The 2018 season came to a satisfying close last night as Steve Pearce and David Price delivered the knockout punches to Clayton Kershaw and the NL Champion Dodgers. The 2018 Red Sox add to a remarkable run of champions from this century of baseball: from Bob Brenly’s Diamondbacks toppling the Yankee dynasty on Luis Gonzalez’s floater (2001), to the every-other-year dominance of Buster Posey’s Giants (2010, 2012, 2014), to the improbably-long World Series droughts ended by the Boston Red Sox (2004), Chicago White Sox (2005) and Chicago Cubs (2016); the losingest franchise in history won a title (Phillies, 2008), and we even saw a small-market cinderella sneak one past the powerhouses (Royals, 2015). But the most impressive feat of the 21st century might be the remarkable turnaround in Boston since John Henry’s ownership group took over in 2002. The perennially-underdog Red Sox have morphed into a certified juggernaut with World Series victories in 2004, 2007, 2013, and now: 2018.
Dave Dombrowski and the Red Sox deserve a ton of credit for using every avenue of team building available to them in putting together this World Series roster. They formed an incredible nucleus of homegrown offensive talent, namely: 7th overall selection in the 2015 draft Andrew Benintendi, 40th overall selection in the 2011 draft Jackie Bradley Jr., and likely AL MVP Mookie Betts, who was a 5th round selection in 2011. Postseason stalwart Rafael Devers was signed as an amateur free agent out of the Dominican Republic, as was Xander Bogaerts, who signed out of Aruba. David Price was their big free agent signing of the 2015 season, while Chris Sale came to Boston from Chicago for a quartet of minor leaguers. Even this season, en route to a franchise-record 108 wins, Boston never rested on its laurels, bolstering its roster with the mid-season acquisitions of Nathan Eovaldi and World Series MVP Steve Pearce.
Amazingly, Bogaerts was the only active player on both the 2013 and 2018 World Series rosters, so while congratulations are in store for the Boston Red Sox, Dombrowski and company won’t have long to relish in their newest conquest. Baseball’s other 29 teams won’t allow it. Campaigns to thwart a repeat in Boston launch around baseball today as the focus turns to 2019 and dreams of future champions. As the offseason kicks off, here are a few key dates to keep in mind…
- Oct. 29: Commencement of a five-day, exclusive negotiation window that teams have with their own free agents
- Oct. 31: Deadline for players with opt-out clauses (most notably, Clayton Kershaw) to exercise those provisions.
- Nov. 2*: The deadline for MLB clubs to formally issue one-year qualifying offers (valued at $17.9MM this offseason) to free agents is 5:00pm ET. Those players will have 10 days to weigh the offers and can negotiate with other clubs during that 10-day window. After that 5pm deadline, all free agents are eligible to begin negotiating with other teams.
- Nov. 6-8: General Managers’ meetings in Carlsbad, CA
- Nov. 12: Deadline for players to accept or reject qualifying offers.
- Nov. 20: Deadline for teams to set their 40-man rosters in advance of the Rule 5 Draft.
- Nov. 30: Deadline to tender contracts to arbitration-eligible players.
- Dec. 9-13: Winter Meetings in Las Vegas.
- Dec. 13: Rule 5 draft takes place on the final day of the Winter Meetings.
- Jan. 11: Arbitration exchange day — the date on which teams and players must exchange filing numbers for arbitration. Hearings, if necessary, typically begin in early February.
- March 28, 2019: Opening Day! Baseball is back.
Names like Bryce Harper, Manny Machado, Patrick Corbin, Josh Donaldson, Dallas Keuchel and Andrew Miller headline the 2018-19 class of MLB free agents. We’ll be running our Top 50 Free Agent rankings, which will include contract projections and predictions as to where each of the 50 will sign. For now, get yourself acquainted with the free agent possibilities by following our 2018-19 Market Snapshot Series.
Keep an eye out for the remainder of MLBTR’s Offseason Outlook series as we preview the decisions that each of the league’s 30 teams will face over the winter and some of the routes they could take to Opening Day 2019. No matter who or how you follow, we at MLBTR will be here every step of the way to walk you through another exciting hot stove season, so stick with us as we prepare for a frenetic few months of offseason activity!
*The original version of this post mistakenly stated the qualifying offer issue/decision dates as November 3rd and 13th.
They still haven’t played any good teams.
Fake championship!
The Yankees won 100 games (#3 overall in AL). The Astros won 103 (#2 overall in AL). The Dodgers won 92 (#3 overall in NL). Who exactly are the “good” teams?
I’m 99% sure dude is either being sarcastic or trolling to get a response.
That being said, I’m a Yanks fan and I hate the Red Sox. However, they clearly were the best team in baseball this year. I hate every last one of you. But congratulations. See you in 2019.
I couldn’t agree more
And outside of their fan base, they were actually kind of likeable since Pedroia wasn’t in the series.
South,
Omg, lol, Kudos to all your posts, and things you post are on my brain, but once again, this was my favorite.
Congrats Boston, Well Played
My friend JD,
LOLOLOLOLOL
Thanks for the classy post sir.
I believe you have successfully uncovered the joke.
yeah i gotta say, i thought the astros were going to take boston to 7 games, and boston rolled through them also, cant really say the best team didnt play anyone when no one was really all that close to them in the first place.
That was a hilarious narrative
There was only one good team this year!
Will the Dodgers ever stop embarrassing the National League?
Really?
My hat is off to the Red Sox and the job they did, even as a Yankees fan. Happy to see Price finally excel in the postseason although it pains me to see it as a member of the Sox.
Eovaldi did great too. Hopefully he decides to stay around.
So now the site is running ads that pop up on my iPhone. Nice way to ruin a good site. You have ruined it.
*enjoys free content for months, years*
*is inconvenienced by an advertisement once*
“You ruined the website!”
It’s not so much the ads, it’s the way they’re deployed. It’s annoying AF. You’ll just be writing, and BOOM, ad. It’s completely stupid. I’ve noticed this more-and-more, and I’m starting to not use apps that do this.
That sounds like a problem with your iPhone. I have an iPhone as well and have never had a pop-up on here; I don’t even see ads anymore.
You probably have some type of malware on yours from clicking on Marcy’s link telling you how you can make $90 per hour from home, or clicking to read “The 20 Craziest MLBTR Commenters Of All Time (#7 Will Shock You)!)
It is a recent development with google ads going full screen as you scroll passed them. It is annoying, but this site is the best place to get aggregated unbiased sports info and the minor inconvenience of the ads doesn’t detract from the quality content
The mobile website has been doing this for a while. I always have to use MLBTR with the “desktop site” on my phone to avoid the weird, intrusive mobile ads.
If you wanna talk about something ruined, how about all the stupid YouTube ads during the World Series?
ruined? as to what… not seeing enough usual beer ads? why are people so shocked and upset entertainment sources run commercials/ads? as if those two haven’t coexisted since the beginning of entertainment. I suspect these are the same people who fret over their team’s payroll… as if they’re paying it themselves. You know, irrational, dumb thoughts like that. Did you ever stop to realize youtube was running ads because they in conjunction with fox aired the world series on youtube tv? “how dare a company market its product.” people are idiots.
I think the problem he was referring to was the in-game ads Fox ran, and I agree with him. There’s no place for cramming your marketing down people’s throats in between pitches. If you want an ad, purchase a spot in between innings. There’s no need for more of it.
Spot On… Its pure greed. Can barely watch TV these days
Yes bencole & thanks.
I should have been more specific about the in game ads. Besides the YouTube crap there was another sponser mentioned. Just very annoying.
Spot on. Pure greed.
Good lord! The quick messages from Duracell, B of A, YouTube TV, etc. in the half screen were damned annoying. It was bad enough when every replay was brought to us by AWS, or locally, Carrier.
Would all of you prefer company logos on the jerseys? That’s what could be happening like in the NBA. It sucks, but it could be way worse.
Difference being now you shell out premium dollar for cable/satellite and the ad time is increasing, even bleeding into the show or event.
DILLY DILLY!
These ads are f’n obnoxious.
I’m getting the same thing. I paid I think $3 or $4 for the app a long time ago.. thought that would exclude me from ads.
Hopefully things move faster this year, last year was painfully slow in the free agent market
Wouldn’t count on it… Even Harper and Machado have question marks when 300mil was a forgone conclusiom 6 months ago
I would not be shocked to see both Harper and Manny signed before Xmas. There’s a small defined market for them and I think both would prefer to get it done
Machado behavior is going to cost him, and he’s not going to like that.
Even a team that has a forgiving stance when it comes to character (looking at you, Philly), they’re going to beat Manny up on price.
Owners are going to want to push their advantage from last off-season, and Manny is going to be target one.
Deservedly so
Talent wins out – Machado’s antics are barely going to cost him anything.
There’s ZERO chance that a Team is going to “beat him up” on the price, because they simply won’t be the only Team competing for his services.
well, according to Boras, Harper already has a done deal. and we all know how trustworthy Boras is.
it was reported to be a joke shortly after
when it comes to getting his players paid, Boros has a darn good W-L record
Let’s get this ish poppin !!!!
LA Dodgers = Buffalo Bills
If Roberts would just ‘leave Rich Hill in!’ they might well e on their way to a second straight title…
And if he left him in and he serves up a run or runs then Roberts would still get the blame. Players at some point, have to do their jobs.
Roberts did the same thing last year, he hooked Hill after 60 pitches, this time it was 91 pitches. Hill had not given up a run in either game, 2017 and this WS start. You win or lose with Hill, if he stays in and gets out of the inning there are 2 innings left, but we will never know. If Hill had gone for runs by Roberts letting him stay in the game then that’s on Hill isn’t it, but that wasn’t allowed to transpire.
Exactly! Can’t believe criticism of consecutive pennant winner.
Sid Bream: I think you’re forgetting what the parameters are when the pitcher is Rich Hill. They guy is 38, so you can expect him to tire quicker. His fastball averages less than 90, so he relies on location. Fatigue would result in missing location. Stats back that up. First time through the lineup opponents have a .525 OPS. Third time through opponents have an .811 OPS. He didn’t face opponents a fourth time all season. He had already faced most of the lineup 3 times. No one knows what would have happened if he’s left in, but it’s not the egregious tactical error you make it out to be.
Hill told Roberts he was tiring, and that he needed to pay close attention to him.
Beyond that, he gets beat up third time through the order.
Giving up A run is better than giving up three
Yea, let me put Madson in to blow the game a third time in four games, and all in the same series, and its Madson’s fault? Roberts needs to ‘do his job’ at some point its common sense…
If Grady Little yanks Pedro in 2003 ALCS, Sox have 5th championship of century.
(In the current theory of the multiverse it all happens)
Sounds like wide right to me.
Give the BoSox credit. I don’t think there was any possible way Dave Roberts could’ve managed and still beat BOS this year. It took all of 18 innings to win in a game that I thought Roberts made all the right moves and Alex Cora made huge blunders. In spite of what the self important media stated beforehand, LAD was a severe underdog. I felt Roberts out managed both Craig Councell and Brian Snitker when he needed to.
Gotta agree with you Greg, I would say they’re the new 90’s Braves, but the Braves actually won a WS
I sure hope not.
Let’s get it star ted again
Let’s get it star ted again
Go back to bed!
And if Cora left Porcello in the game, there wouldn’t have been an 18 inning game!!
It’s not up to them who they play.
Red Sox Nation is happy!!!
Congratulations to the Red Sox, but at least it’s finally over now. Can move on to something I’m actually invested in.
can’t wait to see what happens to the key FAs. I still think Harper stays in DC, machado goes back to the AL team, Kershaw remains in LA with 3 yrs added to current contract.
and for my phillies I think they do nothing. sad to say it. I hope they unload #41. admit it was a wrong move and eat the remaining contract. ok that’s it for me.
oh and bring back #35 to philly if Cubs dont p/u his 2019 option.
as a cub fan in the Chicago area… reports have it they’re almost guaranteeing they’ll bring him back…. and my guess is they’ll make Texas buy him out and hamels will sign a new 2-3 year deal with the cubs. At least that’s the word on the street on the Chicagoland sports airwaves.
As a Yankee fan, I truly respect the Red Sox. They play with heart and really want to win; complete opposite of the Yankees. Yankees don’t seem to care and are incapable of doing anything to help their team win especially when the team needs the players to play their best. A start would be to get rid of Stanton, trade Torres for DeGrom or Bumgarner. I don’t see Torres being the all-star everyone thinks. I think Andujar is better overall. Sign Patrick Corbin, maybe get Happ back, sign Sabathia, and trade Sonny Gray for a reliever possibly. Yankees aren’t going to win the World Series and doubt they will even make the playoffs next year because the Rays seem to be just as good if not better
You’re delusional. You shouldn’t even call yourself a Yankee’s fan.
“Yankees don’t seem to care ….”
Yeah…they don’t want to win. Smh.
Wow that the most ridiculous comment and honestly you need to go root for another team. Wow!
Wooo, now we only have to wait until late December- January to see the top guys sign!
When is the deadline to renew options on players? I thought that date would be in the list of important dates but it’s not. My team has several players with options for 2019, so knowing the deadline would help.
“The 2018 season came to a satisfying close last night”
Says you.
Agree. For a fan of baseball and neither team it was…except for game 3…one of the more boring Series I’ve seen lately. The Dodgers seemed to lack a killer instinct.
Beginning of the year everyone said Boston over LA. Brewers tried to make it interesting but it was a boring and predicted postseason.
Putting in Andrew Miller as a free agent headliner over Craig Kimbrel…..a bold move, Cotton.
The only thing DD had to do with Betts, JBJ, Devers, Benintendi, and Bogaerts was not trading them. All of those players were already in the organization when DD was brought on board.
Sometimes that is the hardest thing for a GM to do.
Thanks for this.
I have been missing all of the “DD needs to FIRED for GUTTING the farm system!!!!” posts we used to see.
I’m going to say it. Machado to Milwaukee!!!lol
still doesn’t address their starting pitching… so yeah, I can see the brewers doing that, haha.
And yet they’ll still be the best team in their division…
Sox just got hot at the right time. Congrats. Still believe a best of Seven series knocks them out in the ALDS.
Yeah, in April
So down 1-3 you think the Yankees would have defeated Boston 3 straight games? Sorry but that borders on delusional. They only lost 3 games all post season
The Yankees looked broken by that last game. If it had been best of seven they would still have folded in NY.
if by “right time” you mean 2018, then yes.
Obvious Troll
Apparently not much of an unbiased judge.
Hot at the right time?! Yeah I guess hot for the whole season and postseason is the right time.
Machado,great talent but needs to grow up wouldn’t invest more than 2 or 3 years. Oh by the way how do you step on the back of a 1st Baseman’s Foot THREE TIMES in the Postseason? I played ball 30 Years and that NEVER happened!
Hopefully somebody puts one in his ear as soon as spring training starts.
You played ball for 30 years?
Are you Cap Anson?
But players running over players heels happens remember that gruesome Eric Young Jr Tim Hudson incident from about 5 years ago
But there’s a difference between an accident like that and the way Machado did it purposefully.
Way different! I remember those plays,the runners and Fielders were running towards 1B at the same time not just standing there,let’s face it he’s an Idiot!He would be great star on bad team,seen it!
He is a baby, a cheat and will
not run his heart out, so I hope the Yankees don’t get him, and of course because
he said running out a play is not his cup of tea, his value
drops. Let him go elsewhere!
Before Machado looked silly on that last swinging strike to end it, I was actually debating what would be more satisfying: Macahdo making the final out or getting beamed by a Sale fastball.
Not a Red Sox fan, but have to admit they were head and shoulders better than every other team in baseball. And it was satisfying. Maybe a 7 game series would have been more exciting, but it was incredible to watch a team totally dominate every good team they faced.
There are teams like the 2001 Mariners that were built for the regular season, but lost 4-1 in the ALCS, because the postseason is different. The 2018 RS were built for both the regular season and the PS, and there’s no logical argument that they weren’t the best team. Any deniers are probably delusional fans of other teams. Congratulations to the Sox and their fans.
In past 50+ years only the ’98 Yankees were better in my estimation
March 29, 2019: The Orioles conduct interviews for their vacant President, GM and Manager positions.
March 30, 2019: Brady Anderson is hired to fill all three, while also continuing to lift weights with the players.
In your rundown of great World Series you omitted 2002 where the Angels won a franchise first Series after 42 years, overcame a 5-0 late inning deficit in the potentially series ending Game 6, while overcoming the most “enhanced” steroid using comic book villain in baseball history to claim a spectacular seven game win.
So much more exciting than this year’s snorefest.
I don’t think my Brewers would’ve beat them either, but would’ve been a more interesting series I feel.
Absolutely right on that one. But we got quite of a few years left to try and get better to beat them. This playoff run has done wonders for these young guys to take the next step. I think it has helped them have a top flight starting rotation. Now I hope we start locking a lot of them up like Cleveland did back when Hart ran them
Yes because they do more than Homer or Strike out,they play team ball! The Dodgers are hard to watch!
I believe that David Price has an opt-out too.
The Indians should try to trade Jason Kipnis for whatever they can get while some teams are in need of a LH 2B.
Congratulations to the Red Sox. They have long been my second favorite team behind the Cubs. For all my childhood they both played under curses in old classic parks. Luckily the same guy ended both our curses. Look for my Cubs to retain Hamels and sign Harper. Then we will address the bullpen and be back in the Series next year!!
Sorry that Hayward Anchor Contract won’t allow it
You are clueless if you think that. The Cubs print money….
Glad to see the BoSox won, in spite of Cora, the GM, hitting coach, head trainer, and club house attendant making stupid decisions the entire season, and especially during the playoffs.
Would love to have Eovaldi back. He should cost less than what we had to pay Porcello.
Here’s what the Cardinal Line up should be for 2019. And it is possible if they would make Matt Carpenter their super sub!!
Bader. cf
O’Neal. rf
Arenado. 3rd
Ozuna. Lf
Abreau. 1st
DeJong. ss
Molina. C
Wong. 2nd
Boston is a “remarkable turnaround”??? REALLY???? I’m sorry but nothing is a remarkable turnaround when your spending $220-$250M a year on a payroll!!! They aren’t building a baseball team from the ground up each year….they are BUYING a championship! That isn’t remarkable, that is ridiculous and the one big problem with MLB. There needs to be a team salary cap!
Well there are six teams that are paying the luxury tax for 2017 payrolls.
The Los Angeles Dodgers, who topped Major League Baseball by spending $244 million, New York Yankees ($209.3 million), Detroit Tigers ($190.4 million), Boston Red Sox ($187.9 million), Chicago Cubs ($186.5 million) and San Francisco Giants ($186.4 million).
I would posit that spending does help but doesn’t guarantee a championship. It also comes down to how you spend that money. The Dodgers have been at the top of the list in spending the past five years and still seeking the elusive WS championship. The RS have been in the top six since 2000 and now have 3 championships in the past 18 years. Perhaps the RS front office just makes better decisions?
Correction the Boston Red Sox’s now have 4 World Series Championships in the past 18 years.
And what you put the team salary cap at? The luxury tax limit? Because almost half the league isn’t anywhere close to that number.
Maybe they should enforce a salary floor.