Category: Red Sox
3 reasons why: Red Sox will win the World Series
As the 2016 season approaches, I will be taking a look at the 10 teams with the best odds of winning the World Series and examining three reasons why each team may ultimately hoist the trophy. Today’s team:
Red Sox (12/1 odds to win World Series): The Red Sox haven’t reached the postseason since they won the World Series in 2013. They are coming off a year in which they won 78 games and finished 15 games back in the AL East, but despite all that, there’s plenty of excitement in Boston.
David Price: David Price’s postseason resume (1-2, 5.12 ERA) leaves a lot to be desired, but he’s still an elite pitcher. Price went 18-5 with a 2.45 ERA in 2015 and tallied 220 1/3 innings. The 30-year old left-hander has logged more than 200 innings in five of the last six seasons and is projected (3.09 ERA, 195 innings, 1.128 WHIP) for another big year in 2016. The deal also allows Price to pitch in Fenway Park, a place he has been comfortable throughout his career, as evidenced by his 1.95 ERA across 11 starts.
Dave Dombrowski: Boston biggest move to prep for 2016 may have occurred late in the 2015 season. In August, the Red Sox hired Dave Dombrowski to be the President of Baseball Operations – a move that is already paying off. Not only did Dombrowski go out acquire a frontline starter in Price, but he also acquired an elite closer in Craig Kimbrel.
Outfield: Mookie Betts, Jackie Bradley Jr. and Rusney Castillo certainly make for an outfield with tons of potential. Betts had a bit of a coming out party in 2015 – hitting .291with 77 RBIs and 21 stolen bases – and if he can produce similar numbers in 2016, the Red Sox will be in good shape. Bradley Jr. and Castillo have yet to produce over the entirety of a complete season, but the tools are there and if everything comes together, it could go a long way toward Boston’s success.
Bonus: David Ortiz has already announced that the 2016 season will be his last. What better way for the 19-year veteran to go out than with one more parade?
Cubs still favorite, D-backs make huge jump in 2016 World Series odds
A trio of teams – the Cubs, Red Sox and D-backs – have garnered the bulk of the offseason headlines thus far.
Yes, plenty of teams have made moves to put themselves in a better position going forward, but the three teams mentioned above have made the biggest, most significant moves and the betting lines reflect that.
On November 2, the day after the World Series concluded, Bovada, an online casino and sportsbook, posted odds for the 2016 World Series. The Cubs (11/1) were the odds-on favorite while the Red Sox (20/1) were in the middle of the pack and the D-backs (50/1) seemed like a long shot.
Fast forward through the Winter Meetings, into the middle of December, and plenty of things have changed.
The Cubs are still the favorites, but the odds are now 8/1 after the club strengthened the rotation and signed John Lackey, in addition to bolstering an already potent lineup with the additions of Ben Zobrist and Jason Heyward.
Boston got a head start on the off-season wheeling and dealing when it traded four prospects to San Diego in exchange for Craig Kimbrel. The Kimbrel trade was a big move that strengthened a ‘pen that finished the season with a 4.24 ERA, 26th in all of baseball. However, it turns out it was just a precursor as Dave Dombrowski still had some tricks up his sleeve.
The Red Sox made another big splash when they inked David Price to a monster contract and as a result, their World Series odds jumped from 20/1 to 9/1.
But perhaps the biggest off-season shocker took place just before the Winter Meetings when Arizona landed Zack Greinke. Not only did the Greinke signing give a tremendous boost to Arizona’s starting rotation, but it also subtraced an ace from the Dodgers’ staff and kept the Giants, a division rival and the other finalist in the Greinke sweepstakes, from acquiring the superstar.
Of course, once the D-backs added Greinke it was a clear sign that the team was in “win now” mode, so Dave Stewart and Tony La Russa went out and made another bold move, trading for Shelby Miller.
The D-backs finished second in the National League in runs scored a season ago and added two quality arms to the rotation which is why the odds went all the way from 50/1 to 20/1.
Although the Giants missed on Greinke, the club added Jeff Samardzija and saw odds swing from 20/1 to 8/1.
While all those changes were significant and interesting, there is still plenty of offseason left, which means time for more deals (what happens if the Cubs get another pitcher?).
10 Things I’m Watching In 2015: Boston Red Sox
As we count down to Spring Training, here’s the fifth installment of my ’10 Things I’m Watching In 2015′ series. Today’s topic: the Boston Red Sox.
In the middle of January, MLB Network Radio asked Pablo Sandoval if the Red Sox would win the AL East in 2015. His answer, “we will.”
While Sandoval, who signed a five-year $95 million contract with the Red Sox, is confident, can the team really go from worst to first this season?
Although Boston was unable to resign Lester, General Manager Ben Cherington made some big moves this off season and made it clear the Red Sox are looking to compete.
In addition to adding Sandoval, the Red Sox added Hanley Ramirez to a line-up that already features David Ortiz and Dustin Pedroia.
Boston also fixed up the pitching staff, adding Wade Miley, Rick Porcello and Justin Masterson. None of those names are going to have experts listing the Red Sox among the game’s top rotations, but it’s not a bad staff either.
The Red Sox scored 634 runs last season – which tied for 11th in the American League. Needless to say the club is hoping to improve on those numbers and if Sandoval and Ramirez hit like they’re capable of, then the Boston line-up should be more potent.
Going from worst to first in one season is not an easy task, but Boston has done it before and there are several players on that team that know how to win – something that is very important when looking for a major turnaround.
Recap of previous entries:
Boor on Baseball 