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Big Papi is First Ballot Hall-of-Famer

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COOPERSTOWN – (Staff Report from official News Release) – Former Boston Red Sox designated hitter and first baseman David Ortiz was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility, it was announced tonight on MLB Network. He received 307 votes (77.9%) cast by eligible members of the Baseball Writers Association of America.

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Ortiz is one of 37 former Red Sox to be elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame for their playing careers. He joins Pedro Martinez, Ted Williams, Carl Yastrzemski, and Wade Boggs as the only individuals to earn election in their first year of eligibility after spending more seasons with the Red Sox than with any other team. Overall, Ortiz is the 58th player to earn election in their first year on the BBWAA ballot. He is the fourth player born in the Dominican Republic to be elected, joining Martinez, Vladimir Guerrero, and Juan Marichal.

“I am truly honored and blessed by my selection to the Hall of Fame—the highest honor that any baseball player can reach in their lifetime. I am grateful to the baseball writers who considered my career in its totality, not just on the statistics, but also on my contributions to the Red Sox, the City of Boston, and all of Red Sox Nation. I am also grateful to my teammates, my managers and coaches and Red Sox ownership for their faith in me and allowing me to be part of three World Championships,’ said Ortiz in a prepared statement.

“For a young boy from Santo Domingo, I always dreamed of playing professional baseball. Thanks to the encouragement of my father, Leo, and my mother, Angela Rosa, I knew from my earliest days at Estudia Espaillat High School in the Dominican Republic that I had the opportunity to pursue my dream of playing in the big leagues. And while my path to success was not straightforward, it was my friend, the Hall of Famer, Pedro Martinez, who convinced the Red Sox to give me a chance to achieve success. And while my path to Boston took 10 years, those 14 years in a Red Sox uniform were the best of my life. We broke the curse and then got two more championships before I retired in 2016—what a sweet and beautiful journey it has been.

“I am so thankful to my family and my children for being with me tonight on this special recognition. And I know my mother is throwing me kisses from heaven just like I always threw her a kiss after every home run,” Ortiz concluded.

“There are countless reasons why David is deserving of this honor, beginning with three World Series trophies that we would not have without his heroics on the field and his leadership,” said Red Sox Principal Owner John Henry. “He was critical in transforming the narrative around the Red Sox from one of curses and superstitions to tales of clutch moments and a collection of championships. David’s most meaningful and profound contributions, however, are not fully reflected in trophies and awards, but rather on the faces of every player held in David’s bear-hug embrace over the years, by our memories of stirring dugout rally speeches, and with his fist raised in solidarity with our community during its darkest hour. For the past two decades, David has meant the world to us and we are proud that Cooperstown will be another stop on his supremely impactful journey. Congratulations, David.”

“It has been a privilege to watch David’s storybook career in Boston for fourteen years and three World Series Championships,” said Red Sox Chairman Tom Werner. “This honor only confirms what many of us at the Red Sox and throughout New England already knew: that he is not only one of our greatest players, but one of baseball’s greatest players. Even now, as the sole BBWAA ballot inductee, he continues to stand out in the same way he did throughout his playing career. David, you deserve to take your rightful place alongside the Hall of Fame’s legends. Congratulations on this special recognition.”

“David Ortiz is the most important player to ever wear a Red Sox uniform,” said Red Sox President & CEO Sam Kennedy. “He came to Boston in relative anonymity and with his captivating personality and his formidable bat he shattered expectations and paved the franchise’s future in championships and Duck Boat parades. The record numbers he put up and the dedication he showed in meticulously honing his craft is deserving of first ballot entry into the Hall of Fame. David, Boston and Fenway Park will always be your home but we will make an exception for Cooperstown. Congratulations, my friend. Enjoy your moment.”

The 2022 National Baseball Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will take place Sunday, July 24, at 1:30 p.m. on the grounds of the Clark Sports Center in Cooperstown, NY. The only player elected by the BBWAA this year, Ortiz will be enshrined along with four Golden Days Era Committee electees (Gil Hodges, Jim Kaat, Minnie Miñoso, and Tony Oliva) and two Early Baseball Era Committee electees (Bud Fowler and Buck O’Neil).

Originally signed by the Seattle Mariners as an international free agent in November 1992, Ortiz compiled a lifetime .286 batting average (2,472-for-8,640) in 2,408 games with the Minnesota Twins (1997-2002) and Red Sox (2003-16), totaling 1,768 RBI, 1,419 runs scored, a .380 on-base percentage, a .552 slugging percentage, and a .931 OPS. His 541 home runs rank 17th in Major League history, while his 632 doubles rank 12th. The only other players with at least 500 home runs and 600 doubles are Hank Aaron, Albert Pujols, and Barry Bonds.

Ortiz is the all-time Major League leader in games played as a designated hitter (2,029), as well as in hits (2,191), doubles (557), home runs (485), extra-base hits (1,060), total bases (4,239), and RBI (1,569) at the position. He earned the Edgar Martinez Outstanding Designated Hitter Award a record eight times (2003-07, ’11, ’13, ’16), and his seven Louisville Slugger Silver Slugger Awards as a DH (2004-07, ’11, ’13, ’16) are the most ever at the position.

In addition to his accolades as a designated hitter, Ortiz twice earned the American League’s Hank Aaron Award (2005, ’16), given annually to the top offensive performer in each league. He finished in the top 10 in Most Valuable Player voting seven times, including in the top-five in each of his first five seasons with the Red Sox (5th, 4th, 2nd, 3rd, 4th). A 10-time All-Star, Ortiz started the Midsummer Classic for the American League seven times, twice as a first baseman (2006-07) and five times as a DH (2005, ’11-13, ’16).

Having signed with the Red Sox as a free agent on January 22, 2003, Ortiz is one of eight players to appear in at least 14 consecutive seasons for the Red Sox (2003-16), along with Carl Yastrzemski (23), Dwight Evans (19), Tim Wakefield (17), Jim Rice (16), Jason Varitek (15), Ted Williams (15), and Dustin Pedroia (14). Ortiz joins Pedroia as Boston’s only three-time World Series champions in the post-World War I era, having led the Red Sox to titles in 2004, 2007, and 2013. Ortiz is one of just four players with at least 500 career homers and three World Series championships, along with Hall of Famers Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle, and Reggie Jackson.

Ortiz hit 483 home runs with the Red Sox, a total that trails only Ted Williams (521) on the franchise’s all-time list. He also ranks among all-time club leaders in RBI (3rd; 1,530), hits (6th; 2,079), doubles (3rd; 524), extra-base hits (3rd; 1,023), runs scored (5th; 1,204), walks (4th; 1,133), total bases (5th; 4,084), times on base (4th; 3,241), and games played (5th; 1,953). Among players with at least 3,000 plate appearances for the Red Sox, Ortiz ranks fourth in slugging percentage (.570) and OPS (.956), having hit .290 with a .386 on-base percentage with Boston. He is one of only five players to record as many as 10 seasons with at least 30 home runs and 100 RBI for a single team, joining Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Hank Aaron, and Albert Pujols.

In 2016—his final season as a player—Ortiz batted .315 (169-for-537) and led the Major Leagues in doubles (48), extra-base hits (87), slugging percentage (.620), and OPS (1.021), also pacing the Red Sox in home runs (38), RBI (127), walks (80), and on-base percentage (.401). He set Major League records for most homers, RBI, doubles, and extra-base hits in a final season, and also set single-season records in each of those categories for a player age 40 or older. The 2016 season was Ortiz’s 10th with at least 100 RBI, passing Ted Williams for the most such seasons in club history.

Known as the greatest clutch hitter in Red Sox history, Ortiz is the franchise’s all-time leader with 10 walk-off home runs in the regular season. He recorded an additional seven walk-off hits with Boston, as his 17 game-ending RBI rank first in franchise history. In addition to his heroics in the regular season, Ortiz hit a walk-off home run in third and final game of the 2004 ALDS against the Anaheim Angels, then won Games 4 and 5 of the 2004 ALCS with walk-off hits in Boston’s historic comeback against the New York Yankees. In 2013, he provided the signature moment of the Red Sox’ postseason by hitting a game-tying grand slam in the eighth inning of a 6-5 win over the Detroit Tigers in Game 2 of the ALCS.

Named MVP of the 2004 ALCS and of the 2013 World Series, Ortiz is the Red Sox’ career leader in postseason games (76), runs (51), hits (80), doubles (19), home runs (17), extra-base hits (38), RBI (57), total bases (154), and walks (59). Among players with at least 50 plate appearances in the Fall Classic, Ortiz owns Major League Baseball’s best-ever World Series batting average (.455), on-base percentage (.576), and OPS (1.372).

A champion of charitable initiatives, Ortiz won the 2011 Roberto Clemente Award, MLB’s highest honor for those who best represent the game of baseball through positive contributions on and off the field. He created the David Ortiz Children’s Fund to provide critical pediatric services in New England and in his native Dominican Republic. In Boston, he has provided his time and other resources to Mass General Hospital for Children, donating tickets to patients from the hospital as part of his “Papi’s Pals” program.

On September 13, 2017, Ortiz and the Red Sox reached a long-term agreement, allowing the former slugger to act as a mentor for current players, participate in recruitment efforts, make a variety of special appearances for the club, and work in a business development capacity for Fenway Sports Management and its partners. His uniform number (34) was formally retired during the 2017 season, and in 2022 he will be officially inducted into the Red Sox Hall of Fame.

TLs Sunday Sports Notes | Jan 2, 2022

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While We’re Young (Ideas)

DIGGIES 2022 and Suggestion Box for Baseball

By TERRY LYONS

BOSTON – Back by popular demand, we give you the very first “DIGGIES 2022,” the top start-ups, new companies and other assorted things to anticipate with great expectations in 2022. One thing you can be assured of, Theranos will NOT be on the list.

To begin, we’ll start you off with a “Lucky 7” DIGGIES in sports investments.

Guru.Club – Remember where you “heard it first,” as Guru Club will be making a major impact in dozens of verticals, including sports, ticket sales, and everything associated with the industry. The Boston-based brand loyalty and new wave/social advertising start-up has very reasonable prices and room for growth for all brands.

HYDROW – Boston-based HYDROW is to rowing as Peloton is to cycling, complete with a monthly fee/membership to experience new and innovative content. HYDROW has been a product, engineered and marketed to the very serious “Head of the Charles” level rower. CEO Bruce Smith competed and coached in the Head of the Charles and 2015 World Championships.

Nex/Homecourt – Parent company Nex has two products and one is Homecourt, an application that allows young basketball players to train smarter, learn from the pros, and gear their training while improving skills that are applicable to NBA Combine level. Nex investors include Samsung, Blue Pool Capital, Harris Blitzer Sports Entertainment, Alibaba Entrepreneurship Fund, NBA, soccer great Thierry Henry, WNBA and USA Basketball legend Sue Bird, Harvard star and NBA phenom, now playing in China Jeremy Lin, former NBA MVP and current Brooklyn Nets coach Steve Nash, baseball legend Albert Pujols, actor and entrepreneur Will Smith, Steven Chen, co-founder YouTube, Matt Mullenweg, Co-Founder WordPress, RohamGharegozlou, Founder, Dapper Labs, NBA TopShot, Mark Cuban, team owner, Dallas Mavericks, and executives from Facebook, Uber, YouTube, Disney, and MasterClass.

PGA TOUR Brunch – A brand you’ve read about before in this column, the six days a week e-News to your Inbox is designed to give PGA Tour fans a mobile-first, and mobile-friendly tournament previews, betting odds, news updates and the most important links to content to save you time as you read the news on your device over lunch, brunch or whenever. Compiled and written by this reporter (Terry Lyons) who enjoys weekly competition in a couple Fantasy Golf leagues, too. Sign-Up or gift PGA TOUR Brunch to your favorite golfer or PGA TOUR fan and receive a special 205 discount by visiting HERE. (Notification: PGA Tour Brunch is not affiliated with the Tour and is a publication by Digital Sports Desk and TERRY LYONS)

Real Response – Real Response is designed to help sports organizations empower their student-athletes and give them the tools needed as the marketing world changes via Name, Image and Likeness opportunities (and eventual regulation). RealResponse partners with over 100 collegiate institutions and athletic organizations like the NFL Players Association, and USA Gymnastics. Through surveys, real-time reporting, and a comprehensive documentation repository, Real Response provided over 50,000 athletes a safe space to deliver concerns and feedback to their administration(s) and reps.

ShotTracker – A ‘not too’ oldie but goodie, here, Shot Tracker is growing its influence. ShotTracker is a sensor-based system that automatically captures statistical and performance analytics for (mostly men’s and women’s basketball) teams in real-time. Up-to-the-minute shot charts, optimal lineups, box scores in game, all streaming instantly into coaches and/or video assistants hands. the late David Stern was on it early, via Greycroftinvestment arm, and now Magic Johnson, Seventy-Six Capital and a host of others are onboard.

Too Good To Go – A global start-up from Europe, now expanding in the USA. They work with Restaurants, Bakeries, Grocery Stores and Households to combat the waste of good food. There’s certainly a future application for sports venues, caterers, and vendors.

HERE NOW, THE NOTES: Between college and pro basketball, a few Bowl games, a slew of NHL games, along with airline flights, there’s been more cancellations than a postmaster detailing stamps at the Post Office. Everyone from bus drivers to vendors to NBA referees are quarantining after positive tests from any and all variants of the COVID-19 virus, but somehow, the band plays on.

Schedule makers in the NHL might have an easier time making up lost games, as they now have the gap in the original schedule, pre piously being held for the 2022 Winter Olympic Games. … College conferences will struggle mightily to find dates to reschedule games and we’re already seeing games that were previously planned to be played in the big time sports arenas, now being relegated to the small on-campus gyms. That’s bad for season ticket holders, but possibly good for added home court advantage but the idea of seeing a packed house in Seton Hall’s tiny Walsh Gymnasium screams super-spreader.

THE BOWLS: The concept, formerly known as the College Football Bowl Season, is in deep trouble. Not only are teams cancelling because of COVID-19 concerns (which is unavoidable at this point in time), but the changing tides of college football result more and more in bowl teams arriving without their head coach, a defensive coordinator (who took on a job opportunity elsewhere) or star players who opt-out of the bowl game to work with professional trainers and strength and conditioning coaches to better prepare for the NFL Combine and Draft.

This column tries best not to be by-lined by Captain Obvious, but a MAJOR change needs to be made and the powers-that-be in college athletics and college football need to act now, rather than later.

There is no simple solution.

One thought is to expand the College Football Playoff system from four to 16 teams and draw a line in the turf right there. Only 16 college football teams would qualify for post-season and four pods of four teams each would be established to create a “Final Four” scenario that we currently enjoy.

Purists – a.k.a. lovers of the Bahamas Bowl, the Tailgreeter Cure Bowl or the Jimmy Kimmel Bowl – might lament. The option there would be to create a college football version of the “National Invitational Tournament” (NIT) and have an “on-campus” game or two to create the NIT Final Four which could be played in the likes of Dayton Ohio or Las Vegas.

The NCAA would also have to create a “No Fly Zone” or moratorium against the hiring or firing of college football coaches from November through January 15.

Michigan and Georgia at the Orange Bowl (Photo by Jeff Goldstein)

DIAMOND DUST-UPs: If the College Bowl Season is broken in two, Major League Baseball has been smashed to pieces.

Currently in lock-out mode, MLB players are working-out on their own and have 42 days until Pitchers & Catchers report for Spring Training. Negotiations are on-going for a new Collective Bargaining Agreement to govern the sport for years to come and the process might become quite painful for both team owners and players.

There are drastic steps that need to be taken in the next agreement. Here are a few:

  1. SALARY CAP SYSTEM: MLB, like football, basketball and hockey before it, must negotiate a Salary Cap (minimum and maximum team salary structure) to govern the Majors. Unless on-field miracles occur, there’s easily 15-20 MLB teams that have little to no chance of competing for a World Series title. Every year, there’s one or two surprise teams that might make the Wild Card playoffs and ride a “hot” pitching or a few “hot” bats, but for the most part, the system is so broken, only the big time teams can compete. A Salary Cap system seems unavoidable, but the MLB Players Association will fight, claw and scream their way out of any collective agreement that includes team salary limits, and curtailing the free agency market.
  2. RULES: MLB must address the designated hitter, the extra-inning rules brought on by COVID-19, including seven-inning doubleheaders and the man-on-second-base rule for extra innings. I’d go with the DH in both leagues and that would be a major “get” for the Union as the jobs of aging players unable to play the field would be protected for all 30 teams. On the others, I’d lean hard against the seven-inning twin bills and the “man-on-second-base” rule. Additionally, there needs to be major change in the way relief pitchers are being utilized. While the purists can claim that MLB managers should be able to do whatever it takes to win a ballgame, the use of eight-to-10 pitchers every game is excessive and the TV audience simply tunes out. The DH should go one way or the other. In or out. (It’s currently only in the American League and has been since 1973. That’s 49 years of inequity. … The pace of play also comes in under the area of game rules that need to be addressed in the CBA. Recent reports have noted the Office of Baseball and the MLB Players have been meeting/discussing non-economic or core issues. Here’s a “Six/Fix” for Baseball:
    • Suggestion One: No mound visits in the first three innings unless a pitcher is going to be removed from the game. (Of course, MLB Trainers can assist a pitcher if there’s an injury from a come-backer).
    • Suggestion Two: Limit the number of pitchers to be ‘active” for any one game. Ten or 12 pitchers max. Others can be healthy scratches, ready for the next game.
    • Suggestion Three: Limit shifting. Each position would have a range of space where the defensive players can be positioned. The range could be on electronic notification that would “beep” in a players’ fielding glove if he approached his space limitation area.
    • Suggestion Four: Address bench-clearing. Bench clearing brawls in Baseball are often no more than pushing-shoving or square-dancing, but there’s always the potential for an all-out “Rudy T” moment and serious injury. There is NO REASON players should leave the dugout. a minimum 20-game suspensions would take care of it. Second offense? How about 50 games?
    • Suggestion Five: Bench clearing from the bullpen is just ridiculous. It’s the easiest fix of the bunch. If a reserve pitcher/catcher/coach leaves a bullpen area during an altercation, Baseball should be able to suspend the player for 50 games.
    • Suggestions Six: (This might sound ridiculous, but a cumulative 10-15 minutes every game is spent as batters nervously re-adjust their batting gloves for every pitch). Once a player steps in the batter’s box, he can no longer adjust his batting gloves. Period. First infraction, a warning. Second infraction? Off come the batting gloves for the rest of the game.

 

MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred and MLB Unit Exec Director Tony Clark

Sox Reacquire Jackie Bradley Jr.

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Red Sox Nab Bradley Jr, Two Prospects From Milwaukee for Renfroe

BOSTON – (Staff Report from Official News Release) – The Boston Red Sox today acquired outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr. along with minor league infielders Alex Binelas and David Hamilton from the Milwaukee Brewers, in exchange for outfielder Hunter Renfroe. The Red Sox’ 40-man roster is now at 39 after Chief Baseball Officer Chaim Bloom made the trade.

Bradley, 31, has played in 1,007 major league games with the Red Sox (2013-20) and Brewers (2021), batting .230 (755-for-3,286) with 104 home runs. A 2016 All-Star, he earned the Rawlings Gold Glove Award for center field in 2018 and was a finalist for the award in three other seasons (2014, ’16, ’19). Bradley helped the Red Sox win the 2018 World Series, as he was named Most Valuable Player of the American League Championship Series. In 2021, he appeared in 134 games for the Brewers, making 79 starts in center field, 11 in left field, and nine in right field while hitting .163 (63-for-387) with six home runs.

Selected by the Red Sox in the supplemental round of the 2011 June Draft, Bradley has made 752 starts in center field for Boston, sixth most in franchise history. He made six Opening Day starts for the club, including one in left field (2013) and five in center field (2016-20). In 2020, Bradley set career highs in batting average (.283) and on-base percentage (.364), also committing zero errors and leading major league outfielders with seven outs above average (Source: Statcast).

Bradley has been recognized by the Boston Baseball Writers as the Red Sox’ Defensive Player of the Year (2017, ’18, ’19), Comeback Player of the Year (2015), and Minor League Player of the Year (2012), also earning a Special Achievement Award for his 29-game hitting streak in 2016. An active member of the community along with his wife, Erin, Bradley served as captain of the Red Sox Scholars program from 2016-20 and supported the Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program. He and Erin have a daughter, Emerson, and a son, Jax.

Binelas, 21, was selected by the Brewers in the third round of the 2021 MLB Draft out of the University of Louisville. A left-handed hitter, he is ranked by MLB.com as Milwaukee’s No. 17 prospect. Binelas split his professional debut between the Rookie-level ACL Brewers and Low-A Carolina, hitting .309 (43-for-139) with 33 runs scored, 11 doubles, nine home runs, 29 RBI, and a .973 OPS in 36 games. He made 20 starts at third base and four at first base. The Wisconsin native was also selected by the Washington Nationals in the 35th round of the 2018 June Draft.

Hamilton, 24, was selected by the Brewers in the eighth round of the 2019 June Draft out of the University of Texas at Austin and made his professional debut in 2021. A left-handed hitter, he is ranked by MLB.com as Milwaukee’s No. 16 prospect. Hamilton hit .258 (104-for-403) with 66 runs scored, 19 doubles, 11 triples, eight home runs, and 43 RBI in 101 games between High-A Wisconsin and Double-A Biloxi in 2021, making 87 starts at shortstop and 13 at second base. Following the 2021 season, he played in 14 games for Salt River in the Arizona Fall League.

Renfroe, 29, appeared in a career-high 144 games for the Red Sox in 2021, also setting career bests in batting average (.259), on-base percentage (.315), OPS (.816), runs scored (89), doubles (33), extra-base hits (64), and RBI (96). He made 138 appearances in right field and tied for the MLB lead with a career-high 16 outfield assists, which were the most at the position by a Red Sox in the Expansion Era. Selected 13th overall by San Diego in the first round of the 2013 June Draft, Renfroe has hit .237 (465-for-1,966) with 128 home runs and 322 RBI in 576 major league games over six seasons with the Padres (2016-19), Rays (2020), and Red Sox (2021).

Red Sox Acquire Hill, Paxson

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BOSTON – (Staff Report from Official News Release) – The Boston Red Sox went the veteran route to shore-up their pitching rotation and in doing so, signed left-handed pitcher Rich Hill to a one-year contract for the 2022 season. In addition, the Red Sox signed left-handed pitcher James Paxton to a one-year contract for the 2022 season, with a two-year club option for the 2023-24 seasons. In the event the club does not exercise that option following the 2022 season, Paxton would have the right to exercise a conditional player option for the 2023 season. The Red Sox’ 40-man roster is now at 39 after Red Sox Chief Baseball Officer Chaim Bloom made the additions.

Hill, 41, has pitched for 11 major league teams over 17 seasons, going 74-52 with a 3.80 ERA (479 ER/1,134.2 IP) in 324 appearances (195 starts) with the Chicago Cubs (2005-08), Baltimore Orioles (2009), Red Sox (2010-12, ’15), Cleveland Indians (2013), Los Angeles Angels (2014), New York Yankees (2014), Oakland A’s (2016), Los Angeles Dodgers (2016-19), Minnesota Twins (2020), Tampa Bay Rays (2021), and New York Mets (2021).

In 2021, Hill made 19 starts for the Rays and pitched in 13 games (12 starts) for the Mets, posting a 3.86 ERA (68 ER/158.2 IP) with 150 strikeouts, a 1.21 WHIP, and a .235 opponent batting average. In five starts against American League Postseason teams, he was 4-0 with a 1.75 ERA (5 ER/25.2 IP), having made three appearances against the Yankees, one versus the Red Sox, and one against the Houston Astros.

Born in Boston, Hill graduated from Milton High School before attending the University of Michigan. He last pitched at Fenway Park on September 25, 2015, when he threw a two-hit shutout against the Orioles, striking out 10 batters and walking one. In 25 career appearances at Fenway (one start), Hill is 2-0 with a 1.65 ERA (5 ER/27.1 IP). In 2019, he earned the Tony Conigliaro Award, presented annually by the Red Sox to a major leaguer who has overcome adversity through the attributes of spirit, determination, and courage.

Hill has made 13 Postseason appearances (12 starts) for the Cubs (2007) and Dodgers (2016-19), going 1-2 with a 3.06 ERA (18 ER/53.0 IP).

Paxton, 33, is 57-33 with a 3.59 ERA (301 ER/754.2 IP) in 137 major league appearances—all starts—with the Seattle Mariners (2013-18, ’21) and New York Yankees (2019-20). After making a career-high 29 starts and going 15-6 for the Yankees in 2019, he missed a majority of the 2020 season due to injury. In 2021, he made one start for the Mariners before undergoing Tommy John surgery on April 13 and missing the remainder of the season.

A native of Vancouver, Paxton pitched at the University of Kentucky from 2007-09 and was selected by the Mariners in the fourth round of the 2010 June Draft. He posted a sub-4.00 ERA in each of his first seven major league seasons (2013-19), including a 2.98 ERA (45 ER/136.0 IP) over 24 starts for Seattle in 2017. On May 8, 2018 at Rogers Centre, Paxton threw a no-hitter in a 5-0 win over the Blue Jays. Since the start of 2016, he has averaged 10.61 strikeouts and only 2.53 walks per 9.0 innings, having struck out 695 batters and walked 166 during that time.

Red Sox Sign Wacha for 1-Year

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BOSTON – (Staff Report from Official News Release) – The Boston Red Sox today signed right-handed pitcher Michael Wacha to a one-year contract for the 2022 season. The club’s 40-man roster is now at 38 after Red Sox Chief Baseball Officer Chaim Bloom made the deal.

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Wacha, 30, made 29 appearances (23 starts) for the Tampa Bay Rays in the 2021 regular season, posting a 2.88 ERA (11 ER/34.1 IP) in his final seven outings. After throwing 5.0 scoreless and hitless innings on September 28 against the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park, he allowed only one hit in 5.0 scoreless innings on October 3 against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. The right-hander led the majors with four outings in which he threw at least 5.0 innings, allowed zero runs, and surrendered one or zero hits.

After spending his first eight major league seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals (2013-19) and New York Mets (2020), Wacha made his American League debut in 2021 with the Rays and went 3-5 with a 5.05 ERA (70 ER/124.2 IP), 121 strikeouts, and 31 walks. In three starts against the Yankees last season, he allowed zero earned runs in 16.0 innings while holding hitters to a .100 batting average (5-for-50). In a 1-0 win over the Red Sox at Tropicana Field on June 24, Wacha surrendered only one hit in 5.0 innings.

Selected by the Cardinals in the first round of the 2012 June Draft (19th overall) out of Texas A&M University, Wacha is 63-48 with a 4.14 ERA (472 ER/1,026.1 IP) in 202 career major league outings (181 starts). A 2015 National League All-Star, he has made six Postseason starts and two relief appearances, going 4-3 with a 5.21 ERA (22 ER/38.0 IP). His lone Postseason outing of 2021 came as a reliever in Game 2 of the ALDS against the Red Sox at Tropicana Field.

Born in Iowa City, IA, Wacha currently resides in Jupiter, FL.

Red Sox Exercise Cora Option

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BOSTON – (Staff Report from Official News Release) – The Boston Red Sox exercised club manager Alex Cora’s contract option for the 2023 and 2024 seasons, said Boston’s Chief Baseball Officer Chaim Bloom in a statement issued by the club.

“I am beyond grateful for this opportunity to manage the Red Sox,” said Cora. “We experienced so many special moments as a team and as a city in 2021, but we still have unfinished business to take care of. I am excited about the current state of our organization and eager to continue my work with our front office, coaches, players, and everyone who makes this such a special place.”

“Alex’s leadership of our staff and our players was critical to all that we accomplished in 2021,” said Bloom. “Along with the entire Red Sox front office, I am excited for many years of continued partnership as we work together to bring another World Series trophy to Fenway Park.”

Cora, 46, is 284-202 (.584) in three seasons as Red Sox manager, having led the club to a winning record in 2018 (108-54), 2019 (84-78), and 2021 (92-70). Among the 19 individuals to manage at least 400 games with the Red Sox, Cora’s .584 winning percentage is the highest. One of 48 managers in the franchise’s history, he has won two World Series titles with Boston, one as a player in 2007 and another as a manager in 2018.

In 2021, Cora led the Red Sox to a 92-70 record in the regular season, including a Major League-best 47 come-from-behind wins. Boston advanced to the American League Championship Series, after defeating the New York Yankees in the AL Wild Card Game and the Tampa Bay Rays in the AL Division Series. Boston owned the AL’s largest increase in winning percentage from 2020 to 2021 (.168), second-largest in the majors behind only the San Francisco Giants (.177). Cora became only the sixth manager to lead the Red Sox to multiple Postseason appearances, joining Bill Carrigan (1915-16), Joe Morgan (1988, ’90), Jimy Williams (1998-99), Terry Francona (2004-05, ’07-09), and John Farrell (2013, ’16-17).

Named the 47th manager in Red Sox history on October 22, 2017, Cora led Boston to a franchise-record 108 regular-season wins and an American League East title in 2018. After the 2019 season, the club and Cora mutually parted ways on January 14, 2020. On November 6, 2020, the Red Sox and Cora agreed to a two-year contract through the 2022 season, with a two-year club option for the 2023 and 2024 seasons. He became the fifth person to manage the Red Sox in two separate stints, joining Bill Carrigan (1913-16, ’27-29), Mike Higgins (1955-59, ’60-62), Johnny Pesky (1963-64, ’80), and Eddie Popowski (1969, ’73).

During his playing career with the Red Sox (2005-08), Cora batted .252 (176-for-698) in 301 games, splitting time primarily between second base and shortstop. He was part of Boston’s Division Series roster in 2005 and appeared in four games during the club’s 2007 World Series title run, including two games in the Championship Series and two in the Fall Classic. He also served as the Red Sox’ starting shortstop in three games during the 2008 Postseason.

Cora resides in Caguas and has four children: Jeriel, Camila, Xander, and Isander. His older brother, Joey, played parts of 11 major league seasons with the San Diego Padres (1987, 1989-90), Chicago White Sox (1991-94), Seattle Mariners (1995-98), and Cleveland (1998).

Red Sox Promote Four to MLB Roster

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BOSTON – The Boston Red Sox made the following roster moves on Friday, November 19, taking Boston’s 40-man MLB roster up to 37 players.

  • Infielder Jeter Downs and right-handed pitchers Kutter Crawford and Josh Winckowski were selected to the major league roster from Triple-A Pawtucket.
  • Right-handed pitcher Brayan Bello was selected to the major league roster from Double-A Portland.

Bello, 22, is ranked by Baseball America as the Red Sox’ No. 5 prospect. The right-hander split the 2021 season between High-A Greenville and Double-A Portland, making 21 starts and going 7-3 with a 3.87 ERA (41 ER/95.1 IP), 132 strikeouts, and 31 walks. Following the season, the Red Sox named Bello the organization’s Minor League Starting Pitcher of the Year. Acquired as an international free agent in July 2017, the Dominican Republic native has a 3.98 ERA (124 ER/280.1 IP) in 60 career minor league appearances (59 starts).

Crawford, 25, is ranked by MLB.com as the Red Sox’ No. 23 prospect. The right-hander made 20 appearances (19 starts) between Portland and Triple-A Worcester in 2021, going 6-6 with a 4.28 ERA (45 ER/94.2 IP) and 131 strikeouts. The Florida native also made his major league debut last season, starting against Cleveland on September 5. He has made four starts in the Dominican Winter League this year, allowing one earned run in 18.1 innings (0.49 ERA). Selected by Boston in the 16th round of the 2017 June Draft out of Florida Gulf Coast University, Crawford is 18-21 with a 3.63 ERA (132 ER/327.2 IP) and 390 strikeouts in 67 minor league games (66 starts).

Downs, 23, is ranked as one of the Red Sox’ top 10 prospects by both Baseball America (No. 6) and MLB.com (No. 5). The right-handed hitter spent the 2021 season with Worcester, making 78 starts at shortstop and 21 at second base while batting .190 (68-for-357) with 14 home runs and 18 stolen bases. In 16 games for Scottsdale in the Arizona Fall League, he went 13-for-57 (.228) with five home runs and an .880 OPS. Selected by the Cincinnati Reds in the first round of the 2017 June Draft (No. 32 overall), Downs was acquired by the Red Sox from the Los Angeles Dodgers on February 10, 2020.

Winckowski, 23, is ranked by Baseball America as the Red Sox’ No. 9 prospect. He split the 2021 season between Portland (21 games, 20 starts) and Worcester (two starts), going 9-4 with a 3.94 ERA (49 ER/112.0 IP), 101 strikeouts, and 33 walks. Following the season, the right-hander made six appearances for Scottsdale in the Arizona Fall League. Selected by the Blue Jays in the 15th round of the 2016 June Draft, Winckowski spent his first five seasons in Toronto’s minor league system before being traded to the Mets on January 27, 2021, then to the Red Sox on February 10.

BOSTON RED SOX 40-MAN ROSTER (37)

Pitchers (19): Matt Barnes, Eduard Bazardo, Brayan Bello, Ryan Brasier, Kutter Crawford, Austin Davis, Nathan Eovaldi, Jay Groome, Darwinzon Hernandez, Tanner Houck, Bryan Mata, Nick Pivetta, Chris Sale, Hirokazu Sawamura, Connor Seabold, Josh Taylor, Phillips Valdez, Garrett Whitlock, Josh Winckowski

Catchers (4): Ronaldo Hernández, Kevin Plawecki, Christian Vázquez, Connor Wong

Infielders (6): Jonathan Araúz, Christian Arroyo, Xander Bogaerts, Bobby Dalbec, Rafael Devers, Hudson Potts

Outfielders (6): Jarren Duran, Tim Locastro, J.D. Martinez, Hunter Renfroe, Jeisson Rosario, Alex Verdugo

Infielder/Outfielders (2): Jeter Downs, Kiké Hernández

 

Sox Exercise Option on Vázquez

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BOSTON – (Staff Report from Official Club News Release) – The Boston Red Sox exercised their club option on veteran catcher Christian Vázquez for the 2022 season. Red Sox Chief Baseball Officer Chaim Bloom made the decision.

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Vázquez, 31, played in 614 major league games, all with the Red Sox. He was selected by Boston in the ninth round of the 2008 MLB Draft and ranks seventh in franchise history with 573 games at catcher. A 2018 World Series champion, he has appeared in 25 postseason games, second most among Red Sox catchers behind only Jason Varitek (62).

In 2021, Vázquez matched a career high with 138 games played. He led the majors in innings caught (1,051.1), the most by a Red Sox backstop since Varitek in 2008 (1,064.1). The Puerto Rican native was voted the American League’s best defensive catcher by managers and coaches in Baseball America’s annual Best Tools survey, finishing the season with 18 runners caught stealing and three pickoffs. In addition to his 132 games at catcher, Vázquez appeared in two games at third base, two at second base, and one at first base.

Vázquez has hit .259 (527-for-2,035) with 46 home runs and 224 RBI in his career. In 2021, he batted .258 (118-for-458) with six home runs, 49 RBI, 51 runs scored, and a .659 OPS, also leading the Red Sox with eight stolen bases. He went 9-for-32 (.281) in 11 Postseason games, including 6-for-16 (.375) with one home run and four RBI in the Division Series.

Baseball Series: The Shot Heard Around a Local Neighborhood

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By TERRY LYONS

ATLANTA – Welcome to Game 3 of the Unincorporated Community of Cumberland Series. After two games at the Harris County Series, Major League Baseball will stage its first pitch of the first truly local, everyday series with the Harris County Astros tied with the Cumberland Braves, 1-game apiece.

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Gone are the days of the World Series and amazing feats like the Miracle of Coogan’s Bluff which brought the 1951 NY Giants to an early version of the Local Series, called a Subway Series which was lost to the New York Yankees in six games. Gone are “I can’t believe what I just saw” moments, as no one will see it.

“We don’t market our game on a nationwide basis,” said Manfred as the series opened in Harris County, Texas. “Ours is an everyday game, you’ve got to sell tickets every single day to the fans in that market. And there are all sorts of differences among the clubs among the regions as to how the games are marketed.”

That is certainly true and to be fair to MLB and Manfred, he was explaining how every MLB club must compete in each MLB town to attract fans, sell tickets and get TV eye-balls on their regular season games. It’s a difficult task multiplied by 81 home games in the heat of summer, the cold dampness of April in the northern USA cities and the sad reality of being 20 games back in September for the cellar-dwellers.

Manfred was defending MLBs attempt to be “apolitical,” Yet, and in all seriousness, with the Atlanta Braves in the 2021 World Series, baseball found itself in the State of Georgia where they left this summer’s All-Star Game behind to make a stand against the obvious voter suppression laws being enacted by state lawmakers in reaction to the upset election of two Democratic United States Senators (Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock) in a State run by a Republican governor. The All-Star Game went to Denver, Colorado and baseball found itself right, smack in the middle of politics in these formerly United States.

Apolitical?

Let me say this,” Manfred said. “It’s harder than it used to be. It sure is.”

That brings us to the Braves, the club name and the (adopted from the Florida State Seminole fans) Tomahawk “Chop.”

“We have 30 markets around the country. They’re not all the same,” said Manfred. “The Native American community in that region is fully supportive of the Braves program, including the chop. And for me, that’s kind of the end of the story.”

Note to PR practitioners: When someone hoping to end a story says it’s “kind of the end of the story,” the public relations people still have a story and potential crisis on their hands.

While scores of athletic programs (college mostly) dropped mascots and program nicknames like, “Warriors, Redmen, and Indians,” and the North Dakota Fighting Sioux dropped their college nickname and have yet to replace it, as the Notre Dame Fighting Irish look on.  Two professional teams found themselves as the major focal points of the politically incorrect position of promoting their franchises as the Cleveland Indians (MLB) and the Washington Redskins (NFL).

The Redskins made the PC move to become the Washington Football Team two seasons ago but are yet to come up with a suitable team name. The Cleveland Indians made the announcement that they would become the Cleveland Guardians but were recently sued in U.S. District Court by a Roller Derby team claiming ownership of the word “Guardians.”

No matter what the case may be, someone, somewhere and somehow will be offended – some rightfully and others trying to make a fuss or a buck but the Braves and Astros will play Game 3 of the Series of the pastime formerly known as national.

The Sun Came Up Again for Astros

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By TERRY LYONS

BOSTON – Just as Houston Astros manager Dusty Baker predicted, the sun came up for the Houston Astros on Tuesday morning and it set in time for Game 4 of their American League Championship Series against the Boston Red Sox at Jam-packed Fenway Park. After the 12-3 throttling the ‘Stros took at the hands of the Sox on Monday, all signs pointed towards another Boston victory.

Momentum be damned.

The pundits’ predictions for three straight for the Red Sox at Fenway were plentiful. Yet, experience and past results showed that one game does not a series make. Best-of-seven playoff series often have pendulum-like sways and they play with the minds of the media, the fans but not the teams and players.

Case in point:

  • Game 1: The Houston Astros won, 5-4, at home and took control of the series
  • Game 2: The Boston Red Sox won, 9-5, at Houston and escaped Texas with home field advantage in their pockets.
  • Game 3: The Red Sox lambaste the Astros, 12-3, to go up 2-1 in the series and gain control and all momentum.
  • Game 4: The Astros strike back, 9-2 at Fenway, making the series a best-of-three with Houston regaining home field ad.

Game 5 is late this afternoon at Fenway Park where the bright setting sun will cast shadows on the field, and make right fielders cringe upon every fly ball hit towards the Pru. If you ask the old Oakland Raiders of the NFL, you’ll also be reminded that the Autumn Wind is a Pirate. We’ll just have to see as Mother Nature has been kind to MLB as October 20’s weather forecast could easily be for September 1st.

Houston will send Framber Valdez out to the mound while Boston will stake its season with Chris Sale pitching the pivotal fifth game of the ALCS. Sox fans yearn for the days of yesteryear when Sale was an automatic “W,” and 10 strike-outs were the norm. Instead, we’ll see if Sale can bounce back from two subpar postseason outings, each coming after he’s battled an inflamed elbow, Tommy John surgery (March 30, 2020) and a slow return as the 2020 and 2021 MLB seasons marched on while the world battled COVID-19.

Sale’s last outing was Game 1 of the ALCS in Houston. He gave up five hits and an earned run but only pitched 2.2 innings. His first start of the MLB Postseason was Game 2 of the AL Divisional Series vs. Tampa Bay when he allowed five earned runs on four hits and lasted just one inning.

Not great.

Sale and Valdez matched-up in Game 1 of this series and Valdez wasn’t much better, allowing three runs (two earned.thank-you Jose Altuve), six hits with three walks in 2.2 innings pitched. In that series opener, each team utilized eight pitchers in another four hour epic.

Red Sox manager Alex Cora remains quite confident he’ll see a batter version of his one-time ace.

“He’ll be fine,” said Cora after Tuesday night’s Boston loss. “The way he threw the ball at the end of that outing in Houston, it was good. The way he worked in between starts, it was good. He will be ready.”

What did veteran and perfect prognosticator Baker think?

“This (series) is enjoying baseball as if you are a child,” said the Astros manager as if he were reading scrips for the motion picture, Field of Dreams.  “You know, this is one of the great things about baseball. When you’re dead in the water and things aren’t going good, and then all of a sudden, ‘boom, boom, boom,’ and you’ve got seven runs. That’s what they’ve been doing to us this whole series, and we’re capable of doing that as well.”

Baker is an amazing and respected baseball man who boils it down, knew the sun would rise once again for his ‘Stros, and that his team is close and getting closer by the game and the series.

Game 5s are a better prognosticator than Baker, however. This afternoon marks the seventh ALCS to be tied at 2-2 since the best-of-7 format began in 1985. Since then, six of the clubs that won Game 5 went on to win the pennant (all except the 2017 Yankees vs. these Houston Astros).

In other words, expect one hell of a Game 5 and to the winner … a ticket to the World Series awaits.