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2018 RED SOX
POSTSEASON PREVIEW
22 -for-
HOW ALEX CORA,
J.D. MARTINEZ
INJECTED
NEW LIFE
INTO THE SOX
AMANDAÂ SABGA/Staff photo
J.D. Martinez Alex Cora
S2
MASTER BUILDER
North of Boston Media Group • 2018 BOSTON RED SOX • Wednesday, September 26, 2018
How team president rebuilt
Red Sox into superpower
Chris Mason of the batters he faced, and
as a reliever, finished sixth
in the Cy Young voting.
Dave
Dombrowski
arrived in
Boston with a
4 HOLDING ON
TO THE CORE
Sometimes the best trades
reputation as are the ones you don’t make.
an executive While Dombrowski has
that never never shied away from trad-
shied away ing horses for ponies, he
from making a big splash. deserves kudos for holding
That’s proven to be well on to the right ones.
deserved, as the Red Sox When he arrived in 2015,
posted their best regular Mookie Betts and Xander
season in franchise history Bogaerts were up-and-com-
thanks in large part to the ers, but not yet superstars.
star power on their roster. Prior to the 2016 season the
Here are Dombrowski’s five Red Sox needed starting
best moves as Sox shot-caller,pitching, so Dombrowski
and the one non-move that knocked on a few doors.
could come back to bite him: When the ask was Betts
and/or Bogaerts, the Sox
5 TRADING FOR
CRAIG KIMBREL
When the Red Sox dealt
said no thanks.
At that time, Andrew Ben-
intendi and Rafael Devers
four prospects for Craig were top prospects that AP file photo
Kimbrel, they were expect- hadn’t yet gotten a sniff The success of the 2018 Red Sox can be attributed to some of Dave Dombrowski’s moves as president of baseball operations.
ing a bullpen-altering arm in of the big leagues. They
return.
The closer has lived up to
that billing.
weren’t moved either.
If you look at the top of
the Red Sox batting order,
November there was plenty
of risk in hiring Alex Cora.
The majority of his post-
Houston’s bench coach in
2017.
Still, Dombrowski went
1 SIGNING J.D. MARTINEZ
This was Dombrows-
ki’s finest hour.
ONE THAT COULD HAUNT HIM:
NOT DEALING FOR
BULLPEN HELP
Kimbrel solidified the it’s homegrown — and J.D. playing days had been as an after a new-school manager He played his cards bril- The 2018 Red Sox are a
back end of the bullpen — he Martinez, who we’ll get to in analyst, and the Sox skip- in Cora and it’s paid off in a
liantly to land J.D. Marti- ready-made World Series
represented Boston in three a moment. per only had one season of big way. nez, a franchise-changing threat — with one blemish.
consecutive All-Star Games coaching experience at the bat. Their bullpen has been an
— and turned in an other-
worldly 2017. Kimbrel struck 3
HIRING ALEX CORA
Though it seems like
out a hair under 50 percent a slam dunk now, back in
Major League level — albeit,
a pretty darn good one,
winning a World Series as
2 TRADING FOR
CHRIS SALE
It took a king’s ransom,
During last offseason’s
unprecedented free agent
freeze, Dombrowski knew
issue since last postseason,
and one that was never
addressed. Dombrowski
but the payoff has been the market for Martinez. didn’t replace the departing
worth it. The big fish were all out of Addison Reed, nor did he
OX Chris Sale is the most the running for one reason add an arm in free agency,
GO S dominant Red Sox pitcher or another, and with no though the ’pen was seri-
since Pedro Martinez. Bar Dodgers, Cubs, Nationals ously lacking in left-handers.
none. or Yankees to contend with, When Carson Smith threw
To land Sale, Dombrowski there was no rush. his glove — and his season
Sewing Machines • Repairs • Fabrics • Notions • Books • Classes had to ship away base- With Martinez’s super — away, Dombrowski didn’t
ball’s top prospect in Yoan agent Scott Boras in no rush, make an in-season move. Nor
Moncada, Michael Kopech Dombrowski waited. And did he when Tyler Thorn-
In Celebration of the Red Sox Clinching the AL East — a flame-thrower with a waited. And waited some burg’s stuff didn’t come back
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but Sale has been well tinez on a modest five-year, while Domrowski stood pat.
worth it. $110 million deal, and the If the Sox crumble again
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S3 North of Boston Media Group • 2018 BOSTON RED SOX • Wednesday, September 26, 2018
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North of Boston Media Group • 2018 BOSTON RED SOX • Wednesday, September 26, 2018
How Martinez and Cora helped change everything for the Sox
thinker with a knack for
Chris Mason connecting with those
around him. He checked
After falling flat again in most of the boxes teams
2017, the Red Sox were in look for in a manager,
need of a franchise face lift. despite his inexperience.
Two men were able to Dombrowski didn’t
engineer that — albeit, they hesitate.
were the two biggest free The Red Sox architect
agents in their respective landed Cora while the
fields. postseason was still being
After Boston’s second con- played. During an introduc-
secutive deer-in-the-head- tory press conference in
lights American League early November, the rookie
Division Series exit, John skipper radiated a cool
Farrell was fired and Dave confidence.
Dombrowski eyed a new “Boston, for a lot of peo-
manager. ple, is a challenge. For me, AMANDA SABGA/Staff photos
En route to the World it’s not,” Cora said. “This a In his first season in Boston, J.D. Martinez has put up MVP-
Series as the Houston city that I understand they
caliber offensive numbers.
Astros bench coach, Alex live baseball 24/7, but you
Cora had quite a few suitors. know what? I come from a breakfast, we talk baseball. The Puerto Rico native
Sharp, affable and bilingual, country that we live base- For lunch, we talk baseball stressed that transparency
Cora was a new-school ball 24/7. In my family, for and for dinner, too.” and accountability were two
things he wanted to see in
his team, and promised to
hold himself to the same
standard.
While Dombrowski was
swift in landing Cora,
it would take longer to
acquire the second member
of Extreme Makeover: Red
Sox Edition.
The Sox had missed
David Ortiz dearly in 2017
— both on the field and
in the clubhouse — and Red Sox manager Alex Cora, showing a little intensity himself,
as another season ended says he was impressed with J.D. Martinez’s passion for the
prematurely, it was obvious game of baseball.
they needed a middle-of-
the-order bat. really began to click that negotiations, Martinez was
Enter J.D. Martinez. Martinez fit the mold of perched on a podium along-
The Sox and the slugger what he wanted on the field side Dombrowski and Cora,
were an obvious match, and in the clubhouse. introduced as the newest
but he wasn’t going to “The way he talked, he member of the Boston Red
come easily. After a career was very passionate about Sox.
year saw Martinez belt 45 baseball,” Cora said. “He’d “It’s come to a fruitful
home runs, super agent talk about communica- end, and we’re absolutely
Scott Boras dubbed him tion with his players in thrilled,” Dombrowski said.
“The King Kong of Slug,” Arizona. After that I made Martinez was ready to
and they were rumored to some phone calls and, pick up where he’d left off in
be seeking a $200 million yeah... They told me he was Arizona.
contract. amazing. “I’m expecting, hopefully,
Though the two sides “He was able to communi- to do a lot of damage,” Mar-
didn’t strike a deal when cate, to share information, tinez said. “That’s the game
they met at the Winter he’s a good guy. So that’s plan coming in.”
Meetings, the conversation when I was like, OK, this is Martinez is a baseball
they had in Orlando proved going to work.” bookworm, and on the
significant. For Cora, it After two more months of See BROTHERS, Page S5
S5 North of Boston Media Group • 2018 BOSTON RED SOX • Wednesday, September 26, 2018
BROTHERS
Continued from Page S4
fields at JetBlue Park, Cora
was struck by the amount
his players began talking
about the game — specifi-
cally hitting. The manager
believes baseball chatter is
a hallmark of good teams,
and the conversation that
started in spring training
never relented.
When the real games
finally began, it didn’t take
long for Cora’s accountabil-
ity mandate to be tested.
Less than two weeks into
the regular season, the
rookie skipper slipped up.
On a frigid April after-
noon, the Sox offense rallied
to take an 8-7 lead against
the Rays in the bottom of
the eighth. With his best
defensive outfielder avail-
able on the bench, Cora still
left Martinez in the field for
the ninth inning.
Why didn’t he insert
Jackie Bradley Jr. into the
game?
“I’m going to be honest
with you,” Cora said. “We
scored six runs and we were
so excited about it and the
manager missed that one.”
Why so readily admit
that? AMANDA SABGA/Staff photos
“Because I did. Why lie? J.D. Martinez’s success has trickled down to his teammates, who have seen more pitches to hit with Martinez in the middle of the lineup.
It happens,” Cora said.
“Everybody saw that. I his career, and that wasn’t Manager Alex
think I ask our guys to be all. Cora has said
genuine, transparent and In the batting cage, Mar- transparency
responsible. So if I am ask- tinez acted as an amateur and
ing them to be that way, I hitting coach and one that accountability
better be that way because was always willing to help are two
if I say something else they his teammates. things he
know I am not telling the Whether it was Jackie
wants to see
truth.” Bradley Jr. or Rafael
With that, the standard Devers, when a Sox hitter
in his players
was set. A culture change snapped out of a slump, and has held
that had been talked about “J.D. noticed something and himself to
was being practiced, and helped me out,” became a the same
throughout the season, the familiar refrain. standard.
vast majority of Red Sox With Cora calling the
players took ownership of shots and Martinez deliver-
their mistakes, too. That ing them, two men were
wasn’t the case in 2017. able to engineer a culture
On the field, Martinez change that the Red Sox
changed everything. sorely needed.
His first season in a Red Chris Mason is a Red Sox
Sox uniform was MVP beat writer for the Eagle-
caliber, and the trickle down Tribune and CNHI Sports
effect was real. With Marti- Boston. Email Chris at cma-
nez mashing, Mookie Betts son@eagletribune.com and
saw more pitches to hit and follow him on Twitter at @
delivered the best season of ByChrisMason
S6
North of Boston Media Group • 2018 BOSTON RED SOX • Wednesday, September 26, 2018
THE HIGH FIVE
Best Red Sox wins of 2018
Chris Mason good teams.
The Sox had steamrolled
lesser competition but
APR. 8
5 RED SOX 8, RAYS 7
This was a sign of things
weren’t given their first
real test until they traveled
to Houston for a date with
to come. Cora’s old team. After drop-
On a frigid April after- ping the first two against
noon — it was 38 degrees the Astros, the whispers
at first pitch — the Sox had were getting louder. The Sox
already won their series needed a statement win. AP photos
with the Rays and seemed to David Price and Andrew Andrew Benintendi hits an RBI-double in a six-run eighth-inning
be sleepwalking through the Benintendi delivered it. rally during an April 8 comeback win over the Tampa Bay Rays.
finale. Price didn’t have his best
Trailing 7-2 in the bottom stuff, but matched Astros
of the eighth, they woke up. ace Justin Verlander for six
The Sox struck back for innings. In the top of the
six runs, all with two outs, Boston Red Sox’s J.D. Martinez is doused after the team’s win seventh, Benintendi hit a go-
and stole an 8-7 win from over the Seattle Mariners on June 22. Martinez singled in the ahead home run and the Sox
the Rays. It was a game they held on for a signature win.
go-ahead run in the 14-10 victory.
really had no business win- They’d shell Charlie Mor-
JUNE 2
ning, but Alex Cora’s club
rallied back anyway. 4 RED SOX 5, ASTROS 4
and sat first in the American ton a night later to salvage a
League East, but still had a series split.
By early June, the Red Sox knock on them.
JUNE 22
were on an impressive pace They hadn’t played many
3 RED SOX 14, MARINERS 10
In his worst start of the
season, Steven Wright gave
up 10 runs. He didn’t get
the loss.
Wright would wind up
on the DL after this start,
but left his team in a 10-5
hole against the first place
Mariners
No bother.
The Sox would erupt for Christian Vazquez, right, celebrates his seventh-inning home
nine unanswered runs, fin- run with third base coach Carlos Febles in the team’s June 2
ish with 20 hits, and put win over the Houston Astros.
another victory in the win
column. an 8-7 lead, Brandon Phil- walk to keep the inning
lips — playing his first game going, and trailing 4-1 with
Also SEPT. 5
Availab
le: 2 RED SOX 9, BRAVES 8
After taking two against
in a Red Sox uniform —
launched a two-run homer
in the top of the ninth to
the bases loaded, J.D. Mar-
tinez stepped into the box.
The Sox slugger scalded an
Heated the Braves and with firm give his new team the win. RBI single that scored two,
e
Storag grasp on first place in the It was utterly ridiculous, and when Xander Bogaerts
AL East, Cora trotted out but somehow made sense bounced a ball that third
Units his B-team for a getaway for the ’18 Sox. baseman Miguel Andjular
day game. airmailed, Boston sent the
AUG. 5
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1 RED SOX 5, YANKEES 4
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Andrew Benintendi com-
pleted the walk-off win with
ily mailed it in. Few would The Red Sox were hoping an RBI single in the bottom
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S7 North of Boston Media Group • 2018 BOSTON RED SOX • Wednesday, September 26, 2018
10 postseason storylines to follow
Chris Mason
Can Xander
10 CAN J.D. KEEP
MASHING?
J.D. Martinez has slugged
Bogaerts be the
X-factor that puts
at a historic pace, but with the Sox on top?
premier pitchers on the hill
every night in October, can
he keep inflicting this much
damage? History says yes;
Martinez has three hom-
ers in seven career playoff
games.
Will Chris Sale
have enough
9 HOW AGGRESSIVELY
WILL KIMBREL BE USED?
Alex Cora has been
ammo left in
his arsenal?
conservative with Craig
Kimbrel during the regu-
lar season — only 5 of his
first 55 appearances were With the Red Sox middle relief the added rest aid him? All
more than an inning — but struggling, how much will Alex season long Sale has talked
how drastically will that Cora ask of closer Craig Kimbrel? of “saving bullets,” but will
change in October? By mid- the gun be ready to be fire
AMANDA SABGA/Staff photos
September, the most Cora this week?
had asked of his closer was Young form. Other times, plate. Christian Vazquez
four outs. the sinkerballer has been
hit hard. Which Porcello
hasn’t offered much but
signed a you’re-the-guy 2 WHO HAS THE EIGHTH?
Plenty of criticism
8 DOES HOME FIELD
MAKE A DIFFERENCE?
The Red Sox opened the
will show up when he gets
the ball? His first two post-
seasons in Boston have been
extension last offseason.
Who’s it going to be?
And for how long?
has been lobbed at Dave
Dombrowski for not landing
another bullpen arm. This
past two postseasons on turbulent. is where the Red Sox archi-
the road, and landed in 0-2
holes against the Indians
and Astros. Will it be differ- 6 WHERE DOES THE
CATCHING CAROUSEL
5 CAN CORA
HANDLE THE HEAT?
4 WHICH YOUNG GUN
STEPS FORWARD?
How will Cora fare as an
postseason. Can Betts,
tect will be proven right or
wrong. If Red Sox reliev-
Bogaerts and Bradley do the ers can’t patch it together,
ent opening the postseason LAND? in-game manager when the Prior to the season, Cora same? Which young leader Dombrowski is in for a long
at Fenway Park? For once, It’ll be intriguing to see chess match intensifies? challenged Mookie Betts, says “I’m taking over?” winter.
the raucous home crowd how Cora manages his The rookie skipper hasn’t Xander Bogaerts and Jackie
will be on their side. catchers when the stakes made many missteps — and
are raised. Sandy Leon calls admitted the ones he has
Bradley Jr. to be as good
a young trio as Alex Breg- 3 ISALLSALE’S
RIGHT?
ARM
1 PLAYOFF PRICE
Until David Price wins
7 WHICH PORCELLO
DO WE SEE?
There have been starts
a great game, but had a
terrible second-half slump.
Blake Swihart has the best
taken — but with more
arms available in October,
there’s more thinking to be
man, Jose Altuve and Car-
los Correa.
The Sox have responded,
After two bouts with
shoulder inflammation, it’s
been a slow build for Chris
a playoff start, there will be
no bigger story line. The
$217 million man needs to
this season where Rick bat, but they still don’t seem done. How will he handle but the Astros group took Sale. Will the Red Sox ace get the job done.
Porcello reverted to his Cy to trust him behind the the do-or-die heat? it to the next level in the be hindered by it, or will And he knows it.
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