MLB Team Outlook: Boston Red Sox looking forward to a promising season
Disappointment! That is the word that describes accurately the seasons that Red Sox had last year. Just when enormous hopes were attached to them by the fans, they failed to deliver their best. Some might blame the luck for this failure, but – in reality
– things were not somewhat technically disastrous too. The fact that Sox could not manage to make it to the playoffs corroborates the assertion that something else, more than sheer bad luck, was responsible for it.
The first and foremost, are injuries. The Red Sox supporters may hold this factor responsible for the collapse and perhaps, rightly so. After all, who can take on luck when it is determined to fail you? If that does not satisfactorily argue the major fault
the Red Sox had, cast a look at their inconsistency. Anyone having a look at nuances of the game will tell you that theirs was an embarrassingly poor performance in this regard. Hitting and pitching were, in reality, the weakest spots that plagued the team
at a horrendous scale.
When criticism strikes a team, it either leads to a magnificent come-back, or the further deterioration of the performance. But while the criticism keeps coming and in wholesale amount, let us not be unfair and overlook one strong aspect of it all: The poor
finish did not really overshadow the major batting categories of Red Sox which helped them be ranked in the top 10. They remained second in runs (818), not-so-unimpressive sixth in batting average (.268), equally good third in on-base percentage (.399) and
second in slugging percentage (.451).
Pitching, however, was of grave concern. When likes of Josh Beckett fumbles and John Lackey almost underwhelmed, you have a perfect recipe for disaster. That was precisely what was witnessed. Backett, Lackey, Matsuzaka and Wakefield all remained in a deeply
struggling situation which did nothing but added to the woes facing the team.
There are concerns, no doubt. However, 2011 can prove to be harbinger of change. Who takes the lead in it remains a somewhat baffling question whose satisfactory answer will not – for now – be available to the expert pundit as well. The ability to sign excitingly
speedy Carl Crawford from the Tampa Bay Rays and San Diego’s Adrian Gonzalez via a trade is an interesting proportion of excitement awaiting the fans with the start of the season. It remains beyond doubt that Crawford will add a much-needed dimension of speed
to the line-up, something the Red Sox have lacked enormously. Equally important, the addition of Gonzalez strengthens the first basemen.
The aforementioned positives are not a capricious whim a fan might hold. If you have an eye of sharp observer on the famously strong offensive machine that the teams have had in the recent past, Crawford and Gonzalez are the duo that will capture your imagination
this season. If offence is to remain intact and powerful, swinging a consistent bat is what it requires. Elisbury is there to throw down his gauntlet and show how he excels in this aspect of the game. Before a not-so-venial offence is unconsciously committed
for Red Sox fans, we must hasten to add David Ortiz. A season filled with scintillating performances is expected of him largely because he is said to be playing his last season as he celebrates his 35th birthday this year.
With an array of able players filling the list and after a grim season in 2010 that the team had, there is a great anticipation: Red Sox will deliver this season. As the season approaches we are reminded of the last time the Red Sox had missed their playoffs
in 2006. It was compensated by an astounding win in the 2007 World Series victory.
Only time will tell if they are up to the task this year.
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