The Lockout Files - Spring Training

Well the big news in baseball of course is spring training.  Late February, all eyes have turned toward spring training and nothing else.  NOTHING ELSE.  Anyway, I know you are all especially interested to hear what I am looking forward to my trip to sunny Florida in ten days and I thought I’d share that with you.

Going to Games - Last year was the first time since…god 1999? that I hadn’t attended a Spring Training game and frankly 2020 camp was a pretty morose place on the heels of the Mookie deal.  Simply attending games with an air of excitement would be a really wonderful thing.  Of course there remains the chance that won’t happen due to the current labor issues but even if there are no big league games I hope to attend at least one minor league game because…

Marcelo Mayer - The Sox have developed some remarkable talent over the years but I’m trying to remember the last guy that came into the system with such a level of excitement right away.  Part of this of course is that the Sox have been so successful over the years (did you know they have won more World Series in the 21st century than any team?) that they have rarely had high draft picks.  They whiffed on one (Trey Ball) and the other (Andrew Benintendi) was an exciting player early on but not a “potential stud” type.  Mayer though, man the hopes and expectations for him are something else.  I have never seen him play and even if nothing is happening getting to see Mayer on the backfields would be fun.  I remember seeing Rafael Devers back there and even as a 17 year old you could see the immense power.  While other kids would occasionally pull a ball that would squeak over the fence Devers was clearing the fences by 20 feet to all fields.

Triston Casas - I got a good look at Casas and his family in 2020.  No really, his aunt and abuela were watching him work out and I chatted with them for a bit.  Very nice people.  Anyway, Casas is on the fast track now and it’s a matter of when not if he makes the bigs.  Obviously he is a guy who there is question about in spring as he is on the 40 man roster so he is locked out by the owners at the moment but if camps open I’ll be curious to see him in early inning appearances with the big club.

Happy Faces - This is a little thing but one of the best parts of spring training is the joy on everyone’s face.  We all turn into kids again and the actual kids are clearly having a blast.  This is especially true in 2022 in a world that is SO frustratingly fractured the camaraderie and joy at a spring training game is a welcome respite from the day to day grind of a world that increasingly feels like it is going backwards.

Alex Binelas - One of the key parts of the Renfroe/Bradley deal this is a guy I am curious about.  I know he is well regarded but he is not a top 100 prospect or anything.  I am interested to see what the Sox have here and how he fits in.

People in Shape - NO COMMENTS FROM THE PEANUT GALLERY PLEASE! Anyway, your faithful correspondent notwithstanding if the big boys are in camp I will be looking to see if anyone shows up out of shape.  Rafael Devers is a guy who notably has run into some issues in this regard in the past and obviously he is a key component to what the Red Sox are going to do in 2022 and beyond.

Anyway, hopefully there will be real big boy baseball to be seen starting on March 8 when I show up.  If not, well I will console myself by sitting at the pool with a mojito or three.