Boston Red Sox: Why first free agent signing should be Kyle Schwarber

The Boston Red Sox first offseason signing should be Kyle Schwarber as he has proven to be an absolute fit. Boston suits him and he suits the Red Sox. Just do it!

There is a lot to be said for suitability. There are just some players who fit teams like a kid-glove and when they finally get into that slot, they become dominant.

Kyle Schwarber in a Boston Red Sox uniform is one of those absolutely unique fits, and he has to be brought into the fold long-term.

Kyle Schwarber fits the Boston Red Sox just like a glove

Hats off to Boston Red Sox Chief Baseball Officer Chaim Bloom for the mid-season acquisition of Schwarber.

The trade deadline generally was thoroughly panned in this space. It looked underwhelming, especially when the bat they needed, Schwarber, was on the shelf with an injury.

Had to stomach a lot of crow after that goof. (But hopefully recovered somewhat.) Once he got into the lineup, Schwarber didn’t disappoint. He mashed.

Sometimes, as was noted, the fit is simply magical when a player lands in his special zone of comfortability. Think David Ortiz as one of the best examples.

Big Papi went from a part-time player with the Minnesota Twins to a superstar, one of the team’s most beloved players, and hero of heroes in the biggest games at the biggest moments.

He’ll also be a Hall-of-Famer on the first ballot if the voting MLB writers have any sense whatsoever, their anti-designated hitter prejudices notwithstanding.

Another example was Mike Napoli, a member of the 2013 World Series team. Napoli was a made-for-Boston player and vice versa.

Boston Red Sox Kyle Schwarber needs to be the first player signed in free agency

The latest example of the kid-glove player who fits in Boston is Schwarber. It just works folks.

And when it works like Schwarber to Boston did, there should be no obstacles (as in dollars) to making it permanent (or as close as it comes to permanent in sports these days).

Schwarber came over from the Washington Nationals in a trade deadline deal for minor league pitcher, Aldo Ramirez cited as “highly touted” by si.com. He was in low A at the time.

Ramirez may turn out to be a good pitcher in the majors but Schwarber was a top and proven major league hitter right then and there. The only hitch was that he was on injured list with a hamstring injury.

Schwarber had been torching the National League before his injury. Here’s what si.com had to say about his hot hitting,

"Schwarber hit 12 homers in a 10-game span from June 19-29, tied for the big league record for most homers in a 10-game period. He also set a record for most homers as a leadoff hitter in a calendar month with 15. He had helped the Nationals get back in the NL East race, but since his injury, they have fallen 7.5 games behind the New York Mets after going just 7-17 in July."

That’s not just hot, it’s scorching. That type of deal if you’re confident as Chaim Bloom evidently was that the injury could be overcome, is striking gold in your basement.

Some prospector that Chaim Bloom! It turned out great for the Red Sox. Schwarber hit .291 with seven homers and 18 RBI’s in 41 games for the Sox.

In the playoffs, he was a major force and a huge factor in the Boston Red Sox cinderella drive to the American League Championship Series (ALCS) where they eventually flamed out.

Yet, Schwarber did his part in the post-season. Though only hitting .204 total, he had three home runs, including a grand slam home run at Fenway Park in a Game 3 win against the Houston Astros.

He showed plenty to warrant a solid investment by the Boston Red Sox in his and their combined futures.

And with his predilection for the city, Fenway Park, and the fans, they may even get something of a “hometown discount”.  Maybe. Oh, and about that “park”.

Fenway has always been looked upon as a right-handed hitter’s paradise. With its bandbox short left field topped by the infamous Green Monster. Yet, some lefty hitters have also flourished.

They would include two Hall of Famers, Ted Williams and Carl Yastrzemski, and the aforementioned slugger in Ortiz. Long dimensions or not, some left-handed sluggers just thrive.

Schwarber can be one of them. He has the awesome power to smash a ball not only into the down-the-line shorter porch but into and over the distant bullpen. His game just fits.

So that’s the argument, Mr. Bloom. Free agency begins November 7. The Boston Red Sox first move of the offseason should be to sign Kyle Schwarber. Let’s hope it happens soon.