It seems as if after last year’s historic September collapse, fans are expecting very little from this year’s Boston Red Sox. The team brings back many of the same faces from last year, and to many that is not necessarily a good thing.
Questions have arisen, most notably by outspoken former Red Sox pitcher and current ESPN analyst Curt Schilling, about whether new manager Bobby Valentine is the right fit for this team. His hard-nosed, no-nonsense attitude has a real possibility to clash with veterans such as Josh Beckett, Jon Lester and Kevin Youkilis who are used to Terry Francona’s more player-friendly managerial style.
Take a real look at the 2012 Boston Red Sox. Try and forget their disastrous September collapse. Focus solely on who they are today, and one realizes that the Red Sox have just as good a chance as any to represent the American League in this year’s World Series.
The Red Sox struggled mightily at the start and finish of last season. Besides those two horrendous runs, they were right up there with the best teams in baseball.
Most experts have the Red Sox finishing behind the Yankees and Rays in the American League East this season.
Weren’t the Red Sox considered one of the most loaded teams in baseball history at the beginning of last season? Has their roster really changed that much?
The one major change is the departure of closer Jonathon Papelbon. The Sox signed a seemingly reliable replacement in Andrew Bailey, but he will be forced to miss the majority of the season due to thumb surgery.
It is widely believed the Sox will move Daniel Bard to the closer’s role. Bard actually has better stuff than Jonathon Papelbon as his fastball has more velocity and he also possesses a devastating slider. It will take time for Bard to adjust to the new role, but if he proves to have the mental toughness needed for the position, his electric stuff will make him a more than suitable replacement for Papelbon.
The Sox lineup is very similar to last season’s. They have an extremely dangerous top of the order consisting of Jacoby Ellsbury, Dustin Pedroia and Adrian Gonzalez that can compete with any of the league’s best. Ellsbury had a breakout year blasting over 30 home runs while batting a career high .321 last season from the leadoff spot, while Pedroia and Gonzalez had their typical highly productive seasons.
David Ortiz is still the best designated hitter in baseball and if he is able to stay healthy, Kevin Youkilis is one of the league’s best offensive third baseman.
Carl Crawford was simply horrible last season batting .255 with a laughable .289 on base percentage. Crawford can only improve on his performance last season, as it’s hard to believe a player of his caliber will be unable to turn things around. If Crawford is able to improve at all from last season, it will help the offense tremendously.
The Red Sox starting rotation has been greatly scrutinized coming into the season.
The team’s top three starters are as good as just about any in the league if they are able to stay healthy. I’ll admit that’s a big if.
Josh Beckett and Jon Lester each had extremely productive seasons last year that were overshadowed by their late season struggles. They are still one of the league’s best one-two punches and Lester has the potential to be a Cy Young contender this season.
The rest of the rotation is the real question mark. Clay Buchholz missed most of last season with a back injury. He needs to stay healthy for the team to reach their true potential. He is one of the game’s most talented pitchers, evidenced by his 17-win, 2.33 ERA campaign in 2010. He has the potential to be an ace and if he can put up numbers comparable to those he put up in 2010, the top of their rotation will be tough for any lineup to deal with.
The back end of the rotation is a cause for concern. Most teams don’t possess particularly strong fourth and fifth starters, but they are an important part of the team nonetheless. They need to figure out what pitchers they can trust to throw every fifth day while being effective enough to not kill the team’s bullpen.
The Boston Red Sox are receiving much less attention than they did at the start of last season. This is probably warranted because of the way the team imploded in September last season. However, fans need to realize that this is still a very talented team with the ability to compete with any of the league’s elite.
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