The Skinny on the Hot Corner, Catchers and Closer

Just poking my head out from my off-season hibernation as I attempt to shake off the doldrums of this winter weather. We've been hit with two major snowstorms in the past five days here in the Atlantic region, drastically altering our daily routines to a mixture of shoveling snow, napping, Netflix binging, and eating a variety of junk food. In hindsight, it certainly hasn't been all bad, especially if you're a school teacher like me. We've only been in class on Wednesday which was bookended with a pair of cancellations.

This unexpected hiatus from the workplace has also allowed me to get up to speed with our beloved Red Sox and make my first blog post of the 2017 season. With full squad workouts beginning today, Dave Dombrowski has positioned the Sawx for an expected return to the post-season with his blockbuster move that brought Chris Sale into the fold. More importantly, it's what he didn't give up that also is a difference maker.  Yoan Moncada was blocked from joining the big club in the short term. By adding flamethrowing Michael Kopech to sweeten the deal,  this permitted Dombrowski to sell high on two hot prospects while keeping that starry young outfield intact. 

Throughout the season, I'll occasionally fire up this "Three Up, Three Down" feature to convey my take on the fortunes of the Sawx. Here is my initial triad of Red Sox ruminations on the hot corner, catchers and the closer:

• Sandoval needs to return to "form"

Much has been made already about Pablo Sandoval's svelte new look, and that has to have the Sawx brass very optimistic. It has been a dreadful two seasons in Boston for the once dynamic switch-hitting third baseman with a flair for post-season magic. That infamous image of Pablo's girth last spring had him on the defensive from the get-go saying that he "had nothing to prove". Fast forward to yesterday's press conference and about 35 pounds lighter, Sandoval seemed considerably more humble saying he had "to prove a lot of things to the fans, to the team, to your teammates, to the sport.” 

Boston has to have production from a position that has been a revolving door as of late. Manager John Farrell has said that Sandoval will have to earn the starting job, but it has all the appearances of a forgone conclusion. Now that Travis Shaw is a Milwaukee Brewer, the only player that could push Sandoval for playing time is Brock Holt, and it is of paramount importance that Pablo wins this competition outright. Hey, I love Brock. He's gritty gamer who almost always makes something happen in the field, on the bases, or at the plate when he gets a chance. His versatility paved the way for many opportunities in the past three seasons, including an all-star selection, but the reality is he's not an everyday player. In two of the past three seasons, there has been a noticeable drop in Holt's production post all-star break. His career numbers show a 50 point drop in batting average from the first half of the season to the second half. He's also could be facing a significant drop in playing time if he cannot take the job from Sandoval due to the fact that he bats left-handed. Chris Young has to eat, and he'll be getting the call in the outfield when Benintendi or Bradley need a breather against a tough lefty. Sandoval is working his way back to being a switch-hitter again, but even if that doesn't come to pass Holt is not a viable option here as he batted a woeful .105 in only 38 PA against lefties in 2016. He'll spell Pedey and Bogie the odd time, but both of these guys are going to play a ton, so at bats will be hard to find for the "Brock Star".

Ironically, Travis Shaw hit 16 homers and drove in 71 runs last season while hitting .242. That was good enough to make him expendable due in part that he batted .182 from August 1st to the end of September. Batting average aside, if Sandoval reaches those same totals in homers and ribbies, all will be forgiven as these numbers would almost match his 2014 season when he was the toast of San Francisco. Sandoval hit .429 in the World Series that season while snaring his third championship ring.

• Boston looks for Swihart to catch on

Once upon a time, I felt Blake Swihart would be ideal trade fodder. We had the defensive wizardry and cannon arm of Christian Vazquez who received his tutelage under the Molina brothers. Vazquez lived a mere 20 minutes away from Bengie, Jose and Yadier in his native Puerto Rico, and it was Jose who really took Christian under his wing becoming his mentor. Even after undergoing the Tommy John surgery which cost him all of the 2015 season, I felt his defense was game-changing, and he'd anchor the position for years to come.

Despite Vazquez's tremendous upside, Boston would not part with Swihart and he had a chance to demonstrate his skills catching in 83 games in 2015. The defense was adequate, but his calling card was his bat and he displayed this by hitting .274 with 5 homers, 17 doubles and 31 RBI.  In an effort to capitalize on his offense, Boston tried to make a corner outfielder out of him last season which lasted only 13 games before he tore up his ankle chasing down a fly ball in left field. Swihart has only thrown out 28% of runners attempting to steal in his brief career in comparison to Vazquez's career percentage of 44. However, Christian didn't seem right last season as the arm strength appeared to be diminished. His CS percentage dropped from 52 in 2014 to 35 in 2016. This, coupled with the fact that he hadn't figured out big league pitching left him vulnerable, and the emergence of Sandy Leon relegated him to the minors.

Speaking of Leon, he really was a savior for Boston last year. His defense is comparable to Vazquez nailing 41% of would-be base stealers, and his knowledge of hitters and game-calling skills were solid. What really was surprising was the offense he provided. He batted .310 with 7 homers and 35 RBI in 78 games to win the starting catching job outright. In July, the guy hit .355, and opposing pitchers struggled to keep him off the bases. Then came September, and his production normalized in a very unpleasant manner. Leon hit .213 during the month which was a little less than a 100 point drop from August. It might be fair to say that his summer run of 2016 was an anomaly, and he may be best suited for a backup role. But will that role be with Boston?

Swihart won't make the trip north with the big club unless his spring is otherworldly due to the fact that Leon and Vazquez are out of options. I'm betting, though, that Blake is called upon by June and has a chance of competing as the everyday catcher. His defense can only improve, and his switch-hitting exploits outdistance Leon's. With Vazquez's youth and comparable defense to Leon's, I think Sandy could be the odd man out before too long.

• Kimbrel cause for concern

An all-star nod allowed Craig Kimbrel to fly under the radar in a very overrated role in 2016. Like many fans that watched the late innings with Boston on the winning side of things, I was never totally at ease with Kimbrel coming into the game. He walked 30 batters in 53 IP, the most since he issued 32 free passes in 2011 as a Brave. There is no arguing the swing and miss potential of his 96 mph arrow, but when he missed his target, he missed by wide margins. His 3.26 ERA in 2016 was the highest of his career and the 31 saves he notched was his lowest. He also had the alarming habit of puking all over himself in non-saves scenarios.

Now that Boston has a reconfigured bullpen with the emergence of Joe Kelly and the addition of Tyler Thornburg, Kimbrel should be able to simply concentrate on the ninth inning. Hopefully, he can return to his glory days, but if not, Boston now seems to have other reliable options in the late innings.