Red Sox Predictions

As we move toward the cusp of the baseball season, what are the prospects for the local 10, the Boston Red Sox. After all, with the designated hitter, the starting lineup is really ten, not nine players.

Why would the sum of the parts be so far superior to the parts?

ESPN has recently been listing the top players by position and to be fair it's projection not fact. Position by position, how do the Red Sox fair amidst the top 10 at each position (by memory).

Catcher - not applicable
First base - Napoli not in the top ten.
Second base - Pedroia listed at five
Shortstop - Bogaerts not listed
Third base - Sandoval at seven
Left field - Ramirez at five
Center - Betts not listed in top ten
Right field - Victorino not listed (probably not as good as Castillo at this point)
Starters - none listed (right or left handed)
Relievers - none listed (BTW Betances and Andrew Miller in the top 10)
DH - Ortiz listed first

With Vasquez out, catcher is more likely to be a weakness than strength, pending the eventual promotion of Swihart.

Napoli has had a strong spring after returning from reconstructive jaw surgery to treat obstructive sleep apnea. In a contract year, he will be motivated. Pedroia is Pedroia, burning to be better. Bogaerts should be on the rise after his shabby treatment by the water carriers for Stephen Drew last season. Sandoval should be better than last year's hot corner production.

In the outfield, Ramirez, Betts, and anybody should be better than last season's unproductive Red Sox outfield. The biggest question is when the incumbent breaks down in right field, when he starts complaining (contract year), and how this affects the team.

At my age, I'm incapable of remembering any team that won without stud starting pitchers, whether it was the Miracle Mets with Tom Seaver and Jerry Koosman or 2014 with the Miracle Madison (Bumgarner). When the Red Sox have won, they got great work from starting pitching and equally great work from the bullpen.

The Red Sox starting rotation is questionable at best, with Porcello the lead dog, Miley 'better than you think', Buchholz unreliable, Masterson vulnerable to left-handed hitting, and Kelly's health a mystery. With health issues at closer, and the attendant role shifts that follow, the Red Sox bullpen has more question marks than Frank Gorshin's "Riddler" on Batman, and John Farrell either a genius (2013) or Chump-dog Millionaire (2014).

At least by comparison with 2014, when the team was virtually unwatchable, this season deserves attention if not scrutiny. I'll say that the Sox don't make the playoffs, that the pitching staff is the predominant reason, and we'll sing "Wait 'til Next Year'.