Spring training presents both opportunity and promise of inevitable disappointment. All sixty-three players in camp have a chance to make the team, at least that’s what they’re told. The reality is that when camp ends, only twenty-five players will make the trip to Detroit, and at least around twenty-two of those players are already decided. The ones who are up in the air? Well, that’s where we come in. Here are a few predictions about the borderline players who may or may not be included on the roster come the start of the season.
With the Red Sox fairly desperate for a quality starter to fill out the back end of the rotation, don’t be surprised to see Felix Doubront claim the role out of spring training. Sure, Boston spent much of the offseason acquiring oft-injured, low-risk kind of high-reward starting pitchers, Doubront appears to be a real talent. We wrote about him a while back, and concluded that he certainly has the abilities to start at the major league level, but his own conditioning may get in the way. Doubront showed up to camp last season very out of shape and unfit to play a role in the majors. Many expected him to emerge as a dominant lefty out of the bullpen, but his state of conditioning made it impossible for him to do anything above the minor league level. Doubront has a few things to prove this spring. For one, he needs to show that he has the ability to stay on a regimented strength and conditioning program. Two, he needs to work on his control. His 4.58 BB/9 will not fly once he gets the promotion to Fenway. With Franklin Morales and Andrew Miller likely the lefty options out of the bullpen, Doubront seems primed for a starting role. In the end, Bobby Valentine’s decision as to who will be the fifth starter will mostly have to do with the way they pitch during spring training. If Aaron Cook puts up a .72 ERA during his spring starts then it will be hard to ignore. The fact is, the Sox didn’t sign any pitcher who could truly make a big difference at the major league level, and that’s where may come in. If he proves to be healthy and effective during the spring…watch out.
While many people are beginning to speculate that young shortstop Jose Iglesias will make the team to begin the season, I’m here to disagree, even before he’s taken one at bat this spring. Just from the way a few players and Valentine are talking, it sounds like Mike Aviles is going to get a shot at being the starter. When asked about the shortstop position this season, Dustin Pedroia said, “Mike is a really great guy. A lot of people say he can hit but that he can’t play defense. He plays a good shortstop. We’re already on the same page.” Valentine has stated multiple times that he prefers not to have a platoon at any position, although it looks like right field will almost certainly be one once Carl Crawford returns. Even if Iglesias hits .400 in spring, I truly believe that the Red Sox see him as a player that needs more development. Unless Punto or Aviles has an absolutely abysmal spring, there’s no way Boston relegates one of them to Pawtucket. If he really shines in the first two months, then he’ll get the call up, but his offense is still too much of a question mark to assure him a starting spot.
Ryan Lavarnway is in a very similar position. With two players, Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Kelly Shoppach, who alrrady have their major league spot all but handed out, the catcher from Yale appears to be out of luck for now. Like Iglesias, unless one of the aforementioned options really struggles during spring training, Lavarnway will be in Pawtucket for at least the first few months of the season. That doesn’t mean that he won’t be called up after a few months to add some offensive power to the team, but Valentine has already stated that he would rather carry another pitcher than a third catcher in the American League, and it seems very hard to believe that Saltalamacchia or Shoppach won’t make the team.
The fourth and final player is Darnell MacDonald, who has had a surprisingly ok two years on the team. After spending six years in the minors, MacDonald has hit pretty well for the Sox over the last two years. With JD Drew gone, Boston signed Cody Ross and traded for Ryan Sweeney, giving them four total outfielders. (Maybe even five because Mike Aviles can play some right field too). Not to mention, Ryan Kalish will be back sometime around June. With Valentine’s emphasis on carrying extra pitchers, Darnell may be out of luck. Although if Crawford starts the season on the disabled list then MacDonald would most likely be the one to make the team in his place at first.
There are definitely a few roster spots that have yet to be decided, but such is the nature of Spring. Over the next few weeks, the answers to these questions will become much clearer, but for now these speculations will have to do.