SawxBlog

A Look at the Red Sox Starters this Spring

_{Jon Lester looks to be the Sox ace for the second strait year. (AP Photo)}

Now that we're mere days away from the start of the 2011 Red Sox Season, I figured it'd be as good a time as any to evaluate how our starting pitchers have fared during Spring Training. Granted, these stats aren't going to really correlate with how they're actual regular seasons will go, but they could help indicate how they'll start off.

Recently my friends and I had our annual baseball draft and I begrudgingly drafted two Red Sox starters, Josh Beckett and Daisuke Matsuzaka. The league's a deep one with 14 teams, and I ended up drafting Beckett in the 10th round, and Dice-K with my final pick in the 27th. Of the two I have more hope for Beckett, but I think Dice-K may *gulp* be more reliable. I know what to expect from Dice-K - a high WHIP - 6.0 IP per game - and 12-15 wins - but with Josh I'm at a loss with what to expect as he's been the most manic starter of the bunch. I have a lot of homer hope for the former ace, but his 6.64 Spring Training ERA doesn't help quell my fears.

Lester looks like he's in mid-season form already. I'd like to see his K/BB ratio down some - but he has pitched one less game, and as I already stated - all of this needs to be taken with a grain of salt. From a pure numbers stand point I'd say Buchholz is poised to have the best season in 2011. He's 26 years old (a golden age for ballplayers), is coming off of a superb season (17-7, 2.33 ERA), and has the most control of the bunch. Lackey will give us innings, but I want more from him then he provided last year. He was OK last year, and we're not paying him to be OK.

Jon and Clay will get their work done, and our offense will be putting runs on the board, it's Josh, John, and Dice that have to really step it up this year, and if the below video (part of an excellent new series by the Red Sox) is to hold true - it'll depend on those three.

We Won't Rest Until Every Tag is Late Video

Don't let the over-analysis or hype fool you, the 2011 Red Sox baseball season is going to be a very, very exciting one here in the Hub. Losing 10 games in a row during Spring Training carries very little weight when all is said and done - and if watching the above video with Jacoby Ellsbury and Carl Crawford doesn't get you excited for the season, then I don't know what will. Friday can't come soon enough.

Boston Coaches on Run for the Ages

_{Since 2007 Boston has had stability in their Professional Coaches. (Z.Trainor - SawxBlog Illustration)}

While the above illustration, created by the talented and esteemed Zac Trainor, may not be what Boston's All-Time Mt. Rushmore coaches pantheon would look like, it's at least half-way there, and when looking at the collective success these four coaches have had in the past five years, it's hard to deny the high times we live in. Looking specifically at the last four years, we find the collective winning percentage for all four coaches at .636 (not including playoffs), which equates to a lot of wins for us Boston fans, and a lot of money for their bosses.

During this four year run Boston Teams have played in four championships and won it all two of those years (2007 Red Sox and the 2007-08 Celtics) - with each Team making their respective Finals at least once, except for the Bruins.

Success has bred camaraderie too, and it's not out of the ordinary to see players and coaches attending each others games, helping give an almost collegiate feel to our Professional Teams in what is a most collegiate city.

Bill Bellichick already has the title of the best coach of his generation, and he may be a Superbowl or two away from being remembered as the best ever - shoot, he may even be there now. While Terry Francona has become the greatest Red Sox coach of all-time, which is saying a lot given the longevity and history the Red Sox have as a franchise. Meanwhile, Doc Rivers has been given the time to really flourish in Boston, and his ability to manage the Big Three while returning the Celtics to glory hasn't gone unnoticed by the league, and he's now one of its most coveted coaching stars. Claude Julian, much like his Bruins, is the weakest link in this chain, and his name was surfacing in rumors of being fired as recently as this season. He's done admirably for the Bruins though, but until real success is found in the playoffs for them, he'll continue to be the black sheep of this group.

I've written tirelessly over the past decade about how lucky we are to root for the Teams Boston sports have provided us, and think it's due time to acknowledge the coaches and managers who've helped guide the players to success, as too often they're used only as scapegoats during the low times, instead of linchpins to our Teams success during good times, and thanks to their efforts - the good times have been often, and currently show no signs of turning dour.

Who is Ryan Lavarnway?

_{Could Ryan Lavarnway be the Red Sox starting catcher in 2014?}

One of my favorite things about Spring Training is the ability to see some of the young Sox prospects compete with the big boys. While the Red Sox are giving the keys to the starting catching position to Jarrod Saltalamacchia this year, he still has a lot to prove to gain the confidence of management and the fans alike, which makes checking out the progress of our minor league catchers that much more interesting, and one player who I've been keeping an eye on is Ryan Lavarnway.

Ryan Lavarnway is new to the catching game, converting over to the position in 2007, and while his defensive skills are still a work in progress, he has one thing you love seeing a catcher have, which you can't really teach, and that's intelligence. Lavarnway graduated from some school in Conneticut named Yale, and led the Ivy league in HR's, RBI, Walks, Slugging Percentage, and On Base Percentage in 2008. As you can tell by those stats he's got excellent plate discipline and makes very solid contact with the ball.

So far this Spring he's made the most out of his limited opportunies going 4 for 6 with a HR and 3 RBI. Don't expect to see Lavarnway in Boston anytime in 2011, however, if he can continue to progress there's no reason to think he wouldn't have a shot with the club in 2012 or beyond. Baseball America has him projected as being the starting catcher for the Red Sox in 2014, time will tell, in the meantime if Lavarnway keeps making the most out of his opportunities, he could either be the heir apparent to Varitek or great trade bait, depending on how the Saltalamacchia experiment fares.

No Slow Start for David Ortiz this Year?

_{Has David Ortiz signed off on a quick start to the 2011 season? (AP Photo)}

It's Springtime in Florida. Where in the tradition of the seasons - baseball emerges from its hibernation, and ballplayers slowly shake off the cobwebs collected during winter. Over the last few years one player has consistently been delinquent in shaking off his cobwebs, and that player is Big Papi. His Spring struggles have been epic, causing his name to surface in waiver and trade talk, but worse of all, it's assisted in his fans turning on him, myself included.

In this age of Free Agency fans have to hold a "what have you done for me lately" attitude to protect themselves. Players come and go, no longer playing the duration of their careers with one Team, but still, Papi should have been given more slack by us...shouldn't have he? Ortiz assisted in taking the Red Sox organization and us fans places we would have only dreamed of a decade ago. We're perennial World Series contenders now, and a lot of the reason behind that is because Ortiz single handily took his bat and beat into submission the bad luck and futility of 90 years of baseball prison for Boston.

For all the hoopla around his early troubles last year, he still ended up leading the Red Sox in HR's (32), RBI (102), and OBP (.370). Sure he's not hitting lefty's like he used to, but rumors of his demise may be a tad bit exaggerated. Now he's the highest paid DH in baseball and in the last year of his contract, and in what many believe to be the final year of his Red Sox career. Papi's 35 now, and no doubt he's entering his golden years as a player, and he seems to know it.

Unlike recent years, his bat is alive this spring. Granted it's a small sample-set (13 AB's), but the big guy's hitting .385 with a HR and four RBI. You obviously don't want him to go the other way now, and use all his good AB's when they don't matter, but something seems different with him. He's still the man in the clubhouse, and deep down he still has the heart of Red Sox Nation. If this is his last year with a B on his cap, I hope he decides to go down swinging, both early and late in the year.

Christmas in February - Red Sox Play with New Toys

_{Red Sox fans can't wait to see their new toys in action this Spring. (Z.Trainor Illustration)}

December was a magical time here in Boston. People weren't weary from the ferocious snow storms that would later define the winter, and all sorts of weird things were happening in the sports scene. The 2010 baseball season seemed like a lost year for us Red Sox fans. We can now acknowledge that the main crux for this disappointing year was due in large part to the Team being infected with an indomitable injury bug: thus morphing them into the Zombie Red Sox. A rag-tag collection of career minor league misfits, bench players, and John Lackey.

Looking with the right kind of eyes, you could see the thunderclouds of misfortune rolling into view last spring. Talk around the club had an oddly conservative hue, and when Theo infamously refereed to the upcoming season as a "bridge year" it no longer mattered what kind of eyes you had - something was amiss, and it looked like the Red Sox had lost their edge, for baseball cranks around the Hub had taken notice. The precursor to these feelings were because of the relatively quiet off-season the Red Sox had. They tried to sell us on Lackey, but no one was getting excited about a mouth breathing number three starter, and the other pieces brought in were just stop gaps, and not actual solutions.

Fast forward now to December of 2010. The Patriots were dominating the NFL, Shaq was conducting the Boston Pops, and the Red Sox were sharpening their edge to a samurai point, as they prepared to shank the league in the wake of the Winter Meetings. The first piece to fall was Adrian Gonzalez, whose name had been floated in Red Sox rumors seemingly every year, and was a deal that at times felt  both imminent and impossible. But it did finally happen - and collectively throughout the region a sigh of relief was exhaled. No matter what else they did, the Sox got their guy, and would once again be relevant come 2011. 

This move alone was enough to appease us - but this was only the beginning. Only a week later, Theo and his cronies really dropped the hammer as they swooped in to nab Carl Crawford, the multitalented speedster from Tampa Bay. The Death Star indeed was being assembled, and with additional pick-ups like Jenks and Wheeler, the holes of weakness were becoming pin-hole small.

So as we sit on the precipice of Presidents Day, on the very first day all Sox players have to report to camp, the hue of language has turned from a downcast grey of conservatism - to a vibrant multicolored kaleidoscope of anticipation. Players are openly talking about winning 100 games this year, something not done by a Boston Team since Pesky and the boys did it in 1946. Sure there’s some question marks still, and the Team you start the year with is never the Team you finish with, but you are justified in any excitement you have this year. We were given some great new toys around Christmas - and now, nearly two months later, we’re finally allowed to take them out of the box and see what they can do. There will be no sequel to the Zombie horror movie that was 2010. In 2011 the Red Sox are making a revenge flick, that hopefully ends with our new toys standing on the burnt orange dirt of Fenway Park, soaked in champagne, and holding a trophy in their hands.

Albert Pujols to the Red Sox in 2012? Count Me In.

_{Could Albert Pujols coming to the Red Sox actually be a reality in 2012?}

WIth Albert Pujols self imposed deadeline on the Cardnials now past, the web is ablaze this morning wih chatter on how if the Red Sox wanted, they could make an earnest push for the best player in baseball next year. The quick numbers are this, with so many players coming off contract after 2011, the Red Sox will potentially have $55 million free, giving them reasonable wiggle room to make a run at Pujols. I'd also expect to see the Cubs throw their hat in the ring, and the Cardinals blood rivals may actually be the front-runners if things really are dead with the Cardinals - but that's a story yet to be written.

What I don't get is that people in the Red Sox Blogosphere are discounting this from being a possibilty as soon as they write about it. Peter Abraham from Boston.com went as far as to put up a disclaimor on his post, which is pretty damn ridiculous, I mean - show a little balls there guy. From my vantage point as a fan, I'm asking why the hell wouldn't the Red Sox at the very least kick the tires on this? At the worst they could help drive up the cost of what's sure to be the largest contract in baseball history, and unless they're afraid that Pujols and his outstanding career are due in part to standing on the back of PED's, I can't see a reason why they wouldn't pursue this. Can you?

Help Beat Cancer - Tim Wakefield & Clay Buchholz Named 2011 Jimmy Fund Co-Captains

 _{Wakefield & Buchholz will continue as Jimmy Fund Co-Captains. (Jimmy Fund Photo)}

Cancer is a disease that eventually touches all of us in our lives, and is a fight humanity wages on a daily basis no matter race, economic status, gender, or religion. It's a battle that's greater than any ballgame or sport could ever be, and this is very evident today for my family and I, as my brother and his wife begin their battle against Breast Cancer. My friends over at the Jimmy Fund reached out asking for help promoting their Rally Against Cancer program - and I couldn't think of a better cause to get behind, or a better time to do it then now. My thoughts and prayers are not only in Chicago today, but they're also with families everywhere that are involved with their own personal fight - both today and tomorrow. Together through prevention, awareness, and programs such as this, we'll eventually be able to rally together as a whole and win this fight, once and for all.

-DPH 02/16/11

BOSTON -- Yesterday, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Jimmy Fund announced that Boston Red Sox pitchers Tim Wakefield and Clay Buchholz will continue as Jimmy Fund Co-Captains for the 2011 season. Their first assignment is to be this year's Spokesplayers for the Jimmy Fund's Rally Against Cancer.

Buchholz was the 2010 Rally Against Cancer spokesplayer in addition to being Jimmy Fund Co-Captain last year. Wakefield, a strong supporter of the Jimmy Fund for many years, was also a Co-Captain last year, and will be a Spokesplayer for the Rally Against Cancer for the first time this year. Wakefield and Buchholz join the ranks of past Rally Against Cancer Spokesplayers, including Jon Lester, Dustin Pedroia, Kevin Youkilis, and Trot Nixon. As Jimmy Fund Co-Captains, the two pitchers will be ambassadors for the Jimmy Fund to raise awareness and build support for cancer care and research at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. They will also lend their support to Jimmy Fund events, visit adult and pediatric clinics, thank donors, and more.  

Now in its sixth year, Rally Against Cancer encourages Red Sox fans to partner with their companies and schools, and encourage co-workers, classmates, and friends, to each contribute $5 or more to the Jimmy Fund. In exchange, they "Dress for Sox-cess" by wearing Boston Red Sox gear to work or school on Friday, April 8, when the Sox take on the New York Yankees at Fenway Park for their home opener. The top fundraising company and school (K-12, college or university) are each eligible for a visit from Wakefield or Buchholz, if located within two-hour travel distance from Boston.  

This year's event adds a new twist: up for grabs are two Wild Card visits. Each team that raises $5,000 or more is eligible to win one of two visits from Wakefield or Buchholz (see full contest rules at RallyAgainstCancer.org).  

In five years, Rally Against Cancer has raised $1.9 million to support the fight against cancer at Dana-Farber. This year, the program hopes to raise $500,000. For more information about Rally, please visit www.RallyAgainstCancer.org.  

The Jimmy Fund supports Boston's Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, helping to raise funds for adult and pediatric cancer care and research and improve the chances of survival for cancer patients around the world. It is an official charity of the Boston Red Sox, as well as the official charity of the Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association, the Pan-Massachusetts Challenge, and the Variety Children's Charity of New England. Since 1948, the generosity of millions of people has helped the Jimmy Fund (www.jimmyfund.org) save countless lives and reduce the burden of cancer.

As Winter Fades - Spring Creeps - Only 2 Days Until Official Start for Red Sox

_{All signs are pointing to the start of Spring Training. (AP Photo)}

As the winter thaw slowly melts the city of Boston, the reality of Spring actually happening starts to set in - with thoughts quickly turning towards that of baseball. Couple this together with it being less then two days until all position players report down South - and you can almost smell the cut grass, and hear the sprinklers spraying down the Street. The Red Sox are coming. The Red Sox are coming.