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The goal is the same for the Boston Red Sox - panxing18 - 03-22-2019
BOSTON (AP) — in 2019: finish the season flopping around on the pitcher’s mound Tommy Joseph Jersey , celebrating another World Series title.All that’s left is for them to figure out who’s at the bottom of the pile.The defending champions head to spring training without a closer after allowing Craig Kimbrel to test the free agent market. The right-hander who saved 48 games in the 2018 regular season and postseason declined a $17.9 million qualifying offer and is still unsigned, but the Boston brass says the budget won’t allow them to spend big money on a closer, even one who is a seven-time All-Star.Joe Kelly, who emerged as one of the team’s more reliable setup men during its run of three straight AL East titles, is also gone after signing with the Los Angeles Dodgers.“I know we lost two guys, that we don’t have a proven closer,” baseball boss Dave Dombrowski said. “Sometimes you have to evaluate where you’re going to spend your dollars. We decided to keep back the rest of the core of the club. We like our team a great deal and we think that some of the guys internally can do the job.”Among the possibilities Dombrowski has mentioned for the ninth-inning role are Ryan Brasier, Matt Barnes and knuckleballer Steven Wright. Manager Alex Cora has also hinted that he might go without a traditional closer and play matchups.After four championships in 15 seasons, that’s the closest thing to a crisis as the Red Sox attempt to win back-to-back World Series for the first time since 1915-16.Here are some other things to look for when pitchers and catchers report to Fort Myers, Florida, on Feb. 13:OLD LOOK: For the second straight year, the Red Sox are essentially standing pat as they head to spring training. Don’t look for a big splash like last year, when they added J.D. Martinez at the end of February. Trading deadline acquisitions — and World Series heroes — Nathan Eovaldi and Steve Pearce are back after signing new deals.ROOKIES TO WATCH: The organization’s top prospect is third baseman Michael Chavis, who missed 80 games in the minors last year for violating the ban on performance-enhancing drugs. But Rafael Devers is solidly entrenched at third for the big-league club, and Chavis could remain in Triple-A another season to work on his fielding and striking out less.THEY’RE SET: The Red Sox will roll out essentially the same lineup as last year — and why tinker with a team that won a franchise-record 108 games in the regular season and then 11 more in October. One change: Starters Chris Sale and David Price won’t be answering questions about whether they can deliver in the postseason.THEY’RE NOT: Second base is the team’s biggest issue http://www.philliesfanproshop.com/authentic-clay-buchholz-jersey , with Dustin Pedroia trying to come back from a knee injury that limited him to just three games in 2018. Eduardo Nunez and Brock Holt filled in, with help from Ian Kinsler after the trade deadline. Pedroia says he’ll be ready, but after returning too early last year the team will be careful not to rush him again.ON DECK: The Red Sox open the regular season on the West Coast, starting at Seattle on March 28 and then heading to Oakland and Arizona before returning to Boston to raise their championship flag at Fenway Park on April 9 against the Toronto Blue Jays. KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Meibrys Viloria trotted into the dugout after the sixth inning Sunday, and Royals manager Ned Yost told his recently recalled rookie catcher to help get pitcher Jorge Lopez through one more inning.So when Viloria headed to the bench after the seventh, that task successfully complete, he plopped down and began to relax. Puzzled, Yost looked at him and asked, “What are you doing?”“You said,” Viloria replied, “get him through one more inning.”Yost didn’t mean Viloria’s day was done, though. And when he went to bat in the eighth, Viloria came through with his first big league hit, a two-run double that put a nice cap on a game Lopez and the Royals dominated. The 9-1 rout of the Baltimore Orioles wrapped up a three-game sweep of the only team in the majors with a worse record than Kansas City’s own.“It feels great Aaron Altherr Jersey ,” said Lopez, who allowed Jonathan Villar’s home run in the first inning but little else while striking out a career-high eight. “The defense was good and the offense has been hot.”As for Viloria, the kid behind the plate who had just arrived from Class-A Wilmington?“That kid’s something special,” Lopez said. “Communication, the game plan, we were right on it.”It was the first win for Lopez, who was part of the late-July deal with Milwaukee for third baseman Mike Moustakas, since Sept. 29, 2015, when he was still with the Brewers.“That’s why he was so well-thought-of and sought-after in trade,” Orioles manager Buck Showalter said. “The things David (Hess) has done when he’s successful, that young man did today.”Alcides Escobar also had three hits and an RBI as Kansas City piled up 14 hits, its sixth straight game with at least 10 and the longest such streak since June 24-29, 2016.Most of the damage came against Hess (3-9), who allowed five runs on nine hits and a trio of errors — all of which came after the Baltimore pitcher’s own mistakes during a dreadful third inning.The first error came with nobody out http://www.philliesfanproshop.com/authentic-chase-utley-jersey , when Hess threw the ball away trying to pick Merrifield off first base. Then, with two down, Hess tried to chase Jorge Bonifacio back to second and the ball squirreled away again. Bonifacio headed for third and second baseman Breyvic Valera tried to throw him out there, but the ball bounced away for yet another error that allowed Bonifacio to score.“The toughest thing is giving them extra bases and extra outs to work with,” Hess said. “That’s something that I’ve prided myself on throughout the minor leagues and up here as well. I’ve been able to field my position well and do what we need to do to keep guys honest out there.“I mean, they beat me at that today,” he said. “It’s something that we’re going to learn from.”STATS AND STREAKSThe Royals have won five straight, all in come-from-behind fashion, their best stretch since July 19-28, 2017. … Merrifield reached base for a career-best 22nd straight game. He also stole his 30th base, matching Seattle’s Dee Gordon for the AL lead. … The Orioles were swept for the third time in four series. … Baltimore has lost seven straight road games.FIRST PITCHRoyals vice president Mike Swanson threw out the ceremonial first pitch to honor his 40 years in baseball. Swanson’s mother, Betty, spent nearly four decades working for the Royals and Chiefs, while her son has worked for the Rockies, Padres and Diamondbacks along with his time in Kansas City.CLOSER CONCERNSShowalter said he will try several options in the closer role after Mychael Givens blew another save Saturday night. “You’ve got to get people out Richie Ashburn Jersey , and pitch when you’re asked and take advantage of the opportunity,” Showalter said, “including Mike and some other guys.”TRAINER’S ROOMOrioles: RHP Pedro Araujo (right elbow strain) will not pitch again this season. He’s been on the DL since June 11. “He’s going to be fine, I think, for next year,” Showalter said, “but I don’t think he’ll pitch in September. I don’t see any of the feedback that fits that scenario.”Royals: OF Jorge Soler (fractured left toe) experienced a setback in his rehab and will likely shut down for the remainder of the season, Yost said. Soler went on the DL on June 16, when he was hitting .265 with nine homers and 28 RBIs.UP NEXTThe Orioles head to Seattle for three games beginning Monday night, when LHP Josh Rogers (1-0, 5.40 ERA) is on the mound. The Royals begin a trip to Cleveland and Minnesota with RHP Jakob Junis (7-12, 4.53) taking the hill against the Indians on Monday night.