Pedroia On Red Sox Defensive Concerns: 'We'll Be Fine'
By Matt Dolloff, CBS Boston
BOSTON (CBS) -- One year after committing the fourth-most errors in the American League, the Boston Red Sox enter the 2016 season with renewed concerns about their defense, and it mostly boils down to the player manning first base.
Hanley Ramirez arrived at Red Sox Spring Training in great physical shape, but also apparently never got his own first baseman's mitt, a subtle sign of how much (or how little) he had worked on his new position in the offseason. However, second baseman Dustin Pedroia said he is "very confident" about Ramirez's ability to bounce back in 2016, along with much-maligned third baseman Pablo Sandoval - even under the biggest of microscopes from restless media and fans in Boston.
"With the expectations, sometimes you can't live up to them," said Pedroia. "You've just got to try to be yourself and they will. It takes time, but they've got to realize that we're all in this together."
WBZ-TV's Dan Roche reports
Pedroia added that he and Hanley will need to be "on the same page" and know where each other are at on the field on every pitch. Manager John Farrell championed Pedroia as the kind of leader whose tireless work and preparation will be essential to getting the most out of the defense.
"[Pedroia] reminds his first basemen of a lot of positioning or coverage-type reminders," said Farrell. "I think, early on, as Hanley gets into a comfortable setting over there at first base, Pedey will be a huge help for him. He's basically the captain of our infield."
Pedroia agreed that he will do his part to help Ramirez get acclimated to first base, an entirely different position from the shortstop, third base, and left field he has played up to this point in his career. Farrell said that the "best team on the field" for the Red Sox has Ramirez at first.
Gaining more attention in recent days is third baseman Pablo Sandoval, who arrived Sunday to Spring Training appearing overweight - at least, compared to what many may have expected with Farrell estimating that Sandoval had lost 20-22 pounds. Sandoval denied that such a conversation ever took place, despite Farrell and president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski previously saying it did - before backpedaling on those remarks.
The third baseman acknowledged that he lost his confidence last season and believes that getting it back is paramount to having a bounceback season. His first answer to reporters upon arrival was "I don't got nothing to prove," but based on a later response, he may have only meant that he had nothing to prove to the media.
"I want to prove to the fans, I want to prove to my teammates, that I can be a better defensive player, better offensive player," said Sandoval. "I have to work hard to get to that moment, so [you need to] keep working hard, keep your head up, and keep doing everything you can do on the field."
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Regardless of the work that the infield puts in between now and Opening Day, Boston's defensive weakness at the start of the season undoubtedly lies at first base. Opposing offenses early on could be looking to pepper Ramirez with ground balls to the right side - or even lay down a bunt or two - to see how he reacts.
Pedroia's comments could be perceived as thinly-veiled calls for Ramirez (and, to an extent, Sandoval) to work as hard as possible to get better, implying that he did not do so last season. But no matter Pedroia's intention, he insisted that as long as Ramirez works hard enough, he and the rest of the defense will succeed in the end.
"I mean, this is the major leagues. If you have a hole out there, everyone's trying to find it," said Pedroia. "We're all here to help [Ramirez] and do what we can to make him as comfortable as possible.
"[Ramirez] will be fine. He's going to put the time in and put the work in, and we'll be fine."
Matt Dolloff is a writer for CBSBostonSports.com. His opinions do not necessarily reflect that of CBS or 98.5 The Sports Hub. Have a news tip or comment for Matt? Follow him on Twitter @mattdolloff and email him at mdolloff@985thesportshub.com.
