Red Sox Reality Check

Heaven can wait, but Spring Training? With the Celtics on the left coast, the Bruins on break, and the Patriots watching the Super Bowl, we've got awhile to go before waking. But what are the issues, the concerns, yea the heartbreak moments that Sox fans await? 1) Josh Beckett. Last season Beckett was more Glenn than Josh, with a stratospheric E.R.A. and more time on the DL than on the mound. If the Sox REALLY are championship driven, does anyone think that Beckett isn't a key? 2) Backstops. I'm not worried about Saltalamacchia being Mackey Sasser, Steve Sax, Chuck Knoblauch, or the originator, Steve Blass . I'm also conflicted on the "personal catcher" thing. I had a catcher call for a pitchout once on a three-two pitch. Really. At Harvard. Maybe that was his commentary on my abilities...but it was so long ago, that all I can remember is shaking him off. 3) Contract year. Will the real David Ortiz please stand up? But I do think J.D. Drew will play ...

With still a month to go until spring training, what's interesting these days? The Yankees response to the Sox off-season was to unload their coffers to Rafael Soriano. Here's the skinny on Soriano's last two years against Papelbon's. They've both pitched about the same number of innings, with similar strikeout totals, and save totals. Of course, if you look at the WHIP numbers, Soriano has a pretty decided edge. Papelbon's been an intriguing personality and mostly effective closer up until last season. What I can't understand is how a guy who views himself as one of the best relievers in the game has so limited development of secondary pitches. Is that the most professional development available? I hope that Papelbon has an Eckersley-like Cy Young/MVP 1992 season, but the career trajectory for Papelbon doesn't inspire confidence in that outcome. The most intriguing story for the Sox isn't the catching, but who plays shortstop. Marco Scutar...