Boston Red Sox: 7 Bold Predictions for the Red Sox in 2012

The Boston Red Sox suffered from one of the biggest collapses in MLB history over the course of September. Plenty of drama has evolved from this including coach Terry Francona leaving the team, general manager Theo Epstein going to the Chicago Cubs and allegations of what certain players were doing in the clubhouse during games. All of this stops now.

Boston has plenty of issues to resolve during the offseason, but there will still be a 2012 season regardless. Ben Cherington is set to be named the general manager and fix this team to be contenders again. He has a lot on his plate for a first-time general manager, and his success will be judged as soon as Opening Day comes. 

Red Sox Nation needs to stop panicking over every small detail that may leak out of the organization. The Red Sox have brought this amongst themselves. Have you heard one thing out of the Braves’ organization about their epic collapse? We need to handle this situation the smart way and analyze the best decisions for the team—not jumping to conclusions.

With that said, here are some bold predictions for the 2012 Boston Red Sox.

Carl Crawford Leads the Team in Hitting

We all know that Carl Crawford struggled in his first season in Boston; that point has been overblown. Talks that he is already a bust are absurd.  He signed a seven-year deal, not a one-year deal. You cannot analyze this signing until his contract expires. If he hits .255 for the next seven years, then by all means, tear him to shreds.

In his career, Carl Crawford is a .293 hitter. He is the all-time leader in batting average for the Tampa Bay Rays, hitting .296 in his nine seasons there. Clearly, this man knows how to hit the baseball.

Carl Crawford will have a breakout year next season. He has had an entire year to learn how to hit the ball in Fenway Park. Using the Green Monster will be huge for him in the future as every hit could turn into a double or a triple. In 2007, Crawford hit .315 with 37 doubles, 50 stolen bases and 93 runs scored. Don’t be surprised to see numbers like this next season.

Will Middlebrooks Makes the Opening Day Roster

You may not have heard of Middlebrooks in the past, but you will next year. SoxProspects.com has him rated as the No. 1 prospect in the Boston organization. He played the majority of the season in Double-A Portland where he hit .302 with 18 home runs and 80 runs batted in.

The third baseman was named to the Eastern League All-Star team as well as the Futures Game All-Star team. In the Futures Game, playing against the best prospects in the game, Middlebrooks went 1-2.

He only got 16 games of experience in Triple-A Pawtucket but a strong spring training could give him one of the 25 spots on the Opening Day roster. This prediction could become a reality based on the offseason status of Kevin Youkilis. Youkilis could become trade bait for other prospects based on what Cherington thinks of him, and Middlebrooks could easily become his replacement. He has great potential, and you will see him in Boston in 2012.

John Lackey Wins 15-Plus Games

2010 was an offseason for John Lackey on many levels. One, his pitching was subpar, and two, his anger management issues.

It was noticeable on many occasions that he was unhappy when Terry Francona would pull him from games. That needs to be resolved over the winter. Take some anger management classes. The main reason he was replaced is to better the team’s chances of winning and to maintain his health.

Yes, Lackey’s ERA was higher than ever in 2011 at 6.41, and he lost 12 games. Lackey needs to focus on making his pitches in 2012. A ton of men got on base which led to more and more runs coming across the plate. Lackey threw 17 pitches per inning on average last year and that number needs to be around 15. If he can throw fewer pitches per inning, then he can go deeper in the games and win more often.

Lackey has only won more than 15 games once in his career; in 2007, he won 19. He needs to bear down and work on his durability so he can perform at a higher level next season. It is a make-or-break year for Lackey, and 2012 needs to be a success.

Daniel Bard Leads the American League in Saves

Let’s get one thing straight: Jonathan Papelbon is gone, and Daniel Bard is now the closer for the Boston Red Sox. Ever since coming up in 2009, it was obvious that someday Bard would become the everyday closer. That time has come.

He has held over 30 games in each of the last two seasons and ranked in the top three in that category over those years. The reason he has been so good: his control over his fastball. Bard can reach the high 90s with every pitch and then throw an off-speed pitch to retire the batter.

The Red Sox are going to win games next seasona lot of them. Bard will now have the weight on his shoulders to close the tight games out. It is possible for him to appear in at least 65 games next year and get around 40-45 saves.  

DeMarlo Hales Wins Manager of the Year

If one thing is clear about the 2012 season, it’s that Terry Francona will not be the manager. John Henry and the rest of the front office are considering a few names to coach the team next season and one of them is or should be DeMarlo Hale.

Even though he doesn’t have any major league head coaching experience, Hale has been the bench coach for two seasons, and the third-base coach for the four years before that. He has also managed many of the Red Sox minor league teams in the past.

With the talent and the superstars in the Red Sox clubhouse, Boston needs someone who can handle the team in all aspects of the game. Hale is a well-respected coach in the Red Sox system, and he would be a good fit as the manager. It would be a huge mistake to bring in someone who is unfamiliar with the team and try to make them into something they aren’t.

Even with the collapse, the Red Sox are already projected to make a World Series run in the near future. DeMarlo Hale can help this team reach 100 wins and make the playoffs for the first time since 2009. 

Jacoby Ellsbury Wins Back-to-Back MVP Awards

No player has won back-to-back AL MVP awards since Frank Thomas in 1992 and 1993. After playing in only 18 games the previous season, Ellsbury had a breakout season in 2011. He has already been named the AL Comeback Player of the Year and could finish first in the MVP voting as well.

In 2011, he hit .321 with 32 home runs, 119 runs scored, 105 runs batted in and 39 stolen bases. He is the first player in Boston franchise history to have 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases in a season. He also confirmed that he can patrol centerfield with ease—a candidate for his first Gold Glove award.

Boston needs Ellsbury to be a leader as we have seen that many of the players on the roster aren’t. He has the potential to be an MVP-caliber player every season as long as he can stay healthy.

His legs are the key to his success, and we now know the power he can show. If Ellsbury plays well, then it gives the Red Sox a great chance at a World Series championship. If anyone on Boston can win back-to-back MVP awards, it’s Jacoby Ellsbury.

Red Sox Win the 2012 World Series

After a terrible 2011, Boston will make up for what happened and win their third World Series title since 2004. With all of the talent that is on the team, it is inevitable that they will win one. Their starting pitching can only get better and a free-agent acquisition such as CJ Wilson would really improve their chances.

As long as Adrian Gonzalez is in the lineup and Dustin Pedroia wakes up in the morning, the Red Sox will win games. Jacoby Ellsbury will play his hardest every day of the 162-game season. The leadership of Jason Varitek and Tim Wakefield, pending they receive contracts, will re-create a team that fell apart in September of last season. The players need to understand that they are a team with a main goalwin. The owners will make sure that happens.