Forget the offense and its several MVP candidates. Forget the defense and its four starting Gold Glovers. Forget the starting rotation and its multiple potential aces. In an offseason full of hoopla about the big splashes, solidifying the bullpen has been Theo Epstein’s greatest and most important achievement leading into the 2011 season.
And here I am thinking it was good before the free agent signings.
Don’t get me wrong, it was definitely one of the team’s biggest downfalls in 2010 (second only to those pesky injuries), but I did have hope going into this season. Jonathon Papelbon will have a huge year in what is likely his last with the Red Sox—a combination of his big ego and being in a contract year will ensure a solid season—and Daniel Bard will give the Sox ‘pen more of the same in his second full season in the big leagues. Behind them, I counted on Felix Doubront, a 6-foot-2 lefty, to be the seventh inning man. Doubront pitched 9.2 innings out of relief for the Sox last year with 13 Ks. He had a less-then-spectacular 4.66 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP in those appearances, but isn’t finished developing and is expected to grow as a pitcher—whether its as a starter or reliever remains to be seen—in coming years.
Then Theo decided to go big or go home with Bobby Jenks. I was shocked when Jenks, former White Sox closer, agreed to be the 7th/8th inning man in Boston, but I wouldn’t at all be surprised if Theo said something along the lines of, “You didn’t here it from me, but you’re our closer in 2012.” With the Papelbon-Bard-Jenks trio lined up for the 9th, 8th, and 7th innings (to start the season, at least), it’ll be hard for other teams to find a hole late in the game.
While those three will pitch late in the game when the Sox are ahead, there is a cast of other characters ready to keep the Sox in the game led by Rhode Island native Dan Wheeler. Wheeler has posted a sub-3.50 ERA each of the last three seasons, all with the Tampa Bay Rays, and averaged a sub-1.00 WHIP in that time. He will likely be the 6th inning man most days, but don’t be surprised if he gets some innings later in the game on days the Big 3 rest.
Beyond Wheeler, the roles are blurry. The ever-lovable and ever-lasting Tim Wakefield will be the long man/spot starter, which leaves one or two bullpen spots available. Scott Atchison, Hideki Okajima, and select other fringe major league players will compete for that (those) spot(s), while Felix Doubront develops at AAA and be available for a possible and probable mid-season call-up.
But before we get ahead of ourselves, lets not be too literal. Lets not truly “forget” the offense, defense, and rotation; they will obviously all be a major part in the team’s success. But any way you spin it, the Red Sox have a good team on paper as Spring Training draws closer…and thanks to Theo’s middle relief reconstruction, that good team just got great.
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