BLOG: Red Sox Are In Trouble

The Yankees just got exponentially better in 2018 with the acquisition of one of the more prolific sluggers in the game of baseball today, Giancarlo Stanton, on Saturday. Their 2018 lineup is "Murderers Row 2.0." It rivals only the Yankees 1927 lineup, which included sluggers Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig.

Can you imagine opposing pitchers facing Aaron Judge, Gary Sanchez, Didi Gregorius, and Giancarlo Stanton back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back? Staring down that quartet of powerhouse bats, the only thing going through pitchers' minds is "can I take a knee? No, seriously, can I take a knee?" 

It's not just the fact the Yankees won the 2017-2018 baseball off-season and got unbelievably better, than every other team in baseball, but now the elephant in the room with the Red Sox became more prominent. 

While the Yankees now have four guys, repeat FOUR GUYS, who want to be at the plate with the game on the line and execute, it makes the Red Sox absence of said guy even more glaring. Say what you want about Mookie Betts, Andrew Benintendi, Raphael Devers, and Dustin Pedroia. They are all tremendous hitters, and Benintendi has shown signs of potentially being that guy, but right now there is note one player that you want at the dish. 

As we sit here on December 12, 2017, with the lineup they presently have, there is not one single player that you want up at the dish with the game on the line in the bottom of the ninth with two strikes, two outs, and trailing by one. 

Hanley Ramirez - Sure he had his moments last season, but every time he's face in that situation, he tries too hard, swings too hard, and strikeouts. 

Mookie Betts - Had some moments and is an all around great player, athlete, and person, but he does not leave you with the impression that something big is going to happen his at-bat. The same feeling that fans had when David Ortiz was at the plate in the bottom of the ninth. 

Andrew Benintendi - Probably is the closest the Red Sox player to fitting this model with his memorable walk-offs in 2017. We'll have to see how he fairs in 2018. 

Dustin Pedroia - Gets a pass from a lot of fans for his longevity and being a "gamer," but the truth is this has never been his M.O. 

Xander Bogaerts - Great player and terrific hitter, but doesn't strike that fear in opposing pitchers. 

Rafael Devers - Still too young and too early to know definitively. 

Jackie Bradley, Jr. - Great guy and terrific defensively, but that's as far as I'll go. 

The Red Sox have a a lot of questions when it comes to the question who will be the guy that is in in his prime, with the game on the line. The Yankees have four of them.