No surprise that one of the only nationally broadcast spring training games for the Red Sox this year comes against the Yankees. Our bad luck, though, that it comes in New York's park. At home, we might see the starting lineup get some at bats. On the road, however, it's another story entirely.
Still, Jackie Bradley Jr. is playing, Felix Doubront is pitching, Jose Iglesias will presumably get to a ball he really had no business fielding, and perhaps in the end our Triple-A team will beat the Yankees. That'd be nice, wouldn't it?
Things to watch for:
- Over/under on Jackie Bradley Jr. hits is 1.5. If you say under, you hate the Red Sox.
- So long as the Yankees aren't killing him, Felix Doubront's pitch count is probably the most important aspect of his outing. Keep it low, Felix. Keep it low.
- In that vein, how many fringe pitches can David Ross turn into strikes?
- Daniel Nava is at first base, and Mike Carp is in left field. John Farrell seems to have taken much of the excitement/trepidation out of that particular battle today, but it wouldn't hurt to see Nava handle himself well.
- The manifestation of the Yankees' evil as a giant shadow beast rampaging through Boston's dugout and putting everyone on the DL.
Go Sox!