Monday was opening day for the Red Sox, and while their first game ended in defeat to the Baltimore Orioles, I'm still brimming with early season hope. It's only one game, after all. It's still possible for Boston to go 161-1. On that note, here are six optimistic predictions for this year's crew:
1. Boston makes the playoffs again: Because of its depth and balance, the defending World Series champion doesn't have any obvious weaknesses. The Red Sox had the top offense in baseball last year and their starting pitching looks great now with former Cy Young winner Jake Peavy on board for the whole year. With a full season from Clay Buchholz and continued improvement from Felix Doubront, Boston's rotation could rank among the league's best. The Sox also have speed, defense and a reliable bullpen, as well as smart people with vast financial resources running the organization with a well-stocked farm system at their disposal. No team is perfect, but Boston is pretty darn close.
2. XanderBogaerts wins AL Rookie of the Year: The Red Sox have entrusted their starting shortstop job to Bogaerts, one of the sport's premier prospects. Though he's just 21-years-old, he's advanced for his age, looking like a finished product throughout Boston's postseason run. A superstar-in-the-making, Bogaerts is major league ready and should hit the ground running.
3. David Ortiz defies age for another year: Now 38-years-old, Ortiz is supposed to be in the twilight of his career, if not already retired. Instead, he's hitting just as well as he did in his prime and has showed no signs of slowing down. The Red Sox just extended him for another year beyond this one, so clearly they believe he will continue to hit well. Expect Big Papi to anchor Boston's lineup and deliver another big year at the plate.
4. Grady Sizemore wins AL Comeback Player of the Year: Sizemore followed up his strong spring training with an impressive Opening Day performance, going 2-for-4 with a home run in his first game since 2011. Granted, it's much too early to forecast his season with any degree of certainty, but everything we've seen so far indicates he's still a major-league-caliber player. If his body holds up, Sizemore has the skills to be more than just a feel-good story.
5. Clay Buchholz avoids the disabled list: Speaking of injury woes, Buchholz has had his own issues staying healthy. He's never made 30 starts or pitched 190 innings in any of his seven seasons, and is coming off a year in which he missed three months with a strained neck. The layoff may have been a blessing in disguise, as pitchers on playoff teams typically throw more pitches and innings than they normally would, which taxes their arms and puts them at greater risk of breaking down. Because of his injury, Buchholz got plenty of rest and is more likely to stay on the field this year.
6. Will Middlebrooks and Jackie Bradley, Jr. stick: Both got off to horrible starts last year and were demoted to Triple-A Pawtucket multiple times over the course of the season. However, both showed signs of improvement late in the year and have been given a second chance. Middlebrooks is the everyday third baseman and Bradley will fill in for an injured Shane Victorino.
So there you have it. If by some miracle they all come true, Boston will probably win the World Series again, which just might be the boldest prediction of them all.
Tyler is a junior who is majoring in economics. He can be reached at Tyler.Maher@tufts.edu
