{"id":863,"date":"2026-05-21T11:35:09","date_gmt":"2026-05-21T11:35:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bostonrelocationinsider.com\/?p=863"},"modified":"2026-05-21T11:35:09","modified_gmt":"2026-05-21T11:35:09","slug":"nine-red-sox-thoughts-leading-off-with-roman-anthony-being-asked-to-be-great-a-little-too-soon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bostonrelocationinsider.com\/?p=863","title":{"rendered":"Nine Red Sox thoughts, leading off with Roman Anthony being asked to be great a little too soon"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Playing nine innings while figuring 53-year-old Manny Ramirez and 50-year-old David Ortiz would upgrade this Red Sox lineup \u2026<\/span><\/p>\n

Read more Who leads the latest version of Boston\u2019s men\u2019s pro sports head coach power rankings?<\/a><\/p>\n

1. Of all the frustrations, disappointments, and second-guesses that were really first-guesses about the 2026 Red Sox \u2014 and we will get to most of those \u2014 the one that bothers me the most is the immediate demand to be great that they put on Roman Anthony. I\u2019m not saying it was unreasonable to expect that he would be excellent \u2014 he looked like a superstar in the making after his call-up last season, and one that had arrived during the World Baseball Classic this spring. But it was not responsible to put Anthony in the leadoff spot without much support behind him. He missed the professional and patient Alex Bregman behind him, and at 21 years old, he took on the weight of having to be the Red Sox\u2019 best hitter, because there were very few others on the lineup card with the capability. His season has been a lost one \u2014 one homer, five RBIs, and now an absence because of a wrist injury \u2014 and it all makes me question again whether the Red Sox know how to best prepare their most promising young players. I have no doubt he will be great, presuming good health. But the Red Sox, with their poor lineup construction, required him to be great a little too soon.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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2. The Red Sox are playing better, largely because of superb pitching from the non-Bello members of the rotation and a defense that, per The Fielding Bible, far and away leads the majors in defensive runs saved (46, 14 more than the Dodgers at No. 2). And they were just 2\u00bd games out of a wild-card spot as of Wednesday afternoon despite their lousy 21-27 record. There is hope, or whatever you call it when your team still has a chance despite having some potentially insurmountable and incredibly annoying flaws.<\/span><\/p>\n

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