Bullpen all set in June
Team plans Smith return date
RED SOX NOTEBOOK
DUNEDIN, Fla. — By June, the Red Sox bullpen should have a another weapon.
The Sox are eyeing a June return for set-up man Carson Smith, the right-handed reliever who needed Tommy John surgery last year.
Smith threw his first bullpen session this week and it left the Red Sox encouraged.
“It was very good — surprisingly good,” manager John Farrell said. “The action and just the velocity he showed his first time out — we have to temper our excitement based on what we saw the other day, because we know there are going to be peaks and valleys that he goes through, just like any pitcher will go through coming back from Tommy John.”
Smith had a 2.31 ERA with 92 strikeouts in 70 innings with the Mariners in 2015, but made just three appearances with the Sox in 2016 after he was acquired from Seattle for Wade Miley. He had surgery last May.
“By mid-January, there were some things he was able to get through physically that allowed him to take off a little bit in terms of the progression,” Farrell said. “He’s done everything that we could have hoped.”
More than defense
Farrell joined the chorus of Red Sox people who have gushed about Christian Vazquez’ defense this spring.
“It’s clear his arm strength is all the way back,” Farrell said. “He’s getting some unloading times in the 1.7’s, which is kind of unheard of. He’s had a number of throws to second base at 1.75, 1.77. So that’s been really encouraging.”
Vazquez, expected to be the No. 2 catcher behind Sandy Leon, is hitting .231.
“He’s been as we expected from Christian,” Farrell said. “He’s not an offensiveoriented catcher. He’s a defensive-oriented guy. But he’s got some abilities that you can work with in the bottom part of the order. You can move some runners with him at the plate. He’s a pretty good bat-handler. And at the same time he can jump up and surprise you with some extra-base hits.”
‘Butter’ better to sit
If there’s a bad send from the third base coach on Opening Day, don’t blame Brian Butterfield.
The Red Sox’ well-respected infield instructor and longtime third base coach has been limited all spring after undergoing knee surgery in the offseason. He hasn’t taken his place at third base for any of the games.
That will continue to be the case when the season starts, Farrell said. Bench coach Gary DiSarcina, who replaced Torey Lovullo, will handle the duties coaching at third base.
“And that would put Butter on the bench until ... he can not only be on his feet for three consecutive hours, but quite honestly, have the reaction time to get out of the way of some line drives,” Farrrell said. “Butter will serve the bench coach role. He’s been a bench coach before.”
Butterfield previously served as the bench coach with the Blue Jays. He’s been part of Farrell’s coaching staff for seven years.
Panda can go higher
Mitch Moreland is likely to start the year as the No. 5 hitter, but could Pablo Sandoval work his way back up in the order?
Sandoval has hit eighth for most of this spring, and has a .363 batting average with a team-leading 16 RBI.
“With Panda, you could make another claim he would be a guy in that (No. 5) spot,” Farrell said. “And I’m not going to sit here and say he couldn’t be at some point. He’s probably a little bit more streaky, but he’s on a pretty good streak in spring training, the entire camp.
“But keep in mind Mitch Moreland has been a 20 home run guy in each of the last four or five years.” . . .
David Price (elbow strain) will have his arm strength tested again today. It’s been three weeks since the team said he’d be rested for 7-10 days and he’s yet to begin throwing. . . .
Hanley Ramirez (shoulder) has been throwing in practice and the Red Sox are still hoping to see him in a game at first base this spring. . . .
The Red Sox and Boston Mayor Marty Walsh will launch a donation of 40,000 Red Sox hats to Boston Public School K-8 students and staff members on Monday.