Some spring things

Now, I'm not going to rub in the fact that it has been absolutely perfect weather down here in the City of Palms. Instead, I'll just be thankful that the offseason of lots of trade talk and very few trades (certainly involving the Red Sox) is over, and we're on the brink of getting to see actual baseball. It couldn't come soon enough, at least for me. Physicals are being taken. Sprints are being run in the outfield. We've even had a couple of bullpen sessions! Good times.

And questions. We've got those too. From David Ortiz's new career in small ball, to the new era of tranquility at Red Sox camp, to more than one suggestion for the Sox' shortstop position, we've got it all. Or at least as much as we could fit in to one edition of the mailbag.

On that note, I'm always in search of new and exciting questions. So please get your mind working and your fingers on the keyboard, and I'll try to get to as many questions as I can in the upcoming weeks that I'm down here in Fort Myers. And, of course, once I get back to Boston and back on the road with the club.

Ah, baseball. It's back...

Any chance the Sox make a concerted effort to teach Papi how to bunt during Spring Training this year? If he could become adept at this, he could force teams out of the shift that steals so many hits from him. He tries it occasionally but not nearly enough to have teams respect it.
Scott, Camp Hill, Pa.

A: Scott, David Ortiz is never going to be a major force as a bunter. He might bunt a handful of times a season -- or fewer -- and there's a reason for that. Ortiz is obviously far more valuable hitting the ball as far as he can, as opposed to trying to just get to first base. It's not like he's going to try to stretch that bunt single into a double with a steal, right? We all love to see Ortiz bunt. It's fun, makes you smile even. But don't count on it becoming a regular event with him. Nor should it be.

Did the Sox know about Kotsay's back when he was signed? Any chance Jeff Bailey will get a legitimate shot to take his spot, or is he considered a Triple-A lifer?
David T., Carrboro, N.C.

A: No, the Sox didn't know that Mark Kotsay would have to have back surgery when they signed him in the middle of January. It was a bit of a surprise when he had the arthroscopic procedure just a couple of weeks later. It's unlikely that Jeff Bailey will take the spot vacated by Kotsay on the major league club with the signing of Brad Wilkerson. Of course this is all dependent on the team's health when it heads up north in March, but it's far more probable that Wilkerson will fill the backup first base/fifth outfielder vacancy that opened up with Kotsay's surgery. Kotsay is expected back somewhere at the end of April or beginning of May, so it won't be a particularly extended absence from the club -- but still, a surprise.

How much concern around this organization is there that Ortiz may be on a rapid decline? He strikes me as the type of player who when he starts to go is going to go quickly (Mo Vaughn?). Are we watching the end of this movie or are there still some good scenes left?
KC, Cranford, N.J.

A: Outwardly the team is saying that they aren't concerned about David Ortiz. Asked about his designated hitter, manager Terry Francona said, "I don't think David's a question mark, but I think that he's healthy and in good shape. I think that's exciting." I'm sure there are still a few good scenes left in this film, but that doesn't mean that there isn't some worry about the possibility that the glory days of Big Papi are over. There's concern about the offense overall, and concern about Ortiz is part of that. While he should be able to come back from this injury, it's extremely difficult to predict how any injury will ultimately affect any player. Some get through it. Some don't. At this point, though, there's little anyone in the Sox' front office can do but wait and watch -- and maybe bolster the offense at the trade deadline, if needed.

Amalie, I really enjoyed your last column. Much has been written about a number of Red Sox prospects. However, my question concerns the young pitcher, Felix Doubront. Because I live in the Atlanta area, I was able to catch a game between the Rome Braves and Greenville Drive. It so happened that Dubront was the starter for the Drive. I had never heard of him, but he thoroughly dominated the young Braves players. How did the Red Sox acquire him? Was he a player that slipped by the other scouts? Does he project to be another of the fine young Red Sox pitchers we might expect to see in the majors in the not too distant future?
Ed Baker, Powder Springs, Ga.

A: Thanks, Ed. Felix Doubront was acquired by the Sox as an international free agent in 2004. He had a good season in 2008, after struggling in 2007. He went 12-8 with a 3.67 ERA in Greenville (low A), which was where he spent most of last season. He also spent time in high A at Lancaster. Doubront is now on the Sox' 40-man roster, which Sox director of player development Mike Hazen said recently was partly to do with his performance in 2008 and partly to do with time issues (with option years). You might be seeing him in Double A this season. As to his potential, he has quite a bit. But it's a long way between A ball and the minors, and this season could be big for him, whether he shows development from last season or falls back to his disappointing stats from the season before.

Love your take on all things Sox. Is it me or does there seem to be a quick jelling with regards to chemistry with the team this year? Everything I've seen and read so far, seems to point to a pleasant atmosphere. Or is it just that Manny is not orchestrating the circus this time around?
Rob K., Scarsdale, N.Y.

A: So far it looks like smooth sailing at Sox camp. I think that not having certain players in camp, including Manny Ramirez, has led to a quieter camp in the early days -- the very early days. My guess is that it will continue that way through camp. There aren't a lot of position battles this year, really just at shortstop, so even that doesn't bring with it much controversy. This team is full of veteran players, professional-type players, which is the type that general manager Theo Epstein seems to gravitate toward, another reason this spring training has seemed to go smoothly so far. Here's what Epstein had to say when asked about it yesterday: "It seems like we sit here and alternate. Some years there's some issue that has the potential to become distraction and you [the media] ask us about it. We say it's not that big a deal and it's not that big a deal. We go through camp, we play 30 exhibition games, we break, and if we're good enough, we're good enough. Then some years it's quiet and you say how great it is to be quiet. These things are sort of surface distractions that give you guys something to talk about that don't really, the way Tito runs camp, it never gets inside the clubhouse or very rarely does. That said, it's great to have some peace and tranquility on day one."

Why wouldn't the Sox have some interest in signing Orlando Cabrera? From what I've read, his value is way down and he's only looking for about $4 million a year. I'd imagine a Smoltz/Penny-like deal worth about $4-5 million per year plus incentives would get him to sign in Boston...where he might have played his best ball. Also, Lowrie is such a logical utility guy for one more season. We all remember how Jed was dead in October.
Steve V., Boston

A: With two shortstops at their disposal, it wouldn't seem to make sense for the Sox to bring back Orlando Cabrera. Remember, the team did not re-sign Cabrera when it had the chance after the 2004 season, when it was still in need of a shortstop. If Cabrera wasn't a priority at that time, there's no reason for him to be a priority now -- especially when they already have both Julio Lugo and Jed Lowrie on the roster. Yes, Lowrie does have a lot of potential as a utility guy for another season, which of course might end up happening. But there should be some allowances made for Lowrie at the end of last season. The shortstop played with a sprain and small non-displaced fracture in his left wrist starting in May, an injury that worsened through the season, and both caused him pain and affected his grip. That clearly led to some of his struggles, as he tailed off from .284 in August to .213 in September.

Amalie--I have two questions. First-How is Mike Lowell progressing in his rehab? No one mentions him much and his production will be key this season. Is he on schedule to participate in all the spring training drills and games? Second-Why is it that Jason Bay seems to get little respect for his offensive prowess? Everyone is talking about the Sox potential offensive problems this coming year but if Bay goes 25-90-.280, will that be THAT much of a dropoff from Manny like production? I don't get it.
Bill B., Corona, Calif.

A: Bill, thanks for the questions. Mike Lowell is progressing well in his rehab. He's already doing some baseball activities, and looks on track to be ready for the start of the regular season. But the team is going to be careful with him, given that his hip surgery in the offseason. "[The reports have] been pretty good," general manager Theo Epstein said. "We just got an update yesterday that he's not experiencing any pain or any symptoms and he's doing some baseball activities. He hasn't really run yet full-fledged, and that's going to be an important step for him, but he's hitting and doing some other baseball activities. We're going to take it slow. We're going to hold him back. We're not focused on what he looks like on the report date or when the first exhibition date happens. The whole rehab is built around the proper timetable, which happens to coincide with getting him ready for opening day."

As for Jason Bay, he's not Manny Ramirez. That's not to say that he isn't a strong offensive force in his own right. But Ramirez is one of the best right-handed hitters in baseball history. It's almost impossible to compete with that. There's a lot of respect for Bay offensively, certainly from the organization. In terms of the questions about the offensive potential for the Sox, it's not just about Bay. It's also about David Ortiz and Mike Lowell and Jason Varitek, all of whom come in with issues at the plate this season.

I have a question about Jason Varitek's status as a Class A free agent. Everyone has been talking about the compensation for him if he signed with another club. But I'm curious about HOW he got classified that way--particularly with such low statistics offensively and even defensively. We all know his value in the intangibles, but are these considered in the classification process?
Mike, Carmel, N.Y.

A: Type A and B free agents get classified that way based on statistical data from the Elias Sports Bureau. The players who are in the top 20 percent of the rankings for each positional group are considered Type A free agents, and those in the following 20 percent are Type B free agents. The data are based on the last two year's worth of stats. And, no, intangibles are not considered. I'd say the fact that Jason Varitek was classified as a Type A says a lot about the current crop of catchers in the major leagues.

Given Manny's current status as unsigned, the maneuvering by the teams interested in him, and the fact that everyone knows that the Sox NEED a big bat to bolster their lineup, is there *any* chance at all that the Sox would consider re-signing Manny? I know it sounds crazy, but his bat would REALLY shore up our batting order...
Jason B., Ann Arbor, Mich.

A: Nope. Zero. Nada. Not going to happen.

I recognize you just finished the minor league questions. One additional one is possible. With all the questions regarding catching, is it possible to convert a position player to catcher to attempt to fill the hole?
Jeff E., Topsfield

A: No problem, Jeff. We're always happy to take minors questions here at the mailbag. It is certainly possible to take a position player and attempt to convert him. The team is always on the lookout for players that it thinks might be able to make the jump, which is admittedly an extremely difficult one. Rob Leary, the minor league field coordinator, told me a story last spring training about trying to convert Kevin Millar to catcher when both were with the Marlins. Needless to say, it didn't take. A player has to be truly dedicated to make the conversion, since catcher is such a difficult position, and so different than the others on the field. So, to sum up, yes it is possible.

Since the Sox lost out on Teixeira (no loss in my book BTW) why aren't they pursuing someone like Adam Dunn or Bobby Abreau? With Ortiz, Lowell, Youk and others in the mix adding one more bat like one of these should round out their lineup -- right?
Dave J.

A: When both Adam Dunn and Bobby Abreu were out there in the free agent market, it was certainly very tempting for the Sox. The team could have had either player for relatively short money. But the problem was that the Sox wouldn't have had a position for either one. With Jason Bay, Jacoby Ellsbury, and J.D. Drew making up their outfield, that would have relegated Dunn or Abreu to the bench (where the team already has Rocco Baldelli). The Sox are, as Theo Epstein said yesterday, "bullish" on Ellsbury and his chances to make an impact at the major league level, and the team is paying Drew far too much to have him sit on the bench. Plus Dunn is not very good defensively -- I'm trying to be nice -- which limits his usefulness.

Since the Red Sox seem set with Lowell and Youkilis with a plan to wait for Lars Anderson's development, it seems getting more power out of the short stop position makes sense. Would the Red Sox trade their prospects (Buchholz, Lowrie, and perhaps another younger player) to get Ramirez or Young? Ramirez would keep them younger and preferable but either move makes sense since they have other good prospects waiting in the wings. Maybe Buchholz, Lowrie, and another decent prospect for Young and Saltalamacchia?
Paul, Albany, N.Y.

A: The Sox looked into the possibility of Hanley Ramirez, and were told in short order that he was not going to be traded. So there's likely no possibility of him coming back to Boston, at least not in the near future. As for Michael Young, who reconciled himself to the idea of playing third base for the Rangers, his contract is enormous, especially for his level of production. He is only in the first year of his five-year, $80 million contact extension, meaning either Texas would have had to take on some of that money or the Sox would have been overpaying for a player who could be past his prime. While the Sox' shortstop situation has not been determined yet, the combination of Julio Lugo and Jed Lowrie look to be combination for the Sox -- unless, of course, the team finds a deal that works and trades Lugo, as it attempted to do in the offseason. That last scenario would likely result in the Sox having to pay a chunk of the $18 million left on Lugo's contract.

In lieu of a monthly minor league chat, would you consider doing a monthly in-season wrapup of the minor league movers and shakers? A list of the hottest players, updated scouting reports, promotions, stuff like that? I bet with the fans so interested in hearing about the next group of hot prospects, the column would be a hit.
Brian C., Bradford

A: We already do. Starting around May, the Globe runs a minor league notebook once a week (on Fridays). It's not exactly what you mentioned, but it will definitely give you your minor league fix for the week. Thanks for asking!