原文: http://0rz.net/0f13s Numerous issues for Red Sox in '06 Nine topics will dominate Boston's conversation this season BOSTON -- Per usual, optimism is running fairly deep as the Red Sox get ready to head to Spring Training. For if you aren't optimistic this time of year, whenare you? Before those rays of sun start to make things look even brighter when the Red Sox officially report to Spring Training on Feb. 18, this seems like an appropriate time to go around the diamond and look at nine key issues that need to be tackled before the club heads north to start the 2006 season. Figure out Foulke: The Red Sox must determine whether Keith Foulke can return to his 2004 self, or if he's going to revert back to being the closer who took the mound with a shattered psyche so often in 2005. Sure, Foulke wasn't right physically, as evidenced by the fact that he wound up having surgery on both knees before the season came to a close. But the club and the pitcher also didn't deny that Foulke was never mentally right during the season either. From the reports the Red Sox have received from trainers this winter, Foulke is in excellent shape. For Boston to get where it wants to go, it needs a confident closer. Without another true closer in camp, it is vital the Red Sox get a good read on Foulke. Monitor Manny: As has been well documented by now, superstar slugger Manny Ramirez wanted to be traded, but the Red Sox couldn't find a trading partner to come up with equal value for one of the best right-handed hitters of this era. Judging from past years, everything should blow over during Spring Training. This is a far less delicate situation than two years ago, when the Red Sox first tried to bait a team into taking Ramirez off waivers and then had a trade fall through that would have sent him to the Rangers for Alex Rodriguez. But it is still important for manager Terry Francona and teammates to try to pump Ramirez up and keep him happy in Boston. The more content Ramirez is, the better he figures to hit. Pare down the rotation: It appears the Red Sox will report to Spring Training with seven highly qualified starting pitchers in Josh Beckett, Curt Schilling, David Wells, Tim Wakefield, Bronson Arroyo, Matt Clement and Jonathan Papelbon. Wells, in what will likely be his final season in the Major Leagues, has expressed a desire to be moved to the West Coast. But Wells is one of the best big-game pitchers in baseball, he's the only lefty on Boston's staff, and he won 15 games last year. So unless the Sox can't get something attractive in exchange for Wells, they don't see trading him as a necessity. If Wells stays, who goes? Perhaps nobody. Papelbon, though certainly a starter in the long run, could come out of the bullpen again, a role he excelled in late last season. Arroyo is also successful at swinging between the rotation and the bullpen. Clement has been rumored to be on the trading block most of the winter, but his price tag (two years left on a three-year, $25.5 million deal) might limit him to big-market teams. Of course, injuries could also crop up in Spring Training, a fact that would make Boston's starting pitching depth more valuable than ever. Can Coco lead off? The Red Sox found a solid replacement for Johnny Damon when they acquired center fielder Coco Crisp from the Indians. Because the team doesn't have another true leadoff hitter on the roster, Crisp might also take Damon's spot at the top of the order. However, the problem is that his aggressive hitting style might not be ideal for the leadoff spot. Will the Red Sox ask Crisp to become a more patient hitter, or will they instruct him to keep doing what makes him most comfortable? If Crisp wants to keep hacking away, the Sox might end up putting second baseman Mark Loretta in the leadoff spot. Establish new chemistry: If there was one constant regarding the Red Sox of 2003-05, it was the clubhouse camaraderie. That was established early in that '03 season by the likes of Damon , Kevin Millar and Bill Mueller. Those three players, among others, departed over the winter. What kind of personality will develop on the '06 club? Jason Varitek is clearly the on-field leader of the Red Sox, but the captain seemed to like having chatterboxes Damon and Millar around to keep everyone loose. In an intense environment like Boston, clubhouse chemistry can be essential. It certainly was in 2004, when the Red Sox became the first team in the history of the game to overcome a 3-0 series deficit in postseason play. Spring Training can be a good time for bonding, and this area will be important for the 2006 Red Sox, a roster with many new faces. Who's on first? Kevin Youkilis and J.T. Snow will both get their share of playing time at first base. But one of the things the Red Sox will try to determine during the spring is how that playing time will be divided. Will Youkilis, with just 287 career at-bats, be able to prove himself enough to be the primary guy? How much rest does the 38-year-old Snow need at this point in his career? Will Francona simply go with the matchups, much like he often did with Millar and John Olerud last year? One thing is clear: When the Red Sox have the lead in the late innings, defensive specialist Snow will be on the field. Look for a lefty: In Mike Myers, the Red Sox had one of the best pure lefty specialists in the game. When Boston let Myers go (he wound up with the Yankees), the Sox cited the fact that they were looking for pitchers who could retire batters from both sides of the plate. However, they come to camp very thin in the department of left-handed relievers. Lenny DiNardo is more of a long man. If you're looking for a dark horse, keep an eye on non-roster invitee Craig Breslow, who was strong in limited chances with the Padres last season. Who will catch Wakefield? The Red Sox were fortunate the last four seasons, as Doug Mirabelli was an expert at catching Wakefield's tricky knuckler. John Flaherty and Ken Huckaby will vie for the job of being Wakefield's regular catcher in 2006. Veteran Flaherty, who excels defensively, would seem to be the favorite. After all, Huckaby is a non-roster invitee. But the job is up for grabs. Josh Bard, acquired along with Crisp, will also be in the mix. Watch the kids: This is a key developmental year for the Red Sox, as several of the team's top prospects appear close to becoming Major Leaguers. With this year's World Baseball Classic taking some of the most prominent players out of camp, this will give Francona even more of a chance to get reads on his younger players. Diminutive infielder Dustin Pedroia has rocketed through the system and will be a non-roster invitee during camp. If he continues to progress the way the club expects, he'll call Fenway home before 2006 is over. Closer Craig Hansen, who was pitching for St. John's less than a year ago, got a taste of the Major Leagues late last season. That should help him make adjustments this spring. Still, he's likely to start the year at Triple-A. Those who like the local angle will take heart in watching Boston native Manny Delcarmen vie for a job in Spring Training. The hard-throwing righty had trouble commanding his offspeed pitches during his time with the club last year, which is why Francona infrequently used him in meaningful situations. Go back to last spring, which was when Papelbon showed the Red Sox he could be someone they'd be able to count on at some point during the 2005 season. Jon Lester, the top left-hander in the farm system, will try to make that same impression this spring. 问题太多...大家自己看好吗...XD --

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