[h=1]Red Sox are most improved team[/h][h=3]With better pitching and added depth, Boston is poised to bounce back[/h]By Manny Acta | ESPN Insider
There is no denying that the Boston Red Sox's 2012 season was a disaster. Last year was filled with lots of injuries, poor pitching and a manager who didn't work out.
But that was last season. When I look at the 2013 version of the Red Sox, I see a team with improved pitching, lots of depth and incredible character. Believe or not, this is going to be the most improved team in Major League Baseball in 2013.
Here's a look at why the Red Sox are primed for a bounce-back season.
Improved pitching
In 2011, the Red Sox finished ninth in the AL with a 4.20 ERA; last year, even though they had almost identical personnel, that number jumped to 4.70. The biggest problem was Jon Lester, who combined for a 3.33 ERA from 2008 through 2011. Last year? His ERA was 4.82. Who do you think the real Lester is? Personally, I think it's the pitcher we saw prior to 2012, and he is on a mission to prove that last year was a fluke. We saw a glimpse of that on Monday against the Yankees (seven strikeouts and two runs allowed in five innings), and I expect more of the same from here on out.
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The other pitcher who I think will be much better this year is Clay Buchholz. He has been on the verge of being a shutdown starter for years, and if he can stay healthy, I think this will be a breakout year for Buchholz. It was easy to write off Buchholz after he got knocked around in the first half of last year (.854 OPS against), but he was a different pitcher in the second half. His strikeout-walk rate jumped from 1.71 to 2.37, and his ERA was 3.76. I expect him to build on that this year.
Another arm poised to take a step forward is Felix Doubront. He's got electric stuff, having punched out more than a man per inning last year, but he walks too many batters. If he can keep that pitch count down, he could make a big impact. As it is, he's no more than the No. 4 starter, and we know that Ryan Dempster can give Boston some quality innings in the No. 3 spot. Doubront is a bit of a lottery ticket, but if he gets his stuff together, watch out.
Added depth
The biggest reason the Red Sox struggled last year was injuries, and they ended up having to rely too often on guys such as Scott Podsednik and Pedro Ciriaco. This winter, the Red Sox made a bunch of smart signings and trades, adding Dempster, Shane Victorino, Jonny Gomes, Stephen Drew, Mike Napoli and Joel Hanrahan. Some people have been critical of these moves, saying that the Red Sox paid too much for guys past their primes. But tell me this: Do you think Boston's front office, which is a smart one, would give $39 million to Victorino if he couldn't still play?
Besides, part of what makes a player like Victorino so useful is that he can fill in at all three outfield spots, and will be one of the best defensive right fielders in the game. And with Jackie Bradley Jr. now in the mix, this team might have the best defensive outfield in the majors. We know Lester and Buchholz will enjoy that.
The other spot where the Red Sox will be better is in the bullpen. With Hanrahan joining Andrew Bailey, the Red Sox have two pitchers with closer experience. Hanrahan will likely get more of the save opportunities, but that could be to the club's benefit because I think Bailey is a better pitcher (much lower walk rate), and manager John Farrell will have the flexibility to use him in higher-leverage situations.
Boston also added Koji Uehara on a one-year deal, and he has been lights-out since coming to the majors in 2009 -- he has a higher strikeout rate than both Bailey and Hanrahan. Farrell also has Alfredo Aceves at his disposal, who has shown he can succeed in a variety of roles. I know some people think Aceves' attitude could be a problem, but not on this club. Middle relievers are the most expendable players, and with so many leaders on this club, Aceves' antics won't be tolerated. And that brings me to the third reason why Boston will be so much better.
High character
The best thing about all of the veterans the Red Sox brought in is that they are all high-character guys, and that was no accident. General manager Ben Cherington had to be tired of all of the clubhouse chaos and decided to bring in players who would change the team's chemistry. As was mentioned, some of those guys might be past their primes, but they can all still make an impact. Victorino, Dempster, Drew, Napoli, Gomes -- none of these guys are stiffs.
As a former manager, I can tell you that it's so much easier to do your job when you have a team full of high-character guys. Instead of having to deal with stupid questions about clubhouse unrest, Farrell can just concentrate on doing his job and getting the most out of his roster.
The Red Sox won 69 games last year, and I think most would agree their talent base is better than that. When you factor in their offseason changes, I think they are much better than that. I see this as a winning team that will be in the mix for a playoff spot. After last year's disaster, fans can't complain about that.
There is no denying that the Boston Red Sox's 2012 season was a disaster. Last year was filled with lots of injuries, poor pitching and a manager who didn't work out.
But that was last season. When I look at the 2013 version of the Red Sox, I see a team with improved pitching, lots of depth and incredible character. Believe or not, this is going to be the most improved team in Major League Baseball in 2013.
Here's a look at why the Red Sox are primed for a bounce-back season.
Improved pitching
In 2011, the Red Sox finished ninth in the AL with a 4.20 ERA; last year, even though they had almost identical personnel, that number jumped to 4.70. The biggest problem was Jon Lester, who combined for a 3.33 ERA from 2008 through 2011. Last year? His ERA was 4.82. Who do you think the real Lester is? Personally, I think it's the pitcher we saw prior to 2012, and he is on a mission to prove that last year was a fluke. We saw a glimpse of that on Monday against the Yankees (seven strikeouts and two runs allowed in five innings), and I expect more of the same from here on out.
<OFFER></OFFER>
The other pitcher who I think will be much better this year is Clay Buchholz. He has been on the verge of being a shutdown starter for years, and if he can stay healthy, I think this will be a breakout year for Buchholz. It was easy to write off Buchholz after he got knocked around in the first half of last year (.854 OPS against), but he was a different pitcher in the second half. His strikeout-walk rate jumped from 1.71 to 2.37, and his ERA was 3.76. I expect him to build on that this year.
Another arm poised to take a step forward is Felix Doubront. He's got electric stuff, having punched out more than a man per inning last year, but he walks too many batters. If he can keep that pitch count down, he could make a big impact. As it is, he's no more than the No. 4 starter, and we know that Ryan Dempster can give Boston some quality innings in the No. 3 spot. Doubront is a bit of a lottery ticket, but if he gets his stuff together, watch out.
Added depth
The biggest reason the Red Sox struggled last year was injuries, and they ended up having to rely too often on guys such as Scott Podsednik and Pedro Ciriaco. This winter, the Red Sox made a bunch of smart signings and trades, adding Dempster, Shane Victorino, Jonny Gomes, Stephen Drew, Mike Napoli and Joel Hanrahan. Some people have been critical of these moves, saying that the Red Sox paid too much for guys past their primes. But tell me this: Do you think Boston's front office, which is a smart one, would give $39 million to Victorino if he couldn't still play?
Besides, part of what makes a player like Victorino so useful is that he can fill in at all three outfield spots, and will be one of the best defensive right fielders in the game. And with Jackie Bradley Jr. now in the mix, this team might have the best defensive outfield in the majors. We know Lester and Buchholz will enjoy that.
The other spot where the Red Sox will be better is in the bullpen. With Hanrahan joining Andrew Bailey, the Red Sox have two pitchers with closer experience. Hanrahan will likely get more of the save opportunities, but that could be to the club's benefit because I think Bailey is a better pitcher (much lower walk rate), and manager John Farrell will have the flexibility to use him in higher-leverage situations.
Boston also added Koji Uehara on a one-year deal, and he has been lights-out since coming to the majors in 2009 -- he has a higher strikeout rate than both Bailey and Hanrahan. Farrell also has Alfredo Aceves at his disposal, who has shown he can succeed in a variety of roles. I know some people think Aceves' attitude could be a problem, but not on this club. Middle relievers are the most expendable players, and with so many leaders on this club, Aceves' antics won't be tolerated. And that brings me to the third reason why Boston will be so much better.
High character
The best thing about all of the veterans the Red Sox brought in is that they are all high-character guys, and that was no accident. General manager Ben Cherington had to be tired of all of the clubhouse chaos and decided to bring in players who would change the team's chemistry. As was mentioned, some of those guys might be past their primes, but they can all still make an impact. Victorino, Dempster, Drew, Napoli, Gomes -- none of these guys are stiffs.
As a former manager, I can tell you that it's so much easier to do your job when you have a team full of high-character guys. Instead of having to deal with stupid questions about clubhouse unrest, Farrell can just concentrate on doing his job and getting the most out of his roster.
The Red Sox won 69 games last year, and I think most would agree their talent base is better than that. When you factor in their offseason changes, I think they are much better than that. I see this as a winning team that will be in the mix for a playoff spot. After last year's disaster, fans can't complain about that.
