2026 MLB Playoffs

 Playoffs start tomorrow!  San Diego is possibly the hottest team going into the playoffs while Houston barely made it in with a .500 record winning the AL West. Milwaukee had the best overall record with 103 wins with the Dodgers (100) and Tampa Bay (98) up next.  Playoff schedule is here. 

Atlanta gets Philadelphia in the first round.  Never want to see a division opponent in the playoffs but Philly won on the last day to get in.  I like the Braves here, but they've been streaky and the offense inconsistent.  That said, they are a good team.  Three game series are always tricky.  You want to win right off the start.  By getting in the playoffs so late, the Phillies starting pitching isn't lined up to start the series.  Hopefully that gives Atlanta an edge and they can get going quickly.  Wish Atlanta wasn't given early afternoon time slots.  Won't be able to watch the games.  Go Braves!

Boston has been locked into playing the 93-win Yankees in the first round for some time now.  Would have been nice not to play New York but it's not to be.  Boston can beat New York. It just won't be easy.  The pitching staffs are fairly even but New York's offense is a little better.   New York won the season series 7-6 but it felt like Boston was very streaky.  The end of the season has been meh for Boston but New York will be without Aaron Judge.  It is Red Sox - Yankees so anything can happen.  Go Red Sox!

2022 Topps Red Sox Team Set (Blister)

Xander Bogaerts was a 4X All-Star and 5X Silver Slugger award winner, including 2021, during his time with the Red Sox.  He also won two championships in Boston.

Evoldi led the starters in WAR (4.3) and ERA (3.57).  JD Martinez led the league with 42 doubles.  I purchased this blister pack team set in July of 2022.

I thought I was going to get a Braves - Red Sox World Series but Houston eliminated Boston in the 2021 ALCS.

Vazquez and Dalbec were 2021 starters though I'm not convinced their combined on base percentage was above .300.

Devers delivered 38 home runs and 113 runs batted in in his fifth season.

Christian had some fun highlight moments in 2021 and his photo feels appropriate.  These blister packs were found at Wal-Mart and each had 17 cards.

Great photo and 2021 was probably Enrique's (Kiki's) best season of his career.

This team really had a good mix of young talent with a few veterans sprinkled in.  Feels like they needed just a bit more pitching and health to have gotten by Houston.

I like the 2022 design.  Kind of feels more like Bowman but it works.  But no matter, this fun team and some nice photos make it a good set to own for a Red Sox fan.

Mail Day from The Lost Collector

Approximately 175 awesome Boston Red Sox cards arrived last week from The Lost Collector.  He's a Yankees guy whom I sent some cards and he really outdid himself with all these great cards in return.  Who says Yankees and Red Sox fans can't get along?  Picking a favorite to start off with was hard but I had to go with this 2016 Topps Update David Ortiz All-Star Game card.  An all-time fave in Ortiz during his final year in the game, a great photo, and my love for in-game all-star game photos makes for a great card.

  World Series cards are great when they feature in game photos and ever better when they are from your team.

The cards I received were from all kinds of sets from different years including these of some all-time greats and one who may be on the way to being included in that group.

I always liked Adrian Gonzalez and was excited to see him become a Red Sox.  Unfortunately his time there was short but he was great during his tenor with the team.  Great shot of Tony Pena in his unique catching stance and I love that Triple Play set.

Plenty of David Ortiz with these cards which is awesome.  I like that card design on that Clemens card but not sure about that photo.

Plenty of shiny cards were included.

Pedro and Tim Wakefield are two of my favorite Red Sox players and PC guys.

Ellis Burks and Jim Rice are also right there at the top of my favorite Boston players.

More Red Sox World Series greatness.  I don't take those moments for granted.  That drought before the 2004 Championship was brutal.  You just don't know if and when that next opportunity will come.

I like that Mookie Betts card a lot.  Unfortunately the chances seem slimmer and slimmer that he'll be able to remain in Boston past 2020 if even that long.

I always liked Peavy with the Padres and was happy when he joined the Red Sox and won a championship with them in 2013.

I'm a fan of Kyle Larson (NASCAR) so this is a great card for me.

So many great cards I could have scanned forever.  Thanks again to AJ and make sure you check out his blog at The Lost Collector.

2019 Boston Red Sox Quick Look

World Series Champions!  Doesn't get better than that right?  No, no it doesn't.  The Boston Red Sox were the best team in the majors last year and the title was well deserved.  Even better the offseason saw almost no disruption to the roster so you have to think things can be just as good as last year.  It usually doesn't work that way but you have to think the BoSox will be battling the Yanks for the Division title come September and who would really be surprised if they made another trip to the World Series?  There are plenty of teams in their way but they can match up with any of them.  It is a long season ahead so anything can happen.  It is rare I go into a season this calm about my team but again there is much to like...no love...about this team and I'm hoping they do something they haven't since 1915 and 1916 - get to the World Series in back to back years.

Boston Red Sox Win the World Series!

The Boston Red Sox won the 2018 World Series 4 games to 1 culminating a historic season in which they set a team record with 108 wins.  No matter how good they were BoSox fans, including myself, knew anything could happen in the playoffs and going through two 100 win teams and an excellent Los Angeles Dodgers team gave us plenty to worry about.  Still they only lost three games en route to the championship.  That really spoke to the talent they put on the field and to first year manager Alex Cora.  Mookie Betts, J.D. Martinez, Chris Sale, playoff heroes Jackie Bradley Jr., Stephen Pearce, Joe Kelly and David Price and the rest of the roster from top to bottom helped put up "W" after "W" .  This was a fun team to watch and deserves all the accolades coming their way.  I really enjoyed this season.  It was great to watch a team dominate like they did and be able to bring home the trophy.  

       I do want to give props to the Los Angeles Dodgers.  Considering how tough some of those games were to include the historic game three it is hard to believe Boston won 4-1.  That is a testament to how good the Dodgers are.  They just ran into a better team but good on them for making their second straight World Series appearance and how hard they played.

I know I'm late on this but travel for work threw me off the last two weeks and I actually thought I'd already posted something.  My bad.  Most will look upon the Red Sox and us Boston fans as having more than enough championships.  I really don't take them for granted.  The 2004 Championship ended years of frustration.  Growing up watching Yaz, Rice, Tiant, Clemons, and others never get there was so hard as a fan.  2004 was more than a championship - it was how it all went down.  That was a fun team who overcame the unbelievable to beat the Yankees and breeze through the World Series.  While the last three championships will never be that team they are just as special and as a fan I was very excited for this team's championship.  GO BOSOX!

Red Sox to the World Series Against the Dodgers

 The Boston Red Sox are back to the World Series.  While a favorite to make it after a 108 win regular season the post season offers no promises.  It wasn't easy even if they did only lose two games in their series with New York and Houston.  Now the Red Sox will play a Los Angeles Dodgers team with plenty of firepower on offense and pitching I think can match Boston's.  I think the Chris Sale - Clayton Kershaw matchup could be epic - or at least i hope it will be.  After that I'm comfortable with Nathan Evaldi but you have to wonder what David Price will give the Sox.  His last outing was excellent but before that he was receiving an ovation for not losing a game over four innings.  The Red Sox bullpen is good but I'm not quite sure it is stacked enough to win a bunch of bullpen games.  Bottom line is I'm excited the Sox are in the World Series and I think they have a great chance to take it all.  Even better this is set up to be a very good series.  Go Sox!    

2018 Boston Red Sox Preview

The Red Sox are stacked, there is no denying that.  They won 93 games last year and there is no reason to think they can’t do it again.  All they did this offseason was add J.D Martinez to a lineup which already had Xander Bogaerts, Mookie Betts, and Andrew Benintendi.  I like Martinez who can hit and also brings a ton of power to a lineup that really lacked any.  I look forward to seeing what 3B Rafael Devers can do in a full season at the plate.  This lineup has plenty of hitters from top to bottom and I’m thinking they can do better than what we saw last year.

Pitching, in theory, should be just fine.  Chris Sale, David Price, Rick Porcello, and other starters including Eduardo Rodriguez, Drew Pomeranz, Hector Felazques, and Steven Wright make up a formidable starting staff.  Stud Craig Kimbrel once again anchors the closer position while Joe Kelly, Matt Barnes, Heath Hembree and Brandown Workman help take up the rest of the workload.  Boston should have plenty of arms to lean on and should once again be one of the top staffs in the American League.

The Red Sox should be able to compete every night and should be able to win their division.  Still losing the division isn’t the worst thing in the world.  Losing in the first round of the playoffs can be though – just ask their manager.  New skipper Alex Cora is being asked to get this team over the hump and past the division series.  This team has plenty of young talent so there is no reason they shouldn’t be able to get to the LCS or World Series.  That is always tough no matter how talented you are I know.  It should be another fun season in Boston and I’m hoping for a little more from them.  Go BoSox!    

2017 Boston Red Sox Preview

Mookie Betts

The BostonRed Sox won the American League East in 2016 but were quickly swept from the playoffs by the eventual A.L. Champions the Cleveland Indians 3-0.  Still their season was a success as 93 wins is good no matter how you look at it.  David Ortiz is no longer with the team but the team added stud pitcher Chris Sales, reliever Tyler Thornburg and 1B Mitch Moreland to help keep the team atop the A.L. East.  The big news in the infield is the return of Pablo Sandoval to 3B.  He missed most of the year with an injury last year and has been a disappointment overall in his time with Boston. He must look more like his old self to help this team and stay in the lineup.  Dustin Pedroia and Xander Bogaerts are the anchors up the middle.  Both come off great years with Bogaerts looking like a player the team can build around for many years to come.  At first will be new guy Mitch Moreland and Hanley Ramirez who had an excellent bounce back year.  Moreland brings a decent glove to first but his bat is the classic homerun or bust type of swing.  Sandy Leon will be behind the plate.    

In the outfield I think Andrew Benintendi will get the left field job with the expectation he has time

Xander Bogaerts

to grow.  He did well last year but he is young and bumps in the road are to be expected.  Jackie Bradley finally had the year expected of the highly touted center fielder.  In right will be Mookie Betts who had 200 hits and scored 100 runs which was matched by Dustin Pedroia.  His career continues to skew upwards.  Bottom line is the lineup lost a huge piece with David Ortiz retiring.  Boston must also hope most players can continue to play as well as they did last year in his absence.  Many young players had break out years or others had rebound seasons.  Can they continue that trend?  Doubtful they all will but there is so much talent here that the lineup should be fine in the long run.

Chris Sale

The pitching staff also has plenty of talent though David Price’s injury is concerning.  Though he may be slotted as low as third in the starting rotation he is still a guy you counted on for 200 innings of quality work.  Chris Sale, Rick Porcello, Steven Wright and Eduardo Rodriguez will anchor the rotation until Price’s return.  Sale of course was the big catch in the offseason and automatically gives you an ace to throw out there every five days.  Porcello is the AL Cy Young winner while Wright put up a 13 win, 3.33 ERA season last year.  They should both be dependable at the top of the rotation.  Rodriguez must have a better year (4.71 ERA) as he’ll get work as the #4 guy when the season starts.  The fifth position is still up in the air with Drew Pomeranz and Kyle Kendrick in the mix.  Very solid group but it is a long season and the back end could prove to be the weak link if pitchers don’t step up.  Bullpen was tweaked some with Tyler Thornburg brought in to be the setup guy for Craig Kimbrel who must fix the walk issue he struggled with last year.   

Why wouldn’t the Red Sox have a 90 win season and again take the A.L. East?  They can only beat themselves.  I’m not discounting the Blue Jays, the Orioles or that New York could be much better but this team has a ton of talent.  Much of it is young.  So will it get better or digress?  Probably a mix.  Again way too much talent for them to fail.  I expect 90 more wins and hopefully they can make a deep run in the playoffs. 

Dustin Pedroia

 

 

 

2016 Boston Red Sox Preview

The Boston Red Sox of 2015 went 78-84 in what to many was a disappointing year.  While I agree I am just not as surprised.  I just didn't think the starting staff was that great.  I thought Rick Porchello and Clay Buchholz are both very good pitchers but not aces.  But there really wasn't anyone behind them.  Wade Miley, Joe Kelly, Eduardo Rodriquez and the rest of the staff were nothing more than what ifs.  With starting pitching an issue Boston addressed that with the signing of David Price.   Will that be enough?

The starting rotation could like this - David Price, Clay Buchholz, Rick Porcello, etc, etc.   This is   Price brings instant stability allowing the others to follow in what is probably their natural spots in the rotation.  For me the question marks are at 4 and 5 (better than last year when the questions started at 3).  I don't think anyone knows exactly what Joe Kelly will give you and Steven Wright also isn't a proven quantity.  Still most rotations look that way.  Price should give them "A" stuff and if Buchholz and Porcello pitch better Boston will be in a good position.  BOTTOM LINE:  Definitely an upgrade at the front end of the rotation but everyone else still has to do their part or it will be a disappointing season.

much better than last year's rotation that had Porcello and Buchholz at the top.

Boston's bullpen is much better with the addition of Craig Kimbrel, stud closer.   The bullpen was not good last year.  The Red Sox also picked up Carson Smith from Seattle who is a hard thrower.  That combined with Koji Uehara and Junichi Tazawa give the Red Sox plenty of options leading up to Kimbrel.  Lefties Robbie Ross and Tommy Layne will also be in the mix. 

Blake Swihart kept the starting catching job after coming up from AAA in May last year when injuries hit the parent club.    He only logged 288 at bats but his .274 batting average and 5 homeruns are encouraging.  Hanley Ramirez moves to first base after a year in which it was evident he isn't an outfielder.  His .249/.291/.426 line also suggest he wasn't much of a hitter even if he was able to hit 19 dingers.  Star shortstop Xander Bogarts had no such issues.  He hit .320/.355/.421 with seven homeruns and 81 runs batted in.  At 22 years of age I am really hoping to see this guy in a Red Sox jersey for a very long time.  Second baseman Dustin Pedroia comes off an injury plagued year in   Otherwise his numbers were good starting with a .291 average and 12 homeruns.  At third base is Pablo Sandoval who had a bad year hitting after being signed to a big contract.  He hit .245/.292/.366.   That won't cut if for a third baseman on a big contract.  BOTTOM LINE:  If the infield has a year up to par with what they are getting paid then this will be a huge year.  I'll just hope for something in between that and last year.  Pedroia and Bogarts are stars who produce.  Sandoval and Ramirez need to prove they are too.

which he only played 93 games.

The outfield will consist of Mookie Betts, Rusney Castillo, and Jackie Bradley Jr.   Betts came on to finish strong posting a .291 average, 18 homers, 77 RBI's and 21 stolen bases.  He looks to be the real deal while the rest of the outfield is shaky at best.  Jackie Bradley Jr. has had all of one good month since his highly anticipated promotion to the majors and Rusney Castillo hasn't done much else other than battle injuries.    BOTTOM LINE:  Bradley Jr. needs to live up to some of his potential while Castillo must show he was worth his signing coming out of Cuba. 

Big Papi will retire after this year as he turns 40 years of age.  David Ortiz will retire a Red Sox legend who has been there for three world championships and been a great ambassador for the Red Sox and the city of Boston.  He can't be thanked enough and it isn't just about his personality and leadership.  He will leave having hit over 445 homeruns for Boston while hitting .288 and slugging .566.  He will truly be missed.  Even at age 39 he hit 37 homeruns and drove in 108 last year.  Wow.  BOTTOM LINE:  Assuming his bat doesn't fall off the end of the earth Ortiz should be solid again at DH. 

I think this team wins more than 78 games this year.  Most people will say they are a good team.  I think they are a good team but need many, many players to perform like they are expected to prior to anointing them anything better than a third place team.  For me it begins with the starters.  If they can pitch well as a whole the bullpen should be able to hold leads and I think the offense will be able to score enough runs for this team to win.  I'm going to say they win 86 games this year.  I am not sure that puts them into the playoffs but it is a step in the right direction. 

1.Mookie Betts  OF

2.Dustin Pedroia  2B

3.Xander Bogaerts  SS

4.David Ortiz DH

5.Hanley Ramirez  1B

6.Pablo Sandoval  3B

7.Rusney Castillo  OF

8.Blake Swihart  C

9.Jackie Bradley Jr.  OF

1.David Price

2.Clay Buchholz

3.Rick Porcello

4.Joe Kelly

5.Steven Wright

CL  Craig Kimbrel

2015 Boston Red Sox Preview

Hanley Ramirez

After their 2013 World Series win over St. Louis Boston struggled to a 71-91 record last year.  Enter two big bats to help turn things around.  Hanley Ramirez and Pablo Sandoval join the team to help solidify third base and the outfield respectively.   These two will add quite a bit to a lineup that struggled last year.  I like the additions and how it makes the lineup look.  Rookie Mookie Betts will get a chance to show he is the real deal at the major league level.  A big time prospect, Boston would really like him to stick after apparently striking out with Jackie Bradley Jr.  The ageless one, David Ortiz, will anchor the middle of the lineup with first baseman Mike Napoli also back to add power.  I do believe one of the keys to the lineup will be Dustin Pedroia.  While it wasn't a bad year for him last year it wasn't typical.  Hopefully he can rebound and hit with a little more power and average.  With a lineup that might look like this from the two through sixth hole offense shouldn't be a problem - in theory:  Pedroia, Ortiz, Ramirez, Sandoval, Napoli. 

The pitching staff is more of an enigma for me.  There are some good pitchers there but I'm not convinced they can carry the team to the playoffs.  The starting five will probably look like this though the order will differ some:  Rich Porcello, Clay Bucholz, Wade Miley, Justin Masterson, Joe Kelly.  Buchholz struggled last year (8-11 5.34) and he needs to be at his career 3.92 ERA to give the Red Sox a year worthy of a number two starter.  That said Porcello was the only one of the five to have an ERA below 4 last year.  Doesn't exactly make me feel great going into the year.  Again all 5 are solid but if Porcello and/or Bucholz struggle this could be bad.  I don't see much depth to pick them up. 

The bullpen is in good hands with 40 year-old closer Koji Uehara as long as age doesn't catch up to him.  Junichi Tazawa had another good year and will hopefully be back with the same in 2015.  Otherwise the rest of the bullpen is average with some like Edward Mujica and Craig Breslow needing bounce back years to make a positive impact. 

Some say this will be a down year for the American League East and Boston should vault their way to first place.  I'm not so sure.  Baltimore was very good last year and Toronto is always retooling.  If nothing else this will make for a lot of very tough games.  For me that also says that everything needs to go right for this team to reach first place.  Not saying they can't but I'd be surprised.  I do think they can win another eight to ten games but for me it all hinges on the pitching.  I like the moves the Red Sox made and hope they all work out.  Just not sure this is a team built for long run.