Friday Links: Red Sox starters shaking off winter rust

by | Mar 20, 2015 | Alexi Ogando, Blake Swihart, Boston Red Sox, Clay Buchholz, Eduardo Rodriguez, Joe Kelly, Justin Masterson, Mitchell Boggs, New York Mets, Rick Porcello, Robbie Ross, St. Louis Cardinals, Tommy Layne, Wade Miley, Xander Bogaerts

Photo credit: Kelly O'Connor

Photo credit: Kelly O’Connor

With Opening Day right around the corner, the Red Sox starting staff is still shaking off the winter rust this spring:

Clay Buchholz: 3 GS, 10 innings pitched, 1.80 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 12 K, 2 BB

Rick Porcello: 3 GS, 10 innings pitched, 2.70 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 8 K, 3 BB

Wade Miley: 2 G, 1 GS, 6 innings pitched, 6.00 ERA, 2.33 WHIP, 2 K, 5 BB

Justin Masterson: 3 GS, 8.1 innings pitched, 6.48 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 4 K, 3 BB

Joe Kelly: 3 GS, 7.1 innings pitched, 11.05 ERA, 2.45 WHIP, 8 K, 1 BB

  • Joe Kelly left Monday’s start against the New York Mets in a bit of a scare after his bicep tightened up. The 27-year old starter had never experienced the sensation before, although the minor injury was something he had weathered as a member of the St. Louis Cardinals. Thankfully, Kelly was given the OK to continue pitching by the Red Sox medical staff, after an MRI revealed no structural damage. (Joe Kelly describes inital scare of arm injury as “different and awkward”)
  • Although the Red Sox reassigned top prospects Blake Swihart and Eduardo Rodriguez to minor league camp on Friday morning, the pair weren’t didn’t leave camp without leaving an impression. Swihart reached base at a .450 clip in 18 at-bats, while Rodriguez held a 1.17 ERA over 7.2 innings pitched. (Red Sox prospects make good impression on John Farrell)
  • With so many ground ball pitchers added to the Red Sox rotation this offseason it’s right to wonder how the team’s defense hold up behind them. Xander Bogaerts, who is perhaps the only question mark on the infield defensively, has spent the offseason working on his range and seems to have made great improvements at the position so far this spring. (How good will the Red Sox defense be this season?)
  • The Red Sox have a cavalcade of relievers to choose from to make the Opening Day roster, most of whom have gone unheralded. Hurlers like Mitchell Boggs and Alexi Ogando, who were once stalwarts in the Cardinals and Rangers bullpens respectively, are two intriguing names to watch. While lefties like Tommy Layne and Robbie Ross should offer stiff competition for the lefty relief slot. (Red Sox bullpen might be better than you think)
  • Tweet of the day: Hard hitting spring training news from Gammons.