Takeaways from Red Sox spring training

The Red Sox aren’t playing any more games in Fort Myers this season and while the regular season doesn’t actually start until Monday, we pretty much know all there is to know about this spring training other than which reliever with no MLB experience is going to be a roster filler on the big league club for the first five games of the season. (I think that’s the longest sentence I’ve ever written and it’s probably a run-on but you understood it, so I’m doing my job right.)

Really though, that doesn’t matter too much. Will have little impact on the team. But let’s look at some stuff that does–in fact–matter. How bout dat?

Pablo Sandoval IS BACK. No one is worrying about the Panda’s gut right now and with a .350 batting average and five homers this spring, the expectation is that he’ll be a pretty good player this season.

Marco Hernandez is more than a utility man. Ignore the fact that he’s hitting .377 — 13 of his 23 hits are extra base hits. Plus, he plays three infield spots. Plus he hit moderately well in the bigs last year.

Kyle Kendrick, Edgar Olmos, Jamie Callahan and Sam Travis are on the radar — The latter three pitchers threw well in their spring outings. And while none of ’em threw a pitch in the bigs last year, all of ’em could this year. Oh yeah, and Travis could be the starting first baseman by the end of the season.

Henry Owens, Brian Johnson, Noe Ramirez and Brandon Workman are in the doghouse — Despite their big league experience and being high draft picks, none of these guys were in consideration for any Opening Day spots yet guys who have never thrown a pitch for the Red Sox were in the mix…

Drew Pomeranz still a question mark — His spring ERA starts with a 7. Sure, it’s not too relevant, but he didn’t have a great year in Boston last year, and that didn’t help anyone’s confidence in him. Doubt anyone thinks he can fly or anything.

This team isn’t invincible — David Price already went down. There’s the threat of Pomeranz getting hurt. It wouldn’t take many little things like that to kill this club.

The Pirates aren’t that good. Or maybe Drew Hutchison just didn’t have his best stuff Wednesday when the Red Sox demolished the Pirates….