Red Sox have been a much different Story as of late
Here's an update to my earlier Red Sox' 2022 season critique in light of their recent hot streak:
1. No one has had a more dramatic turnaround than second baseman Trevor Story, the Sox' $140 million man. He won Player of the Week, which was announced Monday, May 23, after breaking out with several key homers. His resurgence has dovetailed with the Red Sox's revival. After Game 1 of their current three-game series in Chicago against the White Sox on Tuesday night (a 16-3 victory), the Red Sox have racked up six wins in a row, to pull within two games of the .500 mark at 20-22.
It's nice to see Story rebound so well; let's hope he keeps that up.
2. Story's improvement should in no way stop the Sox from pushing hard to get the contracts of current shortstop Xander Bogaerts and third baseman Rafael Devers in the fold for several more years. Chaim Bloom may not believe it, but their departures would be a PR disaster.
It's nice to see Story rebound so well; let's hope he keeps that up.
2. Story's improvement should in no way stop the Sox from pushing hard to get the contracts of current shortstop Xander Bogaerts and third baseman Rafael Devers in the fold for several more years. Chaim Bloom may not believe it, but their departures would be a PR disaster.
Sign Bogaerts and Devers long term! They both love to play in Boston and deserve to be here.
3. Even though Franchy Cordero's grand slam in the bottom of the 10th bailed out the Red Sox on Sunday (May 22), the fact remains that closer du jour, Hansel Robles, blew another save. The bullpen needs solidifying now, and see my next point for one way to make it instantly better:
4. Send Garrett Whitlock back to the bullpen now! His starts have been lackluster at best, while the pen could use the jolt that returning Whitlock to his weapon status in the pen could use. There are some minor leaguers who could start, and if necessary, do one bullpen game with Tanner Houck and a couple of others.
I fear that the more that Whitlock starts, the more that he's in danger of losing his confidence, similar to the disaster that sending one-time lights-out reliever Daniel Bard to the starting rotation turned out to be in 2012.
5. Last --- but not least --- the Sox' resurgence has been helped by the revival of Kike Hernandez in the leadoff spot, to the red-hot J.D. Martinez, and to the timely hitting of both Jackie Bradley Jr. and Cordero. ... Bobby Dalbec still needs to spend some time in AAA to get his swing back.
3. Even though Franchy Cordero's grand slam in the bottom of the 10th bailed out the Red Sox on Sunday (May 22), the fact remains that closer du jour, Hansel Robles, blew another save. The bullpen needs solidifying now, and see my next point for one way to make it instantly better:
4. Send Garrett Whitlock back to the bullpen now! His starts have been lackluster at best, while the pen could use the jolt that returning Whitlock to his weapon status in the pen could use. There are some minor leaguers who could start, and if necessary, do one bullpen game with Tanner Houck and a couple of others.
I fear that the more that Whitlock starts, the more that he's in danger of losing his confidence, similar to the disaster that sending one-time lights-out reliever Daniel Bard to the starting rotation turned out to be in 2012.
5. Last --- but not least --- the Sox' resurgence has been helped by the revival of Kike Hernandez in the leadoff spot, to the red-hot J.D. Martinez, and to the timely hitting of both Jackie Bradley Jr. and Cordero. ... Bobby Dalbec still needs to spend some time in AAA to get his swing back.
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