With the start of spring training my thoughts now turn to baseball; of course if I’m not writing about the Bible or Italian food baseball is what I write all year long. Anyway, here are a few thoughts on the upcoming season. First off, while the Sox look pretty stacked this year there are a few concerns, namely the infield and the starting rotation. Starting with the infield, the Red Sox can only be successful if two things happen, one: Salty does well behind the plate and at bat (and by that I mean above .230) and two: no one gets hurt. The only backup infielder is Jed Lowrie, and with his inability to play 1st and 3rd base on a regular basis and history of injury that is worrisome. Just like last year when the Sox struggled to find a reliable utility player it will be tough this year. The outfield is not a concern considering the Sox have three backups lined up. Next, on to the starting rotation. Last year the only sure wins came from Lester and Buchholz. Even with half the starting 9 the responsibility for the win lies on how well the pitcher throws the ball. The Sox showed they can still score runs without the major players, it was the pitching that got them into trouble. Granted the bullpen was terrible as it has been for a few years, but the starting pitching keeps them in the game. For them to be successful Lackey and Beckett need to step it up, it’s not all about wins it’s ERA, Walks, and WHIP that need to go down. Lackey seems motivated as he lost 10+ pounds to get ready for the season but Beckett finally needs to show that he is not a one season wonder. The bullpen this year should not be a concern, the Sox have way more than the required 7 (correct #?) pitchers and should be ready for a full season, although anyone can see by their dreadful performance in extra inning games that the real reason they didn’t make it to the playoffs was not injuries but a bullpen that handed away wins a dime-a-dozen.
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