Spring Training - Week 4

Spring Training Report 2014
Week 4 – March 17th through March 23rd

RECORD – 1 – 5 -1

TEAM RISP – 13 for 47 (.277)

TEAM LOB – 42

Batting

Majors

Dustin Pedroia continued knocking the cover off the ball, batting .375 with 3 runs, 6 RBI, a double and a homer during the week.  It was the most productive he’s been all spring and he’s currently the Sox hottest hitter.

Grady Sizemore had a great week batting .333 while scoring 4 runs and hitting a double.  Unless something drastic happens, I predict he’ll be staring in centerfield a week from now in Baltimore.

Xander Bogaerts had a good week, batting .294 with 2 runs, 3 RBI, a walk and 2 doubles.  The X-man seems to be getting hot just when you want him to.

David Ross batted .429 during the week, walking once and also doubling.  Daniel Nava batted .300 with a runs scored and 2 walks. 

Prospects

You can’t stop Ryan Lavarnway, you can’t really even slow him down at this point.  He batted .375 with a run scored and an RBI.

Corey Brown batted .200 but did score a run and hit a double.

Not much more to speak of as the regulars are playing more and the prospects have mostly been reassigned to minor league camp, AAA or are regulated to pitch hitting duties or coming in in the 8^th and 9^th innings.

THE BAD

Big Papi went 0 for the week in 10 plate appearances.  He walked twice but struck out 3 times and left 7 on base.

Mike Napoli struggled again this week batting .125, though he homered and drove in 4.  Johnny Gomes went 2 for 14 but walked 3 times and drove in a run.

Jackie Bradley Jr. had a rough week batting only .200 (3 for 15).  He did drive in a run and had 2 doubles but struck out 5 times and left 6 men on base.

Shane Victorino went 3 for 15 during the week with a double and 2 walks but most importantly seems to be back at 100% with his thumb issue.

Pitching

Majors

Jon Lester went 5 and 2/3 innings, giving up 0 runs on 4 hits while striking out 5.  He continues to have a dominant spring and the Sox better get working on that contract extension.

Jake Peavy fared much better in his 2^nd outing of the spring, going 4 and 2/3 innings giving up just 1 run on 4 hits while striking out 5.

Chris Capuano went 3 innings without giving up any hits or runs but did walk 2.  Uehara and Tazawa again pitched an inning of scoreless relief each.  John Farrell seems to be easing both back into pitching with their crazy workloads last year.

Brandon Workman had another solid week going 6 innings giving up 2 runs on 6 hits.  He struck out 6 and walked none.

Prospects

Rubby De La Rosa went 1 and 1/3 innings giving up no runs on 1 hit while striking out 2.  He’s rebounded in his last two outings and has looked much better as of late.

Dalier Hinojosa didn’t do well this week, going just 1 and 1/3 innings while giving up 3 runs on 4 hits and walking 3 batters.

THE BAD

Felix Doubront had a bad week going 8 innings, giving up 15 runs on 20 hits while striking out 8 and walking 5.  He started the spring really well and I thought may have a great year but his last 2 outings have brought me back to reality and I’m now thinking it’ll be more of the back and forth outings for Doubront this year.

John Lackey didn’t fare too much better this week as he went 9 and 2/3 innings giving up 10 runs on 16 hits.  He walked 2 and struck out 9 but looked very ineffective in his 2 outings.  Let’s hope he’s just saving it for the regular season.

OVERALL

It was a tough week 4 of Spring Training for Red Sox Nation.  They went 1-5-1 and aren’t really hitting the ball right now.  Hopefully with one week to go, the bats will come around..