As I'm still trying to figure out the Celtics last night, giving up more points than they have in 25 years -140, it's time to tackle the 3 biggest questions facing the Red Sox this spring training.
We are halfway through Spring training and it has been pretty quiet. After a day off yesterday the Red Sox have 15 exhibition games to play before the season opener on Thursday, March 28th in Seattle. In their first 16 exhibitions the Red Sox are six and ten. Final scores mean very little in spring training. Having said that, there are a number of questions the Red Sox need answers to with the season opener just 16 days away.
1. WHO WILL BE THE RED SOX CLOSER?
35 pitchers have taken the mound for the Red Sox this Spring training. Ryan Brassier is not one of those pitchers and he is mentioned prominently as one of the two Red Sox closers. The 31-year-old Brassier, who has no career saves, reportedly has an infected toe. 28-year-old Matt Barnes is listed as the other closer. Barnes who has two career saves has appeared in one exhibition game pitching one inning giving up three hits and four runs. In last year's spring training Barnes gave up four total runs in nine appearances.
I will not overreact to spring training results but I believe that the Red Sox had better start getting their ducks in a row. I won't even overreact to the first month of the season when relievers will be up and down with all the innings they must pitch. We'll have a much better idea two months into the season when starters will be in better shape to eat up more innings.
So exactly who will be the team's closer? I think the Red Sox will end up making a deal to add a closer. The deal will not happen soon, in fact, it may happen as late as the trading deadline on July 31 because the teams every day line-up is good enough to keep them in the hunt until then. But to have a chance to repeat as World Series champions they will have to add a proven closer. And I think that closer will not end up being Craig Kimbrell who just may wind up pitching this year on a one-year contract.
2. HOW WILL DUSTIN PEDROIA'S COMEBACK GO?
About a month ago Red Sox management announced that they expect no more than 125 games out of Dustin Pedroia in his comeback from cartilage replacement surgery 17 months ago. I think 100 games is much more reasonable and I wouldn't be surprised if it was closer to 81 games or a half of a season. I think Pedroia, who has two total at-bats in the first 16 games this spring, will have a stint or two on the disabled list. Remember the 35 year-old Pedroia is on the books for two more seasons and $25 million and that is after this season. The team will treat Pedroia with kid's gloves like they should. The team is well stocked at second base with Brock Holt and Eduardo Nunez who are both more than adequate fill-ins for 40 games apiece at second base.
3. WHO WILL CATCH FOR THE RED SOX...
The Red Sox catcher in today's Red Sox exhibition game vs Detroit is Christian Vasquez. In fact today's line-up looks like it will be the opening day line-up with Benintendi LF, Betts CF, Devers 3B, Martinez RF, Bogaerts SS, Moreland 1B, Pedroia 2B, Bradley Jr. DH, Vasquez C, Price P. Bradley will obviously be in center field and Martinez will be the DH but Vasquez will be in the line-up. Blake Swihart will be his back-up which leaves Sandy Leon as the odd man out. Last season the 29 year old Leon hit just .177. Vasquez, who last year hit .207, will probably catch about 100 games with Swihart, who in 2018 hit .229, catching about 60, which is just one more game than he played in last year's regular season.
