Is Roman Anthony already the chief of the Purple Sox? The complete world already treats him because the membership’s greatest participant, and he backed that up with three hits and a stroll on the primary Opening Day begin of his profession. However the 21-year-old isn’t simply main the workforce on the sphere. “Regardless that it’s not a veteran presence, he can nonetheless take command of the clubhouse,” Garrett Whitlock mentioned. “There’s a respect to his identify.” (Tim Healey, Boston Globe)
Has there ever been a participant in Purple Sox historical past who’s obtained this a lot hype with such a small monitor report? Regardless of having simply 257 profession at-bats coming into this season, he already has the ninth-best promoting jersey in baseball. (MLB.com)
And hey, Anthony is already main the workforce in pointless and excessively baroque stats, as he turned the youngest participant in Purple Sox historical past to achieve base within the workforce’s first plate look of the season yesterday. Stand in awe of his prodigious presents! (Lauren Campbell, MassLive)
After all it wasn’t Anthony who delivered the important thing hit in yesterday’s sport. That got here from his beach buddy Marcelo Mayer, who didn’t begin the sport because the Sox had been going through a lefty. However Anthony wasn’t shocked that Mayer delivered, saying that the younger infielder’s spring coaching efficiency was “slept on” this yr. (Christopher Smith, MassLive)
What made Mayer’s efficiency much more spectacular is that he got here on as a pinch hitter, one thing he has nearly no expertise doing:
Whereas Anthony could also be right in considering that Mayer’s spring coaching efficiency was higher than folks thought, Garrett Crochet provided us a reminder that spring coaching efficiency simply doesn’t matter in any respect. “I don’t assume I’ve ever checked out anyone’s ERA or batting common [in spring training],” mentioned Reds supervisor/New England’s baseball dad, Terry Francona. (Peter Abraham, Boston Globe)
The Purple Sox have already paid Anthony and Crochet. If Mayer lives as much as his potential, he’ll be in line for an extension too. However don’t fear, the Purple Sox can afford it — particularly in the event that they promote the naming rights to the sphere at Fenway Park. That’s not one thing they’re at present contemplating, however they’re open to it. “We’re all the time in search of methods to generate extra income. We don’t disguise behind that,” mentioned Sam Kennedy, needlessly.
