Ron Roenicke is here to win.
He is 63 years old and it is unlikely that he will have another opportunity as a baseball manager if this does not go well. He took over the Red Sox at the worst possible time, with a global pandemic that makes a messy year even more difficult.
And to make everything more stressful, there is a perception that Roenicke’s tenure as manager is just a placeholder until Alex Cora’s suspension ends and he can return to baseball in 2021.
However, there was Roenicke, who looked exhausted after a three-week training camp that required endless attention, metaphorically slapping Chaim Bloom in the face with his first lineup card as the Boston captain.
Alex Verdugo, the star piece acquired from the Los Angeles Dodgers in the Mookie Betts deal, was on the bench.
It was a strong statement from a manager who generally speaks in a low voice.
For those of us who read the tea leaves in this case, this is what Verdugo actually said on opening day: I don’t care if this decision doesn’t make the office look good, I’m here to win all the games that possibly can.
The reality is that Verdugo has not looked good. The Red Sox had high hopes that the sophomore outfielder would enter “Summer Camp” after he had an additional four months to recover from off-season back surgery. Verdugo told reporters early in the camp that the weather had done his body good and that his swing was beginning to feel comfortable.
But when the games between teams started, Roenicke did not see the same. Executioner has been fighting. Your time has been turned off.
And while we all knew that Kevin Pillar was brought to Boston on a one-year contract to play outfield against left-handed pitching, none of us thought Verdugo would be the one to sit on the bench.
In parts of three major league seasons (last year was his official rookie year), Verdugo has hit .316 with a .811 OPS in nearly 250 left-handed plate appearances. It’s a substantial sample size, which the Red Sox believed in.
He was brought to Boston in exchange for his franchise player being an everyday outfielder, not a squad type that only takes 450 turns a year against righties.
But there was Verdugo, sitting on the bench when the Red Sox started their 2020 season, one in which they entered as severe underdogs in the American League East.
With lefties Tommy Milone on the mound, Roenicke went with Jackie Bradley Jr. in the center, Andrew Benintendi on the left and Pillar on the right.
Benintendi and Bradley have battled lefties throughout their careers.
Why the decision?
Executioner has been cold. The other two have been hot. It’s that easy.
“I called (Executioner) this morning and talked to him about it,” Roenicke said. “He assured me that he hits lefties well, which I know. We have statistics on him and what he does. I think it has a lot to do with Jackie swinging the bat well these three weeks and Benny swinging the bat well. ”
Chris Young, Tyler Thornburg, Eduardo Nunez – Those are some guys who, in the past, seemed to have playtime when they shouldn’t have.
It was hard not to think that Dave Dombrowski could have been involved in those decisions. It changed a lot to take Thornburg to Boston. Changed for Núñez. He signed Young. Opportunities kept coming for those guys even when the performance wasn’t there.
Executioner is the biggest name Bloom has brought to Boston in his nine months as baseball boss. He is the gardener that Bloom risked his career to acquire; if Executioner does not show up, Bloom resigned from a possible Hall of Fame for … what exactly is it?
Why bring Verdugo if you are not going to play him regularly? Some will wonder.
It’s a bad look for the front office, but at least it screams to the world that Roenicke is making the decisions, not Bloom.
This is his team and he has 60 games to prove himself with a roster that is severely lacking compared to other clubs.
“Honestly, we don’t have one of the best pitching teams in baseball,” said Xander Bogaerts before the first game.
He is not kidding.
But Roenicke’s message to the team has been motivating. Players are buying.
“Go 1-0 today and then worry about tomorrow,” said Bogaerts.
It may not work in the end, but at least Roenicke feels free to urgently manage his team.
In a 60 game season, you don’t have many options.
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