Jack Brady takes over in Boston

[Swami077]

December 4, 1990
As free agent signings picked up across the league at the winter meetings this week, all remained quiet on the Red Sox front. The team is said to be closing in on deals with a handful of pitchers that they have targeted. Chris Bosio and Jimmy Key have been most recently linked to the Red Sox. Bosio spent last season with the Milwaukee Brewers, and while the final numbers do not appear strong, the Red Sox got a good look at how good of a pitcher he can be. He had several very strong starts against Boston last season. Key posted a mediocre season for the Toronto Blue Jays, which led to him being non-tendered by the club.

The Red Sox did sign 23 year old pitcher Yorkis Perez to a minor league contract. He spent last season in the Expos organization, going 3-6 with a 3.45 ERA.

The most major news of the meetings came out of Minnesota, with highly coveted outfielder Darry Strawberry signing a 5 year, $15.2 million contract with the Twins. He hit .283 with 26 home runs for the Mets last season, despite missing over two months with an injury.

Two former Red Sox pitchers found new homes this week, with Greg Harris signing with the Chicago Cubs and Mike Boddicker agreeing to terms with the Houston Astros. The Astros also signed 30 year old 1B Sid Bream, who posted an excellent season with Pittsburgh last year. He hit .316 with 16 homers and 101 RBI, which earned him a 5 year, $9.8 million contract.

Some other significant deals were handed out during the winter meetings as well. The Cardinals agreed to a 4 year, $8 million deal with SP Zane Smith, formerly of the Expos. Another former Expo, 1B Andres Galarraga, signed a 3 year, $2.8 million deal with the Phillies, after hitting 24 home runs last season.

Oakland signed 34 year old SP Charlie Leibrandt to a 2 year, $2.9 million contract. He spent last year with the Giants, where he went 14-15 with a 3.81 ERA. He will help to bolster the rotation with the health of staff ace Dave Stewart uncertain.

The Blue Jays agreed to terms on a 3 year deal with reliever Ed Nunez. He notched 21 saves last season for Detroit.

The defending champs are bracing for the loss of free agent Jose Rijo from their rotation, as they sent two minor leaguers to Cleveland in exchange for 33 year old starter Tom Candiotti. Candiotti was outstanding for the disappointing Indians in 1990, posting 14 wins and an ERA of 2.73.

[Swami077]

December 10, 1990
Boston made its first addition to their Major League roster, signing right handed reliever Steve Farr to a 2 year, $1.8 million deal. Farr had been in Kansas City for the majority of his career before being traded to San Diego mid-season last year. He finished with 26 saves to go along with a 3.87 ERA and 1.42 WHIP. He had struggled in the early part of the season with the Royals, but the 33 year old appeared rejuvenated after the trade. It is expected that Farr will start the season as the team’s primary setup man ahead of closer Jeff Reardon.

Another prominent reliever signed, with former Red Sox closer Lee Smith agreeing to a 3 year, $4.2 million contract with the Angels. Smith had an outstanding season in 1990, being traded to Pittsburgh at the deadline and bolstering the team’s bullpen. Smith has 265 saves in his career and should serve as the closer for California.

The Oakland A’s continue to add to their roster, picking up catch Don Slaught on a 5 year, $10.6 million deal. He had a strong year in Pittsburgh, hitting .285 with 8 homers and 77 RBI.

The Padres locked up starting pitcher Ed Whitson to a contract extension. The 35 year old had been due to become a free agent after next season, and is now signed through the 1994 season

Amateur Draft
The amateur draft will get underway later today. It is scheduled for 40 rounds, and Boston has the first overall pick. 18 year old outfielder Manny Ramirez is the top rated prospect, but his rumored bonus demands to sign a deal may preclude teams from drafting him. The Red Sox have not given an indication of who they were leaning towards selecting. OSA produced their final mock draft today, and do expect that Ramirez will be the selection.

[Swami077]

December 11, 1990
MLB held its amateur draft yesterday, with the Red Sox holding the top pick. They selected the clear cut top prospect, 18 year old outfielder Manny Ramirez. The team will now have two months to convince him to sign and forego a collegiate career at UCF. With a focus on high school players in this draft, the team will be forced to do this with many of its draftees. Of their first 11 picks, only third round selection Tony Womack and seventh round pick Eduardo Perez are from the collegiate ranks.

Round 1 – OF Manny Ramirez (18); pure hitter who possesses enormous potential
Round 2 – OF Mike Cameron (17); speed to burn, a strong defensive player with the body to develop decent power
Round 3 – SS Tony Womack (21); likely the fastest player selected, Womack will need to handle the bat better as he moves through the ranks
Round 4 – LHP Justin Thompson (17); a wide arsenal of pitches, but struggles with command
Round 5 – LHP Kirk Rueter (20); a lower ceiling than Thompson, but could develop into an end of the rotation type big leaguer
Round 6 – LHP Eddie Guardado (20); another quality lefty, Guardado has a dominant changeup
Round 7 – 3B Eduardo Perez (21); all the tools to be a quality big leaguer once he grows into his body
Round 8 – RHP Ugueth Urbina (16); great stuff for a pitcher this young, will need to continue to hone his craft
Round 9 – RHP LaTroy Hawkins (17); similar profile to Guardado from the right side; outstanding changeup with other decent tools in his toolbox
Round 10 – RHP Matt Mantei (17); pure stuff is off the chart but control is a question mark, Mantei likely projects as a power reliever

Round 11 – C Felix Rodriguez (18), Round 12 – OF Sean Scott (20), Round 13 – LHP Rigo Beltran (21), Round 14 – RHP Ricky Bottalico (21), Round 15 – 1B Paul Thompson (18), Round 16 – LHP Vaughn Eshelman (21), Round 17 – C Dana Levangie (21), Round 18 – RHP Antonio Alfonseca (18), Round 19 – RHP Albie Lopez (19), Round 20 – RHP Tim Van Egmond (21), Round 21 – RHP Chris Seelbach (17), Round 22 – OF Clarance Richmond (18), Round 23 – OF Jeff Scholzen (21), Round 24 – RHP Carlos Reyes (21), Round 25 – 2B David Chisum (20), Round 26 – SS Scott Dennison (22), Round 27 – RHP William Van Landingham (20), Round 28 – RHP Cory Bailey (19), Round 29 – RHP Luis Garcia (20), Round 30 – 1B Joaquin Cabral (17), Round 31 – 3B Michael Burritt (17), Round 32 – 1B Alejandro Diaz (18), Round 33 – 1B Roberto Ortega (18), Round 34 – LHP Dave Swanson (18), Round 35 – LHP Chad Zerbe (18), Round 36 – 2B Steven Serafini (21), Round 37 – RHP Jeff Pierce (21), Round 38 – RHP Todd Williams (19), Round 39 – RHP Pep Harris (18), Round 40 – RHP Ken Grundt (21)

While its always difficult to grade MLB drafts until many years later, scouts seem to believe the Red Sox had a strong draft. Most notably around the rest of the league, the Pittsburgh Pirates held 8 picks in the first two rounds, by virtue of their free agent losses so far this offseason.

[Swami077]

December 16, 1990
It was a very busy week for the Red Sox front office. After drafting 40 players in last week’s amateur draft, the team got right to work in getting the draft class signed. Four of their draftees have already signed with the organization, including the team’s second round selection, 17 year old outfielder Mike Cameron. They also agreed to deals with RHP LaTroy Hawkins, OF Sean Scott, and 1B Paul Thompson.

Still no movement on the Manny Ramirez front. It is known that the team made an offer to Ramirez’s agent, but it is unclear if they have met the player’s demand. While the slot bonus for the top player drafted was $1.4 million, Ramirez has been very open about requesting $1.8 million in order to sign. This negotiation could drag out until closer to the deadline, unless Boston meets the demand.

The team did make a couple of key additions to its pitching staff this week. They agreed to contracts starting pitchers Jimmy Key and Chris Bosio. Key, 29, has spent the entirety of his career in Toronto thus far. He had earned $1.4 million last year and would have commanded a raise through arbitration. After a disappointing season that saw him go 10-13 with a 5.14 ERA in 1990, the Blue Jays elected to non-tender Key. His contract with Boston is for just $270k, and he will be eligible for arbitration next offseason.

The 27 year old Bosio agreed to a $230,000 deal, and will also be eligible for arbitration next season. He hasn’t shown himself to be much more than a back end of the rotation type pitcher, but could prove to be an effective innings eater for the Red Sox. He went 7-17 with a 5.93 ERA for Milwaukee last year before being non-tendered by the team.

Despite adding two starters, the Red Sox are said to be continuing to monitor the pitching market, specifically for 43 year old Nolan Ryan. The two sides talked earlier this offseason, but the Red Sox have thus far been unwilling to go to 3 years with Ryan. The Red Sox offer was for two years at a higher annual value. It would not be surprising if the two sides re-engage.

The team also signed second baseman Al Newman to a minor league deal. Newman has spent his career in Minnesota as a light hitting middle infielder. He should open the year in Pawtucket and provide some organizational depth for the team.

Next up this week is roster preparations for Thursday's Rule 5 draft. Boston currently has 4 open spots on their 40 man roster that can be used to protect additional players from selection.

The Cleveland Indians made a major splash by signing free agent first baseman Glenn Davis to a 3 year, $2.8 million deal. The 29 year old Davis has developed into one of the game’s top power hitters, belting 169 home runs over his last 6 seasons in Houston.

The Angels were able to retain one of their own this week by agreeing to terms with outfielder Brian Downing on a 3 year, $4.5 million deal. The 40 year old tested free agency after a strong 1990 season, but ultimately the team was able to bring him back into the fold.

There was one trade to note this week with the Houston Astros sending 27 year old catcher Ron Karkovice to the Atlanta Braves for outfielder Oddibe McDowell and LHP Mike Stanton. It would appear to be a nice return for the Astros in giving up their backup catcher.

[Swami077]

December 23, 1990
Boston’s 1991 roster continued to take shape this week. There were no Red Sox players selected in Thursday’s Rule 5 draft. However, there were 12 total players selected, with the Red Sox claiming 3 players themselves. In the first round, they selected 1B Reggie Jefferson from the Cincinnati Reds’ organization. The 22 year old has not played above AA thus far, but has hit 17 or 18 home runs in each of the last 3 seasons between High A and AA. If the Red Sox are committed to hanging onto Jefferson, that could spell trouble for Carlos Quintana or Kevin Romine’s roster spots heading into next season.

With their next two selections, Boston picked a pair of pitchers. 21 year old Ricky Bones spent last year at AAA in the Padres’ organization. He shows low-90s velocity to go along with a solid curveball and splitter. Their third and final selection was Pat Hentgen of the Blue Jays. Hentgen split last season between AA and AAA. The 22 year old has Major League ready stuff, but has show an inability to consistently throw strikes.

In preparation for the draft, the Red Sox made a flurry of housekeeping roster moves this week. Pitchers Mike Dalton, Blaine Beatty, Jeff Plympton and Daryl Irvine, as well as outfielder Rick Lancellotti were all designated for assignment and removed from the 40 man roster. Only Plympton was claimed, as he is now a member of the Milwaukee Brewers. All others were reassigned to AAA Pawtucket. The Red Sox used the open 40 man roster spots to protect five players from the Rule 5 draft; pitchers Dave Burba, Ken Ryan and Nate Minchey, catchers Todd Pratt and Paul Williams, and top prospect outfielder Moises Alou.

The Red Sox also made an addition to the team through the waiver process this week, adding outfielder Geronimo Berroa from Atlanta. The 25 year old Berroa spent all of last season with the Braves’ AAA affiliate in Richmond. It’s expected that he will receive an invite to Boston’s spring training in Fort Myers.

President of Baseball Operations Jack Brady continues to work on getting his amateur draft class signed, with the biggest news this week coming when top pick Manny Ramirez agreed to terms with the club. The Red Sox ultimately catered to Ramirez’s demand, giving him a record signing bonus of $1,850,000. While only 18 years old, Ramirez is expected to move very quickly through Boston’s farm system. There remain 18 draftees unsigned for the Red Sox, but it’s good news is that each of their top 10 picks have agreed to contracts with the organization.

Around the league, there were some significant developments this week. 3B Tim Wallach, one of this year’s premier free agents, agreed to a 5 year, $16.4 million contract with the Houston Astros. Wallach, 33, had spent his entire career in Montreal. He is a 5 time All-Star coming off a season in which he batted .307 with 15 home runs and 110 RBI.

35 year old 1B Jack Clark, formerly of the San Diego Padres, agreed to a 3 year, $7.9 million contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates. He has been one of the game’s top power hitters over the last several years, and is coming off a 30 home run season in San Diego.

There were two teams who did well to keep their own players. After testing the free agent waters, long time Cardinals’ outfielder Willie McGee elected to stay in St. Louis, signing a two year contract. Meanwhile, the Blue Jays were able to retain CF Brett Butler on a 4 year, $6.9 million deal. Butler provided a spark for Toronto atop their order after coming over in a trade from San Francisco in July.

With the holidays coming up this week, news will likely slow around the league. However, there continue to be several big name free agents out there. With the amateur draft having passed, the compensation tied to top free agent pitchers Jose Rijo and Jack Morris defers to next year. It will be interesting to see if that lures more teams into the bidding for their services.

[Swami077]

January 2, 1991
Now two months into the free agent period, top players have been flying off the board over the last couple of weeks. Two of the top starting pitchers available signed massive deals last week. Fernando Valenzuela agreed to a 5 year, $12.4 million contract to remain with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Valenzuela has been with the Dodgers since coming to the majors as a 19 year old in 1981. It was never thought that Valenzuela was seriously considering leaving Los Angeles.

Nolan Ryan agreed to a 3 year contract worth $8 million with the Oakland Athletics. Ryan had been a target of the Red Sox at the start of free agency, but the team was unwilling to provide a third year for the 43 year old pitcher. Oakland general manager Sandy Alderson said that he felt confident that Ryan would remain effective through the life of the deal. Ryan will replace Bob Welch in the rotation, who agreed to a 4 year deal with Detroit this week.

The Blue Jays made a couple of additions to its pitching staff over the holidays as well. They added 33 year old starter Don Robinson and 30 year old reliever Roger McDowell on a pair of two year deals. McDowell suffered a fractured elbow in spring training last year and missed the entire season. He will be looking to bounce back north of the border.

The Pirates picked up 31 year old outfielder Harold Baines, who agreed to a 3 year, $3.9 million deal. Baines went .257 with 13 home runs with Texas last season.

Minnesota will keep third baseman Gary Gaetti in town for the next two seasons with a deal that will pay him $1.2 million per season. The 32 year old Gaetti hit just .211 last season.

[Swami077]

January 10, 1991
With the deadline for draft pick signing having passed, we now have a clear picture of compensation picks to be awarded in next year’s draft. Most notably, the second overall pick, catcher Mike Sweeney was unable to come to terms with the Cleveland Indians. He will begin a college career at San Francisco State, and will not be eligible to be drafted again until 1993. The only other first round pick that went unsigned was catcher B.J. Waszgis with the Cincinnati Reds. Unlike Sweeney, Waszgis will be attending a junior college and will again be draft eligible next year.

Other first three round selections who went unsigned were outfielder Pedro Valdes (SUPP – DET), catcher Mike Matheny (SUPP – MON), infielder Chris Stynes (SUPP – PIT), pitcher Cory Lidle (2nd – CHW), and infielder Alex Gonzalez (3rd – NYM). Each of those teams are entitled to commensurate compensation in the 1991 amateur draft.

The Red Sox were able to sign 36 of their 40 draftees. Outfielder Clarance Richmond, the team’s 22nd round selection, was always a long shot to sign, as he fully intended to play at USC. 25th round pick, infielder David Chisum did not sign and elected to attend Clemson. Two first basemen selected late in the draft went unsigned as well. 30th round pick Joaquin Cabral will join the baseball program at Murray State, while 32nd round selection will play at Rice. The Red Sox will not receive compensation for any of these players. All four will be eligible to be drafted again in 1993.

It took until January, but Jose Rijo has finally found a new home. He signed a 3 year, $10.9 million deal to join the Rangers. Coming off a World Series championship with the Reds, Texas hopes the 25 year old Rijo brings a championship mindset to the organization. He will anchor the Rangers rotation for the next three seasons.

The California Angels landed one of the biggest name relievers on the market, agreeing to terms with lefty John Franco. He agreed to a two year, $4 million deal. Franco was a primary setup man this past season, after serving as the Mets closer for several seasons, racking up 151 career saves.

[Swami077]

January 23, 1991
With Red Sox ace Roger Clemens due to become a free agent following this season, the team has begun internal discussions of approaching Clemens about an extension. The hope is that an extension can get done prior to spring training. It is unclear how willing Clemens is about an extension at this time. He would undoubtedly command top dollar on the open market next year.

The Yankees picked up 27 year old second baseman Jeff Treadway from the Atlanta Braves. In exchange, the Braves added minor league catcher John Ramos and 23 year old outfielder Deion Sanders. It was curious timing for the move, as Treadway had just signed a 5 year extension to remain with the Braves through 1995. Treadway hit .288 with 14 home runs in a breakout season last year in Atlanta.

The Dodgers added to their outfield today, signing 28 year old Joe Orsulak. He inked a 3 year, $8.6 million contract after a strong season in Baltimore that saw him bat .281 with 18 home runs.

Hall of Fame Balloting
There will be four new inductees in Cooperstown in the class of 1991. Pitcher Jim Palmer, 2B Rod Carew, 2B Joe Morgan and pitcher Gaylord Perry all got the call that they had been waiting all their lives for.

Palmer amassed 268 career wins while spending his entire career with Baltimore. In his first year on the ballot, Palmer earned 98.8% of the vote. Carew also was elected in his first year eligible, gaining 89.4% of the vote. In his career between Minnesota and California, Carew tallied 3053 hits. He was an 18 time All-Star and took home the Most Valuable Player award in 1977. Morgan was elected with 82.2% of the vote in his first year of eligibility. Across a 22 year career, Morgan spent time with the Astros, Reds, Giants, Phillies and Athletics. He was a key piece of the Big Red Machine during his time in Cincinnati. A two time MVP, Morgan also earned 5 Gold Glove awards.

Perry is the only one of the four inductees who was not elected in their first year of eligibility. In his second year on the ballot, Perry snuck in by garnering 77.9%. Throughout his big league career which took him to a number of destinations, Perry won 314 games. He will be enshrined as a member of the Giants.

[Swami077]

February 1, 1991
The Red Sox are starting to put the finishing touches on their roster for the upcoming season. Earlier today, they acquired veteran middle infielder Rex Hudler from Montreal in exchange for 24 year old outfielder Mickey Pina. The 30 year old Hudler has been a versatile backup throughout his career, and that’s the role he’s expected serve in Boston as well. He logged just 99 plate appearances last season. Pina made his Major League debut in a brief callup with the Red Sox last season, but never figured prominently into the team’s long term plans.

With free agent demands starting to come down as spring training approaches, the Red Sox added a handful of veterans on minor league deals. They signed outfielders Billy Hatcher and Otis Nixon, 3B Terry Pendleton and catcher Dave Valle. All are expected to receive an invite to spring training, before likely being assigned to AAA Pawtucket.

It was particularly surprising to see that the 30 year old Pendleton was unable to find a Major League deal. As St. Louis’s starter at third base, he hit just .238 with 7 home runs. However, despite the down year offensively, his excellent defense earned him the National League Gold Glove at third base. He provides solid organizational depth.

Valle, 30, was Seattle’s primary catcher in 1990, struggling offensively to the tune of a .214 batting average. Nixon, 32, served as a 4th outfielder for the Expos last year, after spending parts of the last eight seasons in the majors. The 30 year old Hatcher spent the majority of last season with AAA in the Reds organization.

Boston also signed 22 year old RHP Mark Acre to a minor league deal as well. Acre went undrafted in December’s amateur draft, and he will likely join the majority of Boston’s draftees in the Gulf Coast League.

Around the League
There was one significant signing across the league last week with Milwaukee adding 33 year old free agent starting pitcher Bud Black with a two year deal worth $1.9 million. Black went 15-11 across 35 starts with the Indians and Blue Jays last season. He is expected to provide a significant boost the Brewers’ rotation that ranked near the bottom of the league in 1990.

[Swami077]

February 11, 1991
As we creep closer to spring training, the Red Sox equipment truck will make its annual voyage this week from Fenway Park down to City of Palms Park in Fort Myers, Florida. The Red Sox made one minor addition to its roster this week, agreeing to a minor league contract with pitcher Danny Cox. After spending the last two seasons out of baseball, the 31 year old Cox is eager to return to the field. He made 13 starts for the Cardinals in 1988. Cox will join the Red Sox in spring training, but is likely a long shot to make the team.

Two of the last available starting pitchers signed this week. Jack Morris agreed to a 3 year, $6.6 million deal with the Seattle. Morris currently sits with 198 career wins, and is coming off a strong season with Detroit. He went 15-12 with a 3.45 ERA last season, and adds to a very strong rotation in Seattle that already includes Randy Johnson and Erik Hanson.

Matt Young signed a 3 year deal to join the Cardinals, worth $6.2 million. Young went 14-8 with a 3.05 ERA last season between the Mariners and Athletics. The Cardinals have significantly upgraded their pitching staff this season with the additions of both Young and free agent starter Zane Smith.

Elsewhere, the New York Mets acquired 34 year old catcher Lance Parrish from the California Angels in exchange for outfielder Keith Hughes and minor league pitcher Cesar Mejia. Parrish hit .247 with 15 home runs last season while serving as the Angels’ primary catcher. The 27 year old Hughes hit .275 in 396 at bats last season.

[Swami077]

February 24, 1991
Major news out of Boston today. Ace Roger Clemens, generally considered to be the best pitcher in the game, agreed with the team on an extension that will keep him in Boston at least through 1996. The 28 year old Clemens had been set to hit free agency this offseason, and certainly would have commanded top dollar on the open market. In order to lock him up, it took a record setting commitment from the team. The six year deal is worth $26.1 million in salary, with the final year being a $4.5 million player option.

Just last month, new Rangers pitcher became the highest paid player in baseball at $3.6 million. Clemens is slated to take that mantle once the extension kicks in after next season, as his first season is worth $3.7 million. The $4.3 million average annual salary shatters all previous records.

“This is a very exciting day for the Boston Red Sox,” said President of Baseball Operations Jack Brady. “Roger has been a pillar of this organization for almost a decade, and we couldn’t be more excited to keep him in the fold for the foreseeable future.”

Clemens added, “The deal reflects our mutual interest in having me play out my entire career in Boston. I love the fans, I love the city, and I am committed to helping bring a long-awaited world championship to the city of Boston.”

Around the League
In a significant deal, the St. Louis Cardinals traded starting pitcher DeLeon to Seattle for SS Todd Haney and minor league SS Omar Vizquel. DeLeon was outstanding last year for the Cardinals, going 21-9 with a 2.57 ERA. The Cardinals had just signed SP Zane Smith, who will effectively fill DeLeon’s spot in the rotation. Meanwhile, although the Mariners had just signed SP Jack Morris, Seattle decided that they weren’t done upgrading their rotation.

The most major free agent that remains unsigned to this point is closer Larry Andersen. The 37 year old right hander tallied 35 saves last season for the Astros. He’s been rumored to be seeking a 3 year commitment.

[Swami077]

March 4, 1991
With Spring Training set to get underway later today, the Red Sox have finalized their initial spring roster. They have elected to take a robust 49 players into camp with them, including a number of non-roster invitees.

They will get a look at some of the top young players in their system over the next month. Most notably, 22 year old pitcher Kevin Morton and 24 year old outfielder Moises Alou received invites to camp. Alou enters the season as a top 10 prospect in the league. He spent the end of last season with Pawtucket after coming over from Pittsburgh in exchange for Mike Boddicker and Lee Smith.

Morton is the top pitching prospect in the organization, and is a borderline top 100 prospect in baseball coming into the season. While its unlikely that he would break camp with the team regardless of his spring performance, it is possible that he could help the team at some point this season.

The spring will also be a critical time to get a first look at the three Rule 5 draft picks; 1B Reggie Jefferson, and pitchers Pat Hentgen and Ricky Bones. A poor showing in camp could lead to the players being returned to their original teams before the season even begins.

The Red Sox are eager to get a new season started and put the disappointment of 1990 behind them. “Definitely time to turn the page. We are excited about the moves that we’ve made this offseason and feel that we’ve been able to improve our club with the additions to our roster,” said Jack Brady. “Our expectations for the coming season are high, as they should be every year.”

[Swami077]

March 11, 1991
For the second straight season, the spring has gotten off to a rough start for the Boston Red Sox. They have won just once in their first seven spring games. As a whole, the pitching staff has been quite disappointing, with several players having multiple poor outings. The good news is that the top pitchers that the team is expected to lean on have opened the spring strongly. Roger Clemens was his typical dominant self in his first brief start, while Dana Kiecker has had two strong outings as he looks to build on last season’s strong finish. In a less encouraging sign, newly signed starters Jimmy Key and Chris Bosio each had subpar first cameos for Boston.

After a poor first outing by Bob Tewksbury, Red Sox fans were having flashbacks to last season’s nightmarish campaign. Start number two was much stronger, throwing 60 pitches in four innings of work without allowing an earned run.

Offensively, Tim Naehring has torn the cover off the ball to open the spring. He has 7 hits in his first 11 at bats, including 3 extra base hits. On the other side, youngsters Mo Vaughn and Phil Plantier have struggled thus far, with Plantier 1-for-9 and Vaughn 2-for-14.

The Dwight Evans era in Boston officially came to an end this week with Evans signing a contract to join the San Francisco Giants. He became a free agent after the Red Sox declined his option last fall.

Helping to fill his shoes, Rule 5 draft pick Reggie Jefferson has been getting some outfield reps this spring. The defensive results have been mixed thus far, but if Jefferson is to remain on the roster all season, the Red Sox will likely need for him to transition successfully to be a backup corner outfielder. The team’s other Rule 5 picks, pitchers Pat Hentgen and Ricky Bones, have turned some heads early on this spring. If any of the team’s expected starters struggle, both pitchers could be candidates to fill a rotation spot.

[Swami077]

March 18, 1991
Boston started seeing some much better on field results during this past week, winning 3 of their last 5 games. Most importantly, the team seems to be coming together and optimism is starting to pick up for the 1991 season. It was an excellent week for the pitching staff, with each of the five expected members of the rotation having strong outings. The bullpen, which is expected to be one of the team’s strengths, has largely pitched well as well.

Perhaps most encouraging is the development of some of the pitchers who struggled for the team during the 1990 season. John Dopson has pitched 5 scoreless innings this spring, and could re-emerge in the team’s plans this season. He opened last season in the rotation and posted a 7.71 ERA in 13 starts. Pedro Borbon, who also struggled after coming over from Atlanta mid-season, has looked like a different pitcher this spring. The 23 year old seems likely to open the season in AAA.

Offensively, there are several batters who are off to terrific starts this spring. Tim Naehring, Mike Greenwell, Wade Boggs and Jeff Bagwell all sport batting averages over .390. The injection of youth into the lineup seems to have provided a jolt, and the team is very excited about its prospects for a strong offensive season this year.

The Red Sox made a minor trade this week, sending 34 year old outfielder Rick Lancellotti to the Cleveland Indians in exchange for 22 year old RHP Rudy Seanez. Seanez missed last season due to injury, but possesses elite stuff with a fastball that can touch triple digits. He likely won’t be seen in the majors until next year at the earliest. Lancellotti didn’t factor into the Red Sox’ plans, as evidenced by him not receiving a spring training invite this year, and will receive an opportunity to earn a roster spot in Cleveland.

Around the League
Oakland is quickly realizing the risks of handing out big free agent dollars to a 44 year old pitcher. Nolan Ryan suffered a herniated disc in his back, which will keep him out of action for two months. Ryan had just returned after experiencing inflammation in his pitching elbow at the start of camp. It’s not the start to his Oakland career that he hoped for after signing an $8 million deal this offseason.

Another aging veteran experienced a significant injury this week, with White Sox catcher Carlton Fisk tearing an abdominal muscle. The 43 year old will likely be out until May with the injury.

[Swami077]

March 25, 1991
Although it hasn’t been translating into wins, the Red Sox seems very encouraged by the prospects of their starting pitching. They have continued pitching well across the board this spring. The expected five man rotation of Roger Clemens, Dana Kiecker, Jimmy Key, Chris Bosio and Bob Tewksbury are each doing their part to aid in the turnaround of the rotation. They have been joined by Pat Hentgen and John Dopson. Both of them have pitched very well as well, and may factor into the team’s plans. Both need to remain on the roster with Hentgen being a Rule 5 pick, and Dopson being out of options. It will be interesting to see how the team elects to structure its opening day pitching staff, with Hentgen and Dopson figuring to potentially be long relief options if they are unable to crack the rotation.

While the team’s offensive production has been down in recent weeks, that seems to be more a product of their lack of depth. Many of the team’s expected regulars are having excellent springs. The consensus seems to be that the team is ready to pack up from Fort Myers and head to Toronto to start the season.

In preparation for opening day, the Red Sox made their first round of cuts in recent days with young catcher Eric Wedge, veterans Billy Jo Robideoux, Billy Hatcher and Terry Pendleton, and pitchers Steven Bast, Dave Burba, and Danny Cox all being re-assigned to minor league camp. The team is likely to continue cutting their roster down over the course of the next week.

The team made another minor trade earlier today, sending 27 year old pitcher Larry Shikles to Philadelphia for 28 year old submariner Todd Frohwirth. Frohwirth has spent time in the majors since 1987, but spent the entirety of the 1990 season in the minors, making 19 appearances. He's expected to start the season at AAA Pawtucket. On the other hand, Shikles has been in Boston’s system since 1986, spending each of the last two seasons in Pawtucket.

The final major free agent domino fell this weekend, with reliever Larry Andersen coming to terms with Kansas City on a 1 year, $2.2 million deal to serve as the team’s closer. He logged 35 saves for the Astros last season.

[Swami077]

March 29, 1991
On the team’s final off day before wrapping up its final six spring training games, the win-loss record is strikingly similar to last season’s spring results. At 5-19 and riding a 7 game losing streak, the Red Sox hold the worst record in the league. Despite the poor results, there has been more optimism this spring with many of the expected regulars showing well and seemingly set up for a bounce back season. Unfortunately, the last week has diminished some of those hopes. The last turn through the rotation has yielded some disastrous results, with each starter taking some lumps.

Perhaps of most concern, Roger Clemens has had a very uneven spring. After opening with two quality outings, he has been getting hit around in his last two appearances, allowing 5 runs in each. His spring ERA now sits at 7.20. After signing Clemens to a 5 year extension last month, Boston is banking on him to anchor their starting rotation for years to come. He will likely have one more brief start in a tune up before taking the ball on Opening Day in Toronto.

Closer Jeff Reardon has also been a source of concern. He’s allowed runs in 4 out of his 7 appearances this spring, and has not been sharp. The velocity has been down a tick, and the 35 year old has not been locating well. With Boston signing reliever Steve Farr this offseason, he’s a possibility to take over as closer if Reardon’s struggles continue into the regular season.

The offense has also completely dried up in the last week. They have scored more than two runs just once in their last 12 games. Unless the offense turns around, the Red Sox could be in for a second consecutive poor season.

The biggest positive for the Red Sox this spring is health. They have been able to avoid the injury bug thus far, and if they can enter the season in good health, it will certainly be a boost to their hope of a respectable season.

One player who is clearly ready for Opening Day is Luis Polonia of the New York Yankees. Polonia has had 62 at bats this spring, and sports an eye popping .532 batting average.

[Swami077]

April 5, 1991
The Red Sox wrapped up their Spring Training schedule yesterday with a 12-1 loss to the Texas Rangers. They finished the spring with the worst record in baseball at 6-24. New manager Jim Fregosi expressed excitement about getting to the regular season. “We feel like we’ve made some strides this spring. Obviously wins and losses become more important from this point forward, but I’m pleased with how hard the team is playing.”

The organization will spend the weekend making decisions about its Opening Day roster. They have already begun trimming down by optioning several players to AAA Pawtucket; pitchers Kevin Morton and Nate Minchey, catcher Dave Valle, infielders Oresdes Destrade, Al Newman and Scott Cooper, and outfielders Moises Alou and Geronimo Berroa.

The Red Sox got a good look at Morton who is their top pitching prospect. Morton flashed at times during the spring, but was never likely to make the team. He will start the season at AAA, but the 22 year old may be an option to contribute to the Major League roster at some point during the season.

With the graduation of Jeff Bagwell, Moises Alou enters this season as the team’s top overall prospect. He had an up and down spring after starting hot. He will earn everyday playing time in Pawtucket until an everyday position opens up at the Major League level. Geronimo Berroa was considered a threat to earn a backup outfielder spot, but a poor spring led to his assignment to Pawtucket. One of the decisions that the team still needs to make is who will fill that roster spot for Boston. Kevin Romine, Otis Nixon and Scott Wade are all likely fighting for one roster spot.

Pitchers Blaine Beatty and Kevin Ritz, who both had very poor spring showings, were both designated for assignment. Both seem likely to clear waivers, but it is unclear if Boston will elect to assign them to AAA or release them entirely.

Decisions need to be made on the team’s three Rule 5 draft selections. 22 year old pitcher Pat Hentgen pitched very well this spring, posting a 3.60 ERA in 15 innings. He seems likely to have earned a spot on the team’s staff. Ricky Bones, who will turn 22 over the weekend, also pitched well, allowing just 4 earned runs over his 11 innings of work. If both pitchers make the roster, that could spell trouble to someone like Todd Worrell who had serious struggles with his command this spring, walking 11 batters in 9 innings.

On the other hand, Reggie Jefferson seems likely to be returned to the Cincinnati Reds. He struggled defensively while trying to learn an outfield position, and his offense also was disappointing. A .128 average in 39 at bats doesn’t seem like it will be enough to crack the roster.

[Swami077]

April 8, 1991
The games start to count for real when the Red Sox kick off the regular season today in Toronto. They made their final preseason roster moves to get their roster down to 25 over the weekend. Pitchers Pedro Borbon and Todd Worrell, infielder Brian Turang, and outfielders Otis Nixon and Scott Wade were each assigned to AAA Pawtucket. After an up and down spring training, 27 year old pitcher John Dopson was designated for assignment. He seems likely to join Pawtucket as well if he clears waivers. After being DFA’ed last week, pitchers Blaine Beatty and Kevin Ritz cleared waivers and both were released.

Rule 5 picks Pat Hentgen and Ricky Bones both officially made the Opening Day roster. Manager Jim Fregosi announced that both pitchers would be available out of the bullpen. First baseman Reggie Jefferson did not share the same fate, as he was returned to the Cincinnati Reds organization. Known as a guy with a promising bat, Boston tried to turn him into a corner outfielder to disastrous results. He made a number of errors in the outfield during spring training, and he struggled offensively as well.

The 25 men that will comprise the Opening Day roster are as follows:

Starting Pitchers – Chris Bosio, Roger Clemens, Jimmy Key, Dana Kiecker, Bob Tewksbury
Relievers – Ricky Bones, Steve Farr, Jeff Gray, Pat Hentgen, Dennis Lamp, Rob Murphy, Jeff Reardon
Catchers – Matt Nokes, Tony Pena
Infielders – Jeff Bagwell, Wade Boggs, Rex Hudler, Tim Naehring, Carlos Quintana, Jody Reed, Mo Vaughn
Outfielders – Ellis Burks, Mike Greenwell, Phil Plantier, Kevin Romine

38 year old relief pitcher Dennis Lamp announced that this season will be his last. This is the 15th year of Lamp’s Major League career, and will be Lamp’s 4th in Boston. He’s due to be a free agent at the end of this season, so 1991 was very likely Lamp’s final year with the Red Sox regardless.

BNN released its updated prospect rankings with 4 Red Sox appearing in the top 20. The Red Sox’ system ranks as the 2nd best in the league behind the Los Angeles Dodgers. Dodgers prospect right hander Pedro Martinez holds the top spot in the rankings, even after missing the majority of last season with an elbow injury that required Tommy John surgery.

[Tom the Fish]

I'm enjoying reading this dynasty! please keep it up!

[Swami077]

April 15, 1991
After opening the season with two straight wins in Toronto, the Red Sox have now lost 4 straight games. They will get started early today wrapping up their series with the Cleveland Indians with the traditional 11am Patriots Day start at Fenway Park.

The offense has been much improved to this point, as evidenced by Boston having scored the most runs in the American League through their first six games. Conversely, the pitching has struggled. They are dead last in the league in runs allowed, with the starters’ ERA at a ghastly 7.09 on the young season. Of chief concern amongst the pitchers has been Roger Clemens. His velocity was down during the spring and the results were uneven. After a decent performance on Opening Day, Clemens was obliterated by the Indians yesterday at Fenway Park. He signed a 6 year, $26.1 million extension on the eve of Spring Training, with the Red Sox aiming to make him the highest paid player in the game. With that moniker comes lofty expectations for the 3 time Cy Young award winner. If the Red Sox are going to have a bounce back season, they will need Clemens to right the ship in a hurry.

Rule 5 draft pick Pat Hentgen has been outstanding out of the bullpen over two appearances. He turned some heads during spring training and he has emerged as a possible key piece for the future. After starter Chris Bosio struggled over the weekend, following his struggles in the spring, manager Jim Fregosi suggested that Hentgen could receive an opportunity in the rotation sooner than later.

Fregosi unveiled a new lineup for the Red Sox on Opening Day which has yielded great results so far. Wade Boggs has served as the leadoff man against righties, while slipping to 6th in the order when Boston faces lefties. They moved Ellis Burks from the cleanup role he served in last year to the top of the order. He’s hitting leadoff against lefties and second against right handed starters.

One of the most encouraging signs early on has been the emergence of Phil Plantier. After showing well in September after his call up last season, Plantier has started this season on a tear. His 3 home runs lead the American League.


Opening Day in Toronto

Around the League
Darryl Strawberry wasted no time making new fans in Minneapolis, as Strawberry took home American League Player of the Week honors in his first week with his new team. He went 11-for-23 with a home run and 7 RBI to open his season. In the National League, Atlanta’s Jeff Blauser won the award by going 12-for-21 with two home runs last week.

Week in Review

The Red Sox opened the season with a 10-7 win in an Opening Day slugfest in Toronto. Leading 7-3 in the 7th, Rob Murphy and Jeff Gray were unable to hold the lead, with the Blue Jays scoring 4 runs to tie the game. They were aided by two throwing errors from 3B Jeff Bagwell in the inning. Ellis Burks came to the rescue with a 3 run triple in the 8th inning.to put Boston back on top for good. Roger Clemens pitched well over 6 innings, allowing 3 runs on 6 hits while striking out 5, but was robbed of the victory with Toronto's 7th inning rally. Phil Plantier had a 3 run homer off Blue Jay starter Dave Stieb in the 5th inning to extend Boston's early lead.


For the second straight day, Boston's offense had a field day against Toronto's pitching. Today, they pounded out 14 hits en route to a 9-3 victory at Skydome. Carlos Quintana and Tim Naehring had 3 hits apiece to lead the Red Sox. Naehring hit a 469 foot home run off Toronto starter David Wells in the 3rd inning. Dana Kiecker was outstanding for the Red Sox today, holding the Blue Jays to 2 runs on just 4 hits over 7 innings. On the other side, Wells was unable to get through 4 innings for Toronto. Boston will go for the series sweep tomorrow night behind former Blue Jay Jimmy Key.


The Red Sox took their first loss of the season today, 8-3 to the Toronto Blue Jays. It wasn't exactly the triumphant return to Toronto that Jimmy Key had hoped for. He allowed 4 runs in the first inning, and was pulled after 4.2 innings, as he surrendered 7 runs in total. The Red Sox offense continued to be able to reach base, but they struggled to push runs across against Toronto's Todd Stottlemyre. He scattered 11 hits in his 7 innings of work, while limiting the damage to 3 runs. Phil Plantier and Tim Naehring each hit their second home run of the young season in the game. It was also a sloppy defensive effort for Boston today, as they committed 3 errors in the game, 2 from veteran third baseman Wade Boggs.