Sox Sign PED-Abusing Reliever Jenrry Mejia As Craig Kimbrel Still Available

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Talk about scraping the bottom of the barrel! In a futile attempt to bolster what is clearly a sub-par 2019 bullpen, the Red Sox went out and signed a three-time PED loser, Jenrry Mejia, to a contract. Mejia, who has previously pitched for the Mets, was "banned for life" by MLB just two years ago—but apparently he's undergone a "born-again" experience. Get a load of Dave Dombrowski's explanation: "He pitched last season and was free from PEDs. We are hopeful that he has learned from his past mistakes." Great. Jose Canseco's probably not juicing now either—why don't we sign him (despite his weird preoccupation with aliens and time-travel)? This bullpen fiasco is all the more galling, since an actual closer—Craig Kimbrel—is still out there (and reportedly willing to even sign a one-year deal). This Mejia dude isn't even that good when he's using—posting a career mark of 9-14 with a 3.68 ERA (and 28 saves). What the heck are we thinking?

Ex-Red Sox Catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia Announces Retirement From MLB

(2011 FN Photo)

Former Red Sox catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia announced his retirement from MLB—ending a 12-year major-league career with seven different teams. "Salty" spent four seasons in Boston (2010-2013)—compiling a .243 average, with 55 HRs and 181 RBIs. He hit .300 in the 2013 ALDS against the Tampa Bay Rays—and was Boston's #1 catcher in that championship season. In his overall career, he hit .232, with 110 HRs and 381 RBIs. About his Boston experience, Saltalamacchia stated the following: "I want to especially thank Theo Epstein, Ben Cherington and ownership of the Boston Red Sox for believing in me so much that they brought me over to fill the shoes of my childhood idol and mentor Jason Varitek! I can tell you playing beside him and putting on the Red Sox jersey and playing the position of Red Sox greats like the captain and Carlton Fisk was humbling and an honor!! To win a World Series is one thing but to win it in front of the iconic baseball fans of Boston is truly my most memorable moment!" Happy retirement, Salty!

Red Sox Postpone White House Trip Until May Due To Government Shutdown

The Red Sox have announced that they will postpone their trip to the White House until May—due to the on-going partial government shutdown. The team had originally scheduled the trip—to celebrate their 2018 World Series Championship—for February 15th. The Red Sox visit Camden Yards in Baltimore on May 6-8—with an off-day on the 9th that could be used for the visit. Stay tuned.

Red Sox Are Still Playing 'Cat And Mouse' On Paying For More Bullpen Help

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Clearly, the Red Sox are still in 'bluff mode' over whether they are willing to spend what's necessary to get a serviceable 2019 bullpen. Dave Dombrowski has been uttering unintelligible things like this: "I don’t really. I mean, I would gather that if we did anything they would be bullpen orientated. That’s where we lost a couple guys. But we do like some of the people we have in our pen, some guys coming back....So that’s the one area where you keep an open mind to. I don’t anticipate a large expenditure there. I think it would be more big league roster invites and see if they could make the club. Of course you keep a pulse on everything taking place and if there’s one area, that would be it." Thanks for clearing that up, DD! OK, so no large expenditure (translation: forget Craig Kimbrel?). Or, keep a pulse on everything (translation: we don't want to go over the luxury tax threshold, but we're so close, why not get Kimbrel anyway?) Who knows? Like we said, 'bluff mode'. Stay tuned!

Alas, The Vaunted Drew Pomeranz Era Has Ended With The Boston Red Sox

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Multiple reports indicate that former Red Sox left-handed starter Drew Pomeranz has signed a one-year, $1.5 million contract with the San Francisco Giants. After a stellar 2017 season (17-6, 3.32 ERA), Pomeranz signed a one-year, $8.5 million deal with Boston. Injuries and ineffectiveness bumped him from the 2018 rotation and relegated him to the bullpen. However, Pomeranz was not on the post-season roster that captured the World Series Championship for Boston. In his three seasons wearing Carmine Hose, Pomeranz posted a 22-17 record, with a 4.24 ERA. In his overall eight-year MLB career (also with Colorado, Oakland and San Diego), he is 44-48 with a 3.92 ERA. Clearly, the Giants are hoping that a return to health with allow the lefty to regain the prominence he displayed in the 2017 season for the Red Sox. We wish Drew the best.

IBWAA Selects Roy Halladay and Mariano Rivera In 2019 Hall Of Fame Voting

In its tenth annual Hall of Fame election announced Tuesday, the IBWAA added two players to its digital Hall of Fame. Mariano Rivera was the top vote-getter, with 173 out of 174 ballots cast (99.43%). Roy Halladay received 161 votes (92.53%). A 75% threshold is required for election. Complete election results below. Barry Bonds (2018), Rogers Clemens (2018), Edgar Martinez (2016) and Mike Mussina (2018) did not appear on the 2019 IBWAA Hall of Fame ballot because they have already been elected in previous years. With those exceptions, the IBWAA ballot was identical to the one used by the BBWAA. All voting is done electronically. Per a group decision in January, 2014, the IBWAA allows members to vote for up to 15 players, instead of the previous 10, beginning with the 2015 election. In the 2019 election, 62 members voted for 10 or more candidates. Seven members voted for 15 candidates. The average vote per member was 8.25. Complete voting results are as follows:

Ballot tabulations by Brian Wittig & Associates. The IBWAA was established July 4, 2009 to organize and promote the growing online baseball media, and to serve as a digital alternative to the Baseball Writers’ Association of America (BBWAA). Voting for full season awards takes place in September of each year, with selections being announced in November. The IBWAA also holds a Hall of Fame election in December of each year, with results being announced the following January. In 2010, the IBWAA began voting in its own relief pitcher category, establishing the Rollie Fingers American League Relief Pitcher of the Year and the Hoyt Wilhelm National League Relief Pitcher of the Year Awards.

Both FenwayNation Editor-In-Chief Ernie Paicopolos and FenwayNation International Editor Mark Lawrence are voting members of IBWAA.

Among others, IBWAA members include Jim Bowden, Pedro Moura, Ken Rosenthal and Eno Sarris, The Athletic; Tim Brown, Yahoo! Sports; Craig Calcaterra, NBC Sports Hardball Talk; Bill Chuck, Billy-Ball.com; Chris De Luca, Chicago Sun-Times; Jon Heyman, Fancred; Tyler Kepner, New York Times; Danny Knobler, Bleacher Report; Kevin Kennedy; Kostya Kennedy, Sports Illustrated; Brian Kenny, MLBN; Will Leitch, New York Magazine; Bruce Markusen, Hardball Times; Ross Newhan; Dayn Perry and Matt Snyder, CBSSports.com; Tom Hoffarth, Los Angeles Times; J.P. Hoornstra Los Angeles Daily News; Tracy Ringolsby, MLB.com; David Schoenfield, ESPN.com; and Bill Arnold.

Red Sox-Dodgers World Series And Rams-Pats Super Bowl An Historic First

When the 5-time Super Bowl Champion New England Patriots meet the 1-time Super Bowl Champion Los Angeles Rams, there will be some sports history made. For the first time ever, cities that met in the same-season World Series will also meet in the Super Bowl. The only other time this almost happened was back in 1969—when the New York Jets and Baltimore Colts squared off in Super Bowl Three in January of that year, followed by the New York Mets and Baltimore Orioles facing off in the World Series the following October. The problem is that the 1969 match-ups were in different seasons—albeit in the same calendar year. So the current tandem Boston (New England) vs. Los Angeles tilts will make some sports history. Of course, as all right-thinking people know, the results will be two wins for Boston and no wins for La-La Land.

Red Sox Go Bargain-Hunting To 'Bolster' A Clearly Lackluster 2019 Bullpen

We're the World Series Champions, right—we weren't hallucinating about all that stuff that happened last October? OK, we thought so. Yet, Dave Dombrowski continues to go 'on the cheap'—bottom-feeding for two-bit relievers to 'bolster' a clearly depleted Boston bullpen. This, while the guy they really need is former closer Craig Kimbrel—who is surely willing to come down on his previously ludicrous asking price (now that his market has collapsed). Now, word is that Dombrowski is trolling for the likes of: Shawn Kelley, Brad Brach, Greg Holland, A.J. Ramos, Justin Wilson and Oliver Perez. Say what? Apparently, this is all in an effort to remain below the $246 million luxury tax threshold. Again, do you give a hoot whether John Henry forks over a little more of his billion-dollar fortune to MLB? We sure as heck don't. Let's not forget, Henry is the temporary custodian of our franchise. Nothing more, nothing less. He needs to pay up and get this team a bullpen that won't be an embarrassment.

FN Guest Column: 'Ellen Adair's Rules for Cheering Part I—How Not to Cheer'

Renowned Actress (And Baseball Nut) Ellen Adair

by Ellen Adair

In the unlikely event that you have been guided to this article through your search engine because you are looking for information on the legitimately athletic endeavor of being a cheerleader, let me tell you now, you have come to the wrong place. I am here to discourse today on an activity that really shouldn’t be that hard: cheering as a spectator at a sporting event. 

I say it really shouldn’t be that hard, but most of the cheering I hear at sporting events is seriously lacking in creativity, specificity, positivity, or all three combined. So while I don’t imagine people need to be instructed on how to sit in a chair, if left and right you saw people missing their seats by inches or lying on the ground with their feet on the seat, there would be an even more robust search result for “how to sit in a chair” on YouTube than currently exists. (And yes, I did just now enter “how to sit in a chair” into YouTube’s search engine to see that there are more entries than I cared to view. You thought you were just in for an opinion piece, but I am ready to back up FenwayNation’s solid journalistic integrity with some thorough research.)   

So, who am I to instruct the world on my cheering modality? Only someone who loves to root, root, root for the home team so much that I have to have more than one home team, as outlined in my earlier article about my Complex Flow-Chart of Baseball Allegiances. In “My Rules for Cheering,” however, I’m not advocating you cheer for multiple teams, just that we, together, try to elevate the general level of creativity in sports-fan cheering. 

The Red Sox Catching Troika Will Likely Only Be A Duo By Opening Day 2019

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While the sluggish free-agent market has hampered Dave Dombrowski's stated desire to trade one of his three catchers this off-season, he is still trying to peddle one of those backstops. Since none of the three can be considered "elite" behind the plate, the youngest of the bunch—Blake Swihart—might fetch the most interest from other teams. At 26, Swihart is the classic "potential" guy—a top pick who has never gotten enough playing time, either because of injury or general happenstance. Teams like the Phillies have reportedly expressed interest in Swihart—since he fits the versatility mold preferred by Philadelphia manager (and former Red Sox player) Gabe Kapler. It's unclear what Swihart would bring back in a trade, but clearly bullpen help is desperately needed by Boston. As the free-agent market begins to heat up, we may see some action on Swihart—or perhaps Sandy Leon and Christian Vazquez will find more suitors. While Dombrowski has told Swihart that he will compete for the starting catching job, it's anybody's guess who will actually be behind the plate for Boston on Opening Day. Stay tuned!

Red Sox Bullpen Woes Compounded By Continued Absence Of Carson Smith

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Just when you thought the Red Sox bullpen situation couldn't get any worse, we find out today that right-handed reliever Carson Smith will not be ready for the start of the 2019 season. Hey, what else is new with this guy? Smith underwent surgery on his shoulder last June—and now the "hope" is that he might start throwing "sometime" during Spring Training. Are you kidding? Boston is already losing the "arms race" in the 'pen versus The Evil Ones, now it's even worse. Dave Dombrowski has got to drop this fake chess match with Craig Kimbrel's agent and sign the closer to a one-year deal—allowing him to re-test free agency next off-season. Do it, DD! 

POLL: Majority See Kelly Getting Warmer Reception When LAD Visit Fenway

Very early voting in our latest FenwayNation Poll shows that a majority of readers (52%) think that Joe Kelly (AKA Jim Buchanan) will get a warmer reception from Red Sox fans than Dave Roberts—when The Denizens Of Chavez Ravine visit Fenway in July. As the chart shows, the next highest percentage (29%) think the two former Red Sox players will get "equally" warm receptions from the crowd during the three-game set (July 12-14, 2019). Just under one-fifth of readers (19%) think Roberts (one of the heroes of the 2004 World Series team) will get the warmer reception. Kelly, of course, turned in huge outings during the 2018 post-season and has also become a bit of a folk-hero in Boston for his "Fight Club" performance against The Evil Ones. You can still vote in the poll HERE.

POLL: Who Will Get Warmer July Reception: Dave Roberts Or Joe Kelly?

In July, the Dodgers will visit Fenway Park for a three-game series (12th-14th). Who will get the warmer reception—Dave Roberts or Joe Kelly?

Dave Roberts

Joe Kelly

(Both will get equally warm receptions)

 

pollcode.com free polls

Is Sox Honcho Dave Dombrowski Conceding Bullpen Wars To Evil Empire?

Incredibly, Red Sox President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski seems content to go into the 2019 season with a bullpen that pales against that of The Evil Ones— most prominently consisting of Adam Ottavino, Aroldis Chapman, Dellin Betances, Chad Green and Zach Britton. Boston, as we write this, has a relief corps consisting mostly of: Matt Barnes, Ryan Brasier, Tyler Thornburg, Carson Smith, Hector Velazquez, Steven Wright, Brandon Workman and Bobby Poyner. Even the most starry-eyed Red Sox fan has to concede: game, set, match to The Bronx Embalmers. We understand that Dombrowski is engaging in a little gamesmanship with Craig Kimbrel and his agent—but time is running out. Let's give him a one-year deal and let him test free-agency next off-season. We need him, and he (apparently) also needs us. Just do it!

Pitch Clock Still Possible For 2019 Season—Not Curbs On Defensive Shifts

According to Sports Illustrated's Tom Verducci, Major League Baseball is still seriously considering implementing a pitch clock for the 2019 season. Team owners, via the authority of Commissioner Rob Manfred, have the ability to unilaterally implement a pitch clock—without consulting the players union. However, Manfred has reached out to the union—and, in fact, the players' concerns forced him to punt on the pitch clock idea last season. Any changes to defensive shifts would need approval of the union—so that change is unlikely for 2019. The proposed pitch clock would run 18 seconds when the bases are empty—and be goosed up to 20 seconds with runners on base. Despite the success seen in the minor leagues with a pitch clock, it seems to us that the marginal improvement in "pace of play" is not worth such a radical change. We understand the desire to pick up the pace of MLB games to appeal to younger audiences—but this seems a bridge too far. We hope the commissioner punts again on this move.

Red Sox Manager Alex Cora Is Waffling On Visiting White House In February

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Red Sox manager Alex Cora is re-thinking his personal attendance at the team's White House ceremony next month. Cora has been displeased with the government attempt to divert disaster-recovery funds for Puerto Rico to help fund a border wall with Mexico. As of this moment, Cora is still going, telling USAToday: "Right now I can say yes. It might change tomorrow." Cora also stated, "In the offseason I was like ‘whoa.’ It’s different right now back home. Not only for me but for my family. So we’ll see. We’ll see. I’ll represent them the right way. We’ll have to wait." The Red Sox had seemingly gone out of their way—particularly via comments by team President Sam Kennedy—to make the visit non-political. Things seemed to be progressing smoothly until these latest comments by the skipper. Stay tuned.

Massachusetts Governor Baker Files Bill To Legalize Sports Betting In State

It looks as if Massachusetts will be joining the growing number of states looking to "cash-in" on the sports betting market. Governor Charlie Baker will file legislation to legalize sports betting in the Commonwealth. Touted as "An Act To Establish Sports Wagering in the Commonwealth" it would allow sports wagering lounges at the three licensed casino operations in the state, and also permit bettors within Massachusetts to place sports wagers from their phones and laptops. The bill is estimated to generate $35 million in tax revenues in fiscal 2020 alone. After the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the federal law restricting sports betting to Nevada, a succession of states have talked about taking the plunge. New Jersey already has—and to a lesser extent Rhode Island has as well. This Massachusetts legislation does not include the so-called "integrity fee" that has been requested by professional sports leagues like Major League Baseball.

Evil Empire Signs Adam Ottavino, High Urgency For Red Sox to Sign Kimbrel

According to multiple reports, The Bronx Embalmers have signed relief pitcher Adam Ottavino to a three-year, $27 million contract. The former Northeastern University Husky was rumored to be high on the list of Dave Dombrowski as a partial replacement for Craig Kimbrel. Now, it appears more vital than ever that the Red Sox re-sign Kimbrel. Unconfirmed reports have suggested that the closer may be willing to sign back with the Red Sox on a one-year, $18.5 million deal—allowing him to test the free-agent waters again next off-season. Whatever it takes, Boston clearly needs a more fortified bullpen that they have right now—they need Kimbrel back.

What's In A Name? Melvin Upton Is Now B.J. Upton Once Again For 2019

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Somehow, this is comforting news. The Player Formerly Known As B.J. Upton (and Melvin Upton since the switch) will now be B.J. Upton again. In case you didn't know, the original reason for the "B.J." nickname was to avoid confusion with the player's Dad, Melvin Upton (who had the nickname "Bossman"). The younger Melvin was often called "Bossman Junior"—hence the B.J. moniker. Got it? Anyway, while he was known as B.J., Upton had a pretty good eight years in Tampa—clouting 118 HRs. Upton has not played in the majors since 2016, so the name change thing might be a way to re-ignite his career and hook-up with a new team.

The Red Sox Will Pay An Early Visit To The White House On February 15th

The 2018 World Series Champion Red Sox will visit the White House on February 15th—an atypically early visit. Generally, the team has made the White House visit during the regular season—usually when the team makes its first trip to Baltimore. Red Sox President Sam Kennedy offered the following explanation for the unusual timing:"This was the date that was preferred by Alex Cora, Dave Dombrowski and the coaching staff. We wanted to set it up earlier rather than later. Some years in the past, we went during April or May when we’ve played down in Baltimore. Those always seemed a little bit stale. There was quite some time between the championship and the visit. So, we wanted to do it during the winter. We looked at the possibility of doing it after Winter Weekend, which is this weekend (Jan. 18-20), but this is the date everyone will be in Fort Myers. We’re going to do a charter from Fort Myers up to Washington D.C. and back in the same day. It’s actually most convenient to players and their spouses." Thankfully, while some (un-named) players will not attend, the team is going out of its way to avoid political issues. Said Kennedy: "Just like in the past, I’m sure there will be players who choose not to go, who do go. We’ve been pretty consistent and clear about this. This is an honor and a privilege to be invited to the White House. We’ve tried to not make it a political statement." This will be the fourth visit by the Red Sox to the White House to celebrate a title in the last fifteen years.

With Over 41% Of Ballots Now Public, Curt Schilling Is Inching Closer To HOF

With 41.5% of all ballots now in the public domain, Red Sox legend Curt Schilling is actually picking up some ground in his quest to be inducted in the National Baseball Hall Of Fame. As of this morning, Schilling has garnered 73.7% of the public vote—with 75% needed for induction. He needs 183 of the 241 remaining votes to get to the magic 75% threshold. Interestingly, Schilling is now ahead of both Barry Bonds (72.5%) and Roger Clemens (73.1%) in the voting. Still on-pace for induction this Summer are: Mariano Rivera (100%), Roy Halladay (94.2%), Edgar Martinez (90.1%), and Mike Mussina (81.3%). Very few observers thought Schilling would gain entry this year—or even get this tantalizingly close. He will have three more shots at getting in after this year, so things are looking up for the big righty. Over his 20-year MLB career, Schilling posted a 216-146 record—with a 3.46 ERA. He also struck out 3,116 batters. In the postseason, he was 11-2 with a 2.23 ERA. You can track all of the public Hall Of Fame voting HERE.

Red Sox And Eduardo Rodriguez Agree On A $4.3M Deal, Avoid Arbitration

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The Red Sox 'inked up' another player today, agreeing to a one-year, $4.3 million contract with left-handed starter Eduardo Rodriguez. This amounts to a nearly $2 million raise for ERod—who finished 2018 with a 13-5 record and a 3.82 ERA. As MassLive.com's Christopher Smith points out, Boston's starting rotation will set John Henry back a whopping $87.625 million for 2019. This includes the new contract for Rodriguez, plus those of Chris Sale ($15M), David Price ($31M), Rick Porcello ($20.635M) and Nathan Eovaldi ($17M). Various estimates of the total 2019 payroll are in the range of $236 million—$30 million over the $206 million luxury tax threshold. And that doesn't even count what it will cost to bring back Craig Kimbrel or a substitute like Adam Ottavino. Of course, at least most of that money will be going to players who are actually going to perform for the team in 2019—unlike the $23 million that will be paid Pablo Sandoval this year. Oy!

Evil Empire Signs DJ LeMaheiu To Two-Year-Deal, Now Likely Out On Macahdo

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Well, forget about that Red Sox-Giants trade for Joe Panik. Multiple reports now confirm that The Evil Ones have signed free-agent second-baseman DJ LeMaheiu to a two-year, $24 million contract. This probably also means that The Bronx Embalmers are now out on the Manny Machado sweepstakes—a free-agent they never actually made a formal offer to anyway. It's more and more likely that Machado will end up with either the White Sox or Phillies—both of whom have made efforts to sign players and/or coaches that are "Friends Of Manny". With the arbitration settlement of Mookie Betts (1 year, $20 million) and the signing of LeMaheiu, it looks like this otherwise dormant off-season may be ready to go into full DefCon1 mode for Machado, Bryce Harper and others. Stay tuned!

BREAKING: Mookie Betts And Red Sox Settle On $20 Million In Arbitration

Multiple reports indicate that the Red Sox and their star American League MVP, Mookie Betts, have reached an arbitration settlement of $20 million for the 2019 season. This represents a near doubling of his $10.5 million 2018 salary—and augurs well for a future long-term deal that can keep him in Boston. The settlement is also a record for a player in his second year of arbitration—and will likely have a huge impact on other elite players in similar situations. Stay tuned for further details.

FenwayNation Offers Live Boston WEBCAM For Readers Outside The Area

It occurred to us that since FenwayNation has visitors from 180 countries, it might make sense to give readers outside of our home area a little peek at what Boston actually looks like—not the cartoonish view often seen in cringe-worthy Boston-themed Hollywood movies. So, we've added a new live-action WEBCAM of our fair city. The scene is a portion of the Charles River with the breathtaking Zakim/Bunker Hill Bridge and the famed Boston Garden (where the Celtics and Bruins play) in the background. The WEBCAM also offers live sound—so you can actually hear the honking horns that so typify Boston's legendary traffic. Enjoy the view whenever you like by clicking HERE or by going to "Key Resources" on the right side-bar and clicking on the "Boston Live Cam-Zakim" link.

Could The Red Sox Make A 'Panik' Move At 2B If Giants Acquire DJ LeMahieu?

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UPDATE: Evil Ones Sign DJ LeMahieu
Multiple reports suggest that the San Francisco Giants are looking to "upgrade" at second-base by signing free-agent DJ LeMahieu. If that happens, they would likely look to move 2B incumbent Joe Panik in a trade. Enter your Boston Red Sox. While Boston got the good news that Dustin Pedroia will start a running program soon to prepare for a full return in the 2019 season, there is still a lot of uncertainty as to exactly how healthy The Muddy Chicken will be. So, a 'stop-gap' measure might be to trade for Panik—with an eye toward sharing the keystone position between the two during the 2019 season. The 28-year-old Panik has now logged five MLB seasons—all with the Giants. He's posted a .277 average and a .733 OPS over that span—and also collected a Gold Glove (2016) and an All-Star appearance (2015). In 2014, he finished 6th in the National League Rookie-Of-The-Year balloting. The left-hand-hitting Panik might be a interesting option for Boston—as long as he and The Laser Show can accept a shared role.

Former Red Sox 3B Will Middlebrooks Announces Retirement From Baseball

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He was part of the World Series Championship 'Band Of Bearded Brothers' in 2013—hitting 17 HRs that year. After injuries and limited play in a down 2014 season, Will Middlebrooks was traded by Boston to the San Diego Padres. He then moved on to Milwaukee, Texas and finally the Philadelphia Phillies where he hoped to re-establish what had been such a promising career. Along the way, he married former NESN star Jenny Dell—and they now have a little infant daughter together. Last Spring Training with the Phillies, he suffered a gruesome injury to his left leg (fractured fibula) that sidelined him for the season. Despite an attempt at rehab, the Texas native decided to hang up his spikes and retire from Major League Baseball. Perhaps the most vivid memory of Will's time in Boston was his being called for obstruction in Game Three of the 2013 World Series. We still don't thing it was obstruction! Anyway, we wish Will and Jenny all the best in the years ahead.

Yankees To Machado On Stanton-Level Contract Needs: 'Good Luck With That'

Apparently, the lock of "perfect potential Yankee" Manny Machado going to the Bronx is not so inevitable after all. A series of reports have suggested that Machado is demanding Giancarlo Stanton-level money in his negotiations with The Evil Ones—and that is creating an impasse. One source within The Concrete Bunker On 161st Street put is thusly to the New York Daily News, "Good luck with that". Some reports have Machado asking for deals that produce an average annual value in excess of $31 million. Still other reports suggest that, while the Yankees might technically still be in the running (even though they haven't even made Machado an offer), the only teams left in the hunt are the White Sox and Phillies. Further rumors indicate that both the Machado and Bryce Harper deals are about to 'pop' very soon—as early as this week. Stay tuned!

Can The Red Sox Get Back-To-Back Titles For First Time Since 1915-1916?

Major League Baseball has not had a repeat World Series Champion since The Bronx Embalmers did it in 1998-2000. In fact, in the last 40 years, the only other team to achieve this feat was the Toronto Blue Jays in 1992-1993. In 2019, the Red Sox have a chance to join that elite fraternity—and do it for their own franchise for the first time since 1915-1916. Of course, MLB has much more parity than it did in those previous times—so it's much harder to go back-to-back. Various odds makers have placed the Red Sox, Astros, Dodgers and Yankees at the top of the heap in terms of total projected wins in 2019. The vagaries of baseball (the long season, unexpected injuries to key players) make it difficult for bettors to wager intelligently on the national pastime. Nevertheless, you can go to an MLB betting website and test your skill and knowledge about the upcoming season. Hopefully, The Carmine Hose will be able to ride the momentum of 2018 to an historic back-to-back championship in 2019.

Former Yankee And Red Sox Hitting Coach Rick Down Passes Away At Age 68

Down With Manny (Getty Images)

Only a few players and coaches have seen both sides of the Red Sox-Yankee rivalry. Rick Down was one of them. He served two stints as hitting coach in the Bronx (1993-95; 2002-03). In between, he was hitting coach in 2001 for the Red Sox. He also served in that capacity for the Orioles, Dodgers and Mets. Down passed away Saturday in Las Vegas after a long illness at the age of 68. Down spent 27 years in the employ of major-league ballclubs—also serving as a roving hitting instructor and an advance scout. He was also a highly successful manager at AAA for many years. He only made it to the AAA level as a player, but had a true love for the game. Said a former coaching colleague of Down: "He was just a great baseball guy. Rick made us better."

Facebook Tries A Little Too Haaaaaad To Be Boston-Friendly In New Offices

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Facebook has been under a lot of scrutiny lately on a myriad of dicey issues. So, we get it that they may need to boost the morale of their employees at their new Cambridge, Massachusetts offices in Kendall Square. After all, Mark Zuckerberg thought up his crazy social media scheme at his Harvard dorm in Cambridge. And yet, the over-the-top naming of Boston-themed conference rooms at the new facility is a bit much. Apparently, Facebook "polled" employees about what to call the rooms. Here are some of the more choice selections: Dirty Water, Sox Vs. Yankees, Dunkin', Billrickah, Peebidy, Woobuhn, Wusstah and Buh Buh Buh (Sweet Caroline lyrics). Why does this effort seem to reek of all those cringe-worthy bad Boston accent movies? There's such a thing as trying too hard. Look, Facebook be who you really are—a northern California company—you ain't Boston.

Brock Holt's Value To The 2018 Champion Red Sox Cannot Be Overstated

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Most Red Sox fans will likely recall his ALDS Game Three 'cycle' as the the top contribution of Brock Holt to the 2018 World Series Champions. And, the fact that it came against The Bronx Embalmers, of course, made it even more delicious. But, as great as that moment was, it's important to remember the total contributions that Holt made throughout the 2018 season. He played in 109 games for Boston, and ranked fourth on the team in OBP (.362), fifth in OPS (.774), fifth in BA (.277) and fifth in OPS+ (109). Then, of course, there's his versatility. In 2018, Holt played 56 games at 2B, 23 games at SS, 11 in RF, 6 in LF, 5 at 3B and 2 at DH. He also served 15 times as a pinch-hitter. And then there are the career postseason numbers with the Red Sox—a .297 batting average and a .976 OPS over 12 total games. Given the number of superstars on the roster, he can tend to get a little lost in the shuffle. But a presence like his is almost always necessary on a championship team—and always valuable.

University Of South Carolina Honors Two Baseball Alums: Bradley And Pearce

There it is, in all its glory. In the clubhouse of the University Of South Carolina baseball team is a huge mural depicting the World Series exploits of two of its program alums: Jackie Bradley, Jr. and Steve Pearce. Both of the former Gamecocks had illustrious post-season runs in 2018—JBJ copping the ALCS MVP award and Pearce getting the World Series MVP. The mural shows the two former USC stars celebrating key moments in the triumphant championship run of the 2018 Boston Red Sox. Interestingly, Pearce was originally drafted by Boston in 2004—but returned instead for his senior year at South Carolina. Said a teammate of Pearce, "We kinda all gave him a hard time because the Red Sox were his dream team. That's the team he wanted to go to, and he turned it down for his senior year, to come back and play at South Carolina again. That kinda shows his loyalty and support ... how much he cared about his teammates." Eventually, of course, he landed with that dream team of his youth and performed at the highest level in The Fall Classic.

We Just Returned From Time-Traveling To January 2020—Here's The News!

In our never-ending effort to serve our readers, a small contingent of FenwayNation editors (one, actually) agreed to 'time-travel' into the future to 'see what we could see'—so to speak. After downing a couple of Dramamine with some Jack Daniels on the rocks (just three cubes, like Sinatra), we strapped ourselves into the S.S. Darren Daulton to spin through a wormhole and end up in January of 2020. Our mandate covers only sports—so we have no insight for you on politics or how much Jeff Bezos' wife got in the divorce settlement. So, here's what we can bring back:

• The Red Sox defeated the Philadelphia Phillies in the World Series (sorry, Ellen Adair)—even after The Fightins acquired both Manny Machado and Bryce Harper in the off-season. Machado ended the four-game sweep by striking out on a knuckle-curve from re-acquired Craig Kimbrel (who logged an MLB-record 80 saves, after agreeing to a 3-year, $45 million contract—with two team opt-outs);

• The Yankees finished in fourth place in the AL East—with Troy Tulowitzki leading the team in home runs at 14. In June, Giancarlo Stanton pulled a hammy in the on-deck circle and missed the rest of the season, while James Paxton lacerated a thumb on his pitching hand while chopping down a big maple tree on his New Jersey estate back in March;

• Dustin Pedroia Won His Second American League MVP Award—The Muddy Chicken returned to the Boston line-up and led the league in hitting (.341), OBP (.406) and stolen bases (60). He also won his 5th Gold Glove at second base.

That's all we got—oh, and the Patriots beat the Eagles in the Super Bowl, 58-14.

POLL: Almost Two-Thirds Doubt The Resurgence Of Muddy Chicken In 2019

Very early voting in our latest FenwayNation Poll shows that almost two-thirds of readers (63%) think that a return to form by Dustin Pedroia is—to some degree—"unlikely". As the chart shows, the plurality of readers (45%) take the position that the Laser Show's return to form is "somewhat unlikely", while another 18% think that resurgence is "not likely at all"—totaling 63% on the negative side. On the flip side, just under one-third (32%) think the Muddy Chicken's return to top-level play is "somewhat likely", while another just 5% think that an elite Pedroia returning in 2019 is "very likely"—totaling 37% on the positive side. You can still vote in the poll HERE.

POLL: How Likely Is It That Dustin Pedroia Will Regain His Top Form In 2019?

Realistically, how likely is it that Dustin Pedroia will regain his top form (.300 lifetime hitter, elite defender) in 2019?

Very likely

Somewhat likely

Not very likely

Not likely at all

 

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Chirs Sale And Craig Kimbrel Feature #1 And #4 'Nastiest' Pitches In MLB

According to a poll among 85 MLB hitters, Chris Sale's slider is the nastiest pitch to face in all of baseball. Of course, the most vivid example of the pitch's power was Manny Machado's drop to his knees to end The Fall Classic. While Sale's #1 ranking has gotten wide play over the last few days, the fourth nastiest pitch has not gotten much attention. That belonged to Red Sox closer Craig Kimbrel—and it wasn't his fastball. As Boston fans came to recognize for most of Kimbrel's three years in Carmine Hose, his sick knuckle-curve (coming as it does right after his 99-MPH heater) was absolutely devastating. Assuming he has fixed whatever caused his cardiac saves in the post-season, Kimbrel is still the best closer option for Boston. Multiple reports have indicated that a reunion may, in fact, be close at hand. Stay tuned!

Las Vegas Bookies 'Rodney Dangerfield' Red Sox As 3rd Best 2019 AL Team

The same bunch of guys who guaranteed an Alabama win the other night are projecting your 2019 Red Sox as the third-best team in the American League. You might recall that the 2018 edition of The Carmine Hose (essentially unchanged for 2019) won 108 regular-season games and the World Series. No matter to the odd-makers in Vegas (specifically Caesars Palace), who see the Houston Astros topping the league in wins (97.5), followed by The Bronx Embalmers (96.5) and the Red Sox (95.5). So, according to these rocket scientists, Boston will regress by 12.5 wins. Not bloody likely. Assuming they get Craig Kimbrel back (and he has figured out why he was delivering cardiac saves in the post-season), Boston will basically field the same roster that blew through MLB last year. So, you can take all this with a grain of salt—and place that salt in the same drawer as your Tua Tagovailoa MVP t-shirt.

Forever Collectibles' Red Sox 'Special Moment' World Series Bobbleheads!

We're sure you haven't scored enough 2018 World Series Championship swag yet. So, as a public service, FenwayNation wants you to know that our good friends at Forever Collectibles (FOCO) have released a new line of World Series Bobbleheads that are just begging to be that new stuff on your shelf. These bobbles are exclusive to FOCO, and they were created in honor of the special moments and players that helped the Red Sox win the series in 5—and bring home to Boston the franchise's 9th World Series title! The new bobbleheads are of: Andrew Benintendi, Alex Cora, Steve Pearce, Nathan Eovaldi, David Price and Eduardo Nunez. Trust us, they could not be cooler. Just think—watching BennyBallgame make an amazing catch; Price shut down the Dodgers; Pearce put a dagger in the heart of Los Angeles and the skipper oversee it all. And, as a special favor to our readers, you can use promo code "WSREDSox10" when purchasing 3 or more, and you will receive 10% off the total purchase. You can pre-order these amazing bobbleheads HERE.

With Nearly 40% Of Ballots Now Public, Curt Schilling Remains Viable For HOF

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The demise of Curt Schilling's Hall of Fame candidacy has been greatly exaggerated. In fact, the former Red Sox post-season hero is gaining a little ground in his quest for Cooperstown glory. With 38.6% of all Hall of Fame ballots now publicly known, the big righty is holding firm at 73.6% of the vote—needing 75% for enshrinement. Mariano Rivera, Roy Halladay, Edgar Martinez and Mike Mussina still appear to be on-track for safe election to the Hall—with Roger Clemens (73.6%) and Barry Bonds (73.0%) in about the same striking range as Schilling. If 192 more writers have Schilling on their ballot (75.9% of the outstanding vote), then he will be on that hallowed stage next Summer. Of course, this is just the seventh year of Schilling's eligibility, so even if he misses this year, his close-call bodes well for his fortunes in the remaining three years he'll be on the ballot. Stay tuned! You can update the public vote for the Hall of Fame HERE.

One More Bullpen Option Bites The Dust As White Sox Sign RP Kelvin Herrera

Very quickly, Dave Dombrowski's "end-of-the-bullpen" options are narrowing to two realistic choices: bringing back Craig Kimbrel or signing former Northeastern University Husky Adam Ottavino. Today, a former Red Sox target—Kelvin Herrera—was signed to a two-year, $18 million deal by the other hose laundry, the Chicago White Sox. Reportedly, The Evil Ones are also in on Ottavino—while the likely suitors for Kimbrel appear to be Boston, Philadelphia or Atlanta. The Phillies may decide to focus on Kimbrel (and possibly an outfield option like A. J. Pollock) as "fall-backs" if they whiff on both Manny Machado and Bryce Harper. Boston's waiting game is getting more dangerous by the day—which could have them facing a back-end-of-the-bullpen corps comprised of Matt Barnes, Ryan Brasier and Heath Hembree. Yikes! Look for something to pop very soon on the reliever front for the Red Sox.

Texas Rangers Claim John Farrell's Son Luke Off Waivers From Anaheim

Back in September of 2017, a unique moment took place during a Red Sox-Reds game. For the first time in thirteen years, a son participated in an MLB game opposite a team managed by his father. Luke Farrell pitched a scoreless ninth inning against the Red Sox—managed by his Dad, John Farrell. Before that, Moises Alou of the Cubbies faced his Dad Felipe Alou's Giants back in 2004. Now, the younger Farrell has been claimed off waivers from the Anaheim Angels by the Texas Rangers. The 27-year-old righty was originally drafted by the Kansas City Royals—and has traveled a circuitous MLB route since then from the Dodgers to the Reds to the Cubs and the Angels. In 44 major-league innings, Farrell has posted a 5.28 ERA.

Ten Years Ago This Week We Marvelled At John Henry's Recession-Proof Life

Every so often—particularly during the doldrums of the off-season—we like to look back at what FenwayNation was obsessed with in the past. Ten years ago this week (January 6, 2009), our lead story reacted to the news that John Henry's hedge funds were doing extremely well—despite the nation's economy being in a recessionary tailspin. You may recall that there was a stock market meltdown in September of 2008 that led to massive bailouts and other macroeconomic tinkering that (to some degree) lasts until today. Anyway, the Red Sox owner was actually prospering while the rest of us were scrambling to cope with the worst financial crisis since The Great Depression. Doesn't it always seem to work out that way? It just further reinforces our view that we will never shed any tears for the baseball-related financial outlays of Mr. Henry. Don't worry, he can afford it.

Red Sox Are Rumored To Be In Extension Talks With OF Andrew Benintendi

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Multiple reports suggest that the Red Sox are reaching out to one of their "core" players in an effort to secure a contract extension that would lock him up for as much as six years. It's not completely certain who that player is—but many sources indicate it is outfielder Andrew Benintendi. Those sources also indicate that the team is not engaged with any of the more high-profile "core" players that will require large financial commitments in the next year or so—specifically Chris Sale, Mookie Betts, Xander Bogaerts and J.D. Martinez. Considering that the Red Sox are already well over the luxury tax threshold, it's highly unlikely that they will be able to keep all of the players who are up for big paydays. Given Benintendi's status (two years of service, one year away from salary arbitration, four years away from free agency), he's the most likely to be amenable to an extension. Comparable contract extensions have recently given players in the neighborhood of six years and $55 million. Look for that kind of payday for BennyBallgame. Stay tuned.

Boston Police Officer Steve Horgan Retires After 33 Years Of Service To City

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He is part of one of the most iconic photos in Boston sports history. It was October 13, 2013. Boston Police Officer Steve Horgan was on duty in the Red Sox bullpen when David Ortiz launched an eight-inning grand-slam that dropped right in front of him and the somersaulting Torii Hunter. The shot tied Game Two of the ALCS—with Boston ultimately winning that series and the Fall Classic. Horgan reacted as any fan would—raising his arms in triumph. The Greater Boston community really needed that run to a championship—still reeling from April's Boston Marathon terrorist bombings. Now, Horgan is retiring after 33 years of service to the City Of Boston. He will always be remembered for his "V for Victory" outstretched arms. Who knows, he may even get his own statue outside of Fenway. Congratulations, Steve!

POLL: About Two-Thirds Would Be "Satisfied" With A Return Of Craig Kimbrel

Continued voting in our latest FenwayNation Poll shows that just about two-thirds of readers (66%) would be (to some degree) satisfied with a return to Boston of closer Craig Kimbrel—if he can be gotten at a "reasonable" cost. As the chart shows, just 29% would be "very satisfied" with the return—and another 37% would be "somewhat satisfied" (totaling the 66%). On the other side of the ledger, a little over one-third (34%) would be (to some degree) dissatisfied with a Kimbrel return as Red Sox closer. A full 20% say they would be "not really that satisfied"—and another 14% would be "not satisfied at all" with the idea of the red-bearded reliever coming back (totaling the 34%). You can still vote in the poll HERE.

POLL: Plurality Would Be Only 'Somewhat Satisfied' With Kimbrel's Return

Early voting in our latest FenwayNation Poll shows that most readers (42%) would be only "somewhat satisfied" with a return of Craig Kimbrel to Boston's closer role—even at a "reasonable price". As the chart shows, another one-third of our reader sample (33%) would be "very satisfied" if the red-bearded-one was again closing out games for The Carmine Hose. So, in total, three-quarters (75%) express some degree of satisfaction with the idea of getting Kimbrel back. On the flip side, in total, 25% express some degree of dissatisfaction with Boston getting its old 9th-inning guy back—13% "not really that satisfied" and another 12% "not satisfied at all". You can still vote in the poll HERE.

POLL: How Satisfied With A Possible Return Of Closer Craig Kimbrel To Sox?

If the Red Sox could get back closer Craig Kimbrel at a reasonable price, would you be very satisfied with that result, somewhat satisfied, not really that satisfied or not satisfied at all?

Very satisfied

Somewhat satisfied

Not really that satisfied

Not satisfied at all

 

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Craig Kimbrel's Market Value May Have Plummeted, Return To Sox More Likely

According to a report by NBCSportsBoston's Evan Drellich, the market price for free-agent closer Craig Kimbrel has dropped to a point where one baseball executive has termed it, "crazy low". The asked-for six-year, $100 million contract that he floated early in free-agency is a non-starter—but it's unclear exactly how low his new value has sunk. Clearly, this plays into Boston's hands—as Dave Dombrowski has been patiently waiting for the reliever market to simmer down. The recent Phillies signing of David Robertson has accelerated things a bit—and may be playing into the Kimbrel devaluation. It's looking more and more like a "market correction" is coming—with team owners reluctant to splurge on long-term deals. There are exceptions, of course—and both Manny Machado and Bryce Harper will likely still land 'stupid money' deals. But overpaying a 30-year-old reliever—no matter how good he is—may be a thing of the past.

With 37.1% Of The Ballots In, Schilling Still Has A Real Shot At Hall Of Fame

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There have been many naysayers along the way—claiming that his vote totals would drop precipitously—but Curt Schilling is still very much in the hunt for induction into the National Baseball Hall Of Fame. With 37.1% of all ballots now publicly-known, Schilling is pulling down 72.5% of the vote—needing 75% for enshrinement at Cooperstown. Now that 153 of the 412 total ballots are known, it's intriguing that Schilling has pretty much maintained a level of support in excess of 72% all the way through the public vote process. Clearly, this could change dramatically, but the consistency of his support so far argues against that. He may fall just short—but this is just his seventh year on the Hall Of Fame ballot, so even coming very close augurs well for the next three years of his eligibility. You can track the public votes of all the potential inductees HERE.

The 'Craig Kimbrel Sweepstakes' May Be Down To The Red Sox And Phillies

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Based on an analysis by ESPN's Jeff Passan, the market for free-agent closer Craig Kimbrel may be down to the Red Sox and the Philadelphia Phillies. As Passan points out, some of the other potential suitors that have been previously mentioned (like the Angels, White Sox, Twins, Rays and Braves) have gone in other directions. According to Passan, only the Phillies and their "stupid money" remain in the way of Kimbrel returning to the Boston bullpen at much less than his desired six years and $100 million. Truth be told, a Kimbrel return is probably the most prudent course of action for Dave Dombrowski—otherwise, we face a relief corp "anchored" by the likes of Heath Hembree, Matt Barnes and Ryan Brasier. That's probably not going to get the job done. So, if Boston can land Kimbrel on—say— a three-year deal in the $60-$70 million range (with a fourth-year mutual option), then sign him. It may not the best solution, but it's a lot better than what we're facing right now.