by jkeller | Mar 29, 2014 | 2014 Boston Red Sox, 2014 Red Sox offseason, 2014 Red Sox Spring Training, A.J. Pierzynski, Andrew Miller, Ben Cherington, Blake Swihart, Boston Red Sox, Brandon Workman, Brock Holt, Burke Badenhop, Chris Capuano, Christian Vazquez, Clay Buchholz, Craig Breslow, Daniel Nava, David Ortiz, David Ross, Dustin Pedroia, Edward Mujica, Felix Doubront, Garin Cecchini, Grady Sizemore, Jake Peavy, John Lackey, Jon Lester, Jonathan Herrera, Jonny Gomes, Junichi Tazawa, Koji Uehara, Mike Carp, Mike Napoli, Milwaukee Brewers, Pittsburgh Pirates, Shane Victorino, St. Louis Cardinals, Will Middlebrooks, Xander Bogaerts
Every month during the season, here on Fire Brand, I take a look at the relative value of the 25 players on the current active roster. The criteria for the power rankings: 1) What is the value of each player on the Red Sox roster relative to the other players? If a...
by jcookson | Mar 21, 2014 | Anthony Ranaudo, Blake Swihart, Bryce Brentz, Bryce Harper, Clay Buchholz, David Price, Devin Marrero, Felix Doubront, Garin Cecchini, Henry Owens, Jackie Bradley, Jacoby Ellsbury, Jed Lowrie, Jose Iglesias, Junichi Tazawa, Matt Barnes, Mookie Betts, Stephen Drew, Stephen Strasburg, Will Middlebrooks, Xander Bogaerts
Here’s a cherry on top of the World Series championship of 2013: Last week, ESPN ranked the Red Sox as number one in their Future Power Rankings, the franchise “best equipped for success over the next half decade”. This ranking looked at five categories for the...
by jcookson | Feb 26, 2014 | Blake Swihart, Boston Red Sox, Brian Johnson, Cody Kukuk, Drake Britton, Jamie Callahan, Manuel Margot, Ty Buttrey
This week I’m highlighting five prospects I expect big things from in 2014. Last January I nailed it by predicting success for Garin Cecchini, but some of the other picks (cough Jose Vinicio’s cough) weren’t so great. I’m hoping I can look back with pride on...
by jcookson | Feb 7, 2014 | Allen Webster, Anthony Ranaudo, Blake Swihart, Brian Johnson, Buster Posey, Christian Vazquez, Devin Marrero, Dustin Pedroia, Garin Cecchini, Henry Owens, Jackie Bradley, Jacoby Ellsbury, Luis Diaz, Manuel Margot, Matt Barnes, Mookie Betts, Nomar Garciaparra, Trey Ball, Xander Bogaerts
Here’s my ranking of the top 15 prospects in the Red Sox minor league system, ranked on their ability and likelihood to impact the major league club. The top ten players should all start the year at Double A or higher, giving an indication of the amount of talent the...
by jcookson | Jan 24, 2014 | 2013 Boston Red Sox, 2013 MLB Draft, Anthony Ranaudo, Blake Swihart, Clay Buchholz, Garin Cecchini, Henry Owens, Jackie Bradley, Mookie Betts, Trey Ball, Xander Bogaerts
While the major league club rebounded spectacularly in 2013, the Red Sox minor league system also had a banner year. Strong seasons from the top prospects, some breakout performances from off the radar players, and the highest Sox draft pick since 1993 were the...
by bcowett | Jan 20, 2014 | Blake Swihart, Boston Red Sox, Clayton Kershaw, Garin Cecchini, Giancarlo Stanton, Henry Owens, Miami Marlins, Xander Bogaerts
About a month until pitchers and catchers report, which means I have a full month of just crying to myself while baseball still isn’t happening. Sigh. Phenom Xander Bogaerts‘ fame isn’t limited to just the States. When he went back home to Aruba,...
by bcowett | Jan 13, 2014 | 2014 Red Sox offseason, Andrew Miller, Blake Swihart, Boston Red Sox, David Ortiz, Rubby de la Rosa
Despite it being Patriots season right now, baseball trudges along through the winter. Is there a Venezuelan Winter League dot TV thing I can sign up for? The Hall of Fame class is deserving, despite the general smallness of it. You only wish that more guys were...
by bcowett | Nov 23, 2013 | 2012 Boston Red Sox, 2013 Boston Red Sox, 2014 Red Sox offseason, Aaron Cook, Ben Cherington, Blake Swihart, Boston Red Sox, Cliff Lee, Darin Ruf, Devin Marrero, Freddy Galvis, Garin Cecchini, Giancarlo Stanton, Henry Owens, Jackie Bradley, Kyle Weiland, Matt Barnes, Miami Marlins, Michael Young, Mike Trout, Philadelphia Phillies, Roy Halladay, Tim Wakefield, Xander Bogaerts
To be honest, the offseason frustrates me more than the regular season does. At least in the regular season, the team can right some wrongs just by winning a game the next day and everyone will be happy and content. Beers all around. Now, however, no one will be fine...
by chipbuck | Sep 12, 2013 | Alex Wilson, Allen Webster, Anthony Ranaudo, Blake Swihart, Boston Red Sox, Brandon Workman, Christian Vazquez, Devin Marrero, Drake Britton, Felix Doubront, Garin Cecchini, Henry Owens, Jackie Bradley, Jose Iglesias, Kolbrin Vitek, Lars Anderson, Matt Barnes, Mookie Betts, Travis Shaw, Xander Bogaerts
With the Governor’s Cup series serving as the only games remaining on the minor league schedule, it seems like a good time to hand out this season’s year-end award. Bear in mind that not all of the awards I’m giving out will be positive–and of...
by dpoarch | Aug 29, 2013 | Blake Swihart, Boston Red Sox, Christian Vazquez, David Ortiz, Dustin Pedroia, Jackie Bradley, Jacoby Ellsbury, Jake Peavy, Jarrod Saltalamacchia, Jose Iglesias, Ryan Lavarnway, Toronto Blue Jays, Xander Bogaerts
This is Fire Brand’s fifth iteration of the TrollBag, and I’m feeling particularly generous this week, so it’s going to be a big one. Before we get started though, I’d just like to mention that the TrollBag now officially has its own Twitter account...
