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Sox season ends where it began

October 2, 2024 Leave a Comment

Every spring, at 0-0 before Opening Day, hope is the common denominator for all baseball teams. Hope that this will be the year.

Spilled cup — Photo by Chiara Guercio on Unsplash

But the Red Sox didn’t start with reasonable expectations of going all the way in 2024. No doubt, there was hope in corners of Sox Nation, but Vegas oddsmakers back in February anticipated 80.1 wins, and the house was right again.

On Sunday, after 162 games, the Red Sox finished dead even at 81-81, ranked third in the American League East. It marked the 25th time Boston had returned to a .500 record this season.

The Red Sox have now missed the postseason five times in the last six years (also 2019, 2020, 2022, and 2023).

As it was last year, the second half was a brutal one for Boston. After going 53-43 (.552) before the All-Star break (5th-best in the American League), the Sox stumbled to a 28-38 (.424) record in the back half, the third-worst mark in the AL. Boston was 30-41 (.423) last season’s second half.

On the road, the Red Sox were 43-38 (.531), their first winning record in away games since 2021 (also 43-38). But at Fenway, the losing streak extended to a second consecutive year, finishing at 38-43 (.469), the worst full-season home record since 2019 (38-43).

Interleague play, so often a hallmark of Red Sox excellence, faltered again in 2024. Boston went 21-25 (.457) against National League clubs this season, extending the club record with a third consecutive losing seasons in Interleague. Prior to 2022, the Sox hadn’t ever compiled losing records in back-to-back seasons of Interleague play.

Good Starts, Rough Ends

Red Sox starters allowed a .236 opponent average this season, which was the 4th-lowest BAA in the Major Leagues. They also compiled a 3.81 ERA (6th-best in AL) and 1.191 WHIP in 2024 (3rd-best in AL). Both were significant improvements over 2023, when Boston starters had a 4.68 ERA and 1.290 WHIP. It was the team’s best starters’ ERA since 2018 (3.77).

The Boston bullpen, was a different story. Their .259 BAA was the worst in AL and 2nd-worst in the Major Leagues after the Rockies (.282). The pen’s 80 home runs allowed was the most of any Boston relief crew since 2019 (83).

Only the hapless White Sox, the team that set the Modern Era record for most losses in any single season, blew more saves than Boston’s bullpen (31). Sox relievers converted on just 56% of their save opportunities. Only the Marlins (55%) and White Sox (36%) were worse.

Extra Outs

The Red Sox defense compiled American League-high 115 errors in 2024. Only the Marlins had more (117). The tally of Boston bumbles included an MLB-worst 27 errors by outfielders (27). Boston’s error tally was their most in any single season since 2004 (118).

Since 2019, no Major League team has committed more errors than the Red Sox (543).

Errors lead to unearned runs and, perhaps unsurprisingly, the Red Sox led baseball in that total, too, with 95 UER, or more than half an extra run allowed per game in 2024. Boston’s UER total was 20 more than the next-highest tally in the American League (75 for the White Sox).

The 95 unearned runs were the most in any single season for Boston since 1996 (114).

Sox Eliminated, Again

September 26, 2024 Leave a Comment

For a third straight year the Red Sox have been eliminated from postseason play. It happened Wednesday with a loss in the team’s final road game of the season.

Boston was essentially out of the race much earlier, of course, in large measure due to a bizarrely long late-season offensive slump that kept them from securing the third Wild Card spot in the American League. The Sox were slugging .500 from mid June to August, but have managed just a .377 SLG since August 9.

Three consecutive seasons matches the club’s longest stretch without a postseason appearance in the last 30 years (also 2010-12 and 2000-02). The next longest such drought was four years from 1991-94. Boston went 10 straight seasons without making the playoffs from 1976 to 1985.

Of course, missing the playoffs was a annual rite in Boston for many decades before that. From 1919 to 1966—a span of 48 years—the Sox reached the postseason just once, in 1946. That year they made to the World Series but lost to the Cardinals, 4 games-to-3.

Red Sox Postseason History

The Red Sox have advanced to the postseason 25 times in 124 American League seasons (1901-2024), including 11 times in the last 22 years.

The Sox have nine World Championships, which is third-most in Major League history after the Yankees 927) and Cardinals (11). Boston’s most recent championships in 2004, 2007, 2013, and 2018, are the most of any team this century.

RIP Larry Lucchino

April 2, 2024 Leave a Comment

Larry Lucchino, the former president of the Red Sox (2002-15), died on Tuesday at age 78. Lucchino, who once said he hoped his legacy would be that he “made a difference in the cities he lived in,” certainly lived up the claim. Across baseball tributes flowed in for the hard-charging baseball executive.

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So significant, it can be hard to put Lucchino’s contributions to this century’s Red Sox in perspective, let alone capture his achievements for other storied franchises like the Orioles and Padres. His obiturary in the Boston Globe captures a lot of the details, but consider this: Lucchino’s fingerprints are all over myriad Red Sox success stories, not the least of which include three World Series championships in 2004, 2007 and 2013, a revitalized Fenway Park that hosted a Major League Baseball record for sellouts, and the creation of the Red Sox Foundation, the club’s well-regarded charitable arm.

And in the early days here, it was Lucchino who pushed ownership to trust 28-year-old Theo Epstein with general management of the team, launching what will surely end as a Hall of Fame career. “For me and for so many of my best friends in baseball,” Esptein said, “Larry gave us our start, believing in us and setting an enduring example with his work ethic, vision, competitiveness and fearlessness.”

Later, Lucchio would become co-owner of the Triple-A Pawtucket Red Sox and help to bring Polar Park to fruition for the club’s subsequent move to Worcester.

Red Sox Pay Tribute

Red Sox players praised Lucchino’s unfailing focus on winning. “Larry was larger than life and loved to win, something that drives his teams to do the same. It was an honor to play for him, know and learn from him,” said Jason Varitek.

Teammate Dustin Pedroia concurred. “Larry was a winner. Didn’t matter if it was a contract negotiation, saving Fenway, asking players what we need to compete. Larry was going to work until the job was finished. He had a presence and an attitude that wouldn’t be denied. He was a tone setter for our organization,” Pedroia said.

Hall of Famer David Ortiz said that early on in his time with the club, Lucchino seemed to be just another “business guy,” but later as their relationship developed, so too did his appreciation for Lucchino’s drive. “He knew how to put the pieces together,” Oritiz said. “When you talked to Larry and understood what the Red Sox meant to him, you got the memo: win.”

A Winning Legacy

By all accounts, Lucchino was pugnacious, impatient, moody, mercurial, and hard-charging. But he also single-mindedly wanted to win. He suffered no fools, coined “The Evil Empire” to describe the rival Yankees, and could be tough to work for. But while others talk, Lucchino did. He embodied what it means to be an executive.

In his remembrance, The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal recounted frustration as a reporter with Lucchino but also admiration for what he accomplished. “Team Chairman Tom Werner promised the Red Sox would go “full throttle” this past offseason, and owership did nothing of the sort,” Rosenthal wrote. “Lucchino was always full throttle, and his legacy will remain vivid to all those who remember him.”

Red Sox Split Opening Series

April 1, 2024 Leave a Comment

The Red Sox opened the 2024 regular season with a 10-game, west coast road trip starting with four games at the Seattle Mariners. After a win on Opening Day, they lost the next two games, but managed an Easter Sunday victory for a series split.

Boston starting pitching was the highlight of the opening series. On Thursday, Brayan Bello allowed two earned runs over 5.0 inning with two strikeouts. Nick Pivetta followed on Friday with just one run allowed over 6.0 IP (and with 10 SO). Kutter Crawford‘s Saturday start was excellent, too, with one unearned run over 6.0 IP and seven strikeouts. And on Sunday, Garrett Whitlock worked out of jams and came away with just one ER allowed over 5.0 IP and 8 SO.

Pivetta took a hard-luck loss in his outing, joining Hall of Famer Cy Young in 1904 as the only Boston starters ever with a loss despite 10+ strikeouts, no walks, and no more than one earned run allowed.

Sox relief pitching against the Mariners was excellent, for the most part. Over the four game stretch, Boston relievers combined for 13.1 innings of relief with four earned run allowed and 18 strikeouts. If you didn’t follow spring training, you’d be forgiven for not knowing that Isaiah Campbell, Greg Weissert, and Justin Slaten are lining up to be big, new contributors to this year’s team.

By Monday, Sox pitchers had amassed 45 strikeouts, the most in the American League, and the fourth-most in baseball. The 45 strikeouts are the most over the first four games of a new season in franchise history.

Offensively, the Sox were spotty. Yes, Boston got good production from Tyler O’Neill (.400 with 2 home runs, 2 RBI) and Rafael Devers (3-for-10, HR, 2 RBI), as well as contributions from Reese McGuire, Connor Wong, and Ceddanne Rafaela. But it has been weak production so far for Trevor Story (.176), Triston Casas (.067), and Jarren Duran (.125).

Last, Once Again

October 2, 2023 1 Comment

In 2022, the Red Sox finished with 78 wins, in last place in the American League East. And in 2023, they did no better, finishing the regular season in last with the same number of wins.

Things are different this time, though. The Sox dismissed baseball boss Chaim Bloom in September and are on the hunt for a new head of baseball operations. On Monday, a day after the regular season ended, CEO/President Sam Kennedy said the process to replace Bloom was underway but refused to put a timetable on when a new leader will be in place. “We’re not going to let any deadline or timeline put constraints on the process,” Kennedy said, while acknowledging that the team has reached out for permission to talk with other club executives, though no formal interviews have yet to take place.

Kennedy said that while “There’s been a lot of incredible strides made across the organization,” the team’s performance at the Major League level has been unsatisfactory, reiterating the position he took after Bloom’s dismissal. “I think where we’ve fallen short is not getting to where we need to be at the end of the year. We should be playing right now,” Kennedy said. In the next leader, Kennedy said the club is looking for someone who can balance the competing goals of Major League success while building a sustainable organization at the minor league level.

Bloom’s replacement, Kennedy said, “is a decision that I’ll make along with ownership, ultimately, having the final approval.”

Asked about the planned payroll for 2023, Kennedy would not get specific, saying that he didn’t understand why other clubs tip their hand like that to competitors, but said resources wouldn’t be an issue. “The resources have been there,” under current ownership Kennedy said. “Where we’ve fallen short, sometimes, is in the allocation of those resources. And that’s on us to fix.”

Also from Kennedy on Monday…

The club will honor the life and community contributions of the late Tim Wakefield next season with details still be determined. Kennedy said that he agreed with Boston Globe columnist Dan Shaughnessy’s characterization that Sunday’s news of Wakefield’s death was “perhaps the saddest day in the 123 year history of the Boston Red Sox organization.”
Asked about the possibility of welcoming Curt Schilling back to Boston to honor the 20th anniversary of the 2004 World Championship, Kennedy demurred. “Not something I’ve given one minute of thought to.” Schilling has been justifiably criticized for publicizing Wakefield’s cancer diagnosis just days before his death without permission.
Kennedy brushed aside questions about the Red Sox playing an “unentertaining” brand of baseball. “Entertaining baseball is winning baseball. I don’t care what anybody says,” Kennedy said. “You can say that you need to play a different brand of baseball [but ] we got to win…Winning baseball is what matters, that’s what entertains people.”
Kennedy similarly waved off any concerns that candidates to replace Bloom would have misgivings about the role given its high rate of turnover. “This is the Boston Red Sox. If you want to run a baseball organization, this is where you want to be. You want to be in Boston. Why? Because it matters here more than anywhere else. So, if you’re not up for the challenge, thanks but no thanks.”
Season ticket holders should expect a “very modest, low, single-digit increase” in 2024.

Cora hints at years more as manager

Sox Manager Alex Cora once said he would not be advancing to the Red Sox front office in 2024, saying that he’s already told Kennedy that he doesn’t feel ready for that kind of role. “I feel like the impact that I can make here in this organization in the upcoming years will be in the dugout. That’s the way I see it,” Cora said. Cora is under contract for 2024 and Kennedy wouldn’t address questions about future years for the manager.

Despite missteps in executing baseball fundamentals this season, Cora said that he doesn’t believe a change to his coaching staff is necessary. “We just had a meeting an hour ago with our coaching staff and the tone of the conversation was we have to find ways to improve our players. You have to be willing to adjust what we have tried to do.”

With regard to star slugger Rafael Devers, Cora said it was important that he continue to develop defensively, and especially to overcome some “bad habits” that they’ve pinpointed when Devers moves to the left. “We’re going to work on a few things, and he’s willing to do it.” Cora said they will also work on Devers mental side of the game. “When you play, you’re going to make errors,” Cora said, “But then you’ve got to turn the page and make the next play and that’s what we’re going to work with him this off-season.”

Asked, as he was last year, what player needed to take a step forward and improve in the off-season Cora was introspective. “Us, as a coaching staff, we’ve got to be better. We’ve got to push these guys to be a lot better. And it’s on us to do this in the off-season, do that in spring training, and do it throughout the season next year. That’s my challenge this year, me and the coaching staff. We have to be better.”

Also from Cora on Monday…

In a brief tribute to Wakefield, Cora said that “he represented us with dignity.” He added that Wakefield was often tough on young players, “but in a good way,” teaching them “the right way to be a big leaguer, to be a Red Sox.”
On Rafael Devers, Cora said it will be a priority to work on defensive improvements in the off-season, and particularly on ground balls to the left. “There’s some habits that he has, bad ones, going to his left. To his right he’s really good, moving forward he’s been okay but I think it’s to his left and we’re going to work on a few things.” In addition, Cora stressed improving Devers’ mental side of the game. “When you play, you’re going to make errors. But then you’ve got to turn the page and make the next play.”
On rookie Enmanuel Valdez will play second base exclusively during winter ball and then get additional support from Sox coach Carlos Febles in the off-season. “First step is important, the angles that he takes is also something he needs to improve to become a solid defender at second base.” Says Valdez is already valuable to the team offensively, “plate discipline, the impact of the baseball, the at-bats that he puts together is impressive.”
Cora was generally positive about rookie Ceddanne Rafaela. “You saw the skillset. This kid is going to impact the defense,” but said that he needs to get stronger and put in more work on his offense. “There’s a few things offensively that everybody saw this month that he needs to work on. Plate discipline is one of them. There’s a few things mechanically that we do believe he needs to do to get to the fastball,” Cora said.