Remember all that nonsense a couple months ago about how the Red Sox were so happy with the prospect of an Abreu-Rafaela-Anthony outfield that they were willing to deal Jarren Duran to the Phillies? Wasn't that a weird moment? Cause they'd already dumped Devers, which we're now seeing was a good idea, and the prevailing theory was that Duran was one of those Devers-sized egos who was holding the Sox back. And then the Sox got really good, and Duran finally burst into action, and then nobody ever questioned him again.
Jarren Duran, almost since his come-up, has just been this perfect figure for Boston sports. Last year he yelled a slur at an opposing fan, and seeing that said slur is passed around as much as 'dude' in some parts of Boston, it gained him even more fans. Every part of Duran's personality that would make him an abhorrent figure in most other markets, like his refusal to get the vaccine during the 2021 season, his threatening to take action against a fan that made fun of his mental health issues, and his very recent much-tamer slur directed at yet another fan, further ingratiates him to the Boston massive. And yes, fundamentally Duran does seem like the sort of Shea Hillenbrand, Jeff Kent type loudmouthed blowhard, and he's still in danger of becoming that. But he's not really lashing out at Boston fans specifically. He is completely with this team, and with this fanbase, and he's just protective of both his image and his team's path. So I think Jarren Duran is on the side of good, even if he has very menacing vibes.
At the end of the day, Duran is coming through on the promise of a starring role. This year he leads the team in hits with 131, and the league in triples with 12. He's got 12 homers and 70 RBIs. He's only hitting .250, but he's just been a consistent, if not-too-showy, presence in this lineup. Already he's got a homer tonight against the O's. I think what helps him is the fact that it's not solely up to him, and that Alex Bregman, Trevor Story, Ceddanne Rafaela, Roman Anthony and now Nathaniel Lowe can all have hero moments as well. This is the power of a spread-out, even Sox team without too much emphasis on certain players. It's why clearing Devers out was a good idea.
The Red Sox looked very good against the Yankees, and it's mostly because they had people like Brayan Bello and Garrett Crochet completely silence us. I'm not completely on board with this rotation, because guys like Dustin May or Richard Fitts aren't as consistent as those top two, but if those two are as on in the playoffs as they just were, nobody's getting past them. I was worried Crochet would be hurt by now, but he's a sleeper Cy Young pick, with 14 wins, a 2.38 ERA and 207 Ks. That's an incredible year, that'd be even more incredible if Tarik Skubal wasn't in his prime. The lineup is also pretty scary, but having the pitching be that on is a huge factor.
I do think the Sox have a good shot at a playoff spot, and could surprise some people if they hit the right momentum. I kinda wish Duran were a bit more consistent, but maybe he builds.
Coming Tomorrow- Speaking of controversial MLB figures, a key power figure without much left to accomplish this year.
No comments:
Post a Comment