Red Sox: What could possibly go wrong for Boston in 2017?

The Boston Red Sox are the best team – at least on paper – in the American League. Sometimes things go bad instead of good and here are a few possibilities.

Oct 10, 2016; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz (34) salutes the fans after loosing to the Cleveland Indians 3-4 in game three of the 2016 ALDS playoff baseball series at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports

Your 2017 edition of the Boston Red Sox are absolutely loaded with talent – especially the talent that serves best and that is pitching.

An abundance of starting pitching, a bullpen that had a strategic addition, and the financial ability to add an arm if necessary. Toss in Carson Smith’s possible June return and the pitching is set top to bottom – depth and ability.

The lineup is flexible and well-balanced. Hitters that have great gap power, the occasional basher in the mix, good OBP, runs galore, even with David Ortiz getting a well-earned retirement. The lineup is – like the entire team – in a sweet spot with a blend of veterans and youth – especially youth that has yet to (hopefully) fully baseball mature.

The Red Sox bench is also quite formidable. Each position is covered with not borderline talent, but players like Brock Holt – a man without a position – who has been an All-Star. Chris Young proved to be just what was needed for offensive punch either as a member of the lineup or swinging the stick off the bench. The catching squad has the talent pitchers covet most – defensive capabilities. And defense? This team has it. A few Gold Gloves and solid, especially with Mitch Moreland at first.

I have an extra shot – a few extras – of jubilation, optimism and scrounging in the couch for loose change to purchase tickets. This team is gearing up – at least right now.

This team has 100+ wins written all over it. What could possibly go wrong?

Oct 10, 2016; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Clay Buchholz (11) delivers a pitch in the first inning against the Cleveland Indians during game three of the 2016 ALDS playoff baseball series at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports

Clay Buchholz is missed.

Buchholz was a quick exit for a nice salary dump to get under the luxury tax threshold. The Philadelphia Phillies sent a player in return who may not be able to crack the lineup – in Portland. Buchholz was expendable despite the occasional glimmer in 2016, but that has always been his Modus Operandi.

If we suddenly yearn for Buchholz that means the vaunted starting rotation has just hit a 9.0 on the pitching Richter scale.

Chris Sale has a noted funky delivery and the unimaginable is an elbow “issue” that means extended time off. Rick Porcello can always show that 2016 was an illusion and return to the Porcello of 2015 that had caused a rush on tar and feathers. Make it a threesome with the potential Cy Young winners and that means David Price slides back to the first half of 2016 for the entire 162 game slate.

Steven Wright was an All-Star, but the asterisk is Wright tosses a knuckleball and that is as flighty as my daughter when she was a teenager. Eduardo Rodriguez is just 24-years-old and came on strong in the second half posting a 3.24 ERA. What happens if E-Rod also reverts back to the negative?

Just the thought of a rotation that suddenly has all the pieces for the best in my memory and then those very pieces just don’t fit together. Imagine Henry Owens being your top of the rotation go to guy or an APB sent to the Nexen Heroes of the KBO for Sean O’Sullivan.

Oct 10, 2016; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Red Sox first baseman Hanley Ramirez (13) connects for a RBI single in the eighth inning against the Cleveland Indians during game three of the 2016 ALDS playoff baseball series at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports

Hanley Ramirez has a power outage

What’s not to like about the free and hard swinging slugger who fully redeemed himself in 2016. The previous season was a performance nightmare by Han-Ram that may have been injury induced and complicated by the psychological of being an embarrassment in the outfield.

Ramirez will be the main man for designated hitter duties with the far more stable glove of Moreland being the most likely first base option. This is a mix and match since Moreland swings left and Ramirez right, but what happens with a Hanley crash?

The numbers that stand out in 2016 are 30, as in home runs, and 111, as in RBI. Toss in a .286 batting average and you have the package the Red Sox expected for around $22 Million a season. What if that is just an anomaly? Prior to last season, Ramirez was just not close to that level of production.

Ramirez also has a history of injuries and at 33-years-old a tweak can mean significantly more than at 23-years-old. Ramirez will also have some nice protection missing in the absence of Ortiz. A lineup that is struggling could force Ramirez into an extended series of bad decisions with the bat – and that can be habit-forming.

Oct 18, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Edwin Encarnacion (10) hits an RBI single during the seventh inning against the Cleveland Indians in game four of the 2016 ALCS playoff baseball series at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports

Where have you gone, Edwin Encarnacion?

Encarnacion was supposed to be in Boston. That was by all accounts ordained as EE would slide into the DH role and do what he does best – produce runs by the baseball bushel. Even Ortiz did extensive proselytizing to get his fellow Dominican to lend a big right-hand bat.

The Red Sox made a fiscal decision – some would say they simply went cheap – if you consider $5.5 Million as cheap. The Red Sox brought in Moreland to do what he has always done – DH and play an above average first base. In 2016 Moreland hit 22 out of the yard and accounted for 60 RBI – an off-season for Moreland. Or was it?

If Moreland does not return to 2015 production and the rest of the lineup, or at least portions of it, have slippage there could be a run loss that will reverberate throughout the lineup. Where is it made up? A Moreland and Ramirez in the tank would be a significant offensive issue and Dave Dombrowski could be holding the PR bag.

Did DD rush? Encarnacion’s price dropped as did the length of the contract. The ever jovial and good-natured Jose Bautista is fishing for just a one-year deal. The DH market simply did not come close to fiscal materializing as did the bullpen market. The Sox haste could come back to haunt.

October 6, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Boston Red Sox left fielder Andrew Benintendi (40) hits a single in the ninth inning against the Cleveland Indians during game one of the 2016 ALDS playoff baseball game at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

Back to the kid’s table

Big, or should I say bigger, things are expected of the younger players on the team. Mookie Betts is an almost MVP and one of the premier players in baseball. Solid from start to finish in 2016. Xander Bogaerts and Jackie Bradley were both All-Stars, but both had some question marks.

Bogaerts fading in the second half of the season. Not a downward trajectory, but a gentle drift from being a batting title contender to fighting to stay close to .300. Will that continue? Bradley is what Bradley has always been – either frigid or supernova hot. The one thing that Bradley has not been is being consistent. His talent is scary, but so are his prolonged slumps. One for the entire season spells trouble.

Andrew Benintendi was a rare number one pick who actually made it to the MLB level in about one season. Smooth and skilled the sweet-swinging left fielder has star qualities, but many others have had the same only to see it evaporate quickly.

Blake Swihart is the forgotten player. The promising catcher-left fielder could be an important reserve or even regular or semi-regular catcher. Swihart can hit and that is a serious advantage over Christian Vazquez and Sandy Leon – I am not sold on Leon being a .300 hitter. Swihart is healthy and still on the team after the dealing frenzy by DD. Management likes this kid, fans like this kid, the media likes this kid, but what if Swihart simply fails? Ouch!

Dec 6, 2016; National Harbor, MD, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo speaks with the media on day two of the 2016 Baseball Winter Meetings at Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

Why can’t we get a manager like Torey Lovullo?

That John Farrell is still the manager of the Red Sox is quite a surprise for me – like finding a $20 bill rolled up in your pants pocket. Farrell was fired thousands of times during the 2016 season and the two previous seasons. Blame the manager actually appeared quite legitimate and it culminated with the decision to use Wright as a pinch runner. Bonehead moves became internet fodder and I am guilty as charged.

Lovullo was the bench coach and the assumption was Dombrowski was just measuring the time and waiting for the appropriate opportunity to can Farrell. What happened is just the opposite as Farrell has been retained and extended while Lovullo has joined the Red Sox management march to Arizona.

Farrell has all the talent and is well noted for running a tight ship – no leakage of internal issues. Players respect Farrell and that seems to be the key that turned the tide for Dombrowski. Farrell has the security of contract and more importantly security of confidence by senior management.

The Red Sox need players to be on top of their game and especially Farrell. Farrell – a former pitcher and pitching coach – has been given the reigns of the best staff I have ever seen in Boston and that is a lot of years, folks. Farrell starts reverting to being Pinky Higgins or Don Zimmer then it will be goodbye to that 100+ wins.