Time for Boston Red Sox to cash in their chips on 2022
The Boston Red Sox had a slim chance to right the ship over the past week, but they are still listing heavily toward oblivion. Their last chance to get things right was after the, “here we go again” Chris Sale freak injury. They needed a winning streak. Instead, they flopped.
This space felt that last week was the litmus test as to whether or not this inconsistent team could once again bounce back from adversity and make a run. It seems pretty clear now that they cannot.
That leaves only one thing to do for Chief Baseball Officer Chaim Bloom at this point, and that’s to be big sellers at the trade deadline. Clear out the old, and bring in new pieces. It’s time to move forward and leave 2022 behind.
The Boston Red Sox need to do 2 things to move ahead to 2023
There are two major objectives that should be foremost in the mind of Chaim Bloom between now and the end of the 2022 season. The first is prior to the trade deadline. Bloom has to face reality, which is a difficult thing to do when it comes to Boston sports and the Boston Red Sox in particular. The reality is, it’s never easy to cut the cord on a Sox season. Ever.
Ravenous Red Sox Nation demands excellence, and since 2004 at least, hates to accept anything but success. That means a minimum of a deep run in the playoffs (a la 2021) and or the big prize, winning another World Series. In 2022, though, it’s no longer an option. It’s time to sell.
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The biggest question is, who goes? Start with J.D. Martinez, who is still a good hitter but will be a free agent after the season. Any playoff contender would love to have him. Another is even more difficult; trading Xander Bogaerts, that is, if he’ll accept a trade.
The case has been made that the Red Sox really can’t afford Bogaerts along with signing Rafael Devers to a long-term extension. It’s one or the other, and Devers should be the one signed. Again. Bogaerts is a top player, an All-Star, and should be a top commodity on the market that will bring back a top prospect.
Anyone else not named Devers, Garrett Whitlock, or Trevor Story (the next shortstop), should be available. Everyone else should be fair game. Trade a bunch of these players and get solid prospects, or in the case of Bogaerts and maybe Martinez, major league-ready prospect(s).
The 2022 Red Sox team has run its course. It’s time for Bloom to be bold, remake this team, and move on to 2023. Red Sox ownership has little patience with poor seasons.
The Boston Red Sox should bring up the kids, lots of them
The second imperative for Bloom is to bring up the kids from the farm system. This space has never bought into the theory that “bringing up a young player too soon could ruin them”. That’s total hogwash. If the youngster has the right stuff, he’ll surmount any initial difficulties and ultimately succeed.
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Start by bringing up Triston Casas when he’s physically ready and put him at first base for the rest of the season. The same for Nick Yorke from High A Greenville to play second base. He’s hitting .333. Give him a shot. What do you have to lose?
From Worcester, bring up Jay Groome the lefty starter, and righty starter Connor Seabold along with reliever Eduard Bazardo and let them have a go at the bigs. And from Portland, if star righty Bryan Mata is physically sound, bring him up too.
Other possibilities at Portland include power-hitting corner infielder Alex Binelas, who came over in the erstwhile trade for Hunter Renfroe (he’s 22, not too young at all), and even Ceddanne Rafaella, the diminutive but electric 21-year-old outfielder who can do everything and has lit up the minors this season.
Those are a few names of promising young players in the system. And when you get some great prospects at the trade deadline, throw them into the fire too. You never know when one will have the talent and the grit to just grab the bull by the horns and prove that he’s at Fenway to stay.
There are a thousand reasons why naysayers will say that this is folly and foolish. Have at it. One thing is certain, however; for all intents and purposes, this season is toast. What better time is there to give these kids a chance? What do you have to lose?
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Mr. Bloom, take those chances and see if there may be a young diamond or two in the minors who’ll stake out a position and never let it go. It’s time the Boston Red Sox had one or two, don’t you think? It says here, that it’s high time to find out.