Major League Baseball

Three reasons to watch the Red Sox in 2015

Updated Mar. 5, 2020 1:58 a.m. ET

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Hey, this could be an exceptionally short piece, even shorter than yesterday’s about the largely uninteresting Rays. This piece could essentially begin and end with the following: The Boston Red Sox have a solid chance of becoming the first team in major-league history to go from worst to first to worst and ... all the way back to first again. For instance, FanGraphs projects an A.L. East-leading 86 wins for the Sox, and a 64-percent chance of qualifying for the postseason tournament. So you gotta watch them already, right?

Well, yeah. If you’re into seeing something that’s never happened before, anyway. But I can’t stop there and still spend my paycheck in good conscience. So even aside from the (potential) historical significance of this Red Sox season, here are three solid reasons to keep an eye on them...

1. Betting on Betts
If you’ve still any doubts about the unpredictability of Our National Pastime, consider ... One year ago, one of sport’s most analytical franchises settled on Grady Sizemore as their Opening Day center fielder. Meanwhile, a young player named Mookie Betts was preparing to open his fourth minor-league season as the second baseman for the Double-A Eastern League’s Portland Sea Dogs.

Betts seemed to have a bright future, except for the one little problem: the Red Sox had a second baseman. And a pretty good one too.

Sizemore did hit a home run on Opening Day, accounting for Boston’s only run in a 2-1 loss. But he would homer just once more in 51 games, drawing his release in June. Meanwhile, Betts was tearing up the Eastern League, then the International League. All 5 feet, 9 official inches of him.

Betts debuted with the big club shortly after Sizemore left, didn’t hit much for a couple of weeks, then went back to the minors. He returned to the Red Sox lineup on the 1st of August and batted .303/.386/.458 the rest of the way. He’s only 5-9 and he’s only 22, but he’s now got a headlock on every-day chores, and one wonders: How long until the Red Sox have two tiny All-Stars?

2. The return of Tim Wakefield?
Well, no. Wakefield’s 48 years old and he’s not coming back. But with Steven Wright, the Red Sox might have the next best thing. At the moment, Wright’s probably the club’s No. 6 starter. But considering the famously ace-less rotation and the usual attrition rate, the American League’s only (young) knuckleball pitcher does figure to get a shot at some point this season.

For Wright, it’s always been about the walks. Last season in the minors, his control was fine in the second half, and this spring he’s issued just one walk in three innings. Of course three innings tells us nothing except that Wright hasn’t pitched himself out of a job yet ... and he remains one of only six Red Sox pitchers who have started an “A” game in spring training.

3. Where won’t Brock Holt play?
Yes, I should probably have reserved a slot for Hanley Ramirez in left field, or Pablo Sandoval’s meal plan, or even Mike Napoli’s beard. But I just feel like Brock Holt didn’t get enough attention last season, probably because the Red Sox were so terrible. This year they shouldn’t be terrible! So Holt deserves attention for essentially playing every position – last year he got into at least 10 games at second base, third base, shortstop, and right field; along with eight games in left field and at first base – and hit decently, too. And all that despite spending most of April and May in the minors, then missing most of September with illness and a concussion. But he’s been just fine this spring, which means now all he has to worry about is playing time, as the Red Sox’ lineup restructuring probably won’t mean nearly as many opportunities for Holt’s diamond peregrinations.

We can open the season with high hopes, though!

2014 record: 71-91
Projected 2015 record: 86-76*

Key additions: LF Hanley Ramirez, 3B Pablo Sandoval, OF Rusney Castillo, SPs Rick Porcello, Justin Masterson, Wade Miley

Key subtractions: LF Yoenis Cespedes, RP Andrew Miller

* Projected record via FanGraphs

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