Red Sox Injury Updates
While the injury bug has plagued the Sox in the early going it appears that it is letting up in recent weeks as the full 40-man roster hopes to get some in-game action before Opening Day versus the New York Yankees.
David Ortiz has become a big concern in camp, he has yet to return to the team and despite his brimming optimism many are starting to ask questions about his health. Ortiz injured his Achilles tendon last summer and sat out the remainder of the season, yet his injury was not initially all too serious which is a cause for concern for the team considering the fact that Ortiz is their only legitimate power threat. David remains positive though and has been engaged in a series of base running drills and seems to have responded well.
“It feels good. When I get going I’m fine. The problem is once I cool off, I start to get sore, but the doctor says it will go away,” Ortiz said.
Ortiz is hopeful that he will start on Opening Day, although he mentioned he hopes to get 50-60 at bats before the season begins so that he can find his rhythm. Ortiz seemed to be in a steady decline yet he has turned back the clock over the past two years, here’s to hoping “Big Papi” can make a quick return and hit the ground running once the 2013 season begins.
Felix Doubront showed up to camp out of shape and seems far from ready to pitch, as evidenced by his taking little time before going on the DL with shoulder soreness. The Sox are counting on Doubront’s ability to build off of his success from last year, however Doubront has something to learn when it comes to taking care of himself considering that this is the second time he has shown up to camp and been unable to play from the get-go.
Doubront has bounced back rather well though, pitching in his first game on Monday against the Rays and though he was rusty he still did well pitching 1 2/3 innings and striking out two. The Sox went on to win the game 5-1 after a tremendous effort by five Sox pitchers.
Craig Breslow went down early in Spring Training with shoulder soreness. The media has been quiet around the lefty reliever, however he has started a throwing program which gives him about one month until Opening Day. Breslow was a solid pickup by the Sox in 2012 and will waste no time in getting ready for the season. Considering the little word about his efforts to get off the DL, the assumption is that this is a non-issue.
Daniel Bard has recently been shut down, not due to an injury, though. Rather, he has taken a break to collect himself a bit after a few mental setbacks. Bard went from one of the best late-inning relief pitchers in baseball to a pitching lacking both finesse and control. Bard hopes to reinvent himself in 2013 as he regains his 2010 form in which he had a 1.93 ERA over 73 innings. Bard seems hopeful about the upcoming season as he waits for things to click.
“It’s one of the things I created a bad habit trying to create velocity in all the wrong places. Trying to over-rotate my body. Today it felt like me. Felt like the old me. Power behind the ball,” Bard said.
The Sox may be a bit worse for the wear, everyone seems hopeful that the starting lineup will be ready to play as originally scheduled. Stay tuned for more news from sunny Florida as the Sox prepare for the upcoming season.
