NESN

Alfredo Aceves ‘Fine Now,’ Feels Red Sox’ Commitment to Daniel Bard Hurt His Chances of Starting

FORT MYERS, Fla. — From the beginning, Alfredo Aceves never felt like he had a chance at starting. Not with the hoopla surrounding Daniel Bard's conversion from reliever to starter.

"[Daniel] Bard, the organization wanted him to get the chance, so I've got no chance," Aceves said on Monday. "It doesn't matter how good you throw. You're still not going to pitch."

With the exception of one start in which he yielded nine runs, Aceves only surrendered two runs this spring. In each of Bard's last four starts, the right-hander allowed three or more runs.

Aceves said he understood Felix Doubront's promotion, considering that Doubront adds a left-handed arm to the rotation. But when Aceves received word he would return to the bullpen, manager Bobby Valentine mentioned that Aceves was "not happy."

By the end of the team's win over the Twins on Sunday, pitching coach Bob McClure nixed the notion of any lingering frustrations.

"He's fine now," McClure said. "He's a team guy, and that's been his focal point the whole time — 'Whatever I can do best for the team.' Will he start at some point? I don't know. Will he close at some point? I don't know. But he's a very versatile person, and what he's basically told us is, 'Whatever I can do to help the team, that's what I'm going to do.'"

Although Aceves' aspirations to start haven't changed, he echoed those sentiments on Monday.

"My hope is to win a championship, even if I start or don't start," Aceves said. "That's my hope, to win a championship."

As a result of his versatility, Aceves could either start for Josh Beckett, who is getting examined for a thumb injury, or close in place of Andrew Bailey, who is also battling a thumb injury.

Have a question for Didier Morais? Send it to him via Twitter at @DidierMorais or send it here. He will pick a few questions to answer every week for his mailbag.