The sky’s the limit for the Boston Red Sox, according to hitting coach Chili Davis.
The Red Sox have a bunch of good players on their roster, which means spring training could be very interesting. Boston’s outfield is especially crowded, as several players will be vying for playing time as the club looks to bounce back following a disappointing 2014 season.
“It’s a good problem to have, having so many talented players,” Davis told MassLive.com’s Jason Mastrodonato last week. “I think they’re not rookies, they’re all veteran players, a couple younger players and they all understand last year, 2014, (could’ve been better). Allen Craig, ‘Hey I’ve got something to prove.’ Shane Victorino, too. Jackie Bradley Jr., ‘I have to be a little more consistent.’
“They know what they have to do. It’s going to be a fight. It’s only January. Anything can happen. I’m sure when we leave spring training we’ll leave spring training with a strong ballclub.”
Rusney Castillo, Hanley Ramirez and Mookie Betts look like front-runners to be starters in Boston’s outfield this season. Victorino, Craig, Bradley, Daniel Nava and Brock Holt also could factor into the team’s outfield plans in some capacity. It wouldn’t be surprising to see the Red Sox make a trade or two to alleviate the logjam, but the current situation is very appealing, especially given Boston’s offensive woes last season.
“If you look at players, sometimes a new environment is what they need; a new beginning,” Davis said. “And sometimes you come off a not-so-good year, a not-so-productive year, but you know that as a player. You come into spring training, you work the correct way, you work on the right things and you get yourself back to that point. Like I said about (former Red Sox outfielder Yoenis Cespedes), when you have something to prove and you’re determined to prove it, you’ll do what it takes.”
Davis, who spent the last three seasons serving as the Oakland Athletics’ hitting coach, has his hands full in Boston despite the club adding Castillo, Ramirez and Pablo Sandoval, among others, over the last few months. The former major league outfielder is ready to embrace the challenge.
The question now centers on who will follow suit.
Thumbnail photo via David Butler II/USA TODAY Sports Images
