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Home , Alex Verdugo, Billy McMillon, Blake Swihart, Chaim Bloom, Nathan Eovaldi, Sweet Caroline

The Friday, January 22, 2021

* MassLive.com

Boston Red Sox planning on making moves before , Chaim Bloom says: ‘I believe very much we’re going to do a few more things’

Chris Cotillo

Red Sox chief officer Chaim Bloom hasn’t spoken to the media in more than a month, but he has stayed busy trying to make moves in that time. It’s well known the Red Sox are involved with a ton of available free agents, and the club even closed a deal last weekend by bringing back Martin Perez on a one- year, $5 million contract.

So far this winter, the Red Sox have only added three free agents in Perez, and , though the expectation is that Bloom will keep trying to augment his roster before Opening Day on April 1. Speaking on the SoxProspects.com podcast with Chris Hatfield and Ian Cundall, he confirmed as much and said he believes his team could surprise some people in 2021.

“I think you’re just going to see a really hungry group that believes it’s a lot better than what last year’s record was, and I believe that now,” Bloom said. “I know Alex (Cora) believes that. I think you’re going to see this group really determined to show people that. And they’re coming after this with a lot of energy. I think, last year, just with all the circumstances of last year, everything, and then the pandemic on top of everything, made it hard for the group to have a lot of energy. Despite that, they still played hard, but the atmosphere was not the same. I think everybody who’s here has learned from that and I think we’re going to see a vey different energy level this year. I think we’re going to be more exciting than the narrative right now is giving us credit for being. I think a lot of that is going to be how the players will attack it.

“I hope when we get to the end of 2021, we’re really at a point where (our path) is even taking shape more and you’re starting to see it where not only are we competitive in 2021, but you can get excited about saying, ‘Ok, I see very clearly where the arrow is pointing,’’ he continued. I think we have a chance to surprise some people in 2021, and I’m hopeful and believe very much we’re going to do a few more things before Opening Day that will supplement this club. Even on top of that, our goal is to build toward a sustainable championship contention and that we will get to the end of the year, hopefully with the chance to pop corks at some point but regardless, getting to the end of the year where it’s starting to look very, very clear what that multi-year window of contention is going to look like when it takes shape.”

Here are some more highlights from Bloom’s interview with Hatfield and Cundall:

* Bloom said he believes right-hander , who came over from the Phillies in the Aug. 21 trade that sent relievers and to the Phillies, is a strong candidate to make the team’s rotation this season. Pivetta allowed two earned runs on eight hits in 10 innings over two starts at the end of the season.

Bloom is also high on righty , the pitching prospect acquired in that trade.

“That was really attractive to us, because not only did we like the talent, but it also, with both guys, both filled needs,” Bloom said. “We have Nick Pivetta, who we think is ready to go be turned loose and see what he can do with an everyday turn on a major-league club. And we knew, and last season showed it, we really suffered for lack of upper minors, big-league ready players. It really wasn’t until the end of the year, when we got Tanner up here, that we had someone we were excited about that we could out there and be excited about as a prospect. Adding Connor (Seabold) was really big with that.”

* Bloom addressed the thought that the Red Sox would have a decreased payroll in 2021, admitting (unsurprisingly) that the lack of fans at last season has impacted the team economically.

“Even during normal times, I think it’s probably thought of within the walls of teams like ours more than people appreciate,” he said. “We’re fortunate that we have an ownership here that has always backed this team to the hilt financially. We’re just going through something that’s unprecedented. It’s not a secret what kind of economic engine a full Fenway Park is. That’s the economic engine... that funds the payroll and funds so much of what we do. It’s not the only one, but it’s a big part of it. We are now without. That’s having a real impact. There’s no question, we’re taking a huge . Took a hit last year and we are going to take a hit this year. That’s going to have its effects.

“I also think, given that we have an ownership that’s in this for the long haul and is measuring this in terms of wanting to win the fifth, the sixth and the seventh ring... they talk about that all the time,” he continued. “When that’s the big-picture goal, I think we are positioned right now where doing that is not going to be accomplished by some of the flashy, instant gratification moves that help when you are much to a championship. We have to lay this foundation, do it the right way and build up the talent base to be able to get to that point. And to feel like when we’re at that point, we’re going to stay at that point and we’re not going to go right back into the valley. There’s no question the pandemic makes that harder, but we’re also fortunate that we have an ownership that’s staying focused on the right things and on that end goal.”

Alex Verdugo Boston Red Sox’s 2021 center fielder? Examining organizational depth at the position, including top prospects Jarren Duran, Gilberto Jimenez

Christopher Smith

Alex Verdugo is expected to move from right field to center field in 2021 unless chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom signs or trades for a center fielder before Opening Day.

“We have a number of who are all good enough athletes to play center field,” Bloom said Dec. 14. “But we still have room to augment that with a center fielder or with a corner outfielder.”

Longtime Red Sox center fielder Jackie Bradley Jr. remains a free agent and Boston remains interested in re-signing him.

But as the roster stands right now, Bloom said Verdugo, and Hunter Renfroe all are capable of playing center field and Verdugo is the most suited.

“They all could do it,” Bloom said.

Let’s take a look at the center field depth, starting with Verdugo, Renfroe and Benintendi:

CENTER FIELD DEPTH

Alex Verdugo is the starting center fielder unless Bloom signs a center fielder. If Bloom does add someone, Verdugo would start in right field and occasionally play center. Verdugo has positive-2 Defensive Runs Saved in 556 ⅓ innings in center field during his career. His DRS at all three outfield positions combined is positive-21. Most of his innings in center field came during 2019 with the Dodgers.

Hunter Renfroe has spent the majority of his career in right field (2,257 ⅓ innings, positive-15 DRS) and left field (954 ⅓ innings, positive-7 DRS). He has played just 15 innings in center field (positive-2 DRS), but Bloom feels Renfroe is capable of playing center if needed.

Andrew Benintendi has been involved in multiple trade rumors recently. He likely is the third option in center field because his speed has declined in recent years. Alex Speier of wrote in November that Benintendi’s “sprint speed,” as measured by Baseball Savant, has declined each year since his rookie year and “borders on disqualification for center field.” Benintendi has posted negative-2 Defensive Runs Saved in his past 1,230 ⅔ innings in left field (2019-20), after recording a positive-22 DRS in his first 2,387 ⅓ innings there from 2016-18. Peter Gammons recently noted on Twitter, Benintendi “shed the bulk that slowed him and diminished his basketball athleticism.”

Jarren Duran is Boston’s No. 1 outfield prospect and should begin the 2021 season at -A Worcester. He has a chance to make his major league debut this coming season. His tremendous speed (70 steals, 19 triples in 199 minor league games) could turn him into an elite defender, but he still has work to improve. He switched from second base to center field after the Red Sox drafted him in 2018, and so he’s still learning the best routes to take. Duran impressed last summer at the alternate training site where he showed power after adjusting his swing mechanics and adding muscle. Triple-A Billy McMillon said after the 2020 season, “I think he continues to get better in the outfield and as that continues to get better, I think that’s going to help clear the path for him. He’s OK. He’s solid. But you can see there’s some room for improvement there. We did some things working on footwork and routes to balls and he kind of cleaned that up a little bit. For me, the question is, can he do that consistently?”

Marcus Wilson, who the Red Sox acquired for in 2019, “profiles as an above-average defender with above-average range,” according to the 2020 Handbook. He is on the 40- man roster but was a late addition to the 60-player pool at the alternate training site. He wasn’t added until Sept. 6. He has the chance to debut in 2021, but non-roster players Yairo Munoz and Cesar Puello (who played for Boston in 2020) likely are ahead of him on the outfield depth chart as they were last year. Wilson has power. Baseball America noted he has become more aggressive and “that change enabled better control of counts and resulted in improved pitch selection and plate discipline.” Still, Wilson had a high 34.5% percentage at -A Portland in 2019 and so swing-and-miss is an issue.

Michael Gettys signed a minor league contract with the Red Sox in November. The 25-year-old 2014 second-round draft pick plays center field well. He has both power and speed. He had 31 home runs, 29 doubles, five triples, 91 RBIs, 97 runs and 14 steals in 128 games (551 plate appearances) for San Diego’s Triple-A affiliate, El Paso, in 2019. But have been an issue throughout his minor league career. He had a 30.5% strikeout percentage at El Paso and 33.8% strikeout percentage the year before at Double- A.

Cesar Puello is probably more of an emergency option in center. He has made 19 starts in center in the majors (positive-6 DRS) and 144 starts in center field in the minors. He has spent the majority of his professional career in right field. He appeared in 22 innings in right field and three innings in left field for Boston last season.

Yairo Munoz, like Puello, is probably an emergency option in center field. He’s much more suited for the corner outfield positions. He played left field well for Boston in 2020. He had negative-4 DRS in 57 innings in center for St. Louis in 2018-19.

Gilberto Jimenez is the No. 2 outfield prospect in the Red Sox’s minor league system behind Duran. Baseball America ranks the switch-hitter the best athlete in the Red Sox system. The 20-year-old Dominican Republic native still is early in the development process. He batted .359 with a .393 on-base percentage, .470 slugging percentage, .863 OPS, 11 doubles, three triples, three homers, 19 RBIs and 14 steals in 59 games (253 plate appearances) for Short Season Lowell in 2019.

Jeisson Rosario is on Boston’s 40-man roster but he likely will not play in the majors in 2021. He just turned 21 in October and hasn’t yet played above High-A. The Red Sox acquired Rosario with Hudson Potts for from the Padres at the 2020 trade deadline. Triple-A manager Billy McMillon said after the 2020 season, “Very good defensively, he’s very smooth out there. At the plate, it wasn’t like sexy, but I’d look around and he’d have two hits on the day. Hits the ball all over the place. He seems like he’s a fairly aggressive runner. Almost every time he tried to steal a base, the ball was put in play or something. I liked his aggressiveness and it’ll be interesting to see how he continues to develop.”

Nick Decker, a 2018 second-round draft pick, batted .247 with a .328 on-base percentage, .471 slugging percentage, .799 OPS, six homers, 10 doubles, five triples and 25 RBIs in 53 games (195 plate appearances) for Short Season Lowell in 2019. He started 50 games in right field and two games in center field. The Red Sox view him more as a corner outfielder. He just turned 21 in October. Baseball America noted, “Decker has played right field since signing and presents a solid defensive profile, including range, reactions and arm strength.”

Eduardo Lopez is an 18-year-old who Boston signed out of the Dominican Republic for $1.15 million in 2018. He slashed .255/.372/.363/.735 with eight triples, seven doubles, 25 RBIs, 39 runs and 18 stolen bases in 60 games (253 plate appearances) for the Dominican Summer League Red Sox in 2019.

Miguel Bleis, a 6-foot-3, 170 pound 16-year-old, signed with the Red Sox as an amateur international free agent last Friday. He received a $1.5 million bonus. His Baseball America’s scouting report noted, “Bleis is one of the top athletes in the 2020-21 international class. He has a sleek, athletic frame with high physical upside. He glides around center field with an easy gait and long strides, with average speed that might tick up as he gets stronger along with a strong arm. He has a quick bat with gap power and a chance to turn more of his doubles into home runs once he gets stronger.”

Juan Chacon received the highest signing bonus ($900,000) among Red Sox prospects from the 2019-20 international signing class. The native of Venezuela just turned 18 in December. His SoxProspects.com scouting report states, “Has shown strong defensive instincts and has the present athleticism to play center field. Future position will depend on how his body develops.”

Angel Maita: The 19-year-old Venezuelan outfielder has a .272/.357/.348/.705 line with 14 doubles, five triples, 22 RBIs, 17 steals and 49 runs in 86 minor league games (364 plate appearances) between the Dominican Summer League (2018) and Gulf Coast League Red Sox (2019).

* RedSox.com

How 'Sweet Caroline' became a Fenway hit

Ian Browne

For Red Sox fans, good times never seem so good as when ’s recording of “Sweet Caroline” is belting out of the Fenway Park sound system just prior to the bottom of the eighth inning of every home game.

The fans turn it into their own singalong and manage to sound equally enthusiastic whether the home team is winning or losing.

They take extra pleasure in the, “So good, so good, so good!” portion of the song.

So how did this somewhat goofy tradition start?

During a 1997 game at Fenway, Amy Tobey, an employee in charge of ballpark music during the season, played "Sweet Caroline" because someone she knew had just had a baby named Caroline. For the next few years, the song would be played on select occasions at the ballpark.

But that all changed when Dr. Charles Steinberg came to the Red Sox as executive vice president of public affairs in 2002.

Allow Steinberg -- who is currently the president of the Triple-A -- to explain how "Sweet Caroline" became a nightly thing at Fenway.

"The Red Sox would play it once in a while. They would play it from time to time," Steinberg said. "It wasn't an anthem. In 2002, they were still doing that. I could hear that the fans were singing responsively.

"So I said to Danny Kischel, who was working the control room at the time, I said, 'Are you going to play "Sweet Caroline" today?' He said, 'Oh no, we can't play it. It's not a "Sweet Caroline" day.' I said, 'What's a "Sweet Caroline" day?' He said, 'We only play "Sweet Caroline" when the team is ahead and the crowd is festive and the atmosphere is already very upbeat.'"

But that's when Steinberg suggested it become tradition.

"I said, 'I think the song may have transformative powers and it may be able to lift the melancholy crowd and lift the spirits to being positive.' We were talking about change in an organization that didn't have any change," Steinberg recalled. "I said, 'Let's do it.' Sometimes they were playing at the end of seven. Sometimes they were playing at the end of eight. Sometimes they were playing at the middle of the eighth. I wanted it to be the middle of the eighth, because you want your more festive songs to occur when the home team is coming up to bat. So we started playing it each day in 2002."

Here we are, 19 years later. It is a tradition that shows no signs of ending anytime soon.

"When you heard the crowd sing so responsively to it, that's the sign of a song the crowd is connecting to," Steinberg said. "This was not the club saying it's time for a singalong. This was organic. This was from the crowd singing it. They sang it with such participation, audible participation, why not play it for them if they want to sing it?"

On April 20, 2013, in the emotional first game back at Fenway Park after the Boston Marathon bombings, Diamond came out to the diamond to play his song live.

* WEEI.com

Welcome to Boston: A former title town turned big-market land of cost-cutting rebuilds

Andy Hart

It wasn’t too long ago that the debate raged.

Nope, not the Tom Brady vs. Bill Belichick Great Debate that’s gotten so many so hot and bothered of late. That’s still burning like the sun.

Rather, it was the question of whether Boston is a baseball or football town?

Are the Red Sox or the Patriots the kings of the New England professional sports jungle? Even considering the overall popularity of the NFL compared to that of MLB, there was at least a discussion, a comparison.

Red Sox Nation or Patriot Nation?

Plenty of fans were actually passionate citizens of both mythical lands, expending great energy and spending even more money supporting their championship-chasing pastime purveyors.

Those fans were blessed by their favorite teams and loyally blessed those teams in return.

To steal the old Vince Lombardi proclamation -- winning wasn’t everything in Boston, it was the only thing.

Appropriately, titles and Lombardi Trophies flowed to the fan base like the overpriced draft beers filling their plastic cups at Fenway Park and Gillette Stadium.

Cue the Duck Boats for another socially compact championship parade!

All was good in the sports world. All was right as the Red Sox and Patriots seemingly competed with each other to be the more successful Boston franchise as much as they competed with their own sports’ rivals. They pushed each other to be better, to win more.

But, as is the case with so many things in our lives, then came 2020.

Patriots GOAT QB Tom Brady took his talents to Tampa Bay, where he’s currently leading the lowly Bucs into this weekend’s NFC Championship Game in Green Bay.

Red Sox MVP outfielder was traded to the Dodgers, where he won a World Series for his newfound legions in L.A.

And when the Red Sox and Patriots finally plowed through the challenges of COVID to return to action, they just weren’t the same on the field or, come to find out, off it. Not only were they not nearly as good, they apparently weren’t trying to be as good.

In late October Belichick gave his former offensive coordinator and current SiriusXM NFL Radio host Charlie Weis what the later called an “honest answer to an answer question,” seemingly making excuses for a Patriots team that was about to drop to 2-5 on the season.

“Because of our cap situation in this particular year, this is kind of the year that we’ve taken to, I would say, adjust our cap from the spending that we’ve had in accumulation of prior years,” Belichick said, essentially admitting the 2020 Patriots were literally not as invested in winning as they’d been previously.

This comment, combined with an earlier fall declaration that “everything we’ve done for the last 20 years, and rightfully so, was for Tom Brady” certainly made it sound like Belichick was explaining the way New England “sold out” with TB12 in town and the resulting reset that was necessary for the team.

It was curious, at best. And certainly rather off-putting for a man who previously avoided excuses the way Donald Trump avoided Joe Biden’s inauguration.

If winning is contagious, then it seems rebuilding of formerly elite, driven teams through verbalized cost- cutting measures might be as well.

Not only did the Red Sox unload Betts as the superstar outfielder approached free agency, but just this week the team made it clear it wasn’t planning on following up last year’s last-place, COVID-shortened season of misery with any sort of recharged run for the playoffs.

Nope, after spending a summer with a more cost-effective roster including starting that even its poor overmatched fill-in manager struggled to name, Red Sox CEO Sam Kennedy told the Boston Globe this week that, like the Patriots this fall, his team is not “all-in” for 2021.

“I think it would be inaccurate to say we are going for it with an all-in approach that perhaps we did prior to the 2018 title,” Kennedy told the Globe. “We cherish that title, and all of them, but the way we built that team came at a price, which included importantly a depleted farm system and some depleted draft picks along the way. So we are building back up, and as we do this hopefully the right way, we’ll have a chance to be competitive in the in 2021, but also for the longer term.”

And there you have it. In clear and concise words from two men atop the organizational depth charts we’re told that the Patriots played this past season with accounting measures on the mind and the Red Sox will do the same this summer, really for the second straight season.

While once upon a time Boston’s two top sports franchises were racing each other to collect 10 titles between them over the last 20 years, now it’s about resetting the books and restocking the shelves. And maybe, just maybe, being “competitive.”

It’s sad, really.

Sad for them. Even more sad for the fans who so loyally follow and invest emotionally if not as much financially in these fan-free pandemic times.

It’s like watching a pair of former heavyweight champions step into the ring for a years-too-late pay-per- view fight, no longer capable of throwing knockout punches but just trying to last through the round.

Will the Red Sox and Patriots return to glory and challenge for championships in their respective sports once again while simultaneously fighting for the top spot in Boston sports?

Obviously.

Of course that return to glory will come sooner if Red Sox and Patriots actually commit to going “all in” to win again. Because right now, to hear them tell it, that’s just not the case.

Oh well, at least we still have the Celtics and Bruins in Boston. They still seem invested in trying to win a title.

* BostonSportsJournal.com

Red Sox options limited in CF as dominoes start to fall

Sean McAdam

The news Tuesday night that had agreed to a six-year deal with the Toronto Blue Jays was significant for a couple of reasons.

Springer became the first free agent of the winter to land a nine-figure ($150 million) contract.

Secondly, Springer’s disappearance from the market is likely to crystalize the outfield market, with some other free agents expected to come off the board in a relatively short time.

“I think,” said one baseball official, “you’re going to start to see things start to pick up.”

The Red Sox were never in on Springer, deeming him too expensive for where they are in their rebuild. Further contributing to their lack of interest was the fact that, as someone who was given a qualifying offer from his former team, Springer would have cost the Sox their second-round pick as well as some international free agent pool money.

But as the premier center fielder among free agents, his signing almost certainly spur activity by teams which lost out on him (including the ), further limiting the Red Sox’ options.

For now, the one remaining free agent center fielder that makes any sense at all for the Red Sox is Jackie Bradley Jr., who served as their everyday center fielder from 2014 through the end of last season. Red Sox chief baseball office Chaim Bloom has said on more than one occasion that Bradley remains on the team’s radar and agent Scott Boras has confirmed the sides have remained in communication.

The Astros, having lost Bradley and facing a gaping hole in center field, have been linked to Bradley. Bradley isn’t nearly the offensive force that Springer has been — especially from the leadoff spot, at which he’s had next-to-n0 experience (39 career at-bats) — but could provide them with well above-average defense.

How likely a reunion between Bradley and the Red Sox is unclear. The Sox have highly regarded outfield prospect Jarren Duran in their minor league system with the expectation that he could contribute at the major league level soon — if not sometime later this season, then certainly by 2022.

Duran’s presence means it’s unlikely the Red Sox would want to enter into a multi-year agreement with Bradley. Bradley, conversely, is 30, in the prime of his career and undoubtedly is seeking some long-term stability.

Beyond Bradley, the Red Sox options among free agents are few. The remaining players at the position profile as good glove/speed players (Jake Marisnick, Billy Hamilton, Albert Almora Jr., Delino DeShields) or aging players who are no longer seen as full=time center fielders (Kevin Pillar).

That leaves two options for the Sox — a rotation of current players, based on matchups, or a trade.

The problem with the former is that the Sox’ outfield depth is perilously thin. Alex Verdugo could slide over and take care of center, but that would leave a substantial hole in right – a position that most regard as more challenging than center in Fenway Park.

Hunter Renfroe has the skill set to handle center field adequately, but the notion of him as everyday player is a stretch, given his .717 career OPS against righthanded pitchers.

Andrew Benintendi is the third-best defender among current Red Sox outfielders and could probably handle center on a part-time basis. But Benintendi’s name has been widely discussed in trade talks and the Sox seem more than open to moving on from him altogether, especially if they can obtain pitching help in exchange.

That leave the other option: a trade.

Alas, the team’s options aren’t numerous. Center field is a premium position on the diamond and when teams have suitable options in center, they’re reluctant to move them.

Also, with little ammunition on the major league roster to serve as trade bait, the Sox would likely be forced into giving up some prospects at a time when the goal is to deepen their developmental inventory, not deplete it.

The Sox could consider a number of utility types to help fill the hole in center. Jurickson Profar, an infielder by trade, has experience in the outfield and could shuttle between second base and center. Enrique Hernandez, with whom they’ve been in contact according to MassLive.com, fits a similar profile.

But do the Red Sox really want to entrust such an important defensive position to a job-share arrangement? Or risk declining performance from Verudgo, their best outfielder, by asking him to constantly move back and forth?

Either way, there are no obvious solutions — which seems to be par for the team this offseason.

* The Athletic

Red Sox, after a decade of pivots, still trying to find a stable path

Chad Jennings

There’s a baseball book with a green grass cover and an eight-word title: “The only rule is it has to work.” In the movies, there’s a scene with actor Ed Harris, in a room full of NASA scientists, announcing, “Failure is not an option.” On television, Toby Ziegler rants in his White House office and ends with a flourish. “They’ll like us when we win!”

That’s the cliché truth of the Red Sox front office. They’ve slashed the budget, traded a homegrown prodigy and promised an ambiguous future of sustained success. They’ve so far delivered only a worst-in- a-generation season and a cautious approach to team building. Their most adamant supporters can offer only vague optimism for the future. The frustration and disappointment of the present are much more palpable.

But it comes to that same, basic truth. It has to work. Failure will not be tolerated. The fan base will like them when they win.

If they win.

Frankly, the Red Sox have been course correcting like this for more than a decade. After each of their past three championships, they’ve changed general managers, changed field managers and finished in last place at least once before winning again. They’ve steered wildly from one direction to the next, spinning their wheels in search of true north, never fully satisfied that they’re heading in the right direction.

The 2007 championship — still underrated and underappreciated — stands as the last moment of a singular Red Sox direction from one championship to the next. The organization has since yanked its compass from patient to aggressive and back to patient Chaim Bloom; from steady Terry Francona to erratic Bobby Valentine; from old-school John Farrell to analytic to old- school Ron Roenicke and back to analytic Cora. They’ve gone from last place in 2012 to a championship in 2013 back to last place in 2014. They’ve moved on from Dombrowski’s all-out build to 2018 to his stunning-but-predictable firing just 10 months later.

With every pivot, the Red Sox have tried to make up for past mistakes only to experience new blunders. Cherington dumped salary to save a sinking ship, then signed two of the most onerous contracts in franchise history. Dombrowski bought a championship rotation because the farm system couldn’t develop one, but ultimately left the Red Sox pitching staff overextended and short-handed. Bloom cashed in on Mookie Betts’ last season before free agency, then watched Betts win a title in L.A. while the Red Sox fell to last place in the American League East.

The easiest solution to all of this, of course, has always been to spend more money. There is no hard cap in baseball, and so free agency is a simple way to circumvent player development and make up for past failures. Sign to an extension so he doesn’t become another . Give J.D. Martinez full control of a multiyear contract so the lineup doesn’t miss David Ortiz. Hand Betts a blank check because, come on, he’s Mookie Betts.

It’s impossible to argue against that logic. The Red Sox money comes from a man who has a ton of it, and if John Henry wanted to keep spending at the rate that built that 2018 roster, he would be celebrated like no other owner in Boston sports. He set expectations sky-high.

But after Carl Crawford, , Pablo Sandoval, , Hanley Ramirez, Rusney Castillo and others, it’s also hard to argue that there isn’t a better way. The current approach is this team’s latest attempt to find a proper heading, a sweet spot in the middle of all those massive swings from one direction to the next. It’s another course correction like so many this franchise has experienced in the past decade and a half. We’re still discovering, and they’re still discovering, whether it’s the right one.

Perhaps, if there had been some moderating maneuvers in recent years — some harder choices after the 2018 season, for example — this particular course correction might not be so jarring or even necessary, but Bloom was hired to do something different, and so when team president Sam Kennedy told The Boston Globe, “it would be inaccurate to say we are going for it with an all-in approach,” there was no sense being shocked or offended. It’s fair to disagree with the team’s direction, sure, but the Red Sox have made their objective clear. They’ve said it for months. They’re trying something new. Again.

Tampa Bay has been the go-to comparison because of Bloom’s ties to the Rays, but there’s little reason for the Red Sox to follow that model. The Rays have experienced the same peaks and valleys that have frustrated the Red Sox, except their valleys have been deeper and their peaks shorter. Until the Red Sox cut their payroll by two-thirds, there’s little reason to think they’re trying to re-create the Rays’ small-market solution.

The better model is the Dodgers, who have their own former Rays executive, , running the show, and have so far balanced his small-market background with L.A.’s big-market payroll. The Dodgers have won eight straight division titles, played in three of the past four World Series, and just gave Betts a $365 million extension — which they could afford in part because Cody Bellinger, Corey Seager, Walker Buehler and were not making anything close to it. The Dodgers payroll has fluctuated from roughly $270 million in 2015 to less than $190 million in 2018 to something like $205 million this year. They’re on track to have the highest payroll in the sport this season. The Padres just went on an unprecedented spending spree to try to catch them. In today’s game, the Dodgers are true north.

And if that’s the ideal, it’s one the Red Sox should be able to achieve as long as Bloom does his part (building a sustainable pipeline that keeps the talent flowing) and ownership does its part (keeping a giant wad of cash in its back pocket for whenever the roster’s immediate needs are better defined).

Until then, this is just another course correction, the next in a series of new directions the Red Sox have tried over the years. As always, the only rule is it has to work. Failure is not an option. You’ll like it when they win, and only when they win.

As rivals get stronger, Red Sox stand pat. How competitive do they plan to be?

Jen McCaffrey

On Tuesday, three-time All-Star outfielder and Connecticut native George Springer agreed to a six-year, $150 million deal with the Blue Jays. Earlier that day, Toronto had agreed to a deal with closer Kirby Yates.

Within the span of 24 hours, the Blue Jays — already contenders in the American League East — further fortified their position. Over the weekend, the Yankees signed starter Corey Kluber and second baseman DJ LeMahieu. The Rays have not made any big splashes, but let’s not forget they went to the World Series last season.

Overall, the American League East is getting stronger and, yes, the Red Sox are still idle.

With each passing day, we wonder when the Red Sox will get going. They’ve added outfielder Hunter Renfroe and pitchers Martin Perez and Matt Andriese to their major-league roster, but those are largely viewed as secondary, maybe even tertiary, pieces to the puzzle, especially when compared to the additions their division rivals have made. Reporting on the Red Sox this winter has been as much about what they haven’t done as what other teams have.

The Red Sox have continually said they still plan to add to the team, but when? And how much longer can they wait? The offseason market, so slow all winter, is decidedly picking up its pace, and the options are dwindling.

Other deals across the league this past week — such as starter Jose Quintana signing with the Angels and reliever Pedro Baez and outfielder Michael Brantley joining the Astros — have further diminished the pool of talent. The Red Sox keep saying they want to compete in 2021 while working toward their goal of long- term sustainability, but what’s their version of competing?

The current roster without any additions will surely not be strong enough to withstand a full season, even if players such as J.D. Martinez, Eduardo Rodriguez and revert to 2019 form.

Jackie Bradley Jr. is now the best center fielder available on the free-agent market. He had no real incentive to sign with any team before first seeing what kind of deal Springer would land. Maybe now that Springer’s deal is in place, Bradley, who made $11 million in arbitration last season (before salaries were prorated for the pandemic), will find a home. The Red Sox could get by with Alex Verdugo in center and Andrew Benintendi and Renfroe on the corners, but Bradley certainly makes them stronger, especially defensively. Even if he’s seeking a three-year, $45 million deal, that should fit the Red Sox budget. And yes, Jarren Duran is nearing a major-league debut later this year, but as a converted second baseman, Duran has about only a year’s worth of center field experience in the minors. Bradley is the center field anchor they need and one who could mentor Duran at the position. It would also allow the Red Sox to explore a Benintendi trade closer to the trade deadline.

Another reported Red Sox target, right-hander Jake Odorizzi, also waits out there. The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal reported that the 30-year-old is seeking a two- or three-year deal worth between $36 million and $42 million. After , Odorizzi is the next-best starter available, and if the Red Sox want to fortify their rotation, Odorizzi would seem like a good fit. Perez and Andriese are fine additions, but Odorizzi has posted at least 28 starts each season from 2014 through 2019, averaging a 3.88 ERA in the process. The Red Sox need that type of stability in the rotation with health concerns surrounding Rodriguez, Chris Sale and .

Red Sox president Sam Kennedy reiterated to the Boston Globe on Wednesday that the team is building for the future, and that the franchise is not going all-in this season, but still plans to compete.

The phrase “all-in” seemingly applies to moves such as signing Springer for $150 million or Bauer for $200 million or more. I don’t think we ever thought this version of the Red Sox would do that. But signing Bradley or Odorizzi to three-year deals seems to fit within their view of competing while maintaining flexibility for the future.

Now they just actually have to do something about it.

The Outsiders: No. 4,

Joe Posnanski

This offseason, leading right up to the 2021 Baseball Hall of Fame announcement, we’re counting down the 100 greatest eligible players not in the Hall of Fame and ranking them in the order in which I would vote them in. Each player will receive a Hall of Fame plaque based on the pithy ones that the Hall used to use back at the start. We continue our essay series with No. 4, Roger Clemens.

William Roger Clemens Boston—Toronto——Houston, 1984-2007 A seven-time Award winner, the Rocket dominated baseball for more than two decades with his overpowering fastball, death-defying splitter and raw intensity. Hall of Fame election was delayed because of his much-disputed connection to performance-enhancing drugs.

Let’s get down to a question: Why, if we believe that a substantial number of players were using PEDs, do we choose to focus all of our energy and all of our rage on Roger Clemens, Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa and a few others?

Well, first: Do we believe that a substantial number of players were using PEDs during that era before testing, before oversight, back when there really wasn’t an obvious public price to pay for taking steroids and all that comes with it?

That’s a trickier question than might first appear because: What constitutes a performance-enhancing drug? I imagine if you are specifically talking about illegal steroids, that’s one question. If you include amphetamines and stimulants, it’s another. If you include, as Bill James suggests, legal over-the-counter substances that were not banned at the time but are banned now like Andro, it’s yet another.*

I suspect if you include everything the answer is probably close to 100 percent of players.

*It is fascinating to watch as people try to simplify what happened in the 1990s. Take Andro. That was an over-the-counter “supplement” you could find at any GNC and was absolutely permitted for use by MLB (even as it was banned by the International Olympic Committee and other ruling bodies). There are numerous arguments about the benefits and risks of Andro, but essentially they mirror those of steroids. And yet, how are we supposed to react to players who used Andro at a time when it was not banned?

The point is that the whole thing is more complicated and messy than we like to think in retrospect.

But even if we are only talking about illegal drugs — particularly steroids — the consensus seems to be that at least a sizable minority of players were using, and perhaps more. Obviously, we don’t know, we’ll never know, but I have seen numerous polls that suggest this is what people believe. I even did my own little Twitter poll to see what you think:

So almost everybody guesses it was more than 10 percent, more than three-quarters of people believe it was more than 25 percent, and a substantial number of people believe it was more than half. This is just one snapshot — and not a scientific one — but it seems to match up with other snapshots that show most believe steroid use was rampant and widespread in the game.

And yet, the focus of the anger and disgust has been on Clemens and Bonds along with a few others. Why? Well, I can think of a lot of reasons, but three specifically come to mind.

First, of course, they were the most prominent players of the era. In the record books, there has never been a pitcher quite like Roger Clemens. The man led the league in FIP nine times. That’s crazy. FIP — Fielding Independent Pitching — is a stat based entirely on three things:

1. How many batters a pitcher strikes out 2. How many batters a pitcher walks 3. How many home runs a pitcher allows

Now, as you know, there is a school of thought that these are the only three things a starting pitcher has any real control over. That means Clemens, year after year after year after year, controlled games better than anybody else. From 1986 to 2005 — 20 seasons — Clemens was top-10 in FIP 17 times. That’s absurd.

With Clemens and Bonds and McGwire and Sosa and Alex Rodriguez in the headlines every single day, yes, certainly, people are going to direct attention on them.

Second, all those players have tangible connections to steroids and other PEDs. One of the most frustrating parts of the PED era is how little we truly know. We can and do guess at how many players were using, but we don’t know because the players for the most part observed the oath of omerta. They denied using except when caught red-handed, they refused to turn in teammates, they stayed silent and still do. There were no test results.

So, we are left to rely on the inconsistent memories of José Canseco, the investigation into BALCO, the flawed and incomplete Mitchell Report, a few halfhearted and incomplete admissions. That could be why the anger might be disproportionate toward the few open and shut cases there are, like with McGwire, who admitted using, or with Bonds, who has a mountain of evidence pointed against him.

To this day, as far as I know, Roger Clemens denies ever using PEDs He has sworn under oath before Congress that he never used. And though he was charged with perjury, making false statements and obstruction of Congress, he was found not guilty on all six counts brought against him.

Still, there are enough credible accusations that there’s a nearly unanimous consensus that Clemens did use steroids. And there are unanswered questions about his relationship with the late Mindy McCready. And that’s why he has not been elected to the Hall of Fame, and will not be elected for the foreseeable future.

But it’s the third reason that interests me most. Let’s say you have two people who cheat on a chemistry exam. They have access to the same cheat sheet. One cheats their way to an 81 and passes the class. The other cheats their way to a 100 and gets a scholarship to Harvard. Now let’s say neither one gets caught. Which one makes you angrier?

Yes, most people would tell you there are multiple players in the Hall of Fame who used steroids. Everybody knows there are managers and executives in the Hall of Fame who profited off players who used steroids.

But maybe we continue to draw the line in front of Clemens and Bonds and a handful of others because they were too obvious about it, they flaunted their synthetic strength, they unapologetically broke cherished records, they mocked the game by playing it unnaturally well. Were they cheating more than others? I guess you could argue that part. But, they seemed greedier about it.

There is, I would add, a fundamental difference between the aging Clemens and the aging Bonds, one that is easy to miss as we so often put them together. On the surface, you can see the comparisons:

Bonds from age 36-42: Set the record, won four MVP awards, won two batting titles, led the league OPS four times, hit 45 or more homers five times.

Clemens from age 36-42: Went 108-48, won two Cy Young Awards, led the league in ERA and FIP, made four All-Star games.

But here’s the thing: Bonds reached heights he had never reached before as a player. The younger Bonds might have been about as good a player because of what he could do as a fielder and on the bases. But the younger Bonds didn’t hit anything like the older Bonds. He never approached 73 home runs or a .370 batting average or 120 intentional walks.

Clemens is different. As good as he was as an older pitcher — a point probably overblown by him winning two Cy Youngs he really didn’t deserve — he was still not as good as he had been as a younger pitcher. Let’s use Bill James’ Win Shares to punctuate the point:

Clemens from age 23-27: 125 Win Shares Clemens from age 28-32: 89 Clemens from age 33-37: 103 Clemens from age 38-43: 99

So, yes, Clemens managed to maintain his excellence for much longer than we would expect but unlike Bonds, he did not become this unrecognizable force of nature.

Not to give anything away, as we’ll probably revisit all of this in the next few days … but I think it’s probably pointless to argue whether or not Clemens should be in the Hall of Fame because we’re not really arguing about Clemens. We’re arguing about the Hall of Fame. Just about everybody I know thinks Clemens was a Hall of Fame baseball player. Just about everybody I know thinks Clemens disgraced himself and baseball by surely using PEDs and then dragging the game through the mud in his appearance before Congress.

So the question is: Do you think he should be in the Hall of Fame because he was an all-time great player or do you think he should not be in the Hall of Fame because he did more harm than good? That isn’t about Clemens, really. It’s about what we want the Hall of Fame to be.