Chris Ryan kicked off a week in Florida at Spring Training by talking to the new ace of the Red Sox, David Price, and another Red Sox starter, Clay Buchholz. They preview the upcoming season and talk about the various challenges of getting into baseball shape. The physical strain of pitching stands out from the Price interview. The new acquisition described the first 10 to 14 days of spring training as a shock to the system. Price described having to get through being sore and tired while you work on getting your arm and body, especially the legs and back, in shape. David Price is willing to endure the pain because he is optimistic about the team’s prospects:
“Everybody is here to win.”
“The World series is the goal.”
Clay Buchholz, who has struggled with injuries in his career, also discussed the challenges that he faces getting ready for the season. Major league pitchers are, as you might expect, very competitive people. For that reason, it is a challenge when he’s on the mound in a Spring Training game to only concentrate on getting in shape or controlling a particular pitch when your instincts are urging you to throw another pitch which has a better chance to get the man out. Buchholz is also optimistic about this year’s team. He praised the Red Sox organization for putting the team in a position to succeed. As a pitcher, he is especially grateful for the three speedy red Sox outfielders who can run down so many fly balls and a lineup which should be able to score lots of runs.
The projected starting rotation for the 2016 Red Sox is another reason for optimism. David Price is expected to be the ace of the staff and will pitch on opening day in Cleveland. Clay Buchholz will be the number 2 starter. Rick Porcello, Joe Kelly, and Eduardo Rodriguez will round out the five starting pitchers in the rotation. Eduardo Rodriguez would likely be the number four starter but is dealing with a knee injury and may or may not be ready for opening day. If he isn’t, Steven Wright, Henry Owens and Roenis Elias are in the mix for his spot.
