Who might be a surprise at Spring Training? Maybe even make the team as the Sox break camp?
One name to watch is Andrew Miller. For a couple of reasons I like the prospects of his future with the Sox.
First, he's a lefty pitcher & good left-handers are hard to find. Look at CC, Pettitte, Lester & Price. It's hard to name more than a handful of solid, portside starters.
Second, lefties mature later & history shows that their best years occur when they are in their 30's. (Remember Sandy Koufax?) I believe Miller is 27 & he still has a fresh arm with a lot of gas left in the tank.
As a number 1 pick by the Marlins, the Sox gave up little to take a chance that Miller can evolve into a dependable addition to the rotation or bullpen. Okajima is coming off a down year. And Felix Dubront may be the only semi-reliable lefty reliever, even though he wants to be a starter at some point.
Some guys can't live up to that #1 pick status. It's a lot of weight to carry. In Boston Miller can just mature & be a clog in the machine. No pressure.
No comments:
Post a Comment