Red Sox 2019 (Boston, Dennis, Washington: home, buying, price)

[redplum33]

So nice to have baseball back. Let's retire the 2018 postseason thread and use this thread to discuss the 2019 season.

Even though most of the regulars aren't playing, it's an absolute pleasure watching today's Red Sox Yankees spring training game. Carlos Pena is doing the broadcast with O'Brien.

A few comments:

Eck signed a 5 year contract to do 85 games per year. 30 of those games in 2019 will be a 3 man booth with Jerry and O'Brien - including the home opener on April 9. Jerry is expected to do 80 to 90 games. Carlos Pena and Salty will be filling in for several games during the regular season and spring training. And not sure what happened but there are rumors going around that Steve Lyons is gone from NESN.

The Red Sox will play 2 games against the Yankees in London at the end of June.

Benintendi will be leading off this year. Mookie will be batting second.

Kimbrel is still unsigned. I hope it stays that way. Greedy bum.

[redplum33]

Brother of Boston Red Sox catcher Blake Swihart dies suddenly

He was 23 years old. No other details yet.

[bostonguy1960]

Not sure if I like all of the various announcers for this year's setup. Is this common in MLB in recent years? It's such a long season that I imagine it makes sense vs. other sports. Both radio and TV will have a combo of announcers during the season?

I'm glad Sean McDonough is back broadcasting, but that's only for a mix of games and not full-time? And I like that Sean McAdam (I think?) is also part of the radio broadcasts.

[redplum33]

Originally Posted by bostonguy1960

Not sure if I like all of the various announcers for this year's setup. Is this common in MLB in recent years? It's such a long season that I imagine it makes sense vs. other sports. Both radio and TV will have a combo of announcers during the season?

I'm glad Sean McDonough is back broadcasting, but that's only for a mix of games and not full-time? And I like that Sean McAdam (I think?) is also part of the radio broadcasts.

It's only going to be:

Dave O'Brien and Jerry Remy
Dave O'Brien and Dennis Eckersley
Dave O'Brien, Jerry Remy, and Dennis Eckersley (30 games)

...and Carlos Pena and Jarrod Saltalamacchia will fill in occasionally.

One of the years when Jerry Remy was sick, I think there was about 20 different people that filled it.

As for radio broadcasts, it will always be Joe Castiglione and:

"Sean McDonough, Josh Lewin, and Mario Impemba will rotate most often in the booth, while broadcaster Chris Berman, WEEI personalities Lou Merloni and Dale Arnold, and NESN’s Tom Caron will call a select number of games. NESN Red Sox play-by-play broadcaster Dave O’Brien will step into the radio booth during select nationally televised games in 2019."

Entercom, WEEI release details on Red Sox broadcast for the 2019 season

[GeoffD]

Originally Posted by redplum33

Kimbrel is still unsigned. I hope it stays that way. Greedy bum.

Kimbrel will be 31 in May. He's unlikely to be productive at his current level for many more years. He should sign the contract that works the best for Craig Kimbrel. The Red Sox, as the Evil Empire Junior, have bought top talent to be a perennial playoff team. If they're shoveling money at the big name free agents like J.D. Martinez (5 years/$110 million) and David Price (7 years/$217 million) who are now "our guys", it's kind of hypocritical to resent a free agent leaving the team for a better deal elsewhere.


Other than a few bad years, the Sox have been competitive since 1967. It's good to be rooting for a big market team funded with the huge NESN cable deal and all the sold out games with the pink shirts and suits buying up the expensive tickets.

[lrfox]

Originally Posted by GeoffD

Kimbrel will be 31 in May. He's unlikely to be productive at his current level for many more years. He should sign the contract that works the best for Craig Kimbrel. The Red Sox, as the Evil Empire Junior, have bought top talent to be a perennial playoff team. If they're shoveling money at the big name free agents like J.D. Martinez (5 years/$110 million) and David Price (7 years/$217 million) who are now "our guys", it's kind of hypocritical to resent a free agent leaving the team for a better deal elsewhere.

All fair points, but the whole thing is a spectator sport (not just the 9 innings on the field). And there's some satisfaction in seeing a guy who didn't play well down the stretch still waiting on offers after he turned down your team's offer. In reality, I wish the guy the best and hope gets a contract that can keep his family comfortable for years to come. And you're right, while the nearly $18 million qualifying offer the Sox offered seems like a ton of money to you and me, he's better off signing longer term if he can. 3 years and $10 million would be a smarter play for the guy given that he's only got a small window of productivity left. He's not Mariano Rivera. But I get the resentment from the average fan. I'd get it more of the Red Sox offered him something more competitive (i.e. 3-4 years at $10m per) and he turned that down. It's part of the fan experience.

[redplum33]

Originally Posted by redplum33

Kimbrel is still unsigned. I hope it stays that way. Greedy bum.

Originally Posted by GeoffD

Kimbrel will be 31 in May. He's unlikely to be productive at his current level for many more years. He should sign the contract that works the best for Craig Kimbrel. The Red Sox, as the Evil Empire Junior, have bought top talent to be a perennial playoff team. If they're shoveling money at the big name free agents like J.D. Martinez (5 years/$110 million) and David Price (7 years/$217 million) who are now "our guys", it's kind of hypocritical to resent a free agent leaving the team for a better deal elsewhere.


Other than a few bad years, the Sox have been competitive since 1967. It's good to be rooting for a big market team funded with the huge NESN cable deal and all the sold out games with the pink shirts and suits buying up the expensive tickets.

I definitely get what you're saying about the Red Sox. But Kimbrel is being so greedy that no team is interested.

Personally, I don't want him in Boston at any amount. He's elevated my blood pressure too many times.

[bjimmy24]

Originally Posted by redplum33

I definitely get what you're saying about the Red Sox. But Kimbrel is being so greedy that no team is interested.

Personally, I don't want him in Boston at any amount. He's elevated my blood pressure too many times.

Kimbrel is not necessary at all. Sox will be fine without him.

[redplum33]

Originally Posted by bjimmy24

Kimbrel is not necessary at all. Sox will be fine without him.

I agree.

Spring training game against Washington starts in 10 minutes.

[redplum33]

If anyone is interested, NESN is showing Game 4 of the 2018 ALCS against Houston. Just starting.