Bobby V’s Rigorous Training is Exactly What the Red Sox Need
Spring training hasn’t even officially begun and already there are some Red Sox players who are grumbling about the type of training regime that new manager Bobby Valentine is enforcing at this year’s camp. His demanding style and rigorous workouts are designed to push his players to their limits and get the most out of them. After last season, this is exactly what the doctor ordered.
Gone are the days of Terry Francona and the lax spring training of going through the motions. While that served its purpose and was successful for six years, it eventually ran it’s course and as a result, Tito lost the room.
Some tough love was needed for this group of grown men who tainted the Red Sox organization last season. Bobby Valentine is just the man to deliver that type of medicine.
“When I look at the program we devised, I don’t think of it as tough. But it seems it’s different because a lot of people are frowning. I just asked them to give (it) a few days. We all know that no one likes change except for those who are making other people change of what that person want them to. I happen to be one of those guys who likes change because guys are doing what I want them to do. I would bet there will be 100 guys who won’t really like it because it’s change for them. But they’ll get used to it.” – courtesy of the Boston Globe.
Valentine is a bit of old school in case you hadn’t noticed. He likes the length of spring training and says that if anyone thinks its too long that it’s baloney. In fact, Valentine wants to move the two exhibition games against Northeastern and Boston College from seven inning games to nine innings. He also would like to add two more exhibition games to the Red Sox preseason schedule.
“The more we see (the pitchers) the easier it’s going to be for us to know what we have.”
Can’t argue with the man there and Clay Buchholz happens to agree with his new skipper.
“Sometimes when you veer off the path that you need to take, you need someone there to tell you, ‘Hey this is where we need to go and I see you doing this,’” – courtesy of the Boston Herald.
So let the cynics grumble and moan about having to exert a little extra effort. This new training regime will be good for everyone involved and because of it the Red Sox should come out of camp in tip top shape. Something that could help prevent injuries down the road leading to a healthier, more productive Red Sox team. And that would be a good thing.
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