Spring Training thread

[Celtics_Champs]

Beckett and Lester seem to be putting the chicken story behind them and moving on.

The ball park looks really nice.

other thoughts?

[thesack12]

SS is a major concern. Personally I don't really care who rises to the top of the depth chart between Aviles/Punto because I don't consider neither guy to be either a good nor long term option. Both those guys are better served being depth utility infielders. I wonder when Boston will finally get some stability at that position. Perhaps Iglesias is that guy, but by all accounts his offense is WAYYYY behind. The revolving door at SS has grown quite annoying. I'm tired of stop gaps, especially this season when there won't even be anybody on the roster that has been a full time SS before. If Hanley ever actually becomes put on the trading block, I wouldn't hesitate to offer the farm for him.

I am also worried about the rotation. Beckett and Lester will be fine, but I don't see a clear cut #3 let alone 4 or 5. I don't trust Buchholz to stay healthy at all, Lackey has been horrible for awhile now and his teammates don't seem particularly fond of playing behind him, we will be lucky to get 5 solid starts out of Dice K, it seems like every time I look up when Miller is on the mound there are 2 runners on base, and Bard is a big question mark. I like what Aceves brings, a lot actually. But I don't know if I want him as a regular in the rotation. I think he is better off as the primary long reliever/spot starter. Long story short, I am still holding out hope Oswalt signs on with Boston but that doesn't appear to be in the cards.

I am a tad leary @ catcher. But I have some confidence in Salty. He has some pop in his bat, and seeing as he will now be an everyday player I think his average will improve. I also think that his time around Tek has better prepared him to manage the pitching staff.

I don't even know where to start on the pen. But no established set up man or closer is pretty scary. Jenks better show up this season. We can only hope Bailey pans out.

[Dirty Water]

Bailey doesn't need to "pan out." He is an established MLB closer. His numbers may dip at Fenway a bit, saves numbers will jump obviously... but overall he's not a concern for me. Melancon was a real good pickup as well. Closing experience to boot.

Jenks is done. Put on 60 Day DL today. Wouldn't even pretend to count on him.

I think Aceves/Albers/Morales/Melancon/Bailey is a strong bullpen. Not the best, but certainly capable.

Buchholz is not a huge ? for me actually - he only had one injury riddled season - last year. He apparently would have been an option in the playoffs had we made it. All reports is that he is as healthy as ever for 2012. Only other questions is if Bard can stretch into a starter. I think the battle for #5 starter between John Maine/Carlos Silva/Vicente Padilla/Aceves will be interesting. Wouldn't put it past the Sox to deal for a starter at the deadline too.

My sleeper for the pitching staff is Silva. He really is only a malcontent, hence why he's bounced around. His stuff was never the problem. My darkhorse to win the job.

[thesack12]

Don't get me wrong, I like the Bailey pickup. But there is a BIG difference between closing in the AL west and closing in the AL East. Bailey is going to have an extreme amount of additional pressure on him, will regularly face more potent lineups, and primarily be pitching in hitter's parks. The media/fan base will be all over him if he struggles. Yes, Bailey does have closing experience but that doesn't mean he is established as Boston's closer, which is what I am concerned with.

Yeah, I heard about Jenks moments after I posted. What a terrible signing that has turned out to be. He has provided literally nothing. Honestly, I don't know much at all about Melancon which is actually what concerns me most about him. Like I said I am worried about the back end of the pen, hopefully those worries will be unfounded.

To me it seems like Buchholz is always dinged up. If I remember right in his 2nd year he was put on the DL with a broken fingernail, and didn't come back for like a month and a half. He got put on the DL in '09 with a hammy issue, and I believe it took him longer than the 15 days to return from that as well. Last year he was out 3+ months with the back issue. Plus, it sure seems like he gets scratched more than most guys. He has only once pitched > 16 games in a season. IMO he is hardly a guy that can be counted on.

Silva can be solid, and I forgot he got picked up. That said, if he is going to be counted on for a major role I would think that the team will be in trouble.

[Dirty Water]

They said that about Colon and Garcia for the Yankees last year. Few teams in the league are stacked with a proven #5 starter.

[thesack12]

^ True, however both Colon and Garcia spent a good amount of time as front of the rotation guys on good teams. So it wasn't too big of a surprise that they solidified the Yanks rotation.

[Dirty Water]

Point well taken on the Garcia/Colon thing.

I totally forgot about Andrew Miller. Saw him pitch a bit yesterday in the Sox first Grapefruit league game. If he can get back to basics and cut down on those freaking walks he could be an option at the #5 starter. Bobby V was really praising him the other day. I could also see him not panning out and getting cut, he's out of options and Red Sox can't really afford to keep him around in the majors if he stays inconsistent. 50/50

[thesack12]

Sox cut Silva today, so he is out of the mix.

Apparently, Bard is entrenched as the #4 although he has been kind of shaky thus far. Got downright pounded in his last outing. Longtime Rockies' starter, Aaron Cook threw his hat in the ring for #5 by only giving up 1 hit in 3 1/3.. Maybe he is the one who emerges and grabs that last rotation spot. I still think its better for he and the team if Aceves fills the long reliever/emergency starter role. I just don't have confidence in Miller. It seems like he never can put together a clean inning. He has also missed sum time this spring, which hurts him. At this point he isn't a lock to even make the team.

[Celtics_Champs]

Sox optioned iglesias back to Triple A.

booo.

[thesack12]

Sox break camp with Lester, Beckett, Buchholz, Doubront, Bard as the rotation. Personally, I thought Cook made a strong statement to be in there. Either way, I am not too confident in that rotation. Bring on Roy Oswalt.

Andrew Bailey undergoes thumb surgery and will be out until at least the All Star break. With this development and Bard's struggles to hit the ground running as a starter, Bard will probably be moved back to the pen in short order. If/when that happens it opens the door for Cook or maybe Padilla to join the rotation. The back end of the pen is currently penciled in as Melancon the set up man and Aceves the closer.

Carl Crawford's wrist is still not right, and he is expected to be out until May. This makes the Cody Ross signing and inclusuion of Sweeney in the Bailey deal even more key. Both Ross and Sweeney will be heavily relied upon early on. The less we see of Darnell McDonald, the better.

[threrf23]

This thread spans 1.5 months and no shoutout to Pedro Ciriaco?