The 2016 MLB season has just kicked off with the first spring
training games of the year, yet it’s not too early to start looking forward to
next year. As things currently stand, there is a lengthy
list of players set to become free agents in 2017. While they possess
varying skills and positions, there is one player in particular the Boston Red
Sox should focus their attention on, and that is Edwin Encarnacion—who could be
the key to next offseason as an excellent candidate to replace the departing David Ortiz.
During his 13 seasons in Boston, Ortiz has become one of the
most beloved team legends of all time, smacking 445 home runs and being an
integral part of three World Series winning teams. Although he has remained
highly productive, he is also now 40 and announced
this past offseason that the upcoming season will be his last. What he has
brought to Beantown in terms of production, leadership and excitement is not
easily replaced but the Sox, who are expected to be annual contenders, must
try.
In theory, Boston could stick anyone in the DH position next
year, including someone from their current roster. However, their best
offensive players, excluding Ortiz, are ensconced in their defensive positions
(think Mookie
Betts; Xander
Bogaerts; etc). The team also has veterans like Dustin
Pedroia, David Price
and Hanley
Ramirez, but only one lineup anchor in Ortiz, who is liable to go deep in
any at-bat versus righties or lefties. He has been the team’s masher; their
biggest power threat, for years. Given
his pedigree, Encarnacion could be as seamless a transition a transition as a
team could reasonably hope for a player with such dynamic lineup presence and realistic
Hall-of-Fame aspirations.
At 33, Encarnacion is a veteran of 11 major league seasons
and about to enter his eighth with the Toronto Blue Jays. The right-handed
hitter has experience playing third base, first base and the corner outfield
positions but has seen increasing time at designated hitter more recently. He
has hit .266 with 268 home runs during his career but has been at his most
productive over the past four years when he has averaged 38 home runs, 106 RBIs
and produced an annual OPS+ between 145-153; demonstrating remarkable
consistency.
Looking beyond the production, consistency is what makes
Encarnacion most appealing. He may be approaching the age when some players see
production falling off but his age 29-32 seasons have been remarkably similar
and also the best of his career. During the later stages of Ortiz’s career
there has been occasional hand-wringing over the possibility of a precipitous
decline. While he doesn’t produce the same monster numbers of his prime, his
drop off has been slight and he remains a premium hitter.
With the average $15 million per season the Red Sox have
been paying Ortiz in recent years about to come off the books, they already
have a sizable chunk of change coming loose that could be the basis of a nice
contract offer to Encarnacion. Not that the team could reasonably plead poverty
anyways but money should not be that big of a deal in this case. With the
Toronto slugger turning 34 before the start of next season, any deal would have
to be reasonable, especially in length, but Boston has gained a recent
reputation for sweetening
shorter-term contracts with higher average salaries in order to entice
players to sign.
Similar to Ortiz, Encarnacion hits no matter who is throwing
to him, He has a career .835 OPS against right-handers and a .877 mark again
southpaws. He has also hit well at Fenway Park, boasting a career .283 batting
average and 10 home runs in 40 games. In line with the patience the Red Sox
preach to their hitters, he has a discerning eye (.351 career OBP) and is not
the free swinger one might imagine a slugger of his caliber to be, as he has
only exceeded 100 strikeouts in a season once before (2008).
No matter how much the Red Sox or any other rival team may be
interested in Encarnacion, it’s possible he may never make it to free agency.
The Blue Jays are obviously interested in retaining the talented slugger and
have already made initial
contact about an extension. However, there is no guarantee that a deal may
get done, and with this likely being his last chance at big money, he may want
to test the waters before putting pen to paper.
The new season that is about to open may make it hard to start
thinking about next year already but that is something important for all teams
to do. The Red Sox may soon be saying goodbye to one of the most productive
players in team history but it’s hard to imagine a better solution that finding
a way to bring Edwin Encarnacion aboard as his replacement.
********************************
You can check me out on Facebook or follow me on Twitter @historianandrew
No comments:
Post a Comment