The Sashman Speaks

Earlier this afternoon, the Red Sox officially announced the re-signing of Eduardo Nunez. photo credit: BostonGlobe When last July Dave Dombrowski swung a trade with the Giants to acquire Nunez, he was hoping for a spark to reignite a stagnant offense. Well, that's exactly what Nunez was. In 38 games following the trade to Boston, Nunez hit . 321 average / 53 hits / 12 doubles / 8 Home Runs / 27 RBI / 6 SB, while  playing second, short and third for the Red Sox. Nunez proved Dombrowski's faith rewarded by providing the much-needed spark to the lineup. However, he played in only two games after September 9th, which also included his one and only at-bat in the ALDS against the Astros.  In both of those times, he was helped off the field, due to an injury to his right knee. After the season it was announced that Nunez had strained the PCL ligament in his right knee, and while he would not require surgery, and with rest and rehab would be ready for the 2018 seas...

Why Hanley being both healthy and rejuvenated is important for Red Sox to succeed in 2018 photo credit: BostonGlobe.com Hanley is entering his final year of a four-year pact he signed back in 2015 with the Red Sox.   His three seasons with the Sox have been more frustrating than anything else, which has seen him struggle in two out of three of those seasons, with only producing one big season that was back in 2016, which saw him hit .286 with 30 home runs, drive in 111 and play in 111 games. Yet the past last season saw him struggle with shoulder issues which limited him to mainly just DH'ing and thus prevented him from playing first base albeit for 18 games last season. Offensively even with the shoulder difficulties, he did hit 23 home-runs which is pretty impressive considering what he was dealing with, yet he only hit just .242 with a .750 OPS last season, taking over as the primary DH for David Ortiz.  Yet, while stepping into the same position as the...

With all the hype surrounding whether or not the Red Sox will eventually sign JD Martinez,  Dombrowski made one smart move which was not dealing away JBJ.  photo credit: MassLive.com Throughout this winter, the Red Sox have been hooked up to an ongoing dance with agent Scott Boras regarding his client J.D. Martinez, and whether or not he will agree to the proposed contract offer of 5 years and between $100 and $125 million, Yet, it was Dombrowski's believe in the current outfield arrangement of Andrew Benintendi, JBJ, and Mookie Betts, that had Dombrowski not wanting to break that up. Dombrowski has always been a fan of one player in particular first from afar and now he gets to see this player on an everyday basis. That player is Jackie Bradley Jr. Just two season ago, Bradley Jr, had what I along with many others would consider his "coming out year" That 2016 season saw Bradley Jr, hit .267 with 26 home runs and 87 RBI.  He was rewarded for his pl...

Jeremy Barfield comes to the Sox by way of a 10-year professional journey that has taken him to the A’s, Rockies, Rangers, Diamondbacks, Mexico, independent ball, the pitcher’s mound and now to Red Sox spring training. Barfield who is entering Spring Training this year as an NRI ( Non-Roster Invite) to Red Sox camp, brings with him a very unique résumé of a player who has spent time in multiple teams organizations as well as in Mexico and Independent Baseball, yet with the Red Sox he could represent one thing that President of Baseball Operations, Dave Dombrowski has been wanting.  That is Barfield is a right-handed power hitter. Barfield began his MLB career after he signed with the A’s in 2008 after being drafted in the eighth round out of San Jacinto Junior College. He flashed power in the lower minors, but after he hit .213/.298/.407 between Double and Triple-A in 2013, Oakland expressed interest in seeing if the righthanded-hitting, lefthanded-throwing Barfield c...

Last years Red Sox team, which while on the field produced 93 wins and a second consecutive AL East Division crown, it was mired by issues that began in April and continued throughout the entire season, making last years team both unlikeable, as well as unenjoyable to watch as a fan. When the Red Sox were winning their World Series titles in 04, 07, and most recently in 2013, they had one main ingredient that forged throughout the entire clubhouse and showed on the field.  That was TEAM CHEMISTRY"  Under former Manager, Terry Francona he was able to bring together a group of veteran players, as well as rookies alike and had them focus on one goal, which was coming together as a team whose purpose was to WIN the World Series. Francona was able to do that twice first in 2004. That year's team featured a unique bunch of players known as the "Idiots" which had Manny, Ortiz, Pedro, Johnny Damon, Kevin Millar, as well as stalwart veterans like Jason Varitek, Trot Nixon, ...

Former Red Sox third-baseman turned analyst Mike Lowell, is going to be heading down to Fort Myers in the next couple of weeks as a special instructor whose goal is to work alongside new infield instructor Carlos Febles to work with Rafael Devers on his defense. Last year Rafael Devers proved that offensively he was MLB ready hitting 10 homers and knocking in 30, yet his defense proves he still is a work in progress which is why the Red Sox will be working carefully with the young third baseman on not just his footwork, but his throwing across the diamond. Devers has already reported well ahead of the mandatory reporting date of Friday, has been seen working with new infield instructor and his former Double-A manager Carlos Febles on improving his defense from a season ago.  This work on backfields with Febles, hasn't gone unnoticed by the manager, whom just last week mentioned Devers in the same breath as current Ranger Adrian Beltre with whom Cora was a former teamma...

(Photo: John Raoux, AP) Commissioner Manfred has proposed new "Pace of Play" rules for 2018. With Spring Training camps due to open in less than three weeks, there could be a new set of rules that players may be playing under.  Speaking earlier today at the Owners Meetings, he suggested a number of proposed rules that would hopefully bring the players association back to the bargaining table, as well as potentially reducing the dragging pace of games. The rule changes that Manfred is proposing are that rather than implementing a "20 second pitch" clock like he had been rumored to be doing, he is offering  a proposal  that would involve no pitch clock this year or in 2019, provided the average time of a nine-inning game does not exceed 2 hours, 55 minutes.   The other two rule changes, Manfred has proposed are putting a  limit on mound visits as well as reinforcing the rule of keeping batters within the batter's box. First, In regards to the pitch-cl...

 photo credit: The Mass Media How 14 years forging relationships in MLB should help Cora in the first year as Red Sox Manager When the Red Sox hired Alex Cora as their new manager at the end of October, there were many stand out characteristics that the new manager had including his great communication style. But it was his relationships with the players that he was able to form with them that set him apart from the other candidates for the job. Cora who spent 14 years in MLB including 4 with the Red Sox, was able to relate and form relationships with rookies including in 2007 with then-rookie Dustin Pedroia, as well as use his experience to relate to the veteran player like Manny Ramirez.   Cora said this at his introductory press conference, about how he views inter-personal relationships with his players, " But you’ve got to care about each other. That’s the most important thing. They’re human beings, man, and you’ve got to talk to them. You’ve got to see ho...

photo credit: Cincinnati Enquier^.com Kevin Youkilis over 8.5 years with the Red Sox provided grit, determination, ^ a power-bat. Yet it was his defensive versatility that let the Red Sox get better. When the Red Sox drafted Kevin Youkilis out of the University of Cincinnati where he put together a .410/.549/.714/1.263 offensive stat line. Yet it was the fact that Youkilis also led the nation with 59 walks compared to just striking out just 21 times, that attracted then-GM Theo Epstein to draft the young third baseman in the 8th round of the 2001 draft. Youkilis would spend three seasons in the minors before reaching the M ajors during the 2004 season, where he would play a minor role that season during the team's championship run, appearing in 72 games that year , hitting .260 with 7 home-^runs driving in 35. Yet between 2007 and 2011 is when Youkilis would truly prove to be one of the best players in the game.  Over that five years, Youkilis would average 1...

IanMBrowne Red Sox deal with Eduardo Nunez still has some procedural elements before being finalized, including a physical. Feb 15, 2018 at 6:55 PM Nunez who after being traded to the Red Sox at the end of July went on to ignite a sluggish offense by hitting .321/.353/.539 with 8 home runs as well as driving in 27 runs and stealing 6 bases while playing second, short and third. With this winter's sluggish off-season and with the Red Sox currently in need of a potential infield option while both Marco Hernadez, as well as Dustin Pedroia, recovering from their respective off-season surgeries, and with the Nunez still available, this reunion makes too much sense not to happen. Nunez who last season played second for the injured Pedroia as well as giving breathers to Devers at third, as well as Xander at shortstop, was a huge boost to the lineup last year, and even though he badly injured his right knee prior to the playoffs and was wrongly rushed back by the Red Sox manager Joh...