April 2nd Red Sox

        We are just four days away from Jon Lester beginning the Red Sox season. It has been a long time since Red Sox fans have entered a season with so many questions and so much turmoil. A new coach and a new general manager. A starting rotation rounded out by the man many expected to be the closer. Most importantly, a clubhouse still trying to get over what happened last year. Between one of the greatest collapses and Major League Baseball history and the pitchers accused of drinking beer during the games. 

Despite all that has happened since game 162 last season, the Red Sox enter the season with World Series potential. Adrian Gonzalez says that his shoulder is finally healthy for the first time in over two years. Coming from a guy who hit well over .300 last year that could mean tremendous things for the Sox lineup. After by far the worst season of his career Carl Crawford can only be better. The only glaring hole in the lineup comes at, where else, the shortstop position. It seems that the Red Sox are scared that their shortstop will become better than their 9th best fielder. Every year they need a shortstop and they let last years guy go. Alex Gonzalez and Marco Scutaro were exactly the right guys for the job, but the Sox let them both go. Who is the answer? Jose Iglesias? They say he is a vacuum at short but there isn’t much hope of him batting over .250. I guess I am fine with that. All I ask for at the shortstop position on the Red Sox is a stellar glove. The lineup is fine without a strong 9th man. 

So Daniel Bard is going to become a starter. I give him a month and a half before he takes over Andrew Bailey’s job. For two reasons, one Bard will have an ERA of over five starting and secondly, Bailey will have more blown saves than Papelbon did all last season. Valentine announced a few days ago that Dubrount and Bard will take the last two spots in the starting rotation. Why he would take either of them over Aceves is beyond me. Aceves was the Red Sox savior last year, he deserves a chance to start this season. Valentine claims his role in the bullpen is too important to give up, but he would get much more value as a starter. Hopefully, it doesn’t take Valentine all season to realize this. 

The top end of the starting rotation has as much potential as any other rotation in the Bigs. Lester is probably the second-best left-hander behind Cliff Lee. Josh Beckett had a great comeback season last year and should be a strong two man. The man I am most excited to watch is Clay Buchholz. He missed almost of last season due to an injury, but the year before that he finished in the top five in the AL for ERA. He has the potential to be one the top pitchers in the league and the Red Sox are going to need that out of him. Unless the bottom two pitchers receive seven runs per game I don’t see us getting many wins when they are on the mound.