Post by Boston Red Sox on Apr 30, 2020 5:14:25 GMT -5
Red Sox Rebuild is Full Steam Ahead
The Red Sox front office was left in shambles when they were forced to rebuild in short order after the team quickly fell apart due to age and money problems after 1987 when the club won a formidable 103 games, making the playoffs as the wildcard team. Since then, they've pieced together what they could acquire from the talent that was left, essentially gutting all major league talent, and going on a rash of signing the best replacement they could find at each position as the player of value was sent packing. Let's take a look at the fruits of these efforts, as we enter the 4th year of rebuilding. Is there an end in sight? And how soon will it come?
Catcher - Jorge Posada - Age 19 - G/G/F/G/G/F | 3/6/2/3/4/2 - Expected Debut: 1993/1994
- Catcher Jorge Posada has all of the makings of a future starting catcher, boasting an above average bat across the board while being an average defensive catcher, with some room to grow into a good one. Struggling offensively in the minors his first two seasons, the fundamentals are still all there, and the front office hopes to see him in the starting lineup by mid 1993-opening day 1994.
First Baseman - Hal Morris - Age 25 - B/B/A/G/A/G | 8/8/5/6/4/6 - Expected Debut: In Majors Already
- Hal Morris has already established his place in the lineup for the Boston Red Sox as of the past season. With a slashline of .295/.335/.397, Morris shows a lot of promise and will more than likely improve on those numbers in the coming years. With 158 games played in his rookie season, he's proven to be a workhorse for the team. With his power filling out further, he should start hitting more extra base hits and sending a few more out of the yard each year.
Second Baseman - Quilvio Veras - Age 20 - G/G/A/F/G/A | 3/4/5/1/3/2 - Expected Debut: 1994/1995
Third Baseman - Jim Thome - Age 20 - G/G/F/B/B/F | 4/6/2/5/8/2 - Expected Debut: 1993
Shortstop - Jose Offerman - Age 22 - G/G/G/G/G/B | 5/6/6/3/4/7 - Expected Debut: 1992
Left Field - Ruben Sierra - Age 25 - G/G/A/B/G/B | 5/6/4/6/4/5 - Expected Debut: 1991/1992
Center Field - Moises Alou - Age 24 - G/B/A/G/G/B | 6/8/4/4/5/5 - Expected Debut: 1991
Right Field - Manny Ramirez - Age 18 - B/B/P/B/B/A | 4/4/1/5/4/2 - Expected Debut: 1994/1995
The cast of characters may change as we get closer to contention, but the Red Sox have proven with this lot that they've got a bright future already, and they've only taken 4 years to acquire the talent necessary to be ready in the future.
- Possessing elite speed and defense, Quilvio Veras having a good bat that will produce some needed hits in the bottom of the lineup is a solid bonus. Showing some solid promise in both his stints in A and AA, he could outpace the projected starting lineup date the front office has in mind for him if he continues doing well.
Third Baseman - Jim Thome - Age 20 - G/G/F/B/B/F | 4/6/2/5/8/2 - Expected Debut: 1993
- With big power and a stellar batting eye, Jim Thome is everything you want in a middle of the order bat, with the only flaw in his game at the plate being his high strikeout rate. His defense could use a little improvement before getting to the major league level, but he'll be a mainstay in the Red Sox batting order for years to come.
Shortstop - Jose Offerman - Age 22 - G/G/G/G/G/B | 5/6/6/3/4/7 - Expected Debut: 1992
- Another hitter with blazing speed up the middle in this future lineup, Offerman has a bat much more solid than his counterpart Veras. All around above average at the plate, working on his defense will be the last thing needed to make him an all around viable top of the order hitter.
Left Field - Ruben Sierra - Age 25 - G/G/A/B/G/B | 5/6/4/6/4/5 - Expected Debut: 1991/1992
- Sierra has taken a step back the past couple of years in the minors, never quite matching his 27 home run campaign in AAA in 1987, struggling to hit more than 15 home runs in the years since. The Red Sox will most likely look to use him in some role on the major league club this year, and they hope that the experience will give him the breakthrough he's been searching for to fill out his great potential.
Center Field - Moises Alou - Age 24 - G/B/A/G/G/B | 6/8/4/4/5/5 - Expected Debut: 1991
- Currently slated to appear in the opening day lineup in Center Field, Alou will be a force at the top of the order for many years in Boston. He has a good dose of power, a great eye, and is a threat on the basepaths as well.
Right Field - Manny Ramirez - Age 18 - B/B/P/B/B/A | 4/4/1/5/4/2 - Expected Debut: 1994/1995
- Still extremely young, it's nevertheless impossible to miss the level of talent Manny Ramirez displays. Picked 1st overall in the last draft by Boston, he will be a perennial MVP award contender and the centerpiece of the team for the next decade and beyond. Raw talent of his level is rare and he will start to cultivate it in AA this year, where he will likely make the jump to AAA quite quickly. Expect Ramirez to be the final piece of the talent puzzle when he comes up to the major league lineup, and for it to be the first official shot fired in the next contention run for this franchise.
