The 2019 season may be over, but the Boston Red Sox are already making big plans to get back on top in their division in the upcoming baseball season. Even now, team managers are searching for the hot talent that will make up for last season’s third-place division finish so that Red Sox fans get the incredible baseball action that they deserve. Sportswriters are even calling the upcoming 2020 season one of the hottest seasons to be a Red Sox fan and predict that home games at Fenway Park will be hall of fame contenders. You could be seated with over 37,000 fans in celebrating this incredible team catching every homer, every strikeout, and every dash down the bases as one of Boston’s favorite sports teams prepare for an incredible season.
With all the hype surrounding Red Sox fever and predictions for 2020 mania, tickets are already flying off the shelves. As we speak, long-time Red Sox fans are already waiting in lines online and in-person to order their tickets for the best seats in the house. But you can have first dibs on great seats if you order your tickets through us. Whether you want to be up near the field or back in the bleachers, we can get you the tickets you want for the games you want to see. So don’t delay, because if you want to enjoy the Red Sox’s incredible 2020 push, you have to act now!
Join one of America’s favorite baseball franchises for all of their home games at Fenway Park. Because if you love baseball, you can’t afford to miss out! So why wait for the highlights reels when you can catch the games live!
Players You May Not See in 2020
It may seem early to speculate on the 2020 season, but keep in mind that team franchise owners are always on the hunt for new talent to replace retirees or players on the injured list. The Boston Red Sox are no stranger to this, especially with Red Sox president Dave Dombrowski’s firing. While Manager Alex Cora is, according to owner John Henry, not in danger of losing his job, the same doesn’t hold out for the players. Boston’s payroll in baseball was over $229 million, which is over the luxury tax threshold and failed to result in a World Series title, so it’s doubtful that the franchise will maintain that payroll in the new year.
So some players will have to be cut so the team can avoid penalties. The team wants a World Series title, but after last year’s finish, they can’t afford to take risks. So here are the players that sportswriters believe will not be coming back in 2020.
SP Rick Porcello
Long-time baseball fans shouldn’t be surprised by this pick Porcello is going to be a free agent and he had a poor record with a 5.52 ERA over 32 starts this past season going into the final two games. His ERA has also shown very low numbers since the Cy Young-winning season in 2016 with a record of only 4.79 ERA. Simply put, Porcello is paid too much for the performance he brings to the team, so baseball fans shouldn’t be surprised if Porcello is lost from the roster.
P Andrew Cashner
Early on, when Cashner came to the Red Sox, he was considered a good trade acquisition as he left the Baltimore Orioles. He wouldn’t cost much and numbers suggested that being on a better team would be good for him. But investing in Cashner didn’t pay off as he posted a 5.60 ERA for Boston over 24 appearances (six starts). He had a $10 million team option for next year that will not pan, as his activation threshold of 340 total innings will not be met. He might even be forced to retire if he can’t find a team to sign on with. The Red Sox might try to work with him in the offseason as a long receiver at a low salary, but unless someone endorses him, likely, he won’t be back.
2B Dustin Pedroia
Pedroia’s story this past season has been unfortunate as his left knee issue kept him to just nine games over the last few seasons. Before his left knee joint preservation procedure, Pedroia even went on record acknowledging doubts about remaining on the team. It doesn’t help that he’s owed $25 million over the next two seasons, which is way too high a cost given that there’s no guarantee he can take the field. If he retires, then his obligations would be off the Red Sox’ books. There is a chance that he could remain for the last attempt at a comeback, but if his injury keeps him out, during training, then he may not make it to Opening Day.
There are other players that the Red Sox should consider letting go, but these are the major three that sportswriters expect will be absent this coming season.
The Story Behind the Lone Red Seat
The right-field bleachers (Section 42, Row 37, Seat 21) is one of the most famous and coveted seats in the park. It is the one Red Seat in a sea of green seats that represents the longest home run ever hit at Fenway. The homer, hit by Ted Williams on June 9, 1946, was measured at 502 ft or 153 m, well beyond the Williamsburg. Analysts suggest that if the ball hadn’t been obstructed, it could have very well flown anywhere from 520 to 535 feet. The homer hit a fan, Joseph A Boucher, on the head, drilling right through his large straw hat. It’s a shame that Boucher never got to keep the ball, but he was quoted in saying the following:
“How far away must one sit to be safe in this park? I didn’t even get the ball. They say it bounced a dozen rows higher, but after it hit my head, I was no longer interested. I couldn’t see the ball. Nobody could! The sun was right in our eyes. All we could do was duck. I’m glad I did not stand up.”
Since 1946, there have been other homers that contended for the distance title. In a 2007 book, The Year Babe Ruth Hit 104 Home Runs, researcher Bill Jenkinson discovered that Babe Ruth hit a homer in the pre-1934 bleacher configuration that landed five rows from the top in the right field, which would have placed it at about 545 feet from home plate. Manny Ramirez hit a homer on June 23, 2001, that struck a light tower above the Green Monster, which would have cleared the park had it missed, while the park estimates that the homer would have been one foot short of Williams’ record. Finally, last season, Rowdy Tellez of the Toronto Blue Jays landed a homer that was initially reported as 505 feet but was later found to be only 433 feet.
It’s a mystery when Ted Williams’ long-standing homer record will be beaten, but fans can watch batters try by going to all home games at Fenway Park.