No man has been more right about the Boston Red Sox than Trey Daubert has (yes I’m referring to myself). If you have been watching my Youtube Red Sox franchise series on MLB The Show 19 (click the headlined link below), I’ve been right about everything with the Red Sox this year.
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The Sox started the year with Blake Swihart on the roster. I went with Sandy Leon. Predictably, the Red Sox started off the year with a horrendous start and couldn’t pitch to save their lives. Not surprising considering how bad Swihart is as a defender. It took about 20 days to rectify that mistake and go back to Leon. A mistake I would have never made.
Another example is the dumbest lineup change in the history of sports. The Red Sox won 119 games and a World Series Title with Mookie Betts leading off and Andrew Benintendi hitting second. This year the Red Sox swapped them in a move that defied every ounce of logic that exists. Predictably, the Red Sox offense took a major step back. No one was more affected than Andrew Benintendi who hit .081 in first innings. Now the Red Sox switched them back and Benintendi figured out how to hit again. Since May 29th when the Sox smartly switched the order back, Benny has slashed .327/.389/.612. Again, another idiotic mistake I never would have made.
That puts me 2-2 making me the smartest Red Sox fan on the planet. Not trying to brag, I just want what’s best for the Sox. I don’t like giving away games because of ignorance. Not re-signing Craig Kimbrel and or ignoring the bullpen is the final massive mistake that needs to be rectified. Here’s a little excerpt what I recently wrote about the Sox pen.
The Red Sox already have 10 blown saves on the year. Let’s say with Craig Kimbrel (or any other capable closer) that number gets dropped down to 2. The Red Sox would be in
first place if that were the case. Instead, they are 8 games out of first. There are a lot of bad ideas in baseball. Having a closer by committee on a team that just won a championship with one of the best closers in the business is flat out inexcusable. Analytics will tell you that the 9th inning should be the same as the 7th but it’s not. It takes a special kind of guy to lock down saves.
“Ryan Brasier, Matt Barnes, Marcus Walden and Brandon Workman have a combined 2.42 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, and 11.26 K/9 in innings six through eight. (via Barstool) In the ninth inning, they have a combined 4.32 ERA, a 1.32 WHIP, and a 10.80 K/9. The ERA essentially doubles with the same guys.”
There’s one easy solution to their problems. Trade for Felipe Vazquez. Get it over with and do it now. I need Vazquez in my veins. Vazquez, 27, is currently the Pirates closer. He comes with 5 years of control including this season. The dollar amounts for each year are worth $4.5 million in 2019, $5.75 million in 2020, $7.75 million in 2021, and two team options in 2022 -2023 worth $10 million each.
This trade just makes too much sense not to happen. The Red Sox need a closer and an affordable one. Vazquez is elite, cheap, and comes with multiple years of control. For a team that has the highest payroll in the sport and is smack up against the highest luxury tax threshold again, Vazquez makes perfect sense.
The Sox have poured prospects into rentals a year ago that cost them Jalen Beeks and Ty Buttrey who have been dominant in 2019. I’m not blaming them, it’s just the nature of trying to go for it. However, the Sox need to fix this problem now and in the future. Will Smith is cheap but also
The Pirates will want a truckload for Felipe
Bobby Dalbec (#2 is system), Tanner Houck (#5 and former
Felipe Vazquez needs to be on the Red Sox tomorrow. A 2.30 ERA and 14.2 strikeouts per 9 innings is exactly what Boston needs. I miss that feeling of knowing the game was over with a lead in the 9th inning. Vazquez gives them just that. Make it happen, Dave Dombrowski. Sooner rather than later.