…Slow and Slower.
Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal sheds some light on two of Boston’s more suspect off-season acquisitions. (link taken from Repoz and Baseball Think Factoyr
With Opening Day less than three weeks away, scouts watching the Red Sox say the team should be concerned about third baseman Mike Lowell, 32, and first baseman J.T. Snow, 38.
Lowell, in the words of one scout, has “lost his body quickness.” Snow also lacks athleticism. Kevin Youkilis, 27, can’t play both first and third ” and after hitting only one homer in 79 at-bats last season, he might lack sufficient power to be a corner infielder for a championship club.
The Red Sox have a starting pitcher to trade ” left-hander David Wells, right-hander Matt Clement or right-hander Bronson Arroyo ” and they’re also shopping second baseman Tony Graffanino. But it seems doubtful they would address first base or third before the start of the season.
“Lacks athleticism”? Snow has always been great in the field and has a killer work ethic. He should be fine at first, at least for one more season.
It would be a shame to let Arroyo go, he’s the first guy I can remember since Carl Yastrzemski who’s shown any interest in spending his whole career in Boston, but he has been horrible this spring.