June — at minimum.
Tyler O’Neill has been a nice surprise through the first five weeks, though his durability remains an open question. And the rest of the lineup is mostly dotted with first- and second-year players still trying to establish themselves.
That means Devers is going to have carry the offense for a while. On Saturday, he came to the plate with two outs and the bases loaded, but struck out to end the threat. It happens.
But when speaking to the media postgame about the at-bat, a key turning point in the game, Devers seemed to bristle at the line of questioning and became defensive. Devers has to understand that, as the team’s best hitter and (easily) the Red Sox’ highest-paid player, there are certain expectations for him. He’s also the longest-tenured player on the roster and the only one left from the 2019 championship team.
Again, no one is expecting Devers to deliver in every spot. But he has to understand that he’s now the hitter opponents are going to game-plan for, and whether he delivers or not, he’s going to be asked about those situations.
His 10-year, $313.5 million contract makes him the face of the franchise, and with that comes some accountability.
* It should be fascinating to see who replaces Jack Edwards as the Bruins’ TV play-by-play voice on NESN next fall. Figure that Alex Faust, who has local roots (Northeastern grad), extensive NHL experience (L.A Kings) and a foot in the door as a NESN fill-in, will be in the running. Judd Sirott, who’s been the team’s radio voice for the past seven years, might be another name on the list.
One potential candidate to consider: Tom Caron. Caron has carved out his own niche as Red Sox’ studio host, but has done plenty of hockey play-by-play before (Hockey East, Beanpot) and might be intrigued by a career change.
* Say this about the NFL: they sure know how to market their product. What other league could build up a schedule reveal as an honest-to-goodness Event. There will be the usual “leaks” to friendly outlets about the season opener and other showcase games, followed by a slow trickle about the first weekend. And then, the big announcement.
When you’ve reached the point when millions of fans are salivating about when they can watch your product, you’ve done your job.
* For the most part, ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith largely ignores baseball in his many hot takes. This week, he waded into the waters and rolled out not one, but two idiotic statements. First, he expressed genuine (?) surprise that baseball players suffer injuries then suggested Mike Trout’s knee injury was somehow “karma” for not demanding a trade to a contender. I think I liked it better when he deigned not to care about the sport.
* An awful of Celtics fans seem to be taking the Kristaps Porzingis injury very casually, with the belief that the Celts can easily reach the Finals without him. Are we sure about that?
* The lengths to which some MLB teams are going to hype the entrance of a closer in the ninth inning has gotten way out of hand.
* Maybe some NBA reporters should tell Patrick Beverley that they don’t interview players who are so replaceable that they’ve been with more than a half-dozen teams.
* Make all the geriatric jokes you like, but I think the notion of the Rolling Stones (Mike Jagger and Keith Richards each having turned 80) and Neil Young (age 78) still touring is a great thing.
* It’s been a while since anyone enjoyed his 15 minutes of fame like the Phoenix beekeeper. Earlier this week, Matt Hilton removed a swarm of bees that had nested in the backstop behind the plate, enabling that night’s Diamondbacks-Dodgers game to be played as scheduled at Chase Field. He took a victory lap in the bullpen cart, then got to throw out the ceremonial first pitch.
* Sure, we’re getting way ahead of ourselves. But the potential for the Bruins and Celtics to both be facing off against New York rivals in their respective conference finals would make this a pretty fun spring, would it not?
* It should be fascinating to see what happens with the ABS (automated balls and strikes) system and Major League Baseball. The labor agreement between the umpires and MLB expires after this season, and it seems likely that the introduction of ABS in the big leagues will be a bargaining chip in negotiations. Word is that while some major league umps would be OK accepting the ABS in exchange for bumps in pay and contributions to the pension system, many are steadfastly opposed to the challenge system, now being tried out in the minors.
* Here in the U.S., Disney World is marketed as The Happiest Place on Earth. In Canada, they have the most miserable: It’s called Maple Leaf Square. Points to those folks for persistence, I guess.
* If Kyle Teel turns out to be as good as everyone thinks, then the Red Sox will have a very valuable trade piece in Connor Wong this winter. Wong won’t even be arbitration-eligible until after the 2025 season and a team would be getting four years of control with him. Wong already had the reputation as a good defender. If he maintains the offensive improvement he’s shown this season, the Sox could get a haul for him.
* I suppose a trade could still be made, but how is it that, for the second straight year, the Patriots failed to acquire a No. 1 receiver in the offseason? Other than addressing the quarterback situation, it was the most obvious need on the roster. They had plenty of cap space, loads of cash and a full complement of draft picks and still came up empty.
Maybe Drake Maye turns out to be the Real Deal, and his selection will start the Pats back on the road back to contention. If you don’t get the quarterback right, nothing else matters. But spare me the talk of “weaponizing the offense.”
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 11, 2024 10:24:33 GMT -5
SUNDAY BASEBALL NOTES Do early deals mean teams will be more active in the weeks before the MLB trade deadline? By Peter Abraham Globe Staff,Updated May 11, 2024, 11 minutes ago
The trade deadline is just over 11 weeks away and there already have been two notable deals made by contenders.
The Marlins gave up on their season and sent All-Star second baseman Luis Arráez to the Padres for four prospects on May 4. Four days later, the White Sox traded outfielder Robbie Grossman to the Rangers for a minor league righthander.
Grossman had a .597 OPS over 25 games for Chicago, so it’s not a move that will change much for the last-place White Sox. But Grossman was a regular player for Texas last season, meriting 420 plate appearances and contributing 34 extra-base hits and 49 RBIs.
With rookie left fielder Wyatt Langford expected to be on the injured list for 3-4 weeks with a hamstring strain, the switch-hitting Grossman gives the Rangers a useful hitter against lefthanders. He also has 17 games of postseason experience.
Do these moves signal that teams will be more active in the coming weeks as opposed to the days leading up to July 30?
That was the question put to Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow, who already has made 11 trades since being hired in October.
“On the one hand, you have expanded playoffs keeping teams engaged longer, which is great for baseball fans,” Breslow said. “On the other side, if teams do fall out of the pack and are chasing multiple teams, are they willing to be decisive earlier on?
“There’s a chance an outlier or two becomes a trend, so we’ll see where things go.”
Breslow has shown himself to be decisive. He traded Chris Sale, John Schreiber, and Alex Verdugo to bring back prospects. He also traded prospects to obtain Tyler O’Neill from the Cardinals.
The Red Sox are among the large group of teams that could be either buyers or sellers come the deadline.
But the obvious buyers (Braves, Dodgers, Orioles, Phillies, and Yankees) and sellers (Angels, Athletics, Marlins, Rockies, White Sox) could push the market forward and bring other teams along.
Teams are chasing Oakland closer Mason Miller. Miami lefthander Jesús Lazardo, who is on the injured list with a flexor strain, seems sure to be moved once he is healthy.
It’s also fair to wonder if the Blue Jays will break up their underachieving core and start over.
The Orioles might be in the market for a closer given some recent stumbles by Craig Kimbrel.
Given their better-than-expected start, where do the Red Sox stand?
“The right plan is always to give some run to give what we believe to be our true talent to surface,” Breslow said. “We have major league talent in our pitching staff and we want to give those guys a chance to perform. We’re seeing that.
“The injuries have been something else that we’ve needed to weather. We’re six weeks into the season. It’s a little premature to make any irreversible decisions here. But generally we’re getting healthier. We’ve got some key members of the rotation coming back. We have some guys who have stepped up.
“[Trade strategy] typically becomes evident.”
Breslow played for seven teams over 12 seasons. He was a trade-deadline acquisition by the Red Sox in 2012. He’s also the first Red Sox head of baseball operations with major-league playing experience since Haywood Sullivan from 1978-83.
How will that background color Breslow’s moves over the coming weeks?
“My experience gives me a pretty good idea of how certain decisions may land in the clubhouse and maybe the opportunity to try to walk through the decision process to be open and transparent with players about why we’re doing certain things” Breslow said.
“The clubhouse matters and the sense of environment that’s created matters. But also, my decisions can’t be driven solely based on what the desire of the clubhouse is.
“But I do think when there is a chance to act decisively and with conviction in a way that improves the outlook of the team, especially when it doesn’t come at a sacrifice of what we’re trying to build here, then I think I’m well-positioned to understand what the benefits of that are.”
Breslow said he is “collecting more and more information” and studying data to determine which prospects are keepers and which he would be willing to include in trades.
“There’s so much volatility,” he said. “But fortunately the industry does a pretty good job of telling you the guys that you should value really highly.
“There are players who I might sit here today and say we would really like to hold on to this guy. But if there’s an opportunity to improve what we’re trying to do, you have to be willing to think about anyone in that context.”
Keep in mind that, with only a few exceptions, nearly all of the Sox prospects were drafted or signed during previous administrations. Breslow has little emotional attachment to those players.
PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT? Red Sox outfielders working as a unit
The season isn’t even a quarter complete, so all statistics have to be measured with that in mind. But the Red Sox having the most defensive runs saved in the outfield (13) is still astonishing.
The Sox were 18th in that metric in 2023 and 26th in 2022.
That Tyler O’Neill is playing left field instead of heavy-legged Masataka Yoshida is a big factor, as is the increased playing time for Wilyer Abreu in right field. Both players take good routes to fly balls and Abreu has an excellent arm.
The big change has been the improvement of Jarren Duran in center.
Outfield coach Kyle Hudson helped make that happen by having the outfielders do drill work as a group during spring training.
The Sox focused on individual defensive skills for several seasons. But Hudson wanted the outfielders to learn to work together.
Now Duran has a better sense of how much ground Abreu and O’Neill can cover and adjusts accordingly.
“We try to be as accurate as we can be with positioning,” Hudson said. “But those guys also have to communicate with each other and that part of it has been fun to watch.
“Jarren can play a step or two in either direction now because he knows what the other two will do. He’s playing with a lot more confidence.”
What makes it even more impressive is the Sox came into the season intending to play Duran in left, O’Neill in right, and Ceddanne Rafaela in center. That changed after Trevor Story was lost for the season with a shoulder injury and Rafaela went to the infield.
It sounds simple: Have players practice together. But it has worked.
A few other observations on the Red Sox:
▪ Pitching coach Andrew Bailey, deservedly so, has received credit for the staff’s turnaround. But there also has been improvement in the team’s day-to-day game planning against hitters.
Chief baseball officer Craig Breslow, who was director of pitching with the Cubs, is part of those conversations. He checks in with Bailey and manager Alex Cora on a daily basis about how best to approach certain situations.
“Those guys know what my preferences are,” Breslow said.
Director of pitching Justin Willard, game-planning coordinator Jason Varitek, pitching strategist Devin Rose, and bullpen coach Kevin Walker are all part of the daily preparation.
“The way I believe is the right way to do this job is to make sure the people around you know what the vision is, know what it is important, and then have the flexibility to operate within those constraints,” Breslow said.
▪ It’s mock draft season. MLB.com’s latest projection has the Sox taking Wake Forest outfielder/third baseman Seaver King. Baseball America has North Carolina outfielder Vance Honeycutt as the choice.
Unlike the NFL and NBA, MLB teams don’t draft for need. It’s all about potential.
But now that the Sox have Breslow running baseball ops, could it be time to take a pitcher in the first round? The Sox haven’t selected a pitcher with their first pick since Tanner Houck in 2017.
The Sox have the 12th pick and this is a draft with far more position players than pitchers among the top choices. But you’d like to think Breslow, Bailey, and Co. could find a future major league starter with that pick.
▪ Old friend Blake Swihart, now 32, has signed with Chihuahua of the Mexican League. He had been playing for Charleston in the independent Atlantic League.
It was a newsy week for 2011 Red Sox draft picks. Matt Barnes was designated for assignment by the Nationals after giving up 10 earned runs on 16 hits over 13⅓ innings.
Jackie Bradley Jr. is playing for Long Island in the Atlantic League and hit .235 with a .641 OPS through 13 games.
▪ Doug Mirabelli, Trot Nixon, and Curt Schilling attended a memorial service for former Sox player Dave McCarty in Oakland on Thursday. McCarty died suddenly last month at 54.
Senior director of club relations Jack McCormick attended on behalf of the team.
McCarty played for the Sox from 2003-05, part of an 11-year career in the majors. ETC. Livvy era begins, and Skenes, too
The Pirates promoting 21-year-old top pitching prospect Paul Skenes to the majors was welcome news for MLB’s social media department.
Skenes is dating gymnast Livvy Dunne, who has 5.1 million followers on Instagram and 8.1 million on TikTok. The couple met at LSU, where both won national championships.
Within baseball, Skenes is famous for his triple-digit fastball, power sweeper, and a “splinker” pitch that has the traits of a splitter and sinker. At 6 feet 6 inches, 235 pounds, he’s a true power pitcher while at the same time showing the ability to change speeds and attack from different angles.
Skenes started his college career at Air Force as a catcher and closer. He transferred to LSU for the 2023 season and became a full-time starter. He was 13-2 with a 1.69 earned run average for a team that finished 54-17.
The Pirates were extraordinarily careful with Skenes. He pitched only 6⅔ innings after the draft before being shut down. He then pitched one game in major league spring training before being sent down to minor league camp.
Skenes allowed three earned runs on 17 hits over 27⅓ innings in seven starts for Triple A Indianapolis and struck out 45 with only eight walks.
The Pirates could have had Skenes in their rotation to open the season. But GM Ben Cherington wanted to control his innings in such a way that he could pitch through the end of the season as opposed to being shut down in August.
When the Red Sox were in Pittsburgh last month, Cherington said the team had done as much research as it could to develop a plan for Skenes. But he acknowledged there was no way to be sure they were doing the right thing.
In Skenes and 22-year-old righthander Jared Jones (2-3, 2.63 ERA in his first seven starts), the Pirates have two rotation cornerstones to build around. Jones struck out 52 with only five walks over 41 innings in those seven starts.
This is the franchise’s chance to become relevant again.
But outside of baseball, Skenes is the boyfriend who makes occasional appearances in Dunne’s videos.
Dunne reportedly makes $500,000 apiece for promotional posts on social media and was one of the most valuable NCAA athletes based on NIL payments. When she attended one of Skenes’s minor league games in Bradenton, Fla., last season, the team put Dunne in a suite above the plate to shield her from a crowd of autograph-seeking fans.
Skenes and Dunne are not at the level of Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift. But MLB won’t complain. Extra bases
The Red Sox have no complaints about their rotation. But it’s worth noting that James Paxton was 4-0 with a 3.08 ERA through six starts with the Dodgers (despite 24 walks in 32⅓ innings) and Chris Sale was 5-1, 2.95 in seven starts for the Braves and averaging 11.0 strikeouts per nine innings. Sale’s slider produced 13 swings and misses against the Red Sox this past week, his most with that pitch in a game since 2018. Opponents have hit .158 against the slider. With Sale, it’s all a matter of health. But he’s also motivated by showing Atlanta it didn’t make a mistake in trading for him. “I owe it to the Braves to be the best I can be,” Sale said. Sale’s Hall of Fame résumé took a big hit in recent years. A few more All-Star Games and another ring would do a lot to improve his chances . . . Rays manager Kevin Cash was 758-636 going into the weekend. That’s the most wins in Tampa Bay history and sixth among active managers. Cash also has the longest active tenure with his current team (10 years). Dave Roberts (Dodgers) and Scott Servais (Mariners) have nine years . . . Through 15 starts, Shota Imanaga (Cubs) and Yoshinobu Yamamoto (Dodgers) were 9-1 with a 1.94 ERA. Their quick success in making the transition from Japan has increased interest in righthander Roki Sasaki, the flamethrowing 22-year-old ace of the Chiba Lotte Marines. Foreign professionals under the age of 25 are subject to international signing rules and signing bonus limits. But Sasaki has made it clear he wants to pitch in the majors. The question is whether China Lotte would hold on to him until after the 2027 season, when it can collect a posting fee . . . The 2018 trade that sent Christian Yelich from the Marlins to the Brewers is one of the all-time steals. The four players the Marlins received — outfielder Lewis Brinson, infielder Isan Diaz, outfielder Monte Harrison, and righthander Jordan Yamamoto — were busts. Brinson hit .199 over parts of six seasons and is playing in Mexico. Diaz hit .177 over 153 games and is now in independent ball. Harrison hit .176 in 50 games and has switched to college football at 28. He’s hoping to make the team at Arkansas as a walk-on. Yamamoto appeared in 21 major league games and is now retired . . . Call me cynical, but it’s a little too convenient that it took only 51 days for the gambling scandal involving Shohei Ohtani’s former translator to come to a conclusion. The story broke on March 20 that Ippei Mizuhara had essentially stolen money from Ohtani to feed a sports gambling addiction. It essentially ended Thursday when Mizuhara agreed to plead guilty to bank fraud for stealing $17 million from the Dodgers star. He is expected to receive a reduced sentence and will be required to repay Ohtani. Mizuhara has said he didn’t bet on baseball and Ohtani was unaware of his gambling. It still makes little sense any bookie would allow a bettor to fall $17 million in the hole without knowing how the debt would be paid. Or that Ohtani had no idea Mizuhara had stolen that much from him and was gambling it away. It’s also odd that Mizuhara was Ohtani’s only conduit to the Angels and his agents at CAA. There were somehow no other Japanese speakers in either organization . . . Action for Boston Community Development will hold its 25th annual Field of Dreams fund-raiser on May 19 at Fenway Park. The event brings company teams to Fenway to play softball. Contact events@bostonabcd.org or call (617) 348-6244 for information . . . Condolences to the family and many friends of longtime agent Barry Axelrod, who died at 77 on Friday. He represented, among others, Jake Peavy, Jeff Bagwell, and Craig Biggio . . . Happy birthday to Bob Heise, who is 77. The infielder played 11 seasons in the majors, including 95 games for the Red Sox from 1975-76. Heise was acquired in a trade with the Angels for Tommy Harper and was the team’s utility infielder for much of the season, appearing in 63 games. But he did not play in the postseason. Heise played only 32 games in ‘76 and was sold to the Royals after the season.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 12, 2024 5:46:19 GMT -5
Some Things I Think I Think: On how one roster move shows how improved Red Sox are
Published: May. 12, 2024, 5:15 a.m.
By
Sean McAdam | sean.mcadam@masslive.com
* A year ago, Josh Winckowski was arguably the second-best reliever on the Red Sox’ staff, behind only Chris Martin. Winckowski was effective and durable, sometimes capable of giving the Red Sox multiple innings.
On Saturday, the Red Sox optioned him to Triple A because they needed a roster spot for the return of Brayan Bello. It’s likely he’ll return before too long — either as a replacement for someone in the rotation, or to again serve as a high-leverage reliever.
His demotion serves as a reminder — as if one is needed — that the game is a what-have-you-done-for-me-lately business. But it’s also evidence at how much improvement has been made to the Red Sox pitching staff since the end of last season. Some of that is due to new arrivals, and some of it is due to the new pitching program that has resulted in better performances from pitchers who were here a year ago.
From top to bottom, the staff is both better and deeper. How else to explain that the Red Sox currently have their best staff ERA at this point of the season since the start of the Live Ball Era? And that’s in spite of ia spate of injuries that resulted in three projected starters spending stints on the IL since the season began.
Tanner Houck and Kutter Crawford have been coached up, and Cooper Criswell, Greg Weissert and Justin Slaten have shone as newcomers.
The Red Sox brought in Craig Breslow to fix the team’s pitching. In a little more than six weeks, the early returns suggest he has done just that.
* Charlie McAvoy’s play this postseason has been so alarming that it would be easier to accept if he were battling an undisclosed injury. That would at least offer an excuse for his ineffectiveness in these playoffs. McAvoy hasn’t scored a postseason goal since the spring of 2021, with just one goal in his last 34 playoff games. Between his reluctance to shoot in general and some sloppy turnovers against both Toronto and Florida, McAvoy’s been a disappointment. The Bruins should expect more from the league’s fifth highest-paid defenseman.
* The Celtics have too much talent to be just 8-7 at TD Garden in the last two postseasons, especially when you consider that they’ve been the higher seed in every one of the last five series. Being barely above .500 against lesser teams when it matters most is a sign that there’s something fundamentally lacking in their makeup.
Do the current Celtics believe that visiting teams are going to see banners from decades ago and suddenly cower in fear? In the last round, a mailed-in performance against Miami didn’t cause any real damage, and the same will likely be true for the team’s no-show in Game 2 against Cleveland. But in the long run, cruise control will come back to haunt the Celts at some point.
* No matter what else happens this spring, the Bruins have found a keeper in defenseman Mason Lohrei. Lohrei has played with remarkable poise in the playoffs, has shown the ability to move the puck effectively while also being responsible in his own zone. His emergence could mean the Bruins could move someone else off their blue line this summer to fill other needs on the roster.
* The NBA is enjoying a major bidding war for its next national TV rights agreement. Among the interested parties: current broadcast partners TNT and ESPN along with NBC and Amazon. When it’s all said and done, the NBA will have a TV deal that’s worth approximately two and a half times its current arrangement. For all the changes that have come to media in the last decade, sports retains its appeal to over-air networks, cable giants and streaming services alike because of the ability to draw viewers to live programming.
One way or another, Major League Baseball had better figure out a way to capitalize, too. Locally, the sport flourishes as a TV property as fans tune in to watch their favorite team. But on a national scale, baseball doesn’t resonate anywhere near the way it once did. Ratings for baseball’s postseason are routinely eclipsed by regular season NFL telecasts. Until MLB can figure out how to reverse that slide, it will remain a distant third to the NFL and NBA as a TV attraction — and leave a lot of money on the table as a result.
* It’s adorable watching New York fans dream of an NBA title for the Knicks. They won’t get out of the East, much less win it all.
* Sam Bennett will be wearing No. 9 for the Florida Panthers Sunday night, but it may be obscured by the bullseye target he’ll have affixed to his back. I have a hard time believing the Bruins won’t be out for revenge for Bennett having delivered a cheap shot to the head of their captain, Brad Marchand.
* The Rooney Rule is a well-intentioned effort on the part of the NFL to expand the pool of candidates for top front-office jobs and coaching positions, and for that the league should be applauded. Kudos to the league for making an honest effort to hire and promote qualified candidates of color. But in actual application, the rule is easy abused and ends up looking like a sham. The Patriots had clearly determined that Eliot Wolf would be their de facto GM, but had to pretend the job was still up for grabs, debasing the candidates they reached out to interview to fulfill the rule. There’s got to be a better way.
* The NHL was guilty of some major hypocrisy Friday. After a Canadian reporter said the league has put the Bruins and Panthers on notice following the third-period fisticuffs in Game 2, the league’s own Twitter account featured multiple highlights of that game’s fights to promote Game 3.
Pick a lane, Gary Bettman. You can’t be clutching pearls over the brawls, then turn around and use them to market your product.
* Thumbs down on the new Patriots’ “logo,” which wasn’t needed in the first place.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 12, 2024 5:51:05 GMT -5
MLB notes: Rays, Blue Jays struggles provide opening for Red Sox in AL East
By Mac Cerullo | mcerullo@bostonherald.com May 12, 2024 at 6:00 a.m.
Over the past few years, the AL East has been an unforgiving gauntlet, and those who weren’t on top of their game risked being left in the dust. That’s been the story for the Red Sox, who have been a middle-of-the-road club consigned to the basement in back-to-back seasons thanks in large part to the strength of their division rivals.
But that may no longer be the case this year.
Consistently among the top teams in the American League since the start of the decade, the Tampa Bay Rays and Toronto Blue Jays have slipped from their perch and struggled through the season’s first month and a half. Now the two former World Series contenders face a difficult road to get back into playoff contention, potentially making Boston’s path forward much easier in the process.
Entering the weekend, the Rays stood fourth in the AL East at 19-20 and the Blue Jays fifth at 17-21. The Red Sox have yet to play either club, but starting Monday they’ll face Tampa Bay seven times in 10 games and later Toronto six times in nine games between June 17-26. They’ll ultimately play the two AL East rivals a combined 26 times.
In recent years those matchups have been lopsided, so Tampa Bay and Toronto taking a step back would be a potentially massive development for Boston. But why is this happening? And is each team just off to a slow start or could this just be the beginning of a protracted slide? Rays riddled by injuries
No team has consistently gotten more out of less than Tampa Bay. Despite its financial limitations, the Rays always seem to find a way to compete, but even an organization with as much depth and savvy as Tampa Bay can only take so many hits before the ship starts taking on water. Pols & Politics: How exactly should Mass. lawmakers respond to Steward crisis?
The trouble dates back to last season when three of the club’s top starting pitchers underwent elbow surgery. Jeffrey Springs isn’t expected back until around the All-Star Break, Drew Rasmussen until the second half and ace Shane McClanahan likely not until 2025.
Beyond that, the Rays also lost their top three left-handed hitters — Brandon Lowe, Josh Lowe and Jonathan Aranda — to injury in the spring, along with young starting pitchers Taj Bradley and Ryan Pepiot, plus top relievers Pete Fairbanks and Colin Poche.
Given all of that, it’s no wonder the Rays have stumbled out of the gate.
“I think the Rays’ biggest issue so far is they haven’t had the team on the field that they expected in spring training,” said Marc Topkin, who covers the Rays for the Tampa Bay Times. “I agree that they’ve had a disappointing start, (manager) Kevin Cash says as much repeatedly, but they’ve kind of straightened themselves out.”
After falling to 14-18 on May 1, the Rays have since settled down and won five of their last seven games entering Saturday. They’re finally getting some help off the IL, with Josh Lowe and Bradley returning in the past week and Brandon Lowe and Fairbanks on rehab assignments. The hope is guys like Aranda and Poche won’t be far behind, and that Pepiot’s stay on the IL after getting hit in the leg by a line drive won’t be a long one.
But injuries aren’t the only explanation for Tampa Bay’s slow start. Several of the club’s biggest bats, including Randy Arozarena, Yandy Diaz and Harold Ramirez, haven’t performed to expectations. As of this writing Arozarena was batting .143 with a .533 OPS and Diaz .237 with a .595 OPS, but Topkin said the Rays don’t believe there’s anything more going on than just a slow start and with time the bats will get going.
“I think they’re going track record with (Arozarena) that he’s going to get it figured out,” Topkin said. “And Yandy Diaz won the batting title last year and his walks have been down so he’s been striking out a bit more, so I think they figure that’s going to settle down as well.” Tampa Bay Rays player Jose Caballero, right, celebrates with Richie Palacios after scoring on an RBI single by Yandy Diaz off Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Jack Flaherty during the second inning of a game Wednesday, April 24, 2024, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara) Tampa Bay Rays player Jose Caballero, right, celebrates with Richie Palacios after scoring on an RBI single by Yandy Diaz off Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Jack Flaherty during the second inning of a game Wednesday, April 24, 2024, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara)
One uncomfortable element of Tampa Bay’s current position is the status of Wander Franco, the ultra-talented 23-year-old shortstop who has been accused of engaging in an inappropriate relationship with a minor. Franco, who hasn’t played since last August, is under investigation and according to recent reports will be formally charged with commercial sexual exploitation of a minor in his native Dominican Republic. Depending on how the legal process plays out Franco may never play in MLB again.
Obviously the ramifications of Franco’s situation go far beyond the diamond, but strictly from a baseball perspective his absence has left a void that can’t be easily filled. That being said, Topkin said the organization isn’t dwelling on Franco and appears to have moved on.
“There’s not a lot of talk about Wander,” Topkin said. “Yes, he was a very good player for the Rays last year, but they don’t act like they’re waiting for him to come back or expect him to come back and make an impact.” Jays underperforming
Unlike Tampa Bay, whose problems are obvious, Toronto’s woes are much harder to explain.
The Blue Jays boast an impressive collection of talent on both sides of the ball, including a young core of All-Stars led by Bo Bichette and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Toronto has suffered a few injury setbacks like everyone, but by and large the club is close to full strength and on paper should be right up there with the Baltimore Orioles and New York Yankees atop the AL East.
But for whatever reason the Blue Jays haven’t been able to get out of their own way.
After a disappointing offensive season in 2023, Toronto’s woes have lingered and what should be a formidable lineup has proven shockingly punchless. Bichette, Guerrero and four-time All-Star George Springer have all gotten off to poor starts, and as of this writing the Blue Jays have averaged 3.58 runs scored per game, which ranks fourth-worst in MLB.
The poor showing is especially striking given the attention Toronto has paid to bringing the best out of its hitters.
“The team spent the entire offseason saying we’ve worked on our internal processes with the offense,” said Kaitlyn McGrath, who covers the Blue Jays for The Athletic and recently wrote a piece breaking down the club’s slow start. “They took Don Mattingly, who had been the bench coach and moved him into what they’re calling the offensive coordinator role, and they brought in another hitting coach, so there’s been this focus on overhauling the offensive process, how they do things internally, to spur on the hitters and hope they can hit more to their career potential. And it’s just not started out that way.”
The Blue Jays also didn’t do much to bolster their roster, though it can’t be said they didn’t try. For a brief moment this winter it appeared they had landed two-time MVP Shohei Ohtani, only for the reports he was Toronto-bound to prove premature. He ultimately signed with the Dodgers, and after the ill-fated pursuit, the Blue Jays changed gears and decided to double down on their existing club. They allowed third baseman Matt Chapman to leave in free agency, signed complimentary pieces like veteran designated hitter Justin Turner and infielder Isiah Kiner-Falefa, and otherwise bet on their returning talent to run it back.
That extended to the club’s starting rotation, which included four starters who made 31 starts, avoided injury and consistently delivered each time they took the mound in 2023. Jose Berrios and Yusei Kikuchi have continued to perform, but Kevin Gausman and Chris Bassitt have each stumbled early and the fifth spot has proven to be a revolving door.
On top of that the bullpen has been a disaster, collectively posting a league-worst 5.26 ERA, and it’s often seemed like whenever the Blue Jays come through in one area, something will go wrong in another.
“When you add it all up, you’re not scoring runs, and the odd time they do score runs then the bullpen gives up the lead,” McGrath said. “It’s an element where all aspects of the team are kind of underperforming and also you add in things aren’t clicking at the same time.” Should Rays, Jays worry?
So far the Red Sox have been able to capitalize on Tampa Bay and Toronto’s struggles, largely staying above .500 and in third place despite a litany of injuries and some inconsistent play. Boston will have to take care of its own business if it hopes to remain a potential playoff contender, but can the Red Sox count on the Rays and Blue Jays to stay on the mat? Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr., left, is too late with a high catch to make a play on Washington Nationals runner Jacob Young at first base during the first inning of a game Sunday, May 5, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/John McDonnell) Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr., left, is too late with a high catch to make a play on Washington Nationals runner Jacob Young at first base during the first inning of a game Sunday, May 5, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/John McDonnell)
That’s difficult to say.
Both Tampa Bay and Toronto are capable of playing much better than they have through the first six weeks, and there’s good reason to believe both can turn things around. The Rays are already starting to get healthier, and if fixtures like Arozarena and Diaz can start producing, then it’s not hard to imagine Tampa Bay making a run.
“I think it would be foolish to make any judgments after five or six weeks of the season,” Topkin said. “I definitely wouldn’t rule the Rays out at this point, if they get healthier you’re going to see them get on a bit of a roll.”
For Toronto, Gausman already seems to be settling into a rhythm after a rocky start and Bassitt’s track record suggests his numbers will even out in the end. As for Bichette, he’s been one of the most reliable contact hitters in baseball for years, so like Arozarena and Diaz the expectation is it’s only a matter of time before he gets going.
“He’s been so consistent over the bulk of his career in terms of being someone who can hit,” McGrath said. “We don’t think this is going to continue for him, you kind of bet on a guy like Bo to be able to figure it out.”
But can the same be said about Toronto’s other big hitters, particularly Guerrero? McGrath said that’s the million dollar question, because since finishing runner-up in the 2021 MVP vote the slugger hasn’t been able to come close to those same heights.
“It’s something that has followed him since then,” McGrath said. “People are trying to figure out ‘is this guy a superstar or is he just a very good player?’ ”
Given that Toronto’s farm system isn’t particularly deep, the clock is ticking for the Blue Jays to make the most of its window. McGrath said the organization’s current timeline roughly coincides with Bichette and Guerrero’s impending free agency following next season, so depending on how things play out, Toronto may have a difficult decision to make in July as far as whether the team will buy or sell at the trade deadline.
There’s no question the Blue Jays are committed to winning — the franchise has made historic investments over the past few years — but after getting swept out of the Wild Card round each of the last two years, there are real questions about how sustainable the current course actually is.
“They haven’t delivered that winner yet, so you start asking questions about the organization too, is there going to be change coming at the top?” McGrath said. “Those are all big questions the organization is going to be wrestling with, and the way the season has started this year, some of those questions are starting to bubble up now.”
One thing is for sure, Tampa Bay and Toronto are more vulnerable now than they’ve been in years. The clubs have consistently had the Red Sox number and Boston’s 19-45 head-to-head record against them since 2022 is likely the single biggest factor behind their back-to-back last-place finishes.
If this year is really going to be different, then Boston has to flip the script and knock their rivals down a peg every chance they get. Otherwise it’s going to be the same old story, with an ending that’s become all too familiar around here.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 13, 2024 19:05:31 GMT -5
MLB Announces Partnership With Roku For Sunday Broadcasts
By Darragh McDonald | May 13, 2024 at 4:07pm CDT
MLB announced that it has officially reached a deal with Roku to broadcast Sunday games. The first game of the new multi-year deal will be this Sunday May 19.
The league previously had a deal with Peacock to broadcast early Sunday games. It was reported back in April that the Peacock partnership was likely ending. Peacock evidently was willing to continue the arrangement at a lower price point than the $30MM they had been paying annually. Later reporting indicated they wanted to renegotiate the deal to around $10MM. However, MLB was close to lining up another pact with a different platform. Shortly thereafter, further reporting indicated that Roku was likely to be the new platform.
Now that the Roku deal is official, the details show it will be slightly different than the Peacock arrangement. Previously, the “Sunday Leadoff” games on Peacock all started shortly after 11:30am or just after noon Eastern, with the other games starting at least 90 minutes later to give Peacock a window of exclusivity. That will be the case with some of the contests on Roku this year, but not all. Here is the full slate, with all times ET:
May 19, Red Sox @ Cardinals, 1:05pm May 26, Blue Jays @ Tigers, 11:35am June 2, Twins @ Astros, 1:05pm June 9, Giants @ Rangers, 1:05pm June 16, Cardinals @ Cubs, 1:05pm June 23, Diamondbacks @ Phillies, 11:35am June 30, Pirates @ Braves, 11:35am July 7, Diamondbacks @ Padres, 4:10pm July 14, Yankees @ Orioles, 11:35am July 21, Brewers @ Twins, 1:05pm July 28, Reds @ Rays, 11:35am August 4, Giants @ Reds, 12:05pm August 11, Angels @ Nationals, 11:35am August 18, Marlins @ Mets, 12:05pm August 25, Nationals @ Braves, 12:05pm September 1, Dodgers @ Diamondbacks, 4:10pm September 8, Rays @ Orioles, 12:05pm September 15, Reds @ Twins, 1:05pm
Another change from the Peacock arrangement is that the games will be free, with no subscription required. There are no blackouts for Roku or MLB.TV users. The full details of how to access the games are provided by Brian Murphy of MLB.com.
Since there’s less of a focus on exclusivity and the accessibility is greater than under the Peacock, it seems that Roku and MLB are more focused on building the brand and fan interest, a sentiment that is present in statement from both parties.
“As television programming, live sports, and the leagues have fragmented across networks, apps, and multiple packages, Roku—home to all of them—plays an increasingly crucial role for viewers and advertisers,” said Charlie Collier, President, Roku Media, quoted in the MLB press release. “With this deal, Roku delivers free, live, weekly Sunday baseball and 24/7 baseball curation, destinations, and channels across our platform. The lead-in to all of television is now the lead-off for Sunday baseball as well. It’s a terrific partnership.”
“With free games available to anyone, MLB games on Roku will be widely accessible to fans,” said Noah Garden, MLB Deputy Commissioner, Business and Media, also from the statement. “Since Roku serves as an entertainment gateway for millions, this partnership offers a valuable new promotional and distribution platform for MLB games and content.”
Additionally, the broadcast teams will be “market-focused,” according to the announcement. The full slate of broadcasters wasn’t announced, but Chip Caray, Will Middlebrooks and Alexa Datt are listed for the first game between Boston and St. Louis. Since Caray and Datt cover the Cards and Middlebrooks the Red Sox, perhaps each game will feature a mix of broadcasters from both teams, though that’s speculation.
In addition to the live games, there will be an MLB Zone which “will include a more robust MLB FAST channel, with premium sports content around the clock including up-to-date highlights, MLB Game of the Week replays, Minor League Baseball game replays, and other baseball content.”
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Post by scrappyunderdog on May 15, 2024 19:37:38 GMT -5
SUNDAY BASEBALL NOTES Do early deals mean teams will be more active in the weeks before the MLB trade deadline?By Peter Abraham Globe Staff,Updated May 11, 2024, 11 minutes ago . . Call me cynical, but it’s a little too convenient that it took only 51 days for the gambling scandal involving Shohei Ohtani’s former translator to come to a conclusion. The story broke on March 20 that Ippei Mizuhara had essentially stolen money from Ohtani to feed a sports gambling addiction. It essentially ended Thursday when Mizuhara agreed to plead guilty to bank fraud for stealing $17 million from the Dodgers star. He is expected to receive a reduced sentence and will be required to repay Ohtani. Mizuhara has said he didn’t bet on baseball and Ohtani was unaware of his gambling. It still makes little sense any bookie would allow a bettor to fall $17 million in the hole without knowing how the debt would be paid. Or that Ohtani had no idea Mizuhara had stolen that much from him and was gambling it away. It’s also odd that Mizuhara was Ohtani’s only conduit to the Angels and his agents at CAA. There were somehow no other Japanese speakers in either organization . . . On the surface, it is impossible. There is absolutely no way a bookie thinks Ippie is making $16M in payments on his salary. The number of things that would have to go wrong is almost uncalcuable. 1-Ippie steals Ohtani's personal credentials. I doubt it, but it is possible. 2-Ippie cons a large bank into thinking he is Ohtani. Possible. 3-The bank has no internal controls for transferring someone $16M. I doubt it. 4-The bookie extends millions in credit to someone making $200-300k. No chance. 5-The FBI says $40M was lost, but only $16M was stolen. Someone owes someone $24M. They find bodies in the desert for a fraction of that. 6-Ohtani doesn't open up a bank statement in 23 months? 1,000-1 shot? 7-The bookie texts Ippie that he knows it is a cover job.
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Post by Kimmi on May 16, 2024 14:39:13 GMT -5
SUNDAY BASEBALL NOTES Do early deals mean teams will be more active in the weeks before the MLB trade deadline?By Peter Abraham Globe Staff,Updated May 11, 2024, 11 minutes ago . . Call me cynical, but it’s a little too convenient that it took only 51 days for the gambling scandal involving Shohei Ohtani’s former translator to come to a conclusion. The story broke on March 20 that Ippei Mizuhara had essentially stolen money from Ohtani to feed a sports gambling addiction. It essentially ended Thursday when Mizuhara agreed to plead guilty to bank fraud for stealing $17 million from the Dodgers star. He is expected to receive a reduced sentence and will be required to repay Ohtani. Mizuhara has said he didn’t bet on baseball and Ohtani was unaware of his gambling. It still makes little sense any bookie would allow a bettor to fall $17 million in the hole without knowing how the debt would be paid. Or that Ohtani had no idea Mizuhara had stolen that much from him and was gambling it away. It’s also odd that Mizuhara was Ohtani’s only conduit to the Angels and his agents at CAA. There were somehow no other Japanese speakers in either organization . . . On the surface, it is impossible. There is absolutely no way a bookie thinks Ippie is making $16M in payments on his salary. The number of things that would have to go wrong is almost uncalcuable. 1-Ippie steals Ohtani's personal credentials. I doubt it, but it is possible. 2-Ippie cons a large bank into thinking he is Ohtani. Possible. 3-The bank has no internal controls for transferring someone $16M. I doubt it. 4-The bookie extends millions in credit to someone making $200-300k. No chance. 5-The FBI says $40M was lost, but only $16M was stolen. Someone owes someone $24M. They find bodies in the desert for a fraction of that. 6-Ohtani doesn't open up a bank statement in 23 months? 1,000-1 shot? 7-The bookie texts Ippie that he knows it is a cover job. I don't know a lot about how the world of gambling with bookies works, but nonetheless, this whole thing sounds fishy to me. Call me skeptical, but I don't believe that Ohtani had no idea that any of this was going on.
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Post by scrappyunderdog on May 17, 2024 18:09:23 GMT -5
On the surface, it is impossible. There is absolutely no way a bookie thinks Ippie is making $16M in payments on his salary. The number of things that would have to go wrong is almost uncalcuable. 1-Ippie steals Ohtani's personal credentials. I doubt it, but it is possible. 2-Ippie cons a large bank into thinking he is Ohtani. Possible. 3-The bank has no internal controls for transferring someone $16M. I doubt it. 4-The bookie extends millions in credit to someone making $200-300k. No chance. 5-The FBI says $40M was lost, but only $16M was stolen. Someone owes someone $24M. They find bodies in the desert for a fraction of that. 6-Ohtani doesn't open up a bank statement in 23 months? 1,000-1 shot? 7-The bookie texts Ippie that he knows it is a cover job. I don't know a lot about how the world of gambling with bookies works, but nonetheless, this whole thing sounds fishy to me. Call me skeptical, but I don't believe that Ohtani had no idea that any of this was going on. FWIW, I have no particular objection to the coverup. Millions of people enjoy baseball, and Ohtani shouldn't ruin it for them. And the self-righteous writers will scream about how bad this is for BB, but this happens in every sport. But Ohtani not knowing I think is about a 0% chance.
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