Fansided

10 storylines entering Spring Training

By Jeff Weisinger

Feb 19, 2015; Glendale, AZ, USA; Detailed view of an official MLB baseball on the field during San Francisco Giants spring training workouts at Scottsdale Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 19, 2015; Glendale, AZ, USA; Detailed view of an official MLB baseball on the field during San Francisco Giants spring training workouts at Scottsdale Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /
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Nov 25, 2014; Boston, Ma, USA; Boston Red Sox third baseman Pablo Sandoval talks with the media during his introductory press conference at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 25, 2014; Boston, Ma, USA; Boston Red Sox third baseman Pablo Sandoval talks with the media during his introductory press conference at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports /

Fireworks at Fenway?

Without an ace in the cards (or the rotation), the Boston Red Sox will have to rely on their lineup to push them back into the postseason in 2015.

No problem.

Boston signed free-agents Pablo Sandoval and Hanley Ramirez, the two best position players on the market this offseason.

Sandoval, who’s won more World Series than the Red Sox this decade, hit .279 with 16 homers and 73 RBI during the San Francisco Giants 2014 World Series run, including hitting over .400 the NLCS and the World Series combined.  Hanley, on the other hand, hit .283 with 13 home runs and 71 RBI with the Dodgers last year as a key factor to their playoff run.

In short, without a clear-cut ace, the Red Sox will have to rely on the experience and power at the plate to not only get them back to October, but to support the starting rotation.

While they don’t have that clear-cut No. 1 starter, the Sox did bolster the rotation a little bit this offseason.  They acquired Rick Porcello from the Tigers and Wade Miley from Arizona and signed Justin Masterson during the winter meetings and all should improve a starting rotation that struggled throughout 2014.

Boston finished 71-91 in 2014, their worst record since they only won 73 in 1992, finishing last in the AL East for the first time since 2012.

If it counts for anything, the last time the Red Sox finished last in the division, they won the World Series the year after (2013).

Next: San Diego getting serious

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