The Red Sox have now crossed the mid-point line in Spring Training and are on the home stretch. With just under 2 weeks remaining, this is the point in the Spring when players begin to become wary of the exhibition contests and yearn for games that count. The next few weeks are also the time when Terry Francona and his staff begin to finalize the Sox roster, define the lineup order, and determine who will get the nod as the final few bullpen spots are filled. This week heralded news some surprising news about the starting rotation order for the Red Sox and fans got a glimpse of what could be with Daisuke Matsuzaka. We also saw some roster moves as the Sox begin to widdle down their roster in anticipation of opening day. Enjoy!
Jon Lester as #1, John Lackey as #2?
The #1 spot in the Red Sox rotation has been all but set for weeks, even months now. Jon Lester had locked himself into that role after an impressive 2010 campaign and as long as he was healthy, was far and away the favorite to start opening day in Texas. Once that became official, Terry Francona released the remainder of the starting rotation in order. The biggest shocker? John Lackey got the nod as the #2 starter over Clay Buchholz, Josh Beckett, and Daisuke Matsuzaka. Before the announcement, it appeared Lackey was locked into the #4 spot and Dice-K into the #5 spot, it was just a matter of deciding between Beckett and Buchholz for the #2 and #3 spots. Francona threw everyone a curveball, not only putting Lackey up near the front, but also, giving him the home-opening day start. In Lackey’s defense, he has had a stellar Spring, sitting at 2-0 with a 1.72 ERA in 4 starts with 6 Ks, but Buchholz has yet to allow a run this Spring and has been equally, if not more impressive.
Either way, Lackey will start game 2 and then the home opener, with Beckett slotted at #4. This decision certainly caused a bit of a shake-up, but ultimately, all 5 guys will be starting every 5 days (hopefully), so the order is somewhat insignificant. For Rick’s take, check out his post from yesterday.
Daisuke Matsuzaka Throws a Gem
Wow. Just imagine how good this team could be if Daisuke Matsuzaka can consistently pitch like he did against the Detroit Tigers this week. Dice-K showed Red Sox fans why the front office paid huge money to bring the Japanese righty to the United States. He was aggressive, attacked the zone, and made several good hitters look bad. Most importantly? Dice-K walked 1 batter in 5 innings and struck-out 5. That is a ratio for success, but something Dice-K has really struggled with the past few seasons. I spent some time looking at Dice-K’s potential for a transformation this season and his eerily similar connection to Cliff Lee this week, check it out. Can Dice-K break out this season and dominate? I’m not holding my breath, but anything is possible.
Jacoby Ellsbury is on Fire
If there was one member of the Boston Red Sox roster that wanted to come out hot this Spring and prove his doubters wrong, it was Jacoby Ellsbury. The 2010 season was controversy on top of controversy for the outfielder, but now that he is back with the team and swinging the bat in live competition, all that controversy is gone. In 11 games, 31 at-bats this Spring, Ells is hitting a team-high .471 with 2 home runs and 5 RBIs. He has been hitting the cover off the ball and appears to have fully recovered from his rib-injuries last season. He is running the bases well and has 3 doubles to his credit thus far. If he can return to form this season and be an anchor in the lead-off spot for the Red Sox, this team will get instantly better. With Ells on base, there is pressure on the opposing pitcher and defense, and all of the amazing hitters behind him in the lineup will benefit from having more RBI opportunities. Check out my post from this past week detailing Ellsbury’s Spring.
Jonathan Papelbon Struggles
As soon as the off-season began in October, there was instant chatter about Jonathan Papelbon’s future in Boston. The front office didn’t help matters by bringing in closer Bobby Jenks, but all along, Francona has insisted that there is no controversy or position battle, Pap is the closer. Now that we have seen a few weeks of Spring, concern for Pap has grown even more. In 6 outings this Spring, Pap has a 12.60 ERA and an 0-1 record. He has been pulled before finishing 1 full inning twice, and has 5 walks, 2 hit batters, and just 3 K’s in 5 innings. He has only allowed 3 hits, but his control has been poor and he has been anything but dominant. He claims he is working on tweaking some of his mechanics and is not worried, but are you? Spring outings have to be taken with a grain of salt, but red-flags are flying all over the place.
5 Players Re-assigned, Optioned
In an effort to reduce the roster gradually as we approach opening day, the Red Sox made a handful of moves this week, none of which are surprising. Jose Iglesias, Juan Carlos Linares, Luis Exposito, Yamaico Navarro, and Lars Anderson were all optioned to AAA Pawtucket or minor-league camp. The roster stands at 43 players, meaning there will still be some moves made over the next few weeks, many likely revolving around the final bullpen decisions for the Sox.
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