Red Sox Report: Closer Andrew Bailey Hurt
Monday, April 02, 2012
The biggest mystery of the spring for the Boston Red Sox was settled Sunday, but a big problem popped up that could hurt the team to start the season.
Manager Bobby Valentine announced Sunday that Felix Doubront and Daniel Bard will be the team’s 4th and 5th starters, respectively, to start the season. That means that Alfredo Aceves will open up the year in the bullpen where, as it turns out, he will be dearly needed.
Valentine also announced that new closer Andrew Bailey is heading to Boston Monday to have his injured right thumb examined. Bailey hadn’t pitched for the last 4 days with his last appearance being in a minor league game on Wednesday where he apparently pitched with the injury.
When Bailey sustained the injury is somewhat of a mystery, but Valentine indicated that it may have happened on March 21 in Bradenton against the Pittsburgh Pirates when he was involved in a collision at first base.
Red Sox management didn’t say whether or not they expect Bailey to be placed on the disabled list, however, that appears likely. They will await the results of his exam on Monday before making a decision.
In the meantime, Boston’s bullpen has already been a point of concern with closer Jonathan Papelbon now in Philadelphia and their former set-up man Bard now in the starting rotation. The big question now is: who will close until Bailey returns?
Maybe the most obvious candidate would be Mark Melancon who closed for the Houston Astros last season but he has struggled this spring posting a 6.23 ERA thus far. Valentine has indicated that he would actually be comfortable with Aceves in the closer’s role.
Stay tuned!
NOTES:
-Sunday, the Red Sox beat the Twins 5-1. Dustin Pedroia and Adrain Gonzalez each went 2-4 with a double in the win. Jacoby Ellsbury went 1-3 with a triple in the lead-off spot. The win lifted Boston’s record to 14-11-4 in Grape Fruit League play. It also assured them of having a winning record this spring with only one game Monday against the Washington Nationals in Florida and another against the Nationals in Washington DC on Tuesday. Boston opens up the regular season Thursday afternoon in Detroit.
-Boston’s win over the Twins also gave them the Fort Myers Mayor’s Cup as they took the spring series 4 games to 2.
-With Daniel Bard officially being named a starter and the news that catcher Ryan Lavarnway was sent down to Pawtucket, the final tally in the difference of opinion game between the Red Sox manager and general manager reads: Ben Cherrington 3, Bobby Valentine 0. Lavarnway is clearly the biggest offensive threat of Boston’s three catchers but Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Kelly Shoppach start the season with the parent club.
-For those who wonder what the Red Sox line-up might look like on opening day, it may be identical to the one Valentine rolled out Sunday against the Twins. Here it is:
Ellsbury CF
Pedroia 2B
Gonzalez 1B
Youkilis 3B
Ortiz DH
Ross LF
Saltalamacchia C
Sweeney RF
Aviles SS
For all of his blabbering this spring about Ellsbury being moved down in the order and Aviles possibly hitting lead-off, it appears that Valentine has opted to go the most conservative route by hitting guys where they have hit before and appear to be the most comfortable.
What will be interesting to watch is when Carl Crawford is ready to rejoin the Red Sox (sometime after May 1st we presume). Crawford has already voiced his displeasure about hitting 6th or 7th in the order as he did for most of last season. Will Valentine keep him down there or move him up to appease him and try to get him going? That will be a story to watch about a month or two from now.
-There are still a few roster decisions to be made between now and Thursday as the Sox try to figure out who the 25 players will be that they take to Detroit. Andrew Bailey’s status will certainly have an effect on their decision-making as Valentine has said that he may go with 8 in the bullpen to start things off. Right now you have Mark Melancon, Matt Albers, Vincente Padilla, Franklin Morales and Alfredo Aceves who are locks for the pen. If Bailey is on the DL to start the season, that would leave Aaron Cook, Ross Ohlendorf, Scott Atchison, Michael Bowden and Justin Thomas available for the last 2 or 3 spots.
Boston wants to stretch out Cook and Ohlendorf to be starters so they will likely be in Pawtucket’s rotation to start the year. That means that the other 3 pitchers could all be with Boston to start the season if bailey is unavailable.
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