The Tale Of Two Free Agents

After winning the World Series in 2013, the Boston Red Sox took a huge step backwards in 2014 as they finished in last place in the American League East. The Red Sox wanted to immediately return to contention which led team general manager Ben Cherington to dip into free agency. Cherington’s journey would lead him to finding a pair of infielders who played for rival teams, but he saw their upside in helping the Sox turn things around. Cherington took the Red Sox big bag of money as he sought out a pair of third baseman in Pablo Sandoval and Hanley Ramirez.

In seven years as a member of the San Francisco Giants, Sandoval helped the organization win three World Series Titles over a five-year span which was highlighted by him being named as World Series MVP in 2012. Ramirez was originally signed by the Red Sox in 2000 from his native Dominican Republic and he was groomed in their system to eventually become a franchise player for them. However in 2006, the Red Sox were all in on winning the World Series which led to them trading Ramirez to the Florida Marlins as part of a deal that saw Boston receive starting pitcher Josh Beckett, and third baseman Mike Lowell. Ramirez would go on to shine with the Marlins where was named as the National League’s Rookie of the Year in 2006, while also being a three-time Major League Baseball All-Star. In 2012, the Marlins would trade Ramirez to the Los Angeles Dodgers after he became disgruntled with the direction of the franchise in South Florida. Ramirez would have success in Los Angeles as he became a member of a deep lineup that helped the Dodgers win consecutive National League West Titles in 2013 and 2014. Like Sandoval, Ramirez would become a free agent after the 2014 MLB season, and he became somebody that was on the Red Sox radar.

The Sox would sign Sandoval to a five-year contract that was worth $90 million and Ramirez to a four-year deal for $88 million. Both men were third basemen which meant that someone was going to have to learn a new position.

Ramirez wound up being the player that had to adjust to new position as the Red Sox would make him their everyday left fielder. Ramirez was a fish out of water as he struggled to navigate the Green Monster at Fenway Park. Ramirez’s struggles in the field carried over to the plate as he batted a career low .249 with 19 home runs and 53 runs batted in. Sandoval didn’t do that much better in his first season with the Red Sox as he batted a career-low .245 with 10 home runs and 45 runs batted in. Both Sandoval and Ramirez would draw the ire of the baseball fans in Boston as they were a big reason why 2015 marked the Red Sox third last place finish in the last four years.

But there would be a changing of the guard in the Red Sox front office when former Detroit Tigers general manager Dave Dombrowski became the team’s new president of baseball operations last August which marked the end of Cherington’s run with the club. And after the Red Sox went 78-84 last year, Dombrowski would begin to put his stamp on things.

The Ramirez experiment in left field was over, and the Red Sox gave him a first baseman’s glove over the winter in order for him to once again learn a new position. Sandoval would still be at third base, but the team wanted him to take more control of his weight which has been an issue throughout his Major League Baseball career. In spring training, Ramirez arrived ready to go as the Red Sox new first baseman, while Sandoval was in need of the salad bar which didn’t go over well with Dombrowski or team manager John Farrell as the problems with the “Kung-Fu Panda” haven’t stopped there.

Sandoval spent spring training attempting to get into shape, and now that the regular season has rolled around, he has only appeared in 3 games for the Red Sox as he has failed to get a hit while he is sporting an on-base percentage of just .143. Sandoval now finds himself on the disabled-list with what the Red Sox are describing a shoulder strain. However the real strain is between the Red Sox front office and Sandoval. Ramirez on the other hand is batting .306 on the season while also displaying some slick fielding at first base as the fans in Boston are warming up to him.

Two years ago Sandoval hit free agency in search of a big pay day which he received, but he doesn’t want to live up to the expectations that come with him signing that big contract as the Red Sox were also relying on him to be a leader. But the struggles of Sandoval in Boston should be another example of buyer beware for the Red Sox.

During Sandoval’s time with the Giants, the organization was always conscious about his weight issues which included the team not allowing him to order room service on the road because they felt that he could not be trusted. And when Sandoval hit free agency in 2014, the Giants weren’t ready to break the bank as far as keeping him.

Even though that Sandoval has three-plus years remaining on his contract, it isn’t out of the realm of possibilities for him to be bought out by the Red Sox in order for him to simply go away. In Sandoval’s absence, the Red Sox are getting solid production out of Travis Shaw at third base as he is batting .342 with a home run and 7 runs batted in as they are not missing him.

For Dombrowski and Farrell it is rather simple as they are only interested in putting nine guys on the field each day that are going to give the Red Sox a chance to win. Ramirez has fallen in line with what the Red Sox want while I doubt that Sandoval will ever get adjusted.

It’s still relatively early in the 2016 Major League Baseball season, and whereas the Red Sox currently have a record of 6-6, they have to like their chances in the American League East where no team is expected to run away with the division.

Ramirez’s solid start has to be a ray of hope to the Red Sox as it was not set in stone that he would be able to smoothly adjust to once again learning a new position. And in the case of Sandoval, he simply appears to be a sinking ship that is taking on too much water to bail out.

For Sandoval’s Major League Baseball career, he is a lifetime .287 hitter that has made a name for himself as far as being he a cog in the wheel for the Giants who haven’t missed a beat in his absence as they are once again in contention to win the World Series this year.

But the struggles of Sandoval and the adjustments by Ramirez in Boston are simply another cautionary tale of free agency in Major League Baseball where teams are simply rolling the dice on a wing and a prayer when it comes to signing players.