Previewing the 2013 Boston Red Sox offense

Dustin Pedroia (561 AB, 16 HR, 92 RBI, .293 avg., 29 SB)Pedroia is the de facto captain of the Red Sox.  He will most likely be batting third in the lineup for the first time in his career on a full-time basis.  He will probably be the shortest (5'8" if you want to believe him) number three hitter in the history of major league baseball.  Pedroia needs to avoid the month-long slumps he seems to endure every season.  Pedroia is a clever base-stealer and look for him to eclipse his career high (26) in stolen bases with Farrell as manager.Mike Napoli (406 AB, 23 HR, 68 RBI, .253 avg.)I would have liked to have seen Napoli brought in to be the Red Sox primary DH in order to preserve his ailing hips.  As is, Napoli's catching days are most likely behind him.  He will be asked to play first base on a daily basis.  It will be fun to see him hit at Fenway where he is a .306 career hitter with seven home runs in only 62 at-bats.  Of course, he won't be facing Red Sox pitching anymore.  Expect Napoli to sit several games this year and to lose some at-bats due to late game defensive substitutions.  Napoli has never had more than 453 at-bats in any season and that 2010 season was the only time he's ever had over 400 at-bats in his seven-year career.Jarrod Saltalamacchia (348 AB, 17 HR, 44 RBI, .227 avg.)"Salty" will lose some playing time to defensive specialist David Ross.  If Ross proves to be able to hit a bit, Saltalamacchia may lose a lot of playing time.  I fully expect the latter scenario to happen and look for Saltalamacchia to be hung out as trade bait this summer.  He strikes out too much and his defense, while improved, is not in the same class as Ross.  At the very least, expect Ross to start against most lefties.  Saltalamacchia only hit .170 against lefties in 2012 and only hits them to the tune of a .203 average for his career.  Farrell is a former pitching coach and he will want to give his pitchers every edge possible.View the list »
Dustin Pedroia will be asked to be more of a run producer for the Red Sox.

General Sports newsletter

The 2013 season is fast approaching and it can't come fast enough for Red Sox fans. Fans are eager to get the bitter taste of 2012 out of their mouth. Gone are Adrian Gonzalez, Carl Crawford, Cody Ross, Mike Aviles, and Scott Podsednik. Oh yeah, and Nick Punto, too. In are Shane Victorino, Mike Napoli, Jonny Gomes, Stephen Drew, Mike Carp, and Lyle Overbay... and maybe Jackie Bradley, Jr.

Related topics

Advertisement

Here's the lineup I would use, if everyone were healthy:

RF- Shane Victorino

CF- Jacoby Ellsbury

2B- Dustin Pedroia

DH- David Ortiz

1B- Mike Napoli

3B- Will Middlebrooks

SS- Stephen Drew

LF- Jonny Gomes

C- Jarrod Saltalamacchia

The Red Sox will likely flip flop Victorino and Ellsbury, but I'd like to see Ellsbury with a shot to drive in some runs. Against righties, Victorino may hit in the bottom third of the lineup with someone like Daniel Nava hitting second, or maybe even Jackie Bradley Jr at some point. If Drew misses any amount of time with his post concussion problems, you can stencil in Jose Iglesias for the ninth spot.

Here's my projections for the 2013 Red Sox positional players:

View the list
  • Jarrod Saltalamacchia (348 AB, 17 HR, 44 RBI, .227 avg.)"Salty" will lose some playing time to defensive specialist David Ross.  If Ross proves to be able to hit a bit, Saltalamacchia may lose a lot of playing time.  I fully expect the latter scenario to happen and look for Saltalamacchia to be hung out as trade bait this summer.  He strikes out too much and his defense, while improved, is not in the same class as Ross.  At the very least, expect Ross to start against most lefties.  Saltalamacchia only hit .170 against lefties in 2012 and only hits them to the tune of a .203 average for his career.  Farrell is a former pitching coach and he will want to give his pitchers every edge possible.
  • Mike Napoli (406 AB, 23 HR, 68 RBI, .253 avg.)I would have liked to have seen Napoli brought in to be the Red Sox primary DH in order to preserve his ailing hips.  As is, Napoli's catching days are most likely behind him.  He will be asked to play first base on a daily basis.  It will be fun to see him hit at Fenway where he is a .306 career hitter with seven home runs in only 62 at-bats.  Of course, he won't be facing Red Sox pitching anymore.  Expect Napoli to sit several games this year and to lose some at-bats due to late game defensive substitutions.  Napoli has never had more than 453 at-bats in any season and that 2010 season was the only time he's ever had over 400 at-bats in his seven-year career.
  • Dustin Pedroia (561 AB, 16 HR, 92 RBI, .293 avg., 29 SB)Pedroia is the de facto captain of the Red Sox.  He will most likely be batting third in the lineup for the first time in his career on a full-time basis.  He will probably be the shortest (5'8" if you want to believe him) number three hitter in the history of major league baseball.  Pedroia needs to avoid the month-long slumps he seems to endure every season.  Pedroia is a clever base-stealer and look for him to eclipse his career high (26) in stolen bases with Farrell as manager.
  • Stephen Drew (396 AB, 7 HR, 47 RBI, .266 avg., 5 SB)Drew is battling post concussion symptoms and is already questionable for Opening Day and beyond.  That is Stephen, by the way, not J.D.  Fair or not, Sox fans are used to a Drew struggling to stay in the lineup.  Concussion symptoms can linger for a long time-- just ask Justin Morneau.  If healthy, don't expect much power from Drew, but don't be surprised if his warning track power translates into ten-plus triples at Fenway.
  • Will Middlebrooks (496 AB, 22 HR, 85 RBI, .282 avg.)Middlebrooks' great rookie season ended when he broke his wrist in early August.  Up to that point, Middlebrooks hit 15 home runs in only 267 at-bats, while driving in 54 runs.  Wrist injuries can sap hitters of their power so it will be interesting to see how he responds this season.  Middlebrooks left an exhibition game in late February due to soreness in his injured wrist, but hasn't reported any problems since.
  • Jonny Gomes (384 AB, 20 HR, 53 RBI, .248 avg.)The Sox passed on re-signing fan favorite Cody Ross and opted for Gomes.  I think they would have been better off with Ross.  Ross was one of the few bright spots last year and proved he could thrive in Boston.  Gomes is a journeyman slugger who has had over 400 at-bats in a season only once (in 2010).  He averages a home run every twenty at-bats, but also strikes out once every three times.  He doesn't view himself as a platoon player, but his .223 career average against righties would indicate otherwise.  Look for him to lose at-bats to Daniel Nava, Ryan Sweeney, and Mike Carp.  If and when Jackie Bradley Jr. gets the call-up, I expect Gomes to be the odd man out.  Maybe that explains why Gomes is telling everyone to pipe down about Bradley's hot spring.
  • Jacoby Ellsbury (502 AB, 14 HR, 63 RBI, .302 avg., 51 SB)Ellsbury has 100 million reasons to stay healthy this year and play as many games as possible.  Ellsbury becomes a free agent at the end of the 2013 season.  Were he a free agent following his breakout 2011 season, there is little doubt he would have gotten a $100-million contract from somebody.  Now, he'll be lucky to get half that.Ellsbury will be given the green light to run whenever he wants with John Farrell as manager.  Fifty stolen bases may be a conservative prediction if Ellsbury plays an entire season.  Ellsbury will never repeat his 2011 season (32 HR, 105 RBI, .321 average, 119 runs), but he will be motivated to try to come close in what will, most likely, be his last season in Boston.
  • Shane Victorino (544 AB, 14 HR, 67 RBI, .263 avg., 36 SB)I would have rather seen Victorino playing left field for Boston.  His lack of an arm will be a liability in Fenway.  Yet another reason I think the Red Sox should have kept Cody Ross to play right field.  Sox fans will love Victorino's enthusiasm and his high energy.  They will not like his tendency to go through prolonged slumps and his struggles against right-hand pitching.  Like Ellsbury, Farrell will be giving him the green light to run whenever he likes.  Over the last three seasons, "The Flyin' Hawaiian" has successfully stolen over 86% of bases attempted.
  • David Ortiz (288 AB, 14 HR, 42 RBI, .274 avg.)I think it's a safe bet to say Ortiz won't steal any bases this year.  How much Ortiz plays this year will be anybody's guess.  I do know he is getting paid handsomely for this year and next, so you won't hear the 37-year-old crying about his contract status anytime soon.  I don't expect Ortiz to play more than 80 games this year.  If he plays more than 120 games, I'd expect the Red Sox to be in the playoff hunt.
  • OF- Jackie Bradley Jr (182 AB, 2 HR, 23 RBI, .292 avg., 8 SB)Bradley has been the story of the spring.  The great debate is whether or not Bradley should make the team out of spring training.  I think he should start the year in Pawtucket.  OK, I admit-- as I live near Pawtucket, I want him to start the year at Triple-A so I have a better chance of watching him play more often.  But, seriously, if keeping him down in the minors until after April 12 means keeping control of Bradley for an entire season in the prime of his career, it is a no-brainer.  Consider it a DL stint.  When he does join the big club, it'll be only to play full-time.  However, I would temper people's expectations.  I know everyone is looking for the next Mike Trout, but calm down.1B/OF/DH- Mike Carp (228 AB, 7 HR, 29 RBI, .246 avg.)He may be the key beneficiary of any prolonged absence by David Ortiz.  He has interesting career splits in that he is a left-handed hitter who actually hits left-handed pitching (.300) better than right-handed (.241).C- David Ross (217 AB, 10 HR, 29 RBI, .252 avg.)Many don't know that Ross hit 21 home runs in only 247 at-bats in 2006 for the Reds.  His power is legit.  His defense is his calling card, but he is no slouch at the plate.  Expect Ross to slowly eat away at Saltalamacchia's playing time and help youngster Ryan Lavarnway's development behind the plate.OF/1B- Daniel Nava (175 AB, 4 HR, 24 RBI, .244 avg.)Nava has been a great feel-good story.  The 30-year-old has maximized his abilities, but he has hit his ceiling.  He should start the season platooning some with Jonny Gomes in left field, but, again, once Bradley joins Boston it will be to play full-time.  The Sox should do Nava a favor and trade him to somewhere like Houston where he could play full-time.  
View the list

, Rhode Island Sports Examiner

Tony Branco has been a life-long Rhode Island resident and a passionate sports fan since the early 1980's. He has seen the Rick Pitino-led Providence College Friars go to the Final Four in 1987. He has seen the URI Rams make Cinderella runs to the Sweet Sixteen in 1988 and the Elite Eight in...

Advertisement

Today's top buzz...