When you’re looking at a team that is coming off of a World Championship, finding weaknesses may be a little difficult. But then again, the Red Sox did end up losing three offensive starters from that World Series team, and they’re not exactly a lock to repeat. Heading into 2014, the two biggest weaknesses of the Boston Red Sox are the fact that they’re old, and the fact that they’re injury-prone.
Neither of these weaknesses had much of an effect on the Red Sox in 2013. Boston’s best hitter in 2013 was David Ortiz, who turned 38 in November. Seven offensive regulars logged at least 500 plate appearances last year, quite amazing considering the two positions that didn’t were the left field platoon and the team’s catchers. Four of the team’s five starters qualified for the ERA title, and their best reliever was a 38-year old.
However, in 2014, those older players have another year’s worth of mileage on their bodies. The only Opening Day regulars under 30 for the Red Sox are Xander Bogaerts and Will Middlebrooks. The only two members of their rotation under 30 are Clay Buchholz (who is 29) and Felix Doubront. A whopping six members of their projected Opening Day roster are 35 or older. That doesn’t exactly give you the impression that this is a young, plucky bunch of kids that is set up to win a few more championships together.
The part about this club being injury-prone is another thing to keep an eye on. Clay Buchholz has never started 30 games or thrown 190 innings in a season. John Lackey has cleared the 200 inning mark just once in the last six seasons. Grady Sizemore has a *total* of 435 plate appearances over the last *four* seasons. Shane Victorino is seemingly good for one DL stint a year. Mike Napoli’s degenerative hip might not get him this year, but it will sooner or later. The aforementioned Ortiz has been getting banged up more and more over the last few seasons.
All of this is really just speculative – yes the Red Sox are old and yes the Red Sox players have been injured in the past, but what does that even mean? Well, maybe nothing. Maybe Ortiz will have another MVP caliber season while playing in 150 games. Maybe Sizemore will suddenly revert into his healthy, All-Star caliber self. Maybe Buchholz will finally tap into his potential for a full season and dominate.
Or maybe, Boston’s age will start to catch up with them. Maybe the hamstring pulls, sore calves, and strained muscles will become even more of an issue this year, and the Red Sox will be forced to rely on players that aren’t of a championship caliber. It really could happen, and I don’t think it’s a stretch to say that the Red Sox could be in for a rude awakening in 2014.
