The Boston Red Sox have been labeled as one of the most improved MLB teams this offseason, but they still have some questions to answer, specifically regarding highly paid sluggers Hanley Ramirez and Rusney Castillo.
The two have been the subject of trade rumors ever since the arrival of Dave Dombrowski. The team's new president of baseball operations did his job in making the pitching staff stronger, but many also believed Ramirez and Castillo were potential goners. They're both owed a lot of money and the Red Sox could perhaps do without them thanks to significant depth on their roster.
Both also have glaring defensive issues, which is why Ramirez is going to transition over to first base and Castillo is seemingly shifting over to left field on a regular basis.
However, neither is a very attractive trade piece due to the long-term commitments each is tied to. So it appears as if Boston will be heading into the season with the two sluggers with hopes they can effectively make the defensive adaptions and maximize their efficiency.
"With the season 10 weeks away, Ramirez appears to have embraced the task [of switching over to first base]," writes Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe. "He started taking ground balls last week at a field near his home in Miami. Red Sox mental skills coach Laz Gutierrez, a former scout and minor league coach, has been working with him.
"Ramirez plans to report to Fort Myers for spring training on Feb. 10 or 11, well ahead of the Feb. 23 deadline for position players. That's when he'll start working with infield coach Brian Butterfield, the man who helped turn Mike Napoli from a catcher into one of the better defensive first basemen in the game."
Ramirez, 32, is under contract through the 2018 season and will make $22.75 annually over that span. He battled injuries during his first season in Boston and managed to hit .249/.291/.426 with 59 runs scored, 19 home runs and 53 RBI in 105 games, but he was a nightmare on the defensive side of the ball (in left field).
As for Castillo, the Cuban defector has yet to really get his bat going in his first 90 MLB games. Additionally, he struggled a bit on defense with his routes and coverage in the outfield. He has logged most of his games in right field and some in center, but the team feels he's more suited for left.
He's up for the challenge.
"I worked hard out there to get adjusted to the wall. I feel confident I can manage the wall wherever the ball takes me," he told Rob Bradford of WEEI.com. "I'm working hard every single day to really get accustomed to all the bounces they will take."
He's also feeling good about his progression on offense.
"I've shortened up my swing a little bit more because of the faster speed in the pitching. I'm confident this year I will see a different because of that adjustment."
On top of his offseason workouts, Castillo joined Criollos de Caguas for the Puerto Rican Winter League playoffs in late December.
The 28-year-old is under contract through 2020 and will earn a total of $56.5 million. He owns a .262/.302/.379 stat line with 41 runs scored, 7 home runs and 35 RBI in 90 games with Boston, but much more is expected of him since he was so highly regarded as a professional in Cuba.
The Red Sox are among the favorites to win the World Series in 2016, and it's possible these two players undertake a big role for that potential journey.
