Bleacher Report - Articles by Tyler Strickland

The Red Sox In 2009: A Catcher's Drama In Three Acts

Tyler Strickland — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 14:56:03 -0500

Heading into the 2009 season, the Red Sox will be knocking on the door of an identity crisis, if they haven't already smashed said door to bits and crossed the threshold. They have an exciting collection of young characters that will probably carry them for a decade, and they have a small, ageing and ever so overpaid crew of veterans that are looking for a swan song season that won't end until late October.

The diversity on the team has its benefits, wisdom paired with passion, grace with grit, but it also means that a lot of proverbial building blocks will be yanked in succession out of the foundation, brick by brick, over the next three to five years. The likes of Ortiz, Drew, Wake, and Lowell will almost certainly not be in Red Sox uniforms at the end of Obama's first term.

Enter stage left, Mr. Jason Varitek.

His free agent drama has been the one that hasn't gotten any media coverage this Winter, but the media can't be blamed for an utter lack of anything to report. As the department stores slide from New Year's decor to Valentine's frivolity, gloves are oiled and caps stretched, and most likely Mr. Varitek will, in this writer's opinion, still be without a job.

Varitek's free agency poses a serious crossroads for the Red Sox organization: Get younger and cheaper? Or get wiser, older, and more costly?

2009 cannot be too much of a concern. In spite of their age, the Sox will undoubtedly compete, and play well. World Series? Who knows; it's a crap-shoot every year, and as the Yankees have continually failed to learn it is not a simple matter of buying half the league. But if the Red Sox are smart, they will know that a successful 2010, '11, '12 and beyond require diligence, temperance, and immunization against New York fever when the off-season comes.

As I see it the Sox have three options, and they all require some measure of humility on the parts of Tek, the team, and Scott Boras.

1) The Red Sox come to terms with Jason and he takes the same role as always on the Sox as Captain and full-time catcher, backed up by Bard.

2) The Red Sox come to terms with him, but at a reduced price and reduced role on the squad, platooning with or backing up Bard or a prospect that shines in Spring training.

3) All parties move on. Bard and one of the Sox' B-grade catchers in the minors take on catching duties in a pseudo-platoon move that best matches them up offensively against the day's opposing pitcher.

I have no idea what the right prescription is, but I am most intrigued with the third option. Getting back to the crossroads/identity crisis theme, I would hope that the Red Sox swallow some humble pie and gut out a season without Varitek on the team. I love the guy, I just don't love his old man legs, or his slow bat, or his agent. Theo Epstein has shown a commitment to the best team he can reasonably put on the field. If he sticks to his principles, Jason Varitek will not be the starter behind the dish in April.

It's a tough thing to accept, but it may be time to move on.

Money to Burn: The Luxury of the Boston “Big-Market” Red Sox

Tyler Strickland — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 11:49:47 -0500

If the Red Sox sign a big ticket free agent this winter, it may be at the behest of David Ortiz (now minus-one Manny Ramirez) wanting a scary, pitchers-fill-their-pants, kind of hitter.

The Sox may sign Derek Lowe, who is durable and experienced. The Sox might think that a solid top four starters of Beckett, Dice-K, Lester, and Wake (backed up by three legit prospects in Buchholz, Masterson, and Michael Bowden chomping at the bit for the fifth spot) just isn’t enough pitching. *Ahem* 2006 anybody?

Or, it could be simply because they can.

As it stands, the Red Sox are committed to significantly less player payroll next season. Without the likes Manny, Schilling, Paul Byrd, (probably) Varitek, and likely Julio Lugo, the Red Sox have some cash to throw around at marquee players if they want them.

Some of their current players will see marginal raises this season (some more than others), but this is a team that just got somewhat younger and lot cheaper in a few months of offseason.

Assuming they do not overspend at the catching or utility positions, the Red Sox should be conservatively looking at a $25 million to $35 million surplus over last year's team. Beantown is an extremely rich baseball mecca, and a city very willing to put a lot into its team in order to get a lot more out (are you listening South Florida?).

I remember hearing a very apt description of Pedro Martinez when he was in his prime with the Sox, and it was that he pitched with the octane of Clemens and the finesse of Maddux. Lethal in combination with one another.

In retrospect, I think the Red Sox have become the same way in their business dealings. They are a highly savvy organization that picks their spots and cajoles the market into working for them, while at the same time they are backed up by a huge revenue stream and a stellar fan base.

So bottom line: will they sign Mark Teixeira as back-up bash brother to Ortiz? A lineup featuring Tex in concert with last year’s stolen base king (Ellsbury), reigning MVP (Pedroia), clutch-hitting deep threat (Ortiz), AB grind-out wunderkind (Youk), and rounded out by B-List sluggers Jason Bay and JD Drew would be a formidable starting nine.

On the other hand, subtracting Tex and adding loveable gamer everyman Mikey Lowell still gives them a potent offensive attack.

My opinion comes to this: whether they sign Tex, sign a frontline starter, or none of the above, the Red Sox as a whole deserve kudos that ALL these choices are viable options.

This championship-caliber franchise has put themselves in a position where their success does not hinge on the stock of a lone Sabathia or Reyes or Suzuki type player. They are very good now, and have the luxury of making themselves even better.

A Letter of Apology to Terry Francona

Tyler Strickland — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 00:25:57 -0400

I confess, Tito. I did it. I took the cookie from the before-they-hatch jar. Lock me up. I deserve to get slapped around, Pedro-Zimmer style. I throw myself on the mercy of the Red Sox court. I counted the Angels out. I looked forward to the ALCS.

Did 1919 thru 2003 teach me nothing? Did I glean anything from the 11th inning in Yankee Stadium, Game Seven, 2003? Did Mookie and Buckner impart no wisdom? Shouldn't I know better than to let Fisk and Carbo get my hopes up?

Ellsbury's three-run single should have given me pause. That was my first clue. The last time I saw a guy score from first on a one-bagger was '46, and we all know how that turned out.

So my team won two World Series. Big effin' deal. The Patriots won three Super Bowls, and none of that mattered two weeks ago when yes, that-Chad-Pennington's Dolphins took New England out behind the shed for a good ol' fashioned beating. In Foxboro.

So we beat the Angels twice, in Anaheim. So we had an 11-game, two decade postseason win streak on them. I should have known better. If nothing else, 86 years of heartache and calamity should have taught me that more often than not, you don't win the World Series.

Wallowing in the glory of six major sport championships in seven years tends to go to your head. It's not an excuse, but perhaps it is a realization that another dry spell would be good for Boston. I promise I won't do it again Terry, I'm sorry. Mea Culpa.

Red Sox-Angels Preview: The Boston Bench

Tyler Strickland — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 07:31:35 -0400

It remains to be seen exactly how the Red Sox postseason roster will shake down. Don't be surprised if the Sox go with an offense-heavy bench this October. The starting rotation and eight and ninth inning guys are safe, but David Aardsma and Mike Timlin may be shopping for pitching wedges next week.

I expect Terry Francona to settle on 10 pitchers and several role players in the field.

Unless there is a huge upheaval, we can expect a starting nine that looks something like this: Ellsbury, Pedroia, Ortiz, Youkilis, Drew, Bay, Lowell, Lowrie, and Varitek. Health is a concern for many bean-eaters at present, so stay tuned. That leaves six spots open for the following players:

1. Coco Crisp (OF) .283/.344/.407 20 SBs

Crisp would otherwise be a starter if not for the late return of Drew (which is still very much up in the air). This guy has been a quiet warrior for the Red Sox all season, posting respectable stats coupled with stellar defense. Most impressive are the stolen bases, which come in less than 400 at bats. Expect Crisp to get a few starts before the playoffs are over and to continue to cause havoc on the base paths.

Sean Casey (1B/DH) .322/.381/.392 3 Errors

The gregarious, slow-footed, and iron-gloved Casey has been a study in singles hitting this season. His slugging percentage is absolutely laughable, but the guy simply knows how to get to first base, one way or another. Besides Youk, Ortiz, and Pedroia, he is the one guy I want at the plate with men on base. Look for the pinch-hitting extraordinaire in late-game situations.

Alex Cora (SS/2B) .270/.371/.349 1034 Career Games

This guy is about as experienced as backup middle infielders get. Nothing flashy here: He makes his living, like Casey, by flaring the ball over the shortstop's head. Unlike Casey, he has the fielding chops to back it up. Steady hands, a propensity to put the ball in play (13 K's), and a good OBP increase his value as a second-stringer.

Kevin Cash (C) .225/.309/.338 .308 CS%

Offensively, Cash hit at the same pace Varitek did in a much smaller sample size. He is a backup catcher through-and-through: slow feet, slow bat, small paycheck. Defensively, he held his own. Yes, the passed balls were there, but such is life for a knuckleball catcher. His caught-stealing rate was very good considering he was catching butterflies all summer, and he eclipsed the captain's own mark in that category.

Mark Kotsay (OF) .276/.329/.403 .281 Career BA

I had heard Trot Nixon comparisons made about this guy when he was in the National League. While that may be a bit rich, Kotsay certainly is a gamer. He shows good outfield instincts and great hustle. Offensively, he is a gap hitter and a reliable line-drive producer. He could be a bit more selective, but he doesn't strike out much. Drew's health increases the likelihood of Kotsay's playing time.

David Ross/Jeff Bailey/Chris Carter/Jonathan Van Every/7th Bullpen Arm

Francona may outguess me and keep Timlin on the roster for his experience, but I think Timlin's and Aardsma's collective meltdowns this season prevent them from seeing October baseball. None of the others on the list do I expect to make much impact if they were chosen as the 25th man.

Bailey and Carter are refined hitters, but neither brings much value defensively. Van Every has some speed, but is mediocre in most areas. Ross brings experience and pop behind the plate, but he had eight total at bats for the Red Sox this season. If I had to guess, it would be Bailey, for no other reason than the amount of time he spent with the team this season. He has some thunder in his bat and is not afraid of big situations.

MLB MVP Philosophy

Tyler Strickland — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 16:40:09 -0400

In the interest of full disclosure, I am a Red Sox fan. If I was a card-carrying member of the BBWAA, I would have mailed in my ballot weeks ago, with our modern-day Hack Wilson incarnate's name punch-holed several times to ensure no hanging chads.

That being said, I want to discuss a few things that have bugged for years about how MVP and Cy Young picks are made.

Rob Neyer and Jayson Stark over at ESPN.com both had chat debates concerning the NL Cy Young and MVP awards. Many interesting points were made. One stuck out that I want to pin down.

Stark said that the Cy Young cannot be amalgamated with the MVP (which considers clutch performance, fundamentals, team chemistry, favorite movie, etc.). The debate highlighted a few contending team pitchers (CC Sabathia, Brandon Webb) and the woeful plight of pitching wunderkind Tim Lincecum.

The debate boiled down to whether a statistically (ERA, WHIP, VORP) superior pitcher could overcome being on a terrible team to win the award.

Stark says yes. I say no. Here's why.

Why shouldn't a pitcher be subject to the same scrutiny over intangibles? By that logic, there is no difference between John Rocker and Eric Gagne. Both were incredibly successful closers over a short period of time, but they are not the same player.

Without Lincecum, how bad would the Giants be? Awful. As it is, they're one of the worst teams in either league, and one losing streak away from being the universal cellar dweller. Without probably their most talented player, they would struggle to win 60 games.

With that in mind, are they much better right now? An every-fifth-day pitcher can't carry a team. If, however, the Diamondbacks lost Webb for the remainder of the season, they would be out of contention for the postseason. He is the difference between October baseball and October golf for their clubhouse.

This brings me to the AL MVP discussion. Pedroia's ship has been gaining steam on the back end of an absolutely ridiculous home-stand. His primary competition, Carlos Quentin of the White Sox, will finish in the top 5 of most power-minded offensive categories. His supporters would claim a second baseman with half as many home runs and 30 fewer RBI can't win the award.

Let us consider the VORP statistic and runs created. Pedroia leads Quentin in both categories, indicating that he's a more well-rounded hitter AND fielder. This has come also when the Red Sox most needed him.

They have been the most oft-injured team still competing, with extended absences from Dice-K, Beckett, Ortiz, Youkilis, Lugo, and the complete departure of Manny Ramirez.

Pedroia has been the rock. Quentin has hit in front of Jim Thome and Jermaine Dye, and has not produced as well down the stretch.

Will it be Quentin's fault if the White Sox don't make the playoffs? No, but it WILL be Pedroia's fault when the Red Sox play in October.