Final Records:
DSL1: 30-41 (7 of 8 in Northwest)
DSL2: 33-38 (5 of 8 in North)
In 2017, the sole Dominican Summer League Red Sox team won 47 games to top the Northwest Division; the ending of a string of five incredible seasons for the DSL Red Sox who placed six of seven teams over that period into the playoffs (In 2015 and 2016, The Red Sox fielded two teams. In 2016, both teams won their respective divisions and the 50-18 regular season Red Sox 1 winning the championship).
But, the benches were largely empty entering the 2018 season with the ban from signing international free agents in the 2016-17 period depleting their roster of youngsters. Not to be deterred, the Red Sox front office went off on a rather ambitious signing program, inking 72 young players from around the world. Most would begin their professional career this season on one of the two Red Sox squads in the DSL.
Of course, nothing comes easy as the Red Sox top signings showed. SS Antoni Flores played in 13 games (batting .347/.439/.510) before going down with a hamstring injury; he would play two games in the GCL at the end of the season. Danny Diaz was showing his power potential with six dingers in 26 games (.238/.283/.476) before hitting the DL and undergoing hamate bone surgery. And, of course, there is the unfortunate passing of catcher Danny Flores who was taken away too soon due to the scourge of cancer.
Team Stats:
Red Sox1:
Finished below the median batting line (.237/.337/.331) of the 44 DSL teams with a .240/.325/.305 line; primarily due to their lack of patience (only three teams had fewer walks than the Sox) and their lack of power (they were one of only five teams that did not reach double digits in homers (8)).
In the pitching world, the Sox were above the median in ERA (3.45 vs. 3.84), RA/9 (4.60 vs. 5.08) and WHIP (1.290 vs. 1.370)
Red Sox2:
As opposed to the Red Sox1 squad, the Red Sox2 basically was a median performer with a .242/.329/.328 line. But, they still weren't huge walkers (262 - league high was 477) or power performers (13 homers... seven for players not named Danny Diaz).
The pitching was slightly worse that the Sox1 squad, with an ERA of 3.81, and RA/9 of 4.82, and a WHIP of 1.415.
So, what does this all mean? Eh, not a lot. The question (as is always the case with EVERY SINGLE MINOR LEAGUE team) is, are there any players who are interesting? The answer is a resounding of course... and we'll start with the pitching... in the next post.
DSL1: 30-41 (7 of 8 in Northwest)
DSL2: 33-38 (5 of 8 in North)
In 2017, the sole Dominican Summer League Red Sox team won 47 games to top the Northwest Division; the ending of a string of five incredible seasons for the DSL Red Sox who placed six of seven teams over that period into the playoffs (In 2015 and 2016, The Red Sox fielded two teams. In 2016, both teams won their respective divisions and the 50-18 regular season Red Sox 1 winning the championship).
But, the benches were largely empty entering the 2018 season with the ban from signing international free agents in the 2016-17 period depleting their roster of youngsters. Not to be deterred, the Red Sox front office went off on a rather ambitious signing program, inking 72 young players from around the world. Most would begin their professional career this season on one of the two Red Sox squads in the DSL.
Of course, nothing comes easy as the Red Sox top signings showed. SS Antoni Flores played in 13 games (batting .347/.439/.510) before going down with a hamstring injury; he would play two games in the GCL at the end of the season. Danny Diaz was showing his power potential with six dingers in 26 games (.238/.283/.476) before hitting the DL and undergoing hamate bone surgery. And, of course, there is the unfortunate passing of catcher Danny Flores who was taken away too soon due to the scourge of cancer.
Team Stats:
Red Sox1:
Finished below the median batting line (.237/.337/.331) of the 44 DSL teams with a .240/.325/.305 line; primarily due to their lack of patience (only three teams had fewer walks than the Sox) and their lack of power (they were one of only five teams that did not reach double digits in homers (8)).
In the pitching world, the Sox were above the median in ERA (3.45 vs. 3.84), RA/9 (4.60 vs. 5.08) and WHIP (1.290 vs. 1.370)
Red Sox2:
As opposed to the Red Sox1 squad, the Red Sox2 basically was a median performer with a .242/.329/.328 line. But, they still weren't huge walkers (262 - league high was 477) or power performers (13 homers... seven for players not named Danny Diaz).
The pitching was slightly worse that the Sox1 squad, with an ERA of 3.81, and RA/9 of 4.82, and a WHIP of 1.415.
So, what does this all mean? Eh, not a lot. The question (as is always the case with EVERY SINGLE MINOR LEAGUE team) is, are there any players who are interesting? The answer is a resounding of course... and we'll start with the pitching... in the next post.