Record: 33-22 (First in South Division)
Playoff: Lost to Eventual Champions (Tigers West) in 1st Round Game (in 11 innings)
If success in the minor league circuit is defined by winning divisions and getting to the playoffs, the GCL Red Sox of 2018 were clearly a step above the other eight teams the Red Sox fielded this season. After an off-season in 2017 (finishing last (although essentially in a three-way tie)), the GCL Sox regained their perch as champions of the South (a pedestal they had held in every single season from 2012-16) and continued the Red Sox long run of having at least one affiliate make their respective leagues playoff – Now ongoing since 1991!
Of course, the GCL – much like the DSL – is different than most of the actual leagues as all the play is intradivision. Or, to put it more succinctly, the Red Sox played the Twins, Rays, and Orioles exclusively. So, comparing their output against the league as a whole is difficult. Furthermore, the Red Sox finished the season with basically the same record as the Rays and Twins who all feasted on the abysmal Orioles who finished an astonishing 20 games behind the Red Sox (in a 55 game season!). So, as we talk about the Red Sox performance against that of their league brethren, one may wish to take a couple of heaping tablespoons of salt along with the numbers.
Pitching:
While the Red Sox pitching staff was one of the older pitcher staffs in the league (20.8 years of age vs. a league average of 20.4), they were also by most measures the best staff in the league. The Red Sox staff led the circuit in ERA (3.01 League Average: 3.95), RA9 (3.77 LA: 4.93) and WHIP (1.186 LA:1.372). They were second in both Runs Allowed and Earned Runs allowed (to the Tigers West who had 40 fewer innings pitched), were the best team at preventing long balls (11), the best at avoiding walks (134), and in the top four of fewest hit by pitches (32) and wild pitches (32). If there was a weak spot in the arsenal... it was in strikeouts, where they ranked dead last with only 376.
Batting:
The Red Sox were also on the slightly older side in the batting side (19.9 vs 19.7)... but since these stats are based on whom actually played, injuries played a significant part in generation of the number. The Red Sox OPS of .692 ranked them seventh in the league, but top of their division (with the Rays just below, the Twins a little lower and the Os ranking at the bottom of the league with an abysmal OPS of .584 (despite being the statistically oldest team). The Sox were midpack in Batting Average at .249, in the upper half of the league in OBP at .343, and back in the middle in slugging at .349. The Red Sox (unsurprisingly) led the league with 229 walks and ranked in the upper half of the league standings with doubles (91) and triples (18). The team wasn't a particular good at stealing bases (19 of 36) but also didn't push themselves... their 36 attempts were second least in the leagues (Os, 26)... and four teams had more caught stealings than Red Sox attempts.
Of course, while being tops in the division is a nicety (and keeps that streak alive for another year), developing individuals is the key to the process. And, well, like the DSL, the top prospects didn't play too much. First round draft pick Triston Casas saw five plate appearances over two games before a thumb injury put him on the shelf for the rest of the season. Nick Decker, the second round draft pick, didn't make his debut until late August due to a wrist injury, also seeing five plate appearances this year. Their future development is a key in bringing the Red Sox organizational... but like Antoni Flores and Danny Diaz, they'll have to wait until next year.
We'll look at the individuals that DID play a significant role in the next posts.
Playoff: Lost to Eventual Champions (Tigers West) in 1st Round Game (in 11 innings)
If success in the minor league circuit is defined by winning divisions and getting to the playoffs, the GCL Red Sox of 2018 were clearly a step above the other eight teams the Red Sox fielded this season. After an off-season in 2017 (finishing last (although essentially in a three-way tie)), the GCL Sox regained their perch as champions of the South (a pedestal they had held in every single season from 2012-16) and continued the Red Sox long run of having at least one affiliate make their respective leagues playoff – Now ongoing since 1991!
Of course, the GCL – much like the DSL – is different than most of the actual leagues as all the play is intradivision. Or, to put it more succinctly, the Red Sox played the Twins, Rays, and Orioles exclusively. So, comparing their output against the league as a whole is difficult. Furthermore, the Red Sox finished the season with basically the same record as the Rays and Twins who all feasted on the abysmal Orioles who finished an astonishing 20 games behind the Red Sox (in a 55 game season!). So, as we talk about the Red Sox performance against that of their league brethren, one may wish to take a couple of heaping tablespoons of salt along with the numbers.
Pitching:
While the Red Sox pitching staff was one of the older pitcher staffs in the league (20.8 years of age vs. a league average of 20.4), they were also by most measures the best staff in the league. The Red Sox staff led the circuit in ERA (3.01 League Average: 3.95), RA9 (3.77 LA: 4.93) and WHIP (1.186 LA:1.372). They were second in both Runs Allowed and Earned Runs allowed (to the Tigers West who had 40 fewer innings pitched), were the best team at preventing long balls (11), the best at avoiding walks (134), and in the top four of fewest hit by pitches (32) and wild pitches (32). If there was a weak spot in the arsenal... it was in strikeouts, where they ranked dead last with only 376.
Batting:
The Red Sox were also on the slightly older side in the batting side (19.9 vs 19.7)... but since these stats are based on whom actually played, injuries played a significant part in generation of the number. The Red Sox OPS of .692 ranked them seventh in the league, but top of their division (with the Rays just below, the Twins a little lower and the Os ranking at the bottom of the league with an abysmal OPS of .584 (despite being the statistically oldest team). The Sox were midpack in Batting Average at .249, in the upper half of the league in OBP at .343, and back in the middle in slugging at .349. The Red Sox (unsurprisingly) led the league with 229 walks and ranked in the upper half of the league standings with doubles (91) and triples (18). The team wasn't a particular good at stealing bases (19 of 36) but also didn't push themselves... their 36 attempts were second least in the leagues (Os, 26)... and four teams had more caught stealings than Red Sox attempts.
Of course, while being tops in the division is a nicety (and keeps that streak alive for another year), developing individuals is the key to the process. And, well, like the DSL, the top prospects didn't play too much. First round draft pick Triston Casas saw five plate appearances over two games before a thumb injury put him on the shelf for the rest of the season. Nick Decker, the second round draft pick, didn't make his debut until late August due to a wrist injury, also seeing five plate appearances this year. Their future development is a key in bringing the Red Sox organizational... but like Antoni Flores and Danny Diaz, they'll have to wait until next year.
We'll look at the individuals that DID play a significant role in the next posts.