Spring Training Red Sox Update with Alex Speier

Back here sportswriter got a three point seven FM WEEI six point 77797937. -- 379237. Don't get about the -- to wire line today 617. 7793535. C are you guys lined up. Get your cause is just a second gonna head down to sunny Fort Myers and once again as we -- here three yet another blizzard that nobody predicted Alex Smith joins us from WEEI dot com with it's a Buckley and -- Sheppard out I don't. I'm all right thanks up my sympathies lie with all of you guys yeah sure the -- struggling a bit now. That's I'm suffering my heart stoppers but you. To bring their suffering let's jump right in to talk about David Ortiz any any new news to Q. Tell us about today. Not really he's not running today he's not going to be heading smiling underground in a parent perspective what. What that tells John Farrell says that they weren't going to rule out yet -- A sitting out for further for further testing you never know -- there's -- -- -- time up but for now Carol also that they. I'm used to call in the range where we're at the start of the season isn't yet a and -- -- concern. So that at least is is something it has emerged that kind of critical critical stage. But but of course the Red Sox and achieve the biggest concern as. You know is to what degree going to be healthy for the sort of resources expert in pirated or Dorsey and I don't think we have answers on. Alex given that he hasn't actually played in grapefruit league game yet let's. It's it's not on -- to discuss what alternative measures the Red Sox would take in his absence. That said what options would they should they be exploring. Well first of all I think it's worth saying that everything is going to be it's going to be a stepped out the whole point of course I'm and it -- is what that. He would be best -- -- basically the most productive hitter in the American League. -- mind the most productive DH at the time to enter your it hadn't gotten injured Miguel Cabrera might not have been the Triple Crown. So -- -- kind of keeping that mind in terms of beat just absurd performance that you're putting up last year. In terms of buy -- option. You know -- they have it on the roster they have a number of options thanks to you know -- agent certainly slide guys like Napoli were like dome in two in the Yates I think it's. -- -- both -- my car and libel over beta starts he's managed it. -- rotation that would probably run. Involving me involving first base and -- fielder's. And the DH spot but suffered with prime -- -- -- possibility. In that make up as well but a you know of course they're going to listen to you there's -- available out of -- position but -- -- -- you know you don't go out you you don't trade for. You know you don't trade for a you know -- sent out a lineup guys because a metal -- -- -- -- are going to be here urgent. You know I I think that they're still. Somewhat optimistic but are you going to be available -- you like I'm sure that you may not all that now. It's not really the stage where you start you know where you start thinking OK now it's time to go to the -- the order -- -- -- require -- guy with an 800 Nokia. Well not only do I agree with that Alex what is if you can forgive me bringing in an alternate reality. But the Red Sox had not re signed David Ortiz or if he. Was no longer in the picture at all is it a safe to assume the data view as the DH slot like teams are doing so now. Moving different guys in and out of there rotting going out and signing the the Orlando come dissipated type from the old days is gonna be strictly DH. I'd note to me if they have the Hillary side are you then maybe they end up making it stronger -- for dialect Lance Berkman -- -- So I don't take that -- earlier article states. Mean to me and this is this is purely speculative but you know hypothetically you could make it move it it gives you -- -- more insurance the number of spots. Including DH. With a guy like you know like maybe a -- all except you know with the Rangers to the very. Impacting prospect for statements are based off the UH. But you know at the same time -- exactly the trip back from yet there's impossibly huge -- bit -- particularly if they haven't resigned or he's been. I've given very kind of -- complexion of the -- the lineup. They would have had to have gone out for a -- Now it's less less that it arson near Watson abroad to listen to the game on the radio in c'mon after my show and I just could not believe how long the first two innings were taking I was tweeting out. Buchholz pitching at a snail's pace I -- just absolutely ridiculous finally. John Ferrell in the coaching staff finally get into his head and lo and behold we had good results last week but still. I -- I mean is this a democracy hopefully from the rest the entire pitching staff is to get that this pacing down where is no need for 28 seconds in between pitches anymore. It's been a sort of emphasis something that actually one -- about is a big believer in Indian Don Cooper with -- stock. You'll you'll remember of course that mark early. I've been kind of the poster child of spotlight -- the cheaper number you are in that note I would in one year that's worked quite a bit during his time with the White Sox. So do you think that you're going to in emphasis on. I'm working pastor being more aggressive. Kind of you know -- -- -- -- hitters on the defensive side of something to happen that's come up with the current composition of the number brits are special. At every level -- a Major League level and an utterly outside do you think you're going to see. You're going to see more back on board and -- let's -- that it should be addressed because. Missing for several years now. The Red Sox have been -- lowest pitching stepped in Major -- and you know we cup maybe I'll maybe -- Papelbon you know it's been. Diplomatic and across the board you know it's not it's its interest in disputed their kind of addressing it there in across the board. And across the court took up -- -- The without -- W a duck congress baseball -- force here I was try to take spring training stats -- -- -- -- that's why try to get too high too -- about them. Jackie Bradley -- I was having a terrific spring. You know -- had a -- I saw yesterday. But what what are we supposed to make of hammerhead and here I mean do we do to apply the same type logic to these awful outings that he had recently. Party tire -- I mean what or is it to someone isn't. Ever try to figure out you know. Tried to stay even keel -- but it's. You don't get a little bit of red flag with a sky because it took over from the pirates in two very different situation pitcher with the Red Sox. Short and certainly I archived out you know after -- -- -- came in just sent bush. An -- and several very good although by the spring but it is still in relative term very early. At the time when you start to wonder about you know when restructure. -- even more concerned is it in the last week spring training guys showing. Bad stuff in bad result. Then -- -- economic concern but until then what a veteran like an -- and it's way premature for any of those concerns physically he looks healthy delivery looks like it is when he's when he's right about well about the fact that. -- the guy has also you know. As I would be is it might have been different places -- you about the first child is likely back up in Boston and so -- -- -- -- I am sure that. Beat this certainty exactly. Normal circumstance that is operated our operating impetus for. Now I understand and to his credit yesterday said that wasn't that wasn't effective I think anybody using a decent human being knows that it would be -- -- -- comes -- slack for that I'm just trying to. It all because we get you get all kind of text messages or spring training this guy -- this guy's great discussion -- this guy's good. And -- in -- Kuwait where we draw the line here to recall by spring training and that's why the Jackie Bradley junior thing is uninteresting to me. Even John -- throwing more and more pressure. It ought to keep this guy broke the opening day roster. Now a good pretty -- -- -- went zarrella has a well I think one or that you that you wonder about it -- commanders but that David or use it on the the other open -- and end in -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- You know PH which they now and you could potentially. Never able project Kirby junior in the Major League. But I think it. I think if they've been pretty girl on that even that represents a pretty unlikely outcome look. It is terrific it has. And I'm really impressive still set by Douglas said the fact that he spent. To about a month and a minor in it and double it let them in the last month month and a half. The leak was beating him he had about sixteen and OB PU load street hundreds of course of that time and he didn't make it just went back so. It's important to go through those struggles to demonstrate the response that are they to me it's important for him. To be in the minor -- to start the year ago to -- -- a -- -- -- some critical stretch. -- that can make it just when those -- -- stretched. To be a really good player because that's important foundational building block for a player when he goes to -- burst on the Major League start Pedroia to. About his time in the -- out. Prior to that being steadily propose this hypothetically now hypothetically say Gomes or -- river to Reno gets hurt. These final a couple of weeks or spring training you think that changes. The way that they would approach handling Jackie Bradley junior. -- work properly if there was if they have a need it for a job -- basically in every day outfielder and -- global partner then that. I think it hypothetically it could change beyond the timing of it but. You know again I think that part of the reason why they wanted to sign many outfielders you know but he -- -- -- What sort of they would have to rush the development -- developed and so yes in a hypothetical scenario would -- be comfortable having not a Major League. Gored for a period of time sure is that an ideal -- compare notes like -- -- auto market. -- -- I've talked to baseball people for years above spring training statistics and you'd you'd do agree that gauging a players' Major League worthiness based solely on spring training stats is a fool's errand immunity it's. I go back to -- amendment Cesar Crespo. Number years back it like 600. Is that the guy picking up a vote. Yeah 2000 -- you look like he had like 380 in -- Ever Adam -- and totally -- -- scenario there. Yeah because in his own words in that first spring training -- a Red Sox after getting rural fire. You're -- yeah I am a grenade just a second base now running on I wish I had a couple legitimate shingles but you know for the for a couple of spring training in about 500 -- Yeah I I think that. You know pitchers oftentimes especially early days of -- and building up -- going wrong at all -- -- sort it at all had a terrible breaking header put up really nice numbers growing up. And and -- -- you -- it -- -- -- an and they don't then. -- -- -- A while lessening us for the to -- effects again so much but you know you and rob Bradford. Did you have a hard time last couple days living with yourself knowing that you put all the pressure -- call Crawford and really. Bomb caused him all that discomfort from all that. All those horrible horrible articles that you and blocking everybody else wrote about a mode the last couple years may shame on you at. I think it straight. David -- and I have had a hard time living with ourselves regardless of its it's. Certainly had I'm guessing -- great challenges for you. -- -- out exactly and yes it's been -- and prospective moments in. -- -- you know -- it wasn't you know it looked uncomfortable environment into it is it does underscore how difficult district freeagent. When they get off to a hard -- and bought in to recover from that it actually to my mind it actually is part of one of the underrated aspects of J. D. Drew. Very solid Red Sox career because he's one of the only guys ever recovered from that. I said that earlier I agree a 100%. The beginning of the show not to interrupt that that. We he has become I think he's been replaced as the as that the bad free agent signing and he was the bad guy for awhile. He is an AA is numbers were better than people given credit for for the first 75% of years in Boston. It indeed he did recover from -- a bad public image early on. Yeah I think that his career is very hundred medal but couldn't close to being the worst of appreciate Greek mining. I don't think it even even before the little but a recent one crop Burton. And and Lackey kind of offering limited return on on their -- deal. I would certainly say that you know the likes of Lugo was. -- Lugo it was pretty egregious -- that's that's pretty high on the list. But -- wouldn't you agree that in Crawford himself made this point the other day that there is a buyer beware. -- seller beware in this case. That if you're going to come to Boston new need to understand what I like to call the Boston baseball experience you truly need to know what you're getting yourself into. And shame on me I assume that Carl Crawford with all the years he played in Tampa Bay. Of all the big games he played against the Red Sox Indian Fenway Park play against them in the LCS. And he went on to play in the World Series in Philadelphia. That you would have by -- had some knowledge of how this hoping marks. You -- and quite honestly you would have thought that the Red Sox would have would have had a better sense you know -- -- -- -- was invoked article to write about -- idea that. You know that he -- -- a situation and the Red Sox mr. in this situation. And -- -- you know proper guys for the reps are the kind of acknowledged that and they acknowledged that a lot but I'll see when they were like. When they said basically you know not is director -- important conversation group and they said we can't be in the business of trying to convince someone. If they're going to be okay and Boston. They feel like you know that that's kind of what they referred to a time when they talk about when they talked about rounding too many corners ordered kind of cutting -- corner. When they were making decisions that turned out poorly. They they feel they felt like they may have they may have been too aggressive in trying to court some guys who on the circuit didn't look like perfect fit some. They discovered that indeed they weren't perfect fit -- if something that they could make it work have been exaggerated and add considerable cost. Now let's hear from WEEI dot com thanks very much and if they have a -- -- arrived yet Alex all the all the bosses and some high profile clients are on the way to say how do you rob. And Mike and whoever else is down there except for us. It. Fantastic look toward to a report degrading anyone ever watch it now with the company -- Feel one way galaxy. -- out next like -- you expect from WEEI dot com Joseph Tony Bob -- -- guys lined up a couple of polite promised quick break right back to vote. Eight but until six Sports Radio WEEI.