(via @redsox)

Seeing Will Middlebrooks, Dustin Pedroia and Jacoby Ellsbury pose with Patrick Renna and Chauncey Leopardi (aka Hamilton “Ham” Porter and Michael “Squints” Palledorous from the 1993 film “The Sandlot”) before tonight’s Red Sox-Twins game had me reminiscing about my favorite baseball movies growing up.

I tried to present a pretty diverse list below, but naturally I missed some, especially those before my time. Please write in any blatant omissions in the comments section.

The post What Is Your Favorite Baseball Movie? appeared first on Fenway Refugees.

(Photo by J. Meric/Getty Images)

Of course, the first game I miss all year turns out to be the most exciting win of the season.

Makes you wonder if I should watch any more games?

And while I was stoked to see the replay of Will Middlebrooks’ bases-loaded double with two outs in the top of the ninth inning, giving Boston a 4-3 comeback victory, I was also perplexed to look at the box score and see the Red Sox only mustered four hits all game. What’s going on with our offense?

Why have the Red Sox stopped hitting in May? Why did David Ortiz go 0-17 after the CHB accused him of taking steroids? Why is Will Middlebrooks hitting .211, Jonny Gomes .182 and Jacoby Ellsbury .249 this late in the season?

Of course, what we’re seeing from the Red Sox, exciting one minute and frustrating the next, is probably pretty indicative of the type of team we have this year. One that is capable of winning and losing in bunches; one that has a lot of heart and a lot of fun characters; one who makes the city of Boston proud but might fall short of the playoffs.

But that isn’t good enough, you and I know that. We don’t like bridge seasons. We were tired of “Wait till next year” two decades ago.

We don’t want to consider this in the third week of May.

However, baseball is a funny game, and a win like tonight can have a transformative effect on the season.

Every fan remembers when Varitek decked A-Rod on July 24, 2004, but that game would have meant nothing if the Red Sox hadn’t scored three runs in the bottom of the ninth off Mariano Rivera to win 11-10.

And while the Red Sox struggled immediately after that (they went 5-5 over the next 10 games), the win did have a huge emotional impact, one that carried the team into October and the greatest comeback in baseball history.

I guess what I’m saying is, hopefully tonight’s win was the jolt the 2013 Red Sox needed, and we all look back at May 16th as the defining moment of the season.

The post Tonight’s Win A Defining Moment of the Season? appeared first on Fenway Refugees.

(via Boston.com)

Some Red Sox updates from down on the farm:

Jose Iglesias
The slick-fielding shortstop was benched earlier this month for four games by Pawtucket manager Gary DiSarcina for not running out ground balls. In seven games since his return, Iglesias is hitting just .192/.300/.192. With Stephen Drew starting to play well for the parent club, we may not see Iglesias again in Boston until September, although it’s a long season and a lot could change.

Daniel Bard
Last night Daniel Bard pitched one inning for Double-A Portland, giving up one hit, two earned runs, five walks, and two wild pitches. For the season, Bard’s ERA is 6.39 with seventeen walks over just thirteen innings. Unfortunately, Bard continues to struggle as he attempts to work his way back to the major leagues.

Allen Webster
The top pitching prospect in the Red Sox system was hammered in his last start with Boston, giving up eight runs in just 1 2/3 innings. In his first start back at Pawtucket, Webster allowed just one run on three hits over five innings. He struck out five, recorded seven groundball outs and produced 11 swings-and-misses. Webster is still the top candidate to replace Felix Doubront should his struggles continue, at least until left-hander Franklin Morales is healthy.

Bryce Brentz
The Pawtucket outfielder is hitting .284 with six home runs and twenty-six RBIs. More importantly, he has a .500 slugging percentage and an .842 OPS. Brentz appears on-pace to join the big-league club next year, depending on if Jacoby Ellsbury is re-signed.

Jackie Bradley Jr.
The Pawtucket Red Sox outfielder was placed on the 7-day disabled list (retroactive to May 4) with right bicep tendinitis. He was hitting .302 at Triple-A in 11 games since being sent down.

Alfredo Aceves
The unpredictable right-hander is 2-1 with a 3.5 ERA in three starts since being optioned. You have to wonder, though, if Aceves will get another chance in Boston.

Which Red Sox minor leaguer are you most excited about seeing make it to the big leagues?

The post Red Sox Minor League Update: Iglesias, Bard Struggling appeared first on Fenway Refugees.

Red Sox Watch Party in Kansas City

TONIGHT

Thursday May 16th at  Mac’s Sport Pub.

Cheer on the Boston Red Sox as they play the Tampa Bay Rays with your local Red Sox fans. Mac’s Sport Pub is the place to be to meet fellow Red Sox fans. Come join the crowd!

Check out the Kansas City Chapter page for updates regarding the event. If you have any questions, reach out to the Kansas City Chapter Leader, Jason Springer.

If you are not in Kansas City, you too can have a Watch Party. Email us admin@fenwayrefugees.com and we will help you connect with your local Red Sox Fans. There’s nothing better than watching your team with fellow fans! 

The post TONIGHT: Red Sox Watch Party in Kansas City! appeared first on Fenway Refugees.

(Photo By: Faith Ninivaggi)

In 2011, Jacoby Ellsbury was probably the most complete outfielder in the game, the perfect combination of speed, power and agility.

Better yet, every time he came to bat with the game on the line, he seemed to deliver. That year, his 9.1 WAR led the majors.

The 2012-2013 version is an elite defensive player who’s explosive on the base-paths but doesn’t seem to get on base a whole lot or hit for much power.

This season, Jacoby is making $9 million. He’s batting .256 with 1 home run and 13 RBIs. Assume these current numbers project over a full season.

At the end of year Jacoby is a free agent. He’s represented by Scott Boras.

Here’s the going rate for elite-level outfielders:

1. Matt Kemp: Eight-years, $160-million
2. Josh Hamilton: Five-year, $125 million
3. Andrew McCutchen: Six-year, $51.5 million
4. Adam Jones: Six-year, $85.5million

If you were calling the shots, how much would you be willing to spend to keep Jacoby Ellsbury in Boston?

The post How Much Would You Spend To Keep Jacoby Ellsbury in Boston? appeared first on Fenway Refugees.

(Photo by Bob Stowell/Getty Images)

What I remember most about Dwight Evans was the way he carried himself out in right field. He had this swagger about him, this quiet bravado that literally dared opposing third base coaches to run on his arm. And what a cannon that arm was.

For me, the true test was when base-runners tried to go from second to third on him, and he would fire a strike, sometimes bouncing once to the third baseman and sometimes going all the way in the air.

Evans was naturally gifted defensively, sure, but he was also so fundamentally sound, and that was a real joy to see, too, how he would square his body up while the ball was still in the arm, and how he would crouch and begin to move forward as it got closer to him, so that he could make the catch and fire in one motion, getting the full momentum of his body behind the throw.

It’s what coaches teach you when you’re in little league, but very few in the history of the game ever did it as well as Dewey.

Evans won eight Gold Glove Awards (1976, 1978–79 and 1981–85) over the course of his 20-year career, and probably should have earned several more.

Of course, I’ve chosen an image of Dewey at the plate above, where he had a unique and very identifiable stance, crouching low in the box and using his left arm to drive the bat through the strike zone, like the good Walt Hriniak disciple that he was.

Evans had a lifetime batting average of .272, with 385 home runs, 1384 RBIs, 1470 runs scored, 2446 hits, 483 doubles, 73 triples, and 78 stolen bases in 2606 games.

That Evans is not in Cooperstown, in fact not even on the ballot anymore, is a real shame.

Noted baseball statistician, and current Red Sox employee, Bill James, makes a sophisticated argument for why Evans should be in the Hall of Fame here. It’s a pretty compelling read if you have the time.

So, what do you remember most about Dwight Evans? Why is Dewey such a beloved figure in Boston?

The post It’s A Shame Dwight Evans Isn’t in the Hall of Fame appeared first on Fenway Refugees.

(By Steve Silva for Boston.com)

While I generally approved of GM Ben Cherington’s performance this past winter, the one trade I couldn’t understand was sending pitchers Mark Melancon and Stolmy Pimentel, IF Ivan De Jesus and 1B/OF Jerry Sands to the Pittsburgh Pirates for reliever Joel Hanrahan and IF Brock Holt.

My main problem, at the time anyway, was that I didn’t think giving up prospect Jerry Sands, the Dodgers’ former minor league player of the year acquired in the Nick Punto trade, made any sense. Considering 2013 was supposed to be a bridge year for Boston, why trade a prospect who averaged 27.5 home runs over two seasons in Triple-A for an expensive and inconsistent relief pitcher who was one year away from free agency, especially one who forgot how to throw strikes last September in Pittsburgh?

Especially when you consider that the Red Sox already had a former all-star closer on their roster in Andrew Bailey.

Now, Sands has struggled for Pittsburgh’s Triple-A Indianapolis club, hitting just .139 with zero home runs, so my main contention turned out to be wrong, at least for now, but Ivan De Jesus is batting .323 with .382 on-base and .446 slugging percentages for that same Indianapolis team.

More importantly, Mark Melancon has returned to his 2011 form and been absolutely lights out for the Pirates. His ERA is currently 0.45 and he leads the National League with 13 holds. He has also fanned 20 batters in 20 innings – with only a single walk – sporting an overall WHIP of 0.75.

I can’t say I was super distraught at the time about losing Melancon, though, because he was pretty miserable during his brief year in Boston. But I also didn’t think he was as bad last year as his numbers suggest. Jason Collette of ESPN agrees:

Earned run averages are not the best way to evaluate a relief pitcher, because one or two rough outings can yield an unattractive ERA that hides good skills. While he had better-than-league-average strikeout and walk rates for a relief pitcher, Melancon’s 6.20 ERA made his 2012 season look much worse than it truly was. Melancon’s six worst outings spanned just 2.2 innings but included 23 earned runs, many of which came early in the season in high-leverage situations.

Now, no one could have predicted how bad Joel Hanrahan was in April or that he might need Tommy John surgery this early in the season. But it just didn’t make sense giving up several assets (I didn’t even mention former first round pick Stolmy Pimentel’s potential) for a relief pitcher who was one year away from free agency, especially one that you’re paying $7 million a year.

Looking at how decimated our bullpen is right now, I’d say Mark Melancon would be valuable contributor to the 2013 Red Sox.

What about you? What were your thoughts on the trade at the time? What relief pitcher would you have pursued instead of Hanrahan?

The post Revisiting the Mark Melancon for Joel Hanrahan Trade appeared first on Fenway Refugees.

(Photo by J. Meric/Getty Images)

One of the things that we probably all took for granted during the Red Sox’s fast start was that the team rarely made mental mistakes.

In the first 17 games, Boston committed just three errors. They played loose and carefree and, most importantly, intelligent. And they seemed to always make the right pitch or get the key hit when the game was on the line.

However, after tonight, when first baseman Mike Napoli lost a ball in the Tropicana Field lights to allow the go-ahead runs to score, the Red Sox now have 20 errors in the 22 games since, and a negative cloud seems to have returned to the team.

Whether it’s mental or the team is merely regressing to the mean after doing nearly everything right to begin the year, they’re suddenly making mistakes they weren’t making back in April.

Add that to the rash of injuries in the bullpen, inconsistency from the backend of the starting rotation, and a sudden failure to hit with runners in scoring position, and it’s no accident that the team has gone from the best record in baseball to third place in the division over the course of ten days.

What changed, though?

Well, two of the more significant contributors on the team – DH David Ortiz and pitcher Clay Buchholz – were accused of cheating over a one-week span, and both players, as well as the rest of the team, seem to have let the distractions get to them.

Ortiz immediately went into a slump, although he’s continued to hit the ball hard, and Buchholz has been merely pretty good as opposed to dominant in two starts since Jack Morris aired his complaints to the press.

That’s not to say it’s the fault of Big Papi or Buchholz, far from it, but those allegations, and the way both seemed to be irritated by having to address them, set the tone for the spiraling team.

And despite the continued good play of clubhouse leaders Dustin Pedroia, Jon Lester, and Mike Napoli, the team has failed to reverse their slide.

But they know what the issue is.

“We’ve got to take care of the ball. That’s a big part of winning ballgames, pitching and defense,” second baseman Dustin Pedroia said.

So I have to ask, why are the Red Sox suddenly making these errors? What would you do to right the ship?

The post Red Sox Have Let Distractions Get to Them appeared first on Fenway Refugees.

(Photo by: Faith Ninivaggi)

In the first of what promises to be countless Jacoby Ellsbury rumors as we approach this summer’s trade deadline, David Kaplan of CSN Chicago reported today that the Cubs “possibly” have the Red Sox center-fielder on top of their wish list of potential free agents next winter.

This is interesting on a number of levels, mainly because former Red Sox GM Theo Epstein and assistant GM Jed Hoyer, who drafted Ellsbury 23rd overall out of Oregon State in the 2005 draft, are now executives in charge of the Cubs.

It was under Epstein’s watch in 2010 when Red Sox team doctors first misdiagnosed Ellsbury’s rib injury after a violent collision with then third baseman Adrian Beltre, calling it a bruise when in fact an MRI, one team doctors didn’t perform from the back view, revealed the Red Sox center-fielder had suffered broken ribs.

Ultimately, Ellsbury returned from his injury too soon, compensated for the undiagnosed broken rib, and, as a result, strained his latissimus dorsi muscle, the broadest muscle in the back. Ellsbury was limited to just 18 games in 2010, creating a firestorm in Red Sox Nation later that summer when Kevin Youkilis called Ellsbury out for not rehabbing with the team.

Questions about Ellsbury’s toughness and willingness to play through pain ensued.

All of this caused the normally stoic center-fielder to finally air his grievances to the media, a move that caused many to fear “that the team may ultimately decide to wash its hands of the player.”

So the irony that Ellsbury could be courted by his former GM in Boston is almost too good to be true, although it’s important to note that no trade talks between the Red Sox and Cubs have been reported as of yet.

Although, you have to figure Theo Epstein and Ben Cherington talk regularly.

I, like most in Red Sox Nation, are enamored with Jacoby’s natural abilities, and remember vividly how magical his 2011 season was, when he was a legitimate candidate for MVP.

But I also know that where there’s smoke there’s fire, and the behind-the-scenes handling of Ellsbury’s 2010 injury was very contentious, and those sorts of wounds don’t just disappear.

And I also recognize that if Scott Boras, Ellsbury’s agent, has his way, some team will throw down a lot of money over five or six years for his potential, which has, except for one season, never been fully realized.

Now that Ellsbury is hitting .257 with 1 home run and 13 RBIs to start the season, you have to ask yourself if you’re Red Sox GM Ben Cherington, under what circumstances will Ellsbury re-sign here? And at what point do you begin to explore what you can get for him?

What do you think the Red Sox should do? Would you even consider a trade with Theo?

The post Theo Rumored To Be Targeting Jacoby Ellsbury appeared first on Fenway Refugees.

(AP Photo/Winslow Townson)

I knew when the Red Sox started with the best record in baseball that we were on one incredible run, but it wasn’t going to last.

That’s not to say that I didn’t think we had a good team, we do, but too many things were going right for us in April. Over the course of 162 games, things level out.

Then there was the Boston Marathon bombing and the whole team was swept up in the emotion of everything, playing for their city, which helped fuel several wins just on heart and guts. But that emotion catches up to you.

And now that we’re 2-8 over our last ten games, and everybody seems to be panicking, I just want to say that, I think this is just a phase we’re going through, a result of bad luck, injuries, players slumping at the same time or worse, pressing, and the opposing teams just playing better baseball than us right now. It happens.

With that said, I think after 38 games there are several conclusions we can draw about this year’s Red Sox:

1. We have two dominant starting pitchers in Jon Lester and Clay Buchholz, a number three starter in Ryan Dempster who is better than average, and two huge question marks at the back end of our rotation. That’s not enough to win late in the season.

John Lackey should be given a little more latitude as he’s working his way back from Tommy John surgery, and, for stretches anyway, has looked solid. But he also tends to have one bad inning in every start that costs us the game, and we can’t keep watching these mental errors forever.

As far as Felix Doubront goes, well, he’s lost velocity on his fastball, he’s had trouble with his control, and he showed up to training camp out of shape. That’s the kiss of death. For me, anyway, I think you give him one more start and if he has trouble, you almost have to invent an injury and put him on the disabled list.

Unfortunately, Allen Webster got shelled in his last start, Rubby De La Rosa is still on a pitch count, and Franklin Morales has been slow to recover from his injury this spring, which means we don’t have many options if we were to replace Doubront. I look for GM Ben Cherington to acquire another starter shortly.

2. Injuries have decimated the bullpen, and what was once a strength for this team has now turned into a huge problem. Obviously Andrew Bailey’s injury has been the biggest loss, so hopefully he’s back soon or we’re in for a lot of heartbreak at the end of games. Koji Uehara and Junichi Tazawa are both really valuable, but even they look vulnerable recently as a result of being used in situations they’re not really used to. Craig Breslow and Alex Wilson are fine in spots, and we could do worse than Andrew Miller and Clay Mortenson, but overall, this is a makeshift pen, and because our starting pitching has been so inconsistent, and we can’t count on contributions from Daniel Bard and Alfredo Aceves, this is another area that I look for the club to upgrade quickly.

3. Jacoby Ellsbury has looked nothing like the 2011 MVP candidate and it’s getting to the point where you have to wonder, will he ever live up to his vast potential? And will it be in Boston? Right now he might be our best way to acquire pitching.

4. David Ross‘ injury hurts more than most people realize. He’s an amazing defensive catcher who calls a great game and has a cannon for an arm. If the pitchers struggle this week, part of it is that they’re just not as comfortable throwing to Jarrod Saltalamacchia or Ryan Lavarnway, which is the reason Boston signed Ross in the first place.

5. David Ortiz and Clay Buchholz have let their respective cheating allegations affect them mentally. For two guys who have been through a lot in Boston, I’m a little surprised.

6. I like the job John Farrell has done for the most part but it might be time to tinker with the lineup a bit. Maybe move Pedroia back to hitting in the second slot, have Papi bat third, and put Napoli at cleanup. Try something new.

7. Will Middlebrooks is hitting .208, Stephen Drew .228, and Jonny Gomes .194, and it’s really starting to affect the lineup.

What do you think the issue is? Is it time for a trade? What would you do if you were Ben Cherington?

The post What’s Going On With the Red Sox? appeared first on Fenway Refugees.