The first pitch of the 2012 Major League Baseball season is less than a month away. On April 5, the Red Sox play the Tigers in Detroit to kick off what could be their most unpredictable campaign in recent memory. Fresh off a September nosedive that brought Boston from championship contention to an early winter break, the Sox will try to play consistent baseball under new leadership.
Undoubtedly, the biggest question about next season will be the effect that Bobby Valentine, Terry Francona’s managerial replacement, will have on the team. Valentine brings a completely different demeanor to the clubhouse than his predecessor. His motivational skills are aided by his exuberant personality, so he should be able to light a fire under any lazy players. Since the media frenzy over noncommittal player behavior during Francona’s final days, Valentine has banned beer in the clubhouse. Hopefully this tactic is a sign that the skipper will not tolerate any slacking from his new team.
Valentine managed the Texas Rangers in the AL from 1985 until 1992, and then most recently coached the New York Mets, in the NL, from 1996 to 2002. He found mild success with the Mets, taking a fourth place team in 1995 up above .500 and eventually to the National League Pennant in 2000. Since then, the Stamford, Connecticut native has spent time coaching the Chiba Lotte Marines in Japan, where he won the Japan Series (sort of like the World Series, but in Japan). Valentine has been notable for his eccentricity. On June 9, 1999, he was ejected from a game against the Toronto Blue Jays, only to sneak back into the dugout donning a fake mustache for a disguise. If Valentine is to find greater success with the Red Sox, he needs to parlay his wild, National-League-tuned management style into a formula that fits a very talented, and expensive, AL East team.
Bobby V is certainly not the only factor Sox fans need worry about this season. A few holes are left gaping on the defensive front since last season ended. First and foremost, shortstop Marco Scutaro has joined the Colorado Rockies in exchange for sinkerballer Clayton Mortensen. Replacing Scutaro will be two lukewarm bats and arms: Nick Punto, with his flashes of mediocrity, or the potentially-good-but-risky-nonetheless Mike Aviles. Jose Iglesias, the heir apparent to the Boston shortstop throne, is supposedly still unprepared for the big-league level according to the baseball brains in Boston. His progress, however, might have to be hurried along should Punto and Aviles disappoint.
Other notable changes for the Sox include a shakeup of the bullpen. Jonathan Papelbon will be throwing for the Phillies this season. Ben Cherington, Theo Epstein’s replacement as General Manager, brought in the extremely accurate Andrew Bailey from the Oakland Athletics to close in Pap’s stead. Daniel Bard was once thought to be next in line for the closer spot, but Valentine has decided to risk putting the young flamethrower in the rotation, given the inconsistency that has plagued the Red Sox’s starters lately.
Of course, there are many more factors to ponder from this off season. Jason Varitek and Tim Wakefield both retired after long and respectable careers. David Ortiz returns for another season of hitting balls really hard and then pathetically jogging around the bases — we’ll see how that turns out. Clay Buccholz returns from a back injury to possibly dominate again. Carl Crawford will attempt to make New England not hate him so much. When it really gets down to it, though, this season could bring some incredible moments. Stay tuned, baseball fans.
MLB Opening Day is April 4 at the new Marlins Stadium in Miami. The Red Sox open their season April 5.
