Calling all Boston Red Sox fans, it’s April 3, which means the wait is officially over.
We survived the four full months of no baseball and braved Spring Training. Let’s make a few projections of the Red Sox everyday players as 2017 stares us down.
Projected Starting Lineup
2B Dustin Pedroia / “The vocal leader on and off the field, who is coming off a monster 2016, in which he hit .318.” / Projection: .305 AVG, 15 HR, 75 RBI
LF Andrew Benintendi / “Is anyone not excited to see what this kid can do in a full season at the big-league level?” / Projection: .299, 18, 82
RF Mookie Betts / “Don’t try to pitch this kid inside because he has some of the quickest hands in the game. His 2016 is the best campaign from a Red Sox outfielder I can remember in quite some time.” / Projection: .311, 25, 95
SS Xander Bogaerts / “I proceed with caution with the X-Man just due to his horrendous second half of last season. He has to turn it around for Boston.” / Projection: 295, 17, 91
DH Hanley Ramirez / “Expect big things from Ramirez as he assumes the full-time DH duties from the departed David Ortiz.” / Projection: 279, 27, 106
CF Jackie Bradley Jr. / “2017 will be a turning point for JBJ. Will he be able to carry over his success or will he fall to the hitter he was believed to be upon his arrival to the MLB?” / Projection: .261, 22, 81
3B Pablo Sandoval / “The Panda is out to prove the haters wrong in 2017. A cold start could get him on the pine within a month – trust me.” / Projection: .269, 15, 75
1B Mitch Moreland / “Moreland makes his Red Sox debut and is the lone new face in the lineup, with the exception of Sandoval.” / Projection: .271, 19, 67
C Sandy Leon / “Leon will be given the starting duties until he losses them. Pitchers like throwing to him so it’s tough to cut ties with the veteran backstop just yet.” / Projection: .267, 8, 55
Projected Bench
UTIL Brock Holt / “Holt is a valuable piece and is much better served as a utility player – considering he can nearly play every position.” / Projection: .271, 6, 30
OF Chris Young / “Young is a plus bat to bring off the bench due to his exceptional numbers against left-handed pitchers.” / Projection: .267, 10, 32
C Christian Vazquez / “What he doesn’t provide with the bat he makes up for with his presence behind the plate.” / Projection: .210, 1, 21
OF Steve Selsky / “He will not have much of a role, but could surprise if called upon.” / Projection: .256, 2, 15
Projected Starting Rotation
SP Rick Porcello / “Porcello looks to recapture last season’s success that landed him an AL Cy Young becoming the first Red Sox since Pedro Martinez in 2000.” / Projection: 3.21 ERA, 20-5 W-L, 159 SO
SP Chris Sale / “Sale was the Red Sox biggest offseason acquisition, but he didn’t come cheap. Boston’s success hinges on his arm.” / Projection: 3.10, 19-7, 231
SP Eduardo Rodriguez / “Rodriguez looks to put a dreadful 2016 in the rearview mirror.” / Projection: 3.57, 12-8, 122
SP Steven Wright / “Wright looks to bounce back from a freaky end to a fabulous start in 2016.” / Projection: 4.15, 7-8, 131
SP Drew Pomeranz (10-day DL) / “Who knows what you’re going to get from Pomeranz? As of now, it does not look promising.” / Projection: 4.11, 10-10, 151
SP David Price (10-day DL) / “Price will miss about the first month to month and a half of the season before bolstering the Red Sox rotation upon his return.” / Projection: 3.54, 15-7, 197
Projected Bullpen
RP Robby Scott / “The 27-year-old didn’t allow a run in 6.0 innings last season.” / Projection: 3.67, 2-2, 32
RP Fernando Abad / “Abad might be the biggest question mark in a ‘pen full of them.” / Projection: 4.14, 0-3, 34
RP Heath Hembree / “Hembree has shown me he has what it takes to survive at the MLB leve.” / Projection: 3.33, 2-2, 37
RP Matt Barnes / “Barnes turned in a solid 2016 and was called upon a bunch out of the ‘pen.” / Projection: 3.45, 4-2, 54
RP Robbie Ross Jr. / “Ross has turned into the go-to left-handed specialist.” / Projection: 3.29, 2-2, 51
RP Ben Taylor / “The flamethrower will make his MLB debut.” / Projection: 4.10, 0-1, 21
RP Tyler Thornburg (10-day DL) / “The Red Sox were content with bringing in Thornburg to replace Brad Ziegler. The move doesn’t look promising considering he is already hurt.” / Projection: 3.76, 2-3, 65
RP Joe Kelly / “Kelly has found a role that finally fits his ability.” / Projection: 3.43, 4-2, 58
RP Carson Smith (10-day DL) / “Smith is still a long way away as he battles his way back from Tommy John surgery that ended his 2016 campaign.” / Projection: 3.56, 1-1, 40
RP Craig Kimbrel / “Kimbrel has to be better in 2017. If one man can’t struggle in the ‘pen, it’s him.” / Projection: 2.43, 3-3, 35 SV, 81
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