POLL: Overwhelming RF Preference For Castillo

The first wave of voting in our latest FenwayNation Poll shows that an overwhelming majority of readers (85%) prefer Rusney Castillo as their Opening Day right-fielder, while just 15% opt for Shane Victorino. Manager John Farrell has stated that—if healthy—Victorino will be the starter in right. You can still vote in the poll HERE.

POLL: Who Should Be In RF On Opening Day?

Opening Day Right-Fielder?
Next Monday, on Opening Day, who should be in RF?	Rusney Castillo Shane Victorino
	Current Results

Fenway Owns Priciest Secondary Market Tickets

According to FORBES magazine, the average price of a Red Sox home game ticket on the secondary market is $129.41—a 24.4% increase over last year. That average ticket price places a Fenway Park seat as the most expensive home ticket in all of baseball. Boston passed last year's leader—The Bronx Embalmers—who still occupy second position at an average ticket price of $110.41. The World Series Champion Giants are in third place ($110.01), followed by the Blue Jays ($108.69), Mets ($105.42) and Tigers ($100.27).

Red Sox Score Nine In Ninth; Beat Rays, 11-8

Holt Singles In The Big Sox 9th

It looked like just another ho-hum Spring Training loss. Boston was down 8-2 to the Rays going into the top of the ninth at Port Charlotte, Florida. Then, the deluge. The Red Sox scored six to tie the score—and still had none out and the bases loaded. They went on to tally three more to capture an 11-8 win. Blake Swihart (he of the AAA destination) had a two-run triple in the inning and Brock Holt, Daniel Nava, David Chester (who?), Deven Marrero and then Swihart again, had RBI hits. Kind of fun. Kind of goofy. We'll take it.

Mike Napoli's Amazing Broken-Bat Home Run

On Roster Or Not, Swihart To Philly Deal Off

Blake Swihart (FenwayNation File Photo)

Whether or not Blake Swihart makes Boston's Opening Day roster, any potential deal of the young catcher for Cole Hamels is now a virtual impossibility. With Christian Vazquez on the 60-day DL (and possibly gone for the year with Tommy John surgery), Swihart has a shot at making the big league roster. This, despite Monday's acquisition of defensive backstop Sandy Leon from the Nationals—for cash considerations. Boston could go with a tandem of Andover's Ryan Hanigan and Leon—although that would provide almost no offensive punch from the #9 spot in the batting order. Swihart—while still honing his defensive skills—would be a clear offensive upgrade. Whatever the decision, it needs to be done soon.

Red Sox Acquire Catcher Sandy Leon From Nats

Sandy Leon

UPDATE: Vazquez placed on 60-day DL.
The Red Sox moved quickly to deal with the likely loss of Christian Vazquez by obtaining Sandy Leon from the Washington Nationals. Leon, 26, is known as a defensive specialist—similar to Vazquez. Leon is reportedly on his way to Fort Myers today and will likely share catching duties with Andover's Ryan Hanigan. What this also suggests is that the organization believes that Blake Swihart needs more work on his defensive skills on an everyday basis at AAA. Ironically, Boston traded away part of its catching depth to Washington in January—sending Dan Butler to DC for pitcher Danny Rosenbaum.

Rusney Castillo Making It Hard Not To Play Him

Castillo's Game-Saving Play

He did it again today. Rusney Castillo got another hit, scored two runs, and made a game-saving defensive play in Boston's 3-2 10th-inning win over Tampa. In the top of the 10th, with one out and a man on third, Castillo made an off-balance running catch in foul ground—gathered himself—and gunned the runner out at the plate on the fly. It was positively Yoenis Cespedes-like—except Castillo actually caught the ball first. Manager John Farrell said,  "I don’t know that you can make a better play than the one he made. A dynamic player when you consider the skill set that he has. If there was any question on whether he can play right field, I think he’s certainly answering those for us in camp here." The bottom line is that—since coming back from injury—Castillo is making it very tough for the Red Sox not to play him a lot in the 2015 outfield. Of course, that's a problem, given the continued log-jam out there. Look for a trade or two real soon.

Is Jonathan Papelbon Headed North Of Border?

Toronto Blue Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos was in attendance at a Spring Training game this week. Not surprising, right? Except it wasn't one in which his team was participating. Anthopoulos was behind the plate at a Phillies-Yankees game—presumably to scout disgruntled Philadelphia closer Jonathan Papelbon. The Jays have previously hinted at an interest in the former Red Sox closer and could be close to a deal that brings him to The Great White North. When Pap was informed about the GM's presence, he stated (characteristically), "Huh, interesting."

Clay Buchholz Named Opening Day Starter

In a completely unsurprising development, Clay Buchholz was announced as Boston's Opening Day starter—April 6th against the Phillies in Philadelphia. Manager John Farrell stated that he had decided—over the Winter—that Buchholz was the number one starter, but waited until now to insure that the righty would be healthy.

Christian Vazquez Visits Dr. Andrews On Elbow

This is very bad news. Young Red Sox catcher Christian Vazquez has a scheduled visit with Dr. James Andrews for a "second opinion" on his ailing right elbow. Nine times out of ten, a visit to Andrews results in Tommy John surgery. If that, in fact, transpires, a debate will ensue about whether Blake Swihart is immediately ready to slide onto the big league club. Luckily, Ryan Hanigan is a veteran who can carry a bigger load than was projected—but then what? Stay tuned.

Christian Vazquez To Undergo MRI Today

The Red Sox announced this morning that Christian Vazquez will undergo an MRI exam today. The young catcher is still experiencing "some discomfort" in his throwing elbow. Said Vazquez, "I want to be 100 percent to help the team. I need to be ready to help the team win. That's my goal: Be ready, be healthy. This is the first time in my life that I got hurt. I'm, you know, a little bit sad with myself for the first time, but I'm fine." Look for Blake Swihart to make the Opening Day roster if Vasquez goes down for any significant length of time.

David Ortiz Confronts PED Use Issue Head-On

Red Sox DH David Ortiz has written an astonishing article in The Players' Tribune—the online publication for athletes founded by Derek Jeter. The piece is astonishing for a couple of reasons—first, he didn't have to confront the issue at all; second, the forthright tone of the piece is unusual from a mega-star like Ortiz. If you had to isolate one segment as representative of the full article, it would probably be this:

"Say whatever you want about me — love me, hate me. But I’m no bullxxxxxer. I never knowingly took any steroids. If I tested positive for anything, it was for something in pills I bought at the damn mall. If you think that ruins everything I have done in this game, there is nothing I can say to convince you different." 

Along the way, he specifically calls out Boston Globe sportswriter Dan Shaughnessy—who Ortiz hilariously identifies as "the reporter with the red jheri curl". After his hot start in 2013, Ortiz was asked by Shaughnessy the following, "You’re from the Dominican. You’re older. You fit the profile of a steroid user. Don’t you think you’re a prime suspect?". Understandably, this outraged Ortiz—who is still awaiting an apology.

Essentially, Ortiz blames the purchase of "over-the-counter" supplements at GNC for his appearance on the benchmark MLB list in 2003—the list that was used to set the standard for future PED regulations. The article is bold and unapologetic. And probably something he needed to finally get off his chest.

Pedro Debuts On MLB Network On April 8th

(Exclusive FenwayNation Photo)

Red Sox great and soon-to-be-enshrined Hall of Famer Pedro Martinez will make his MLB Network debut on April 8th. Pedro will join a star-studded team of analysts—including fellow 2015 HOF inductee (and also former Carmine Hoser) Jon Smoltz. Pedro will also reprise his role as a post-season analyst for Turner Sports. Said Pedro, "I'm looking forward to having fun and doing what we like to do the most, which is talk baseball, analyze things that will happen during the game, how we would approach some of those things. I'm excited and can't wait for the moment to get here." Who knows? We may get another classic "Wacha, Wacha!" moment.

Vazquez May Miss Opening Day; MRI Possible

(AP Photo/Steven Senne)

Christian Vazquez—slated to do the bulk of the catching for the Red Sox in 2015—has not caught a game in almost two weeks and may miss Opening Day due to an elbow strain. On March 13th, Vazquez injured the elbow throwing out an Empire runner at second base. While it has not been decided, Vazquez could be given an MRI to gauge his readiness. Said manager John Farrell, "He's improving. Any time a player misses time, there's some level of concern because of the talents that they are, and a player's health is first and foremost. But there's still some steps to accomplish." It's unclear who would replace Vasquez on the roster should he head to the DL—but Blake Swihart would be the logical choice.

Moncada Jumps Over Swihart On Prospect List

Major League Baseball's revised ranking of Red Sox prospects places newly-acquired Cuban free agent Yoan Moncada on top of the list. He replaces Blake Swihart, who had been considered the team's top prospect for some time, and is now ranked as #2. Rounding out the new top five are: #3—LHP Henry Owens; #4—LHP Eduardo Rodriguez; #5—3B Rafael Devers. Devers has been getting quite a bit of ink lately—and was singled out by Baseball America as Boston's #1 power-hitting prospect.

Red Sox Cut Owens, Brentz, Cecchini Thursday

The Red Sox assigned LHP Henry Owens to minor-league camp this morning. Owens, once touted as the top lefty in the system, has fallen behind others after a couple of very poor Spring outings. Also, Boston optioned OF Bryce Brentz, 3B Garin Cecchini, and RHPs Heath Hembree and Zeke Spruill to AAA.

Are Victorino Comments Worthy Of Firestorm?

(Getty Images)

UPDATE: Victorino response. Ladies and gentleman, we finally have our first Spring Training controversy. Talk radio is going bananas today over comments made yesterday by Shane Victorino to a Philadelphia newspaper. Basically, Victorino said he would love to have Cole Hamels in Carmine Hose—essentially no matter what the price. That last part is the rub—construed by some as throwing outfield competitor Mookie Betts under the bus. Said Victorino, "And I understand the future is important, but for an organization—and anybody, any organization, not just here —I'm going to give up, maybe not everybody, but I'm going to give up 2-3 pieces that I think are necessary for a certain guy. Because it warrants it. This guy [Hamels] is established." Then, as if to draw a direct comparison between a hitting prospect (Betts?) and a known quantity (himself?), he went on, "Why would you hope that guy becomes this hitter, when you have it right now?" In our view, this is a tempest in a teapot. Victorino never specifically names any prospect, and actually goes out of his way in the interview to be cautious. For example, he says, "I'm also happy with the guys we've got—I respect them." Well, certain talk radio types need something to draw ratings.

NFL Player Heads To Sox Minor League Camp

Magee In 2014

OK, this is a weird one. He might not turn out to be another Deion Sanders or Bo Jackson, but Brandon Magee is going to give it a shot. Just this morning, Magee was released by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Immediately afterward, Magee let it be known that he's headed to Red Sox minor league camp at Fort Myers. Said the former linebacker, "Right now, I'm focused on spring training." Magee —a two-sport player at Arizona State—was drafted by Boston in the 23rd round in 2012. Originally, the Cleveland Browns signed Magee as an un-drafted free agent, and after a cup of coffee at Sox camp last year, he chose to play football again—this time for the Bucs. He saw limited action last year as a special teams member. So, now, it's hardball time again!

FORBES: Sox Are Third Most Valuable In MLB

FORBES magazine has released its 2015 list of MLB team values—and the Red Sox come in at number three. Not surprisingly, The Bronx Embalmers top the list with a valuation of $3.2 billion. The Dodgers come in second, worth $2.4 billion, while the Red Sox chime in next at $2.1 billion. Forbes calls the figures "enterprise values"—that is, a calculation of equity plus net debt. Overall, Major League Baseball itself is valued at a whopping $36 billion—with an average team value of $1.2 billion (up 48% since 2014).

RI Lawmaker: Vote For Any PawSox Subsides

A Rhode Island state legislator wants to make sure any public funding of a PawSox move to Providence is put before that state's voters. Republican State Rep. Patricia Morgan has filed a bill that would allow voters to decide whether the new owners of the AAA franchise get any public subsidies to build a new Providence waterfront ballpark. The new owners include a heavy Boston Red Sox contingent—including team president and CEO Larry Lucchino. The new owners want to re-brand the franchise as "The Rhode Island Red Sox". Said Rep. Morgan, "That’s [the taxpayers'] money. It’s not some men sitting around a table, yucking it up with one another. It is the people’s money, and they have a right to say yes or no." Indeed.

Simulator Projects Mariners Over Sox In ALCS

Probably Just As Accurate

PredictionMachine.com is a game simulation site that touts itself as "the most accurate and trusted source for predicting sports outcomes straight-up and against-the-spread." So, based on their own description, you can take what follows with as large a grain of salt as you wish. Anyway, the site ran over 50,000 simulations of the 2015 season and found the Washington Nationals won the World Series the highest percentage of the time (16.4%). Next on the "champions" list were the Dodgers (11.7%), the Mariners (9.8%), the Cardinals (9.7%) and your own Carmine Hose (8.2%). The Red Sox, Nats, Dodgers, and Cardinals were the only teams to win their divisions more than 50% of the time. Along the way, the Red Sox defeat the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in the Divisional round, but lose to the Mariners in the ALCS. Boston is projected to win 91 games—with their likelihood to reach the post-season set at 72.9%. For our money, we're taking it with a whole box of Diamond Crystal salt.

Koji's Opening Day Readiness In Serious Doubt

(AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

After putting on a good face for several days, Red Sox manager John Farrell has finally admitted that Koji Uehara may not be ready for Opening Day (April 6th in Philadelphia). Uehara has been suffering from right hamstring tightness—and has not pitched in a game since March 14th. As each new day passes without game action for the closer, his readiness for Opening Day becomes more doubtful. Said Farrell, "I think with each passing day he's not in a game, there's growing concern, concern in the sense, 'Will he be ready for April 6?' And we're just working through that." Edward Mujica is the likely replacement for Uehara until he can return.

Fenway Begins To Look Normal—60s Due Soon

The consensus among the meteorological community in Boston is that temperatures will hit 60 degrees Fahrenheit on Thursday of this week. Now, after their bungling performance this Winter, the credibility of this crew is roughly equal to that of Brian Williams. Nevertheless, photos from Fenway Park do indicate that it is beginning to look normal—with only a few stubborn pockets of snow and ice hanging on. So, if the temperatures actually do move into the 60s range, things should progress enough that the old girl will be ready in plenty of time for the Home Opener on April 13th—exactly twenty days away.

Sox May Put Kelly On DL, Go With Four Starters

For the first time yesterday, Red Sox manager John Farrell floated the possibility that Joe Kelly (suffering from right bicep tendinitis) might go on the disabled list. The rationale for this action would be that Boston does not need a fifth starter until April 12th (a Sunday night game in the Bronx). The extra rest would give Kelly the opportunity to fully heal from the injury—and make an extra minor league start—in Florida. There is still a chance that Kelly could make a final successful major league Spring start without discomfort that would avoid a DL stint.

Sox Skills Competition Determined Road Roster

 (Photo By USATSI)

On Sunday, the Red Sox held a 'skills competition' to determine which players would take today's grueling three-hour road trip to Jupiter—on the East Coast of Florida. The event was 'refereed' by David Ortiz (still out with flu and dehydration issues). Among the 'losers' were: Dustin Pedroia, Xander Bogaerts, Hanley Ramirez, Jackie Bradley, Jr., and Daniel Nava. Among the 'winners'—who get to stay on the West Coast in Ft. Myers—were: Mookie Betts, Deven Marrero, Pablo Sandoval, Brock Holt and Bryce Brentz. With the exception of Mookie and The Panda, it looks like the fans over in Jupiter hit the jackpot.

David Ortiz Still Out Due To Flu & Dehydration

Someone get the Poland Springs folks on the horn! And put a call into The CVS Minute Clinic while you're at it! David Ortiz will now be out until Thursday due to issues related to the flu and dehydration. The Red Sox DH has been out of games for almost a week now due to these conditions. Said manager John Farrell, "He's just on the tail end of the flu-like symptoms and a respiratory (infection). He had battled some dehydration a few days ago, but associated with that is the general soreness that we're getting out of him. But he's making progress."

Say It Ain't So: Louisville Slugger "Finnish"-ed

Another iconic American brand has been sold to foreigners. Hillerich & Bradsby Co. has made the famed "Louisville Slugger" wood bats for over 130 years. The company has now been sold to Wilson Sporting Goods Co. for $70 million. Wilson, in turn, is really owned by Amer Sports Corp.—based in Helsinki, Finland. Now, the Finns are perfectly nice people—but what do they know about bats? Yet another sign of the Apocalypse.

MLB Pegs Red Sox As #2 Overall Farm System

There's something to be said for the talent evaluation brainpower emanating from Yawkey Way. MLB.com has ranked the 30 major league farm systems and the top two have a decidedly "carmine" lineage. Topping the list is the Chicago Cubs—cultivated over the last few years by Boston renegades Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer. Number two on the list are your own Boston Red Sox—with Ben Cherington and his bevy of kids poised for stardom. The Twins, Pirates and Mets round out the top five—with The Evil Empire (old and getting older by the day) nowhere in sight. Of course, the real key to success in talent evaluation is knowing which kids to trade and which to hoard. Those results are yet to come.

Sox Great George Scott Would Have Been 71

Had he lived, former Red Sox first baseman, three-time All-Star and 8-time Gold Glove winner George Scott would have been 71 years old today. In nine seasons with Boston, Scott hit .257 with 154 home runs (or "taters" as he called them). While we didn't know why at the time, Scott wore a batting helmet in the field because of experiences with road fans throwing objects at him during his career. He was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers in 1971 as part of the deal that brought Tommy Harper and Marty Pattin to the Red Sox. He came back to Boston in 1977 for Cecil Cooper. Known as "Boomer" in his days at Fenway Park, Scott was just 69 years old when he passed away in June of 2013.

Mookie-Palooza Is The Big Spring Training Story

(Getty Images—Joel Auerbach)

He hit an inside-the-park-home-run yesterday, but he didn't really need it. Mookie Betts has long since cemented his role as Opening Day starting center-fielder for the Boston Red Sox. So far this Spring, the 22-year old has been the story—hitting .471, with six doubles, two triples and that aforementioned HR. His Spring OPS is a silly 1.324. Rusney Castillo's injury woes—coupled with this kind of production from Betts—cemented the CF job for the kid. As if to emphasize the point that 'competition is good', Castillo came back and clouted a three-run HR and a triple in four at-bats. If Allen Craig doesn't get moved by April 6th, it will be interesting to see how Boston shoe-horns all these outfielders onto one roster—including .333-hitting Jackie Bradley, Jr.

Wade Miley Sets The 'Pace' For Sox Starters

Not only did Wade Miley deliver five shoutout innings yesterday—he also pitched at a pace that will put a smile of Commissioner Rob Manfred's face. In the tie with the Pirates, Rusney Castillo and Jackie Bradley, Jr. each had two hits and Alan Craig had an RBI. The left-handed Miley took a total of 19 minutes to work his five frames—talking an average of 17 seconds to deliver each pitch. Gee, maybe there's a correlation between working fast and getting batters out. Greg Maddux could not be reached for comment.

ESPN's Olney: 'Concerns' About The Red Sox

Olney; The Wolf

To paraphrase the immortal Winston Wolf from 'Public Fiction': "Let's not congratulate each other just yet". Before we start printing 2015 World Champ t-shirts, maybe we should step back and try to take an objective look at this year's edition of The Carmine Hose. A man with as much gravitas as 'The Wolf'—Buster Olney—has some doubts about this team. Said Olney on WEEI: "Other teams are seeing real problems with the rotation. I have real concerns about the Red Sox, I just don’t think they’re going to have enough pitching to win this division. In the eyes of other clubs, this is a team that’s going to have to hit its way to success if they’re going to win this year. I think it’s possible that they could hit so well that they wind up making the postseason, but I just don’t see it." Hmm. Maybe we better put the champagne back in the fridge.

Jon Lester To Miss Next Start Due To 'Dead Arm'

(AP Photo)

Former Red Sox (and current Chicago Cubs) ace Jon Lester will miss his next start due to what is being described as a "dead arm". At this stage of Spring Training it's not unusual for pitchers to lose some velocity and effectiveness due to so-called dead arm syndrome. In his last start on Monday, Lester was shelled for seven runs by the Padres. According to new Cubs manager Joe Maddon, this setback will not affect the left-hander's scheduled start on Opening Day against the St. Louis Cardinals. Said Maddon, "I checked in this morning. He's feeling great so we just want to back off a little bit right now." The acquisition of Lester has led to a lot of excitement around the benighted Cubbies—vaulting them into discussions about making the post-season among both fans and odds-makers (If you are interested in legally betting on baseball games this season, you can find a wealth of information at http://www.legalbaseballbetting.com/). The Red Sox failed to lure Lester back this off-season after shipping him off to Oakland at the trade deadline last year.

Baseball Prospectus: Sox Make Post-Season

The authoritative website BaseballProspectus.com has released its 2015 Playoff Odds Report and projects the Red Sox to make the post-season on 56.4% of its game simulation runs. Next to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (67.4%), that's the second highest percentage of advancement to the playoffs in the American League. In fact, in all of MLB, only the Los Angeles Dodgers (89.9%), Washington Nationals (78.4%), St. Louis Cardinals (61.9%) and Angels have higher percentages of playoff advancement than the Red Sox. As the fifth most likely team to make the post-season, Boston is projected by BP to win 85.5 games—just enough to win the AL East over Tampa at 85.1 wins. The Bronx Embalmers sit in 20th place—advancing to the playoffs on just 22.4% of the simulations.

Our 2015 Pre-Season Dalton Jones Reading Is In

We have received our initial 2015 preseason score from readers worldwide on FenwayNation's Dalton Jones Industrial Average. The results show a "raw score" of 67.2—6.2 points lower that 2014's initial reading of 73.4. This raw number is out of a maximum possible score of 100.0. The 67.2 raw score will be normalized and set to 100.0 as the benchmark reading for the remainder of the 2015 season. Readings higher or lower than the benchmark will be reported once a month through September. This year's individual raw scores were: starting pitching—46.2 (compared with 73.8 last year); relief pitching—66.6 (compared with 79.2 last year); total offense—84.7 (compared with 69.6 last year); and total defense—71.2 (compared with 71.1 last year). Look for our updated scores at the end of each month.

Red Sox Send Swihart And Rodriguez To AAA

The Red Sox pared their roster down to 49 by optioning both catcher Blake Swihart and pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez to AAA Pawtucket (soon-to-be Providence). In the not-too-distant future, Rodriguez and Swihart will make up a potent battery for The Carmine Hose—both among the best team prospects at their respective positions. There are now 36 players on the 40-man roster—with 13 non-roster players still in big-league camp.

POLL: Majority Still Favor Papelbon's Return

A majority of readers (54%) continue to support the idea of the Sox "considering" a return of former closer Jonathan Papelbon to the team. As the chart shows, a healthy minority (46%) oppose his return to Fenway. Papelbon has recently told the media that he would be open to a return to Boston, but it's unclear how much interest the NOG actually has in him. You can still vote in this poll HERE.

Spring Barrels Into Boston Tonight At 6:45 PM

At 6:45 PM tonight, Spring will arrive in Boston. There will be no robins in sight—let alone any orioles, cardinals or blue jays. In fact, it is projected to be snowing as the Vernal Equinox passes through New England. The snowiest Winter in history will mercifully come to an end—with, of course, more snow. Then again, Opening Day (April 6th in Philadelphia) is a mere 17 days away. And one week after that, the blow torches and chemicals should have cleared Fenway Park for play. As we write this, it is 26 degrees on this first day of Spring—and about to get a lot colder. No self-respecting robin would be within 1,500 miles of here.

POLL: Slim Majority Favor Papelbon's Return

Early voting in out latest FenwayNation Poll suggests that a lot of our readers would be OK with Jonathan Papelbon returning to close for the Red Sox. As the chart shows, just over half (52%) think Boston should consider a Pap return, while nearly as many (48%) are opposed to The Prodigal Bud Light Box coming back to Fenway. You can still vote in the poll HERE.

Sox Reportedly 'Considering' Mookie Extension

Mookie Betts

According to WEEI.com's Rob Bradford, the Red Sox are "considering" a multi-year extension offer to Mookie Betts. While Betts has less than one year of service time, the Boston brass apparently have seen enough to convince them that he's a special enough player to be "locked up" long-term. This makes even more sense since—due to Rusney Castillo's injury—Betts has seemingly locked-up the starting center field job. This would be a smart move for the Red Sox—who should offer at least five years guaranteed with two option years on the back end. As MLBTradeRumors.com's Mark Polishuk points out, that would give Boston control over Betts for at least one of his free agent years. This is a no-brainer. Do it!

Poll: Should Sox Consider A Papelbon Return?

Papelbon Redux?
Should the Sox consider a return of Papelbon?	Yes No
	Current Results

Should The Sox Consider A Papelbon Return?

Papelbon Flying High In 2007

Koji Uehara, our 40-year-old closer, is hurting. Edward Mujica—his likely sub—is a crap shoot. Matt Barnes—the young stud who could fill-in—has been spotty this Spring. So, there's a case to be made for bringing back Jonathan Papelbon, right? The mere suggestion has brought on a torrent of controversy in The Nation. WEEI.com's Rob Bradford asked Papelbon point-blank if he'd consider a return to The Carmine Hose. Said Pap, "Of course, yeah. Of course I would. But you know that's a lot easier said than done." No kidding. A lot of fans recall his implosion in the 2009 ALDS (blowing a 2-run lead in the 9th, after which my then 13-year old son stated, "Papelbon is dead to me"). But, the man has been extremely successful in the highest-pressure pitching role in baseball. Let's look at the numbers. The 34-year old has now played in 10 seasons—compiling 325 saves. His career ERA is 2.37 and he's given up 145 fewer hits than innings pitched (the true mark of a quality pitcher). His three seasons in Philly have been pretty good as well (106 saves, 2.45 ERA). As Bradford points out, Papelbon's numbers are eerily comparable to Mariano Rivera's at the same point in their careers. If things continue to get dicey in the Red Sox M*A*S*H unit, why not consider bringing him back—along with his Bud Light head-gear?

Cast Your Dalton Jones Industrial Average Vote!

We're just about half-way through Spring Training. The perfect time for fans to make an assessment about the fortunes of the 2015 Carmine Hose. As such, FenwayNation's exclusive Dalton Jones Industrial Average is back to offer that opportunity to our readers. The DJIA (honoring the Red Sox all-time pinch-hit leader) gathers four key metrics from FN readers scattered around the world. Each month, readers assess the fortunes of the team on: starting pitching, relief pitching, overall offense and overall defense. FenwayNation will publish the DJIA Index Score at the start of the season and at the beginning of each month during the season. You can now cast your pre-season votes HERE.

Red Sox, Eduardo Rodriguez Edge Twinkies, 3-2

The Red Sox defeated a split-squad of Minnesota Twins today, 3-2. Left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez pitched two innings of relief and got the victory. Mookie Betts got another hit (his fifth double, now hitting .448) and scored a run. Somewhat quietly, Brock Holt is having a solid Spring—netting two more hits today (now hitting .353). Rick Porcello had another good start—going four innings and giving up just one earned run. On the "pace of game" front, this nine-inning contest took only 2 hours and 26 minutes. Almost 10,000 people showed up to watch the win at JetBlue Park in Fort Myers. Boston plays the Toronto Blue Jays on the road tomorrow.

David Ortiz Will Miss Games Due To Dehydration

(Getty Images)

Red Sox DH David Ortiz will likely miss the next few games due to dehydration. Said manager John Farrell, "The last couple of days we’ve had guys come out with cramps and we have to be careful we don’t overload them at this time of the year and get them through it." Big Papi will likely play again this coming Sunday against the Philadelphia Phillies.

Sox Pare Down Roster With First Spring Cuts

Trimming Christmas trees is fun—trimming rosters is not. Yesterday, the Red Sox cut their Spring roster down from 57 to 51. Sean Coyle (2B) and Travis Shaw (1B) were optioned to AAA Pawtucket (soon to be Providence), while RHPs Miguel Celestino, Keith Couch, and Noe Ramirez were sent down to minor league camp. Veteran IF Bryan LaHair was also reassigned to the minor league facility. There are now 38 players from the 40-man roster in camp—along with 13 non-roster invitees. The team needs to get down to 25 players by Opening Day (April 6th).

Eduardo Jose Rodriguez: Ace Under Our Nose?

(Portland Press-Herald photo)

Dan Duquette did not want to give up Eduardo Rodriguez when he acquired Andrew Miller from the Red Sox last year. Rodriguez was considered one of the top Oriole pitching prospects in a pitching-rich system. In five minor league seasons, the 21-year old lefty has a 3.26 ERA in just over 486 innings pitched—striking out nearly eight batters per nine innings (7.7). Last year, for the AA Portland Seadogs, he was an amazing 3-1, with a 0.96 ERA over six starts. And, he struck out nearly ten batters per nine-innings (9.4). This Spring, he's pitched 5.1 innings, given up just three hits, no runs and struck out seven. Moreover, just over the last few days, the talk in Red Sox camp is that Rodriguez has passed Henry Owens on the depth chart. If Boston's cadre of "number three starters" breaks down, you could see Rodriguez with the big club sooner rather than later. No ace? You just have to know where to look.

How Should We Read The Last Buchholz Start?

Clay Buchholz has—on balance—had a pretty good Spring. He's pitched ten innings, given up nine hits and delivered a 1.80 ERA. He's walked only two and struck out twelve. All this in the midst of the great We Don't Have A Number One Starter controversy. And yet, in yesterday's outing there were some troubling signs. Granted, he struck out six batters in just two innings—but he also gave up a lot of "hard contact" with a fastball that seemed to top-out in the high 80s. He gave up four runs (two earned) on five hits. So, what does all this mean? While Clay's history of breakdown could certainly send up red flags, our view is less alarmist. Scouts will tell you that around this time in Spring Training, pitchers go through a "dead arm" period—where their fastball tends to lose a few miles per hour. That's probably what happened yesterday. And the fact that Buchholz had enough on his pitches to strike out six has to bode well. Breathe deep, step out and enjoy the 15 degree wind chill (Spring is Friday).

Joe Kelly Injury Update: May Miss Sunday Start

(Stacy Revere/Getty Images)

The news on Joe Kelly's bicep tendinitis was generally positive on Tuesday. Kelly left Monday's comeback win over the Mets with the arm problem, but he considered it not serious at the time. He was examined and treated by Red Sox doctors (we use this term advisedly)—and afterward, there was "still a little bit of soreness". According to Manager John Farrell, he could miss his next start. Said Farrell, "He's scheduled to start Sunday. We'll get him off a mound prior to the next time he gets into a game. There's probably going to be a couple of days of just some rest and rehab and maybe some light throwing, so if that extends him out past (Sunday), that's possible. But we'll know more in the coming days." Stay tuned.

Farrell Favors Putting Pete Rose In Hall Of Fame

(Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)

Red Sox manager John Farrell weighed in on the renewed Pete Rose controversy today. New MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred has stated that he will 'consider' re-instating Rose from his 'lifetime' ban for gambling on baseball while manager of the Reds. Said Farrell, "From my standpoint, there's an integrity of the game element that has got to be upheld. But a great player. I see no reason why he shouldn't be in the Hall of Fame." Sorry, John, faulty logic on your part. For our part, we like to use the Garden of Eden analogy regarding Rose. It's pretty clear that Adam and Eve (last names unclear) were explicitly warned that there was one thing in the Garden they could not eat from—The Tree Of Knowledge. Everything else was Kosher (so to speak). And what did those crazy kids do? We all know the answer—and we all know the punishment that came down upon them (sort of the ultimate "lifetime ban"). Similarly, every clubhouse at every level of baseball has an explicit posted warning about gambling on the game—it's the one thing you absolutely cannot do. Rose did it. End of story.