Two of the best baseball players of the past two decades who grew up in Cincinnati basked in the team’s success in red caps and red socks, which should have thrilled their hometown fans. Unfortunately for those in the Queen City, these favorite sons became stars not for the Reds, but for the Red Sox.
Boston’s current sensation, Andrew Benintendi, was drafted in the first round out of Madeira High School, and just a few seasons later he finished among the top picks for the American League Rookie of the Year Award. Ten years earlier, Boston had discovered outfielder Kevin Youkilis, who would become an All-Star for the Red Sox, while playing for the University of Cincinnati.
Baseball executives in Bean Town might want to release two more players from Cincinnati before the trade deadline next month, only the duo will have to be taken from the Reds instead of the draft. Any deal would cost Boston very little in return, as the rebuilding Reds are more interested in opening up playing time for younger players.
Cincinnati’s Billy Hamilton is a talented defensive center fielder and baserunner, but he has been a below-average hitter throughout his career. Still, ESPN’s Buster Olney believes that Hamilton’s speed would be an asset to any contending team, according to his June 18 column.
Olney didn’t include Boston among the three clubs he considered good for Hamilton, but the Red Sox have several reasons for acquiring him. Boston’s Jackie Bradley Jr is still hitting well below the Mendoza Line, nearly halfway through the 2018 season. He’s one of the few players Hamilton is actually outhiting, and the latter would be some improvement on defending.
The Reds also have an even better asset to sell to the Red Sox in second baseman Scooter Gennett. His .336 batting average is second best in the National League, and he has been selected Player of the Week twice. Boston has been reluctant to improve at second, pending the return of All-Star Dustin Pedroia from the disabled list.
In fact, Pedroia came off the disabled list last week, only to be placed back after just one game. With the division rival Yankees proving to be one of the best teams in the league, the Red Sox can’t afford to wait for Pedroia to make a full recovery.
Right now, Boston is using Eduardo Escobar at second base, a veteran presence to be sure, but more of a utility infielder than a stock player. Gennett would be a huge upgrade, and he’s versatile enough to move elsewhere if Pedroia returns.
Perhaps through such a deal, Cincinnati could pull some gems out of Boston. That could help calm the slowness of the Red Sox who took Benintendi and Youkilis from the Reds’ hometown.