5 Questions: Ian Browne of MLB.com
By Brian Phair
As the 5 Questions series continues, we bring in the big guns. Ian Browne is the Red Sox beat writer for MLB.com and is one of the best information sources on twitter (@IanMBrowne). His blog, Brownie Points, keeps readers informed about the latest Red Sox news, notes, and information, and you can frequently find Ian’s high-quality articles on RedSox.com. As the season approaches, just 1 week away, the questions surround the final bullpen spots, the catching situation, and the closing situation with Jonathan Papelbon. Enjoy the latest installment of 5 Questions with Ian Browne of MLB.com.
1. Assuming Papelbon, Jenks, Wheeler, Bard, and Wakefield are set in the bullpen, who do you think will fill the final two spots and why?
Reyes and Okajima. It’s always good to have two lefties and these are two guys with proven track records, even though Okajima obviously struggled for a large portion of last season.
2. The Red Sox have a lot of confidence in Jarrod Saltalamacchia going into 2011. If he struggles, can Jason Varitek play every day and be effective? What do you think should be the plan B?
At this point, Jason Varitek is no longer an every day player. He’s a very effective backup. If Saltalamacchia gets hurt or looks like he’s not ready to hold down the job, I fully expect the Red Sox will go outside the organization to find a solution. I don’t see anyone in their system ready to take on a large responsibility at the Major League level right now.
3. Do you think the Red Sox would replace Daisuke Matsuzaka with Tim Wakefield in the rotation if his struggles continue, or is his contract too large to put him in the bullpen regardless of the situation?
Dice-K is a starter, and will continue to be one as long as he is healthy. There was great emphasis on the fact that he struggled through two Spring Training starts, but this wouldn’t have been an issue with any other pitcher on the staff. Because of all the hype and cost that went into his acquisition, he will always be under a bit of a microscope. I believe that most teams would love to have Dice-K as their fifth starter.
4. Given all the chatter surrounding Jonathan Papelbon and his future with the Red Sox, how do you see this season playing out for him? Do you think Papelbon will be the Red Sox closer the entire season, or will there be a changing of the guard down the road?
It depends. I feel like Papelbon’s issues are more mental than physical. He lost some of that swagger from that epic collapse in Game 3 of the 2009 Division Series, and I’m not sure he’s ever gotten all of it back. Last year’s struggles didn’t help. Certainly, he will get less room for failure this year, with Bobby Jenks in the fold. There are a lot of things swirling around Papelbon. Not just the fact that he’s in a contract year, but also that he’s trying to avenge his struggles from the last two years. I believe he will be the most scrutinized member of the team going into the season.
5. Looking at the off-season moves for each of the AL East teams, which team impressed you the most? Knowing that anything can happen over the next several months, how do you see the AL East panning out when the regular season is over?
The Red Sox obviously had a tremendous offseason – one of the best in team history. Once they got Adrian Gonzalez, I think just about all of us were shocked that they also landed Carl Crawford. And don’t discount the additions in the bullpen. Jenks and Dan Wheeler should both be vital to the team’s success.
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