5 Questions with Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe

The 5 Questions series continues with a well-known Boston name. Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe makes regular appearances on the NESN pre- and post-game shows throughout the MLB season, focusing on topics around the league. Cafardo has been informing and entertaining Red Sox nation for over 2 decades and answered a few of my questions about the Yankees, Scutaro, potential deadline moves and much more. Enjoy!

"Cafardo covers news relating to the Boston Red Sox for the Boston Globe sports section. He covers issues associated with Major League Baseball and writes the Sunday baseball notes column. He also writes a baseball column on the Boston Red Sox and is a contributor on the New England Sports Network (NESN) Red Sox pre-game show. He previously served as beat writer for the Red Sox and New England Patriots and was the national football writer for the Globe. Cafardo authored the “The Impossible Team,” the story of the 2001 Super Bowl champion New England Patriots and “None but the Braves,” the story of the 1995 World Champion Atlanta Braves. Before joining the Globe, he covered the Red Sox for the Patriot Ledger (Quincy, Mass.) and Brockton Enterprise, where he covered the climb of Marvin Hagler to middleweight boxing world champion. Cafardo has been a member of the Boston Globe sports staff since November of 1989. – The Boston Globe"

Q: Given his success last season in Toronto, do you think Marco Scutaro will finally provide some stability at SS for the Red Sox?

A: Stability and then some. Scutaro will benefit being off Skydome turf and he’ll hit some balls off the wall. He’ll give them much more offense at the position. I think he’s one of the most under-the-radar signings of the offseason.

Q: At this point, do you think Theo will add a power bat at the trade deadline like he has the past few seasons? If Adrian Gonzalez is not available, do you think the Sox would go after a guy like Miguel Cabrera?

A: Well, not sure he’ll need to add a power bat. I think he’s reluctant to deal his top kids. Padres had a big chance to make a deal with Boston this offseason and couldn’t pull the trigger. They may regret that. I don’t think Cabrera is in Boston’s future. From what I understand the asking price was even more than Gonzalez. Let’s keep an eye on these Joe Mauer talks with the Twins.

Q: There has been some debate this off-season about who has the best starting rotation in baseball between the Red Sox and Yankees. What is your take on how the two rotations compare to each other? What concerns you most about each rotation?

A: I think Boston will have a better rotation by a small margin. Boston’s top three – Lester, Lackey, Beckett are better than Yankees top three – Sabathia, Burnett, Pettitte. I like Vazquez as a No. 4 but I think Buchholz has the ability to outpitch him. I like Boston’s No. 5 right now – whether it be Dice-K or Wakefield, over Phil Hughes, though I think Hughes will be pretty good in time. I always wonder about Burnett and whether he’s due for a down season. I wonder how long Pettitte can pitch at a high level, and while I like Vazquez, he’s coming back to the AL where he won’t be quite as effective as he was last season.

Q: When looking at the AL East off-season moves, how do you see the division playing out in 2010? Do you believe the Red Sox have a legitimate shot at winning the AL East?

A: I like Boston for the division and probably for the World Series. Their rotation has to stay in tack for this to occur, however. If it does, they have the best pitching in baseball – rotation and bullpen and add to that a very good defense, they should be tough to beat. I don’t really like some of the Yankee moves especially letting Johnny Damon and Hideki Matsui sign elsewhere. I think they were two key, clutch hitters in that lineup. Tampa Bay may come back, but they may not have enough to contend with the two teams in front.

Q: Looking around the American League, several teams, such as Seattle, had busy off-seasons. On paper, which team outside of the AL East has the best chance at winning the AL Pennant?

A: I would have said Minnesota until the Joe Nathan injury, now it’s less clear. I don’t buy into Seattle like others do because I don’t think they have any power in their offense, I question the back end of their rotation and don’t believe their bullpen is lights out. The team I’m looking at closely is the Chicago White Sox who have a chance to have a Red Sox-like starting rotation. They also have an interesting lineup.