Baseball Show Returns

CSNNE's Baseball Show made its return yesterday. While most of the time it's 4 guys arguing with each other I thought there were a few good points. The panel was split on whether starting Jackie Bradley Jr. in the bigs was a good idea. One fan called in & said given the big outfields in New York & Toronto it was better to have 3 center-fielders out there in Bradley, Ells & Victorino than exposing Johnny Gomes. I thought that the caller had a good point. My other takeaway was the spotlight that Bradley took away from Allen Webster. Webster had a monster spring & he will be ready as the first call-up when one of the starting pitchers goes down. Other than that, Neumie was defending Bobby Valentine like a crazy man, but it made for theatrical TV. Thank goodness for the DVR so you don't have to watch all of the self-promotion commercials for CSNNE. 1 or 2 decent points from this 3-hour show is about all you get, but that's OK with me.

Opening Day

There's nothing like Opening Day. Every team is 0-0 & every team has dreams of going to the World Series. I was lucky enough to be in Kansas City in 2007 when Hideki Okajima's first pitch was a home run to John Buck. The Royals won & local papers the next day said the Royals were going to the World Series. I was in Detroit last year to see the Sox get swept by the Tigers. The Tigers did end up in the World Series. As a fan, you turn the page of winter - even though you sometimes need winter gear to stay warm at the park in April. Most opening start times are 1:00 PM, so you have fans tail-gating & bars opening early, hours before the first pitch. You have media coverage starting 2 & 3 hours before the game as well. After 2007 & 2012 I must be a jinx, so I'm staying home this year. Maybe the Sox will fare better. Not to mention that I just can't stand to step foot into Yankee Stadium. Won't do it.

ZiPS Projections for AL East

ESPN Boston had an interesting article on the projected results for the 2013 season in the AL East. They reference a ZiPS Projection System. I guess this is a Monte Carlo simulation run about a million times through various scenarios. "Zippie" believes that Toronto will end up on top. Individually, they project Toronto 94 wins, Tampa Bay 88 wins, Boston 84 wins, New York 83 wins & Baltimore 82 wins. As Joe Torre said in Francona's book, stats are great, but the game is played by players with a heartbeat, not by a machine. So take Zippie's projections with a grain of salt. An injury here & a great year there could change everything. Who could have predicted Mike Trout last year or the San Francisco Giants winning a 2nd World Series in 3 years? The human factor is the X factor in all predictions. That why games are played.

Starting Lineup

The Red Sox website posted this starting lineup for Monday in NY. Ellsbury CF, Victorino RF, Pedroia 2B, Napoli 1B, Middlebrooks 3B, Gomes DH, Saltie C, Bradley Jr. LF, Iglesias SS, Lester SP. If the Sox own website put Junior in the lineup, I guess the question of Jr. making the team is over. Without Ortiz there is a definite lack of power. I'd rather see Victorino bat 9th & move everyone else up a spot. But, no matter, you have to score runs. It should be a good 1st series to see if the Sox can beat the Yankee replacements for Granderson, A-Rod, Teixeira & a wabbly Jeter. It will be interesting to see Youk in pinstripes as well. Let's get it started!

Sweeney Let Go

Ryan Sweeney became the odd man out yesterday as the Red Sox decided not to purchase his contract. In a way too bad as Sweeney had a credible year for the Sox in 2012 up until he broke his hand punching a wall. In the meantime, Jackie Bradley Jr. now looks assured of a roster spot along with Mike Carp. Junior could add some youthful enthusiasm to this team of newcomers. I think he would be a welcomed presence on the field & in the clubhouse.

Bradley & Mortensen Looking Good

The final few spots for the big team should go to Jackie Bradley Jr. & Clayton Mortensen. Bradley should beat out Mike Carp for the final position player & Mortensen should be chosen in the bullpen over Daniel Bard. Daniel Nava is a lock as a switch-hitter with versatility who can play outfield, first-base & DH. Timee for Cherington & Farrell to make their choices.

Final Tune-Up Begins

With 6 days left until Game #1 the final tune-ups begin as Spring Training comes to an end. Lester & the other 4 starters get their 5-day routine going with an eye towards Opening Day. Jackie Bradley Jr. gets a few more opportunities to wow the big club into keeping him on the 25-man roster heading to New York instead of Pawtucket. (Does he really need to do anymore wowing?) And Mike Carp finds out if he will make the club as well. Monday can't get here fast enough. Let's get the regular season going.

Overbay Released

Lyle Overbay just didn't show enough to stick with the Red Sox 25-man roster & he was released. He is free to sign with other teams now, with the Yankees among those interested. Mike Carp & Daniel Nava seem to be more effective options, particularly since both are younger. Overbay was worth a shot as he use to torment Boston pitchers when he was a Blue Jay. It seems, though, that time & age may have caught up with Overbay.

Why No Steals?

No stolen bases all spring for Jacoby Ellsbury. Why? Maybe because he is in his walk year before free agency. Maybe it's because of his past history of injuries. Whatever, I'm OK with it. I want him there on April 1st ready to go. As we saw in 2011, Ells can be a difference maker. He jammed something today, but he should be ready to go on the 1st. If Ells is looking for big money after this year, he has to prove that he is durable, something his past years do not support. I expect a great year out of Ells in 2013.

Don't Forget, It's Just Spring Training

Guys can be red hot in spring training & cool down immediately when the real games start. We see that year after year. My best memory was one spring where J.D. Drew hit over .400 & then completely collapsed into a .200+ hitter during the regular season, that's when he made it onto the field. So don't read anything into good stats or bad stats. I hope the starters, especially Lester & Buck, pitch to their shown potential. I don't like the loss of Ortiz in the order forcing Pedroia to hit 3rd. Petey is a lot of things, but he's not a #3 hitter. And without Stephen Drew you have a weak #8 & #9 in Nava & Iglesias. But it will be all about the pitching in April until Drew gets back & we see Big Papi on the field sometime. An April of .500 would be just fine with me.

Will Junior Stay With the Big Boys?

One week left of Spring Training 2013. The biggest story at the Fort was & is David Ortiz' inability to get back on the field due to his ankle injury from last year. Both Big Papi & Stephen Drew, Drew back now from his concussion, will start the year on the DL. Jose Iglesias will be the Sox starting shortstop in New York on April Fool's Day. The only major question left is will Bradley Jr. take the roster spot vacated by Ortiz. Bradley has opened many eyes this spring with his play in the field & with his offense. Cherington & Farrell want to be sure he get use if he stays with the big club. No reason why he wouldn't. With the struggling bats of Overbay, Lavarnway, Sweeney & other guys vying for the 25th spot I've changed my mind on Bradley. I think he could add a spark by playing against right-handers & going in as a late-inning replacement in the field. I'm willing to give him a try over Sweeney or Carp.

Drew Cleared to Resume Playing

OK, that's good news. J.D.'s little brother is finally cleared from his concussion symptoms. Stephen is beginning baseball activities again, but he will still start the year on the DL. This means that Jose Iglesias has a short window to prove that he belongs with the big club. Nothing like a little competition to see what you are made of. It's Jose's time to show what he's got.

Jeter to DL?

GM Brian Cashman says Derek Jeter may start the year on the DL if the soreness & stiffness in his repaired broken ankle does not show improvement. That will be quite a different Opening Day in New York. No Big Papi. No A-Rod. No Stephen Drew. No Jeter. No Teixeira. No Granderson. It may look like an extended Spring Training lineup on both sides by April 1st.

Things You Don't See on TV

You don't see a service man or woman sing the national anthem & get a standing ovation. You don't see the cute elderly couple who bring their scorebook to the game & keep track of every hitter & every play. You don't get to see a very little boy with his baseball glove move to the aisle in the ready position in case there is a foul ball. And you don't get to see the young vet with a mechanical leg hold up his baby daughter & play with her while attending the game with his grateful wife that he is still alive. We are a nation of couch potatoes & I do my share of watching games on TV. But, If I can, attending a live game is always better - just for some of the examples above.

Status Quo At the Fort

David Ortiz is still out, but he took some swings. Progress I guess. Stephen Drew is off to see a concussion specialist. Both will be on the DL to start the year. Nothing new there & nothing else new in camp. Everyone is getting their work in to be ready for the start of the season on April 1st. Every player will tell you that spring training is too long. So these last 10 days tend to drag as players are basically ready to play now. Let's get the real games started.

Does Luchhino Own the Ortiz Signing?

Every single player that the Red Sox sign has to undergo a physical. Look what happened with Mike Napoli & his contract. However, Sox management signed David Ortiz to a 2-year deal in the off-season with no such physical required. Was that Larry's idea to put fans in the old ballpark? Maybe it was Tom Werner's idea to keep the team sexy & get the ratings on NESN higher than last year. I can almost bet that it wasn't Ben Cherington's idea - just like hiring Valentine wasn't Cherington's idea - but Ben will take one for the team & get the flack for it. Ortiz is not rushing back from an Achilles problem. He will be lucky to play a half a year like A-Rod. O well, it's only money.

Will Ortiz & Drew Be Replaced by Bradley & Iglesias?

As of today, barring a miracle recovery, it looks more & more like David Ortiz & Stephen Drew will start the season on the DL. Will opportunity knock then for Jose Iglesias & Jackie Bradley, Jr.? It could. As Nick Cafardo wrote today, Iglesias has played the most games at short this spring. Bogaerts is still playing for the Netherlands team. And Brock Holt is a utility guy. Pedro Ciriaco could be the only serious candidate standing in the way of Iglesias opening the season in New York. Bradley Jr. could be slotted for LF while Johnny Gomes & Salty alternate as left/right DH's in Ortiz' absence. Iglesias & Bradley Jr. could add some competition to veterans, especially if they do well. I'm with you, Nick. Why not try them!

Can the Starting Pitching Hold Up?

The beer & chicken crew of 2011 was followed by a year of under-performing starters in 2012. The number one problem for the Red Sox to fix this year was & is the starting pitching. Bringing John Farrell back, or John Wayne as he is called in Francona's book, is a good start. Lester & Buccholz seemed to thrive under Farrell & all signs are that both seem ready to return to form in 2013. John Lackey is coming off Tommy John surgery, still throws a low percentage of strikes (a/k/a wild), but looks to be healthy enough to make his scheduled starts. Ryan Dempster is a good addition of a guy who is an innings-eater like Wake use to be & figures to be around .500 for winning percentage. Felix Doubront came into camp out-of-shape again, but he has looked better in his recent starts. So the question remains - can Lester, Buccholz, Dempster, Doubront & Lackey get the job done? Answer - we'll see. If they can't get the job done, Allen Webster & Rubby De La Rosa are waiting for their turn by the trade deadline.

More Than A Strain for Tex

Mark Teixeira has a bigger problem than originally thought. His strained arm muscle may require surgery, but he is hopeful it will not come to that. Granderson, A-Rod, Teixeira all will start the season on the DL. No Russell Martin. No Raphael Soriano. Jeter is coming off a broken ankle at 38. Mo Rivera is returning after knee surgery at 43. These are not the Yankees of old. It's just terrible - ha!ha!

Bryce Brentz Powers Up

After an embarassing gun accident Bryce Brentz is back on the field & showing he still has offensive power which made him a top prospect in the Sox organization. In his first live game of the spring this weekend Brentz ripped a homer to show Red Sox management that he is ready to resume his baseball career. Brentz has a power arm in the outfield too. Think about Brentz & Bradley Jr. patrolling the outfield at Fenway in years to come. Brentz joins Bradley, Webster, De La Rosa, Bogaerts & other young talent knocking on the door of the big club. His gun incident is behind him now.

Can Red Sox Be This Year's Baltimore?

Thanks to Den & Steve for sending me Red Sox articles from the Globe. I like to read what the beat guys are saying. The more I read & hear about the 2013 Sox, the more I think about what the Orioles did last year to make the playoffs. Average to better-than-average offense. Good defense. Less-than-average starting pitchers. But a shutdown bullpen from the 7th inning on. The O's won 20+ games decided by 1-run & that's how they made it in. Assuming Ortiz is out for awhile, can't we draw a parallel to this year's Sox team? If Lester & Buccholz rebound, the Sox could even have better-than-average starting pitchers. It's a thought for this Sunday.

MASH Unit Members

Heading the DL list, not counting Big Papi, is Stephen Drew. Maybe there is something about the name Drew & not being able to get on the field in Boston. Stephen still has effects from a mild concussion & he is listed day-to-day. In addition, add lefties Frank Morales & Craig Breslow who figure prominently in the 2013 Sox bullpen. Only Andrew Bailey is left from the left side & he has been inconsistent. Now throw-in David Ortiz & we have 2 starting position players & 2 significant bullpen arms unavailable. I hope Drew & Breslow can find their way back to the roster for game 1 on April 1st. Morales & Big Papi probably will not.

Pet Peeve #1 - Loud Mouth, Stupid Fans

Here we go with my annual pet peeves. The enjoyment of my last 2 spring training games has been interrupted by stupid, loud mouth fans sitting behind me. One was a college kid sitting with his parents who said I know I'm obnoxious, but people with have to live with it. He didn't get the hint when I changed my seat to stop from getting my ears pierced by his screaming on every pitch. I wanted to say come up for air once in awhile & a few other things. I ended up watching the final few innings standing up. Worst than that - yesterday there was a family from Syracuse, NY behind me & yes, you guessed right, they were Yankee fans. I'm no one who should talk about weight, but the dad was so big that he had his own zip code. The mom & daughter, also quite loarge, talked non-stop about nothing the entire 7 innings they were there. Thankfully, they left early to get something to eat before dinner! It's a crazy world of baseball fans out there.

Is Allen Webster Ready Now?

Yesterday, we discussed an article about Jackie Bradley, Jr. & whether he should start the season with the big club. Can't we make the same argument for Allen Webster? Webster has been every bit as good at his job this spring. I believe he has 14 K's in 11 innings, only 1 walk & 1 earned run. Like I tell you readers, it's only spring training. But this kid has the rare mixture of velocity, control & secondary pitches. Whether or not Bradley or Webster makes the roster this year it goes to show you that the farm system is working again. It's just a matter of time.

Welker to Denver

We knew it was coming. The Patriots were not interested in re-signing Wes Welker, not while a cheaper Julian Edelman was available. So we will have to get use to hearing Manning to Welker for the next 2 years. The business side of sports is no fun. And Welker will be remembered for 6 great years in New England. Good luck, Wes!

Is Jackie Bradley Jr. Ready Now?

That's the question being proposed by one Globe writer today. And his answer to Sox management is to be bold & let Junior start in LF for the big club. Bradley has had an outstanding spring training, but remember it is just spring training. Sure, Gomes could move to DH while Big Papi is on spring break. And there is the negative money issue about Bradley getting to free agency quicker if the big club gives him service time now. I think the article is quite thought-provoking for once. If it was my team, I would let Bradley start the year in triple A & see if the chemistry of new players works for the Sox over the first few months. If not, then bring up Junior in May or June. What do you think??

Back to Francona's Book

If you haven't had a chance to read Francona's book yet, there are 2 rats that have yet to be identified. Rat #1: Who let the media know about the beer & chicken? Josh Beckett was all about finding that player or clubhouse person. According to the book, Youk was asked about it directly by Beckett in spring training & Youk denied ever saying anything. Next best guess was Jed Lowrie, now with the Houston Astros. There was a definite disconnect between pitchers & position players. Rat #2: Who leaked that Francona was undergoing counseling for pain medication? Only 3 people supposedly knew -- the team doctor, Theo & an MLB exec in NY who had no name associated with the counseling sessions. Henry, Werner & Luchhino all swear that it was not leaked by any of them, even though they supposedly never knew about it. To this day Tito is still miffed that no one was ever found as the culprit. If you have any ideas about Rat 1 or Rat 2, drop a comment at the bottom of this article.

Ortiz Shutdown

There's a song that my grandson likes that goes "move along, move along like I know you will." Good advice for the Red Sox. Assume that David Ortiz is done. Now move along & figure out what you were planning to do when his contract was up. Big Papi & A-Rod may be looking on from the bench (or home) most of this season. Egg on your face, Ben Cherington, for extending Ortiz 2 more years without a full medical report on him.

Ya' But...

We try to teach kids responsibility for their actions. As a coach, I had the pleasure of being around hard workers who put in extra time to better their game. As a player, I knew what I needed to do to prepare myself to deliver my best effort. However, I remember one of my playesr who got penalized, taken out of a game, for breaking a team rule about throwing equipment. Afterwards, the player's comment that I hoped for would have been "coach, I'm sorry I broke our team rule & it won't happen again." Instead, I got a "ya, but did you know so & so did this?" The athlete just couldn't fess up & move along. Many people in business & in sports just can't admit that they were wrong. And so is the case with Carl Crawford. Blaming the media for his subpar year is his "ya, but" moment. Hey Carl, stop being a whining spoiled kid & just say I stunk, period. Everyone can live with that. I'm sure you didn't mind cashing your checks.

Sox Need to Find DH

It's looking more & more like Big Papi starts the 2013 season on the DL. Who do the Sox have in camp as options? Well, despite the pressure, one answer might be young Will Middlebrooks to hit in front of Napoli. You usually like to go left-right like Hamilton-Pujols, Cabrera-Fielder, A-Rod-Teixeira. However, Will may be the best Sox option for someone with middle-of-the-order power. Down in the order you could hit Daniel Nava or Ryan Lavarnway if either can find their stroke again. Jonny Gomes is an option at DH if the Sox decide to keep Jackie Bradley, Jr. to play left. The Sox brass thought they had 2 years to figure out a successor to David Ortiz at DH. I guess the future is now.

Last Hurrah for Mo

Mariano Rivera, the all-time leader in saves, is calling it quits after this season. He will retire as the greatest Yankees closer ever. Mo was a machine for years in racking up save after save. Some called him a machine because he was so precise every outing. And Rivera was always at his best in the playoffs. Many of the early Yankee championships were due to Mo. He showed a lot of class at Fenway when he was introduced in 2005. Mo laughed & waved his cap when the Sox fans cheered for him after the biggest collapse in sports history by the Yankees in 2004. Mo is a special player - even if he is a Yankee. After Mo only Jeter is left of the old-time championship teams.

Ortiz, Drew Make the Bad List

What's Spring Training without a few guys on the bad list? David Ortiz is still out of action due to lingering soreness in his Achilles tendon. I guess that his 4 months of rest did nothing to cure him. Sounds like it's time for the Sox to start thinking about another DH to start the season in April. Not much incentive for Big Papi to rush back since he has a paycheck for 2 years now. And Stephen Drew has a mild concussion after being hit on the helmet. Let's hope Stephen isn't like J.D. when it comes to playing in less than perfect physical shape. J.D. would pull up the pine over a hangnail.

Bard Has A Good Outing

How many times have we been able to say Daniel Bard & good outing in the same sentence over the last year plus? It did happen in yesterday's scrimmage vs. the Twins. A 1-2-3 6th inning with 3 strikeouts. Bard is one of those great unknowns - like fellow pitchers Lester & Buchholz - as we wonder are these the guys the ones who had success or are these the guys who had recent failures? If, & it's a big if, Daniel Bard can regain form to be the 8th inning bridge to Hanrahan, it gives an already-impressive Red Sox bullpen another quality arm to limit the number of innings for Bailey, Uehara & Tazawa. Bard could make the Sox pen (like Baltimore's last year) the best in the majors. And look what Baltimore did with less-than-average starters. They made the playoffs by winning tight, 1-run games.

Francona's Book -- I'm Done

Terry Francona's book reads like a list of heroes & villans. Good guys & bad guys. Guys caught up in the middle of a phenomenon. My first comments (others will follow)concern 2 of the main characters. First, Terry Francona himself. He is portrayed as a manager who bent his own rules to put the best team on the field in order to win everyday. That certainly happened in 2004 & 2007. It almost happened again in 2008. Ultimately, the bending of his own rules over his 7-year tenure led to selfish players going too far & straying from the principles of having each other's back. It cost him his job. Second is Theo Epstein. Theo was the bridge to management. He & Tito kept baseball operations away from the owners as long as they could until the Sox became too big to be concerned solely with baseball. Theo fed the monster with huge free agent signings & he strayed from his principles of building the best minor league system possible. That started the fall of the Red Sox in 2010.

It's Still About Pitching

My peeps have been sending me articles from the Globe & other sources about the Red Sox in spring training. While it's nice to hear about Napoli, Pedroia, Drew, Middlebrooks, Ellsbury, Victorino, Saltie & Big Papi you are missing the boat - in my opinion - if take your eyes off of Lester & Buchholz. As Chris Gasper wrote today, it's about Buchholz returning to 2010 form & Lester returning to the non-2012 form. If these 2 guys have success, the Red Sox will have success. In 2004 it was Pedro & Schilling. In 2007 it was Josh Beckett. It's time for Buck & Lester to show their stuff in 2013.

Ryan Westmoreland Retires At 22

Back in 2010 Ryan Westmoreland was diagnosed with a brain tumor. At that time he was an up & coming prospect in the Red Sox farm system. His initial surgery went well, so much so that he played in the Dominican League as a DH in 2011. However, a second corrective surgery left him unable to resume baseball activities. Thus, the RI native quietly retired yesterday at the age of 22. Westmoreland's story won't get much press from scribes who try to write about every player's swing, pitch or play. But it's a sad story about what could have been. Good luck, Ryan, in your future endeavors.

All Positives from the Fort

John Lackey threw 3 scoreless innings with more strikes than balls. Much better control. Will Middlebrooks went yard for the first time this spring after having a minor setback a week ago on his wrist. And Mike Napoli continued his power stroke with another home run. Here we go, Red Sox Nation. Should we start believing that this team just might over-perform this year? I'm sticking by my 85 wins projection.

Teixeira Joins Injury List

Gotta' love that World Baseball Classic! Every 4 years pros from the USA hurt themselves because they have had to speed up their normal spring training regimen. Mark Teixeira joined that list yesterday when he hurt his right wrist taking batting practice. Teixeira flew to New York for x-rays & MRI, then he will rejoin the Yankees back in Tampa. Granderson is already out with a broken bone. A-Rod is out at least half a year if not more. Jeter is gingerly getting back into playing shape after a broken ankle. It's going to be one of those years for the Yankees. But, like most of Red Sox Nation, I would never count them out.

Big Papi Runs the Bases - Finally!

Ok, I'm usually pretty positive, but I must confess that Big Papi running the bases is not a big story to me. The bigger story is the off-season & why he was not ready to go on the first day of camp. He had since August of 2012 to get this ankle fixed. Now 7 months later we are getting excited about him finally running the bases? Foesn't seem to me like this was an injury that would take more than a half-year to heal, especially since the Sox gave him a 2-year deal as compensation for past services rendered. I think the boo birds will be out at Fenway if Ortiz is not ready to play at the start of the season. I'll be one of them! He has 3 weeks of spring training left to get himself ready. Get it done.

9 Up, 9 Down for Dempster

The final score was 5-2 in favor of the Yankees. BUT Ryan Dempster had a good outing. AND Mike Napoli hit a moon shot over right-center. The Red Sox & Yankees will continue to have a special rivalry unlike any other in sports. So if we have to lose, it's OK in Spring Traininbg.

Mike Trout's New Contract

Mike Trout's agent is not very happy with the Angels management. AL MVP runner-up Trout was rewarded with a new contract by the Angels worth $510,000, only $20,000 more than the league minimum. It's legal since Trout only has a year & a half of major league time. However, even though it's legal, I don't think that it was a wise move by the Angels if they want to keep Trout in the organization long-term.

Webster & De La Rosa Starters in Waiting

Allen Webster & Rubby De La Rosa are 2 legit starters just waiting for their opportunity to hop up to the big club. Both have shown the ability to pitch at the big league level. Now it's just a matter of refining what they already do well. Lady Luck may have a say in their timetable for arrival at Fenway Park. Should Lackey, Lester, Buck, Dempster or Doubront get injured or become ineffective, these 2 young guns would be the first to get the call. We'll certainly take these guys while the Dodgers deal with another injury to Carl Crawford.

Napoli to Play Today

The guy who is the new protector for David Ortiz will play today. Mike Napoli will hit behind Big Papi this year & Napoli gets his first taste of live action today at the Fort. His hip was the subject of much negotiation in the off-season. An original 3-year deal turned into a 1-year deal with incentives. Napoli is out to prove that his hip is fine, in fact so fine that the Sox will add back his remaining 2 years. Good luck, Mike! We can use a healthy you this year.