When it comes to the World Series, there’s not much more RSNStats can add to what you already know. On Wednesday, Joe Maddon‘s Chicago Cubs completed a thrilling, improbable conclusion to this year’s Fall Classic with an epic Game 7 win over Terry Francona‘s Cleveland Indians.
Better than most, Red Sox Nation understands the poignancy of this moment in history for Chicago and its fans.
Everyone is entitled to a well-deserved break, but with the end of the World Series comes the official start of the offseason and the lead up to Opening Day 2017. Throughout the offseason you’ll find up-to-date countdown timers on the right side of this page (or down below if you’re reading on a mobile device) with key MLB dates, including of course, the start of the Red Sox season. Check back for more key dates, like reporting dates for Spring Training, as they become available.
Now, on to some news especially for Red Sox fans:
- There was the usual flurry of personnel announcement around baseball Thursday now that the Fall Classic is behind us. For Boston, the big news was the club’s decision to exercise its option to retain Clay Buchholz for a reported career-high $13.5 million dollars. The Red Sox also decided to part company with Andover High School alum Ryan Hanigan, choosing to pay him $800,000 rather than retain him for $3.75 million. Hanigan, you may recall, came to the Red Sox via a trade with the Padres in December 2014 for Will Middlebrooks.
- Despite interviewing four for the job, there’s a view that the Diamondbacks manager’s job will go either to Red Sox bench coach Torey Lovullo or Arizona Triple-A manager Phil Nevin.
- Baseball America’s updated look at Red Sox prospects ranks Andrew Benintendi at the top of the heap, leaping over Yoan Moncada, who ranked second. The report says Benintendi “has a chance to be a perennial all-star who competes for batting titles.” Third baseman Rafael Devers and pitchers Michael Kopech and Jason Groome, rounded out the club’s Top 5.
- Expect to pay $1 to $5 more at Fenway next season. The club announced that 19 of 26 ticketed sections at Red Sox home park will go up by about 3%. Ticket prices at Fenway have gone up in three of the last four years. They’re currently the highest average ticket prices in the major leagues. Ticket sales for 2017 begin on December 10.
- The Sox announced the next Baseball Winter Weekend will take place January 20-22 at Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, Connecticut. With the transition of RSNStats World Headquarters from Las Vegas to New England this fall, I’m putting this event on my calendar to check out in person for once.