No one can say how Hanley Ramirez will adapt to first base. Given the uncertainty surrounding that transition, the need for Dustin Pedroia to deliver star-caliber defense may be greater than at any time during the second baseman’s career.
By and large, Pedroia has been paired with outstanding defensive first basemen, with Kevin Youkilis, Adrian Gonzalez, and Mike Napoli all representing above-average to Gold Glove-caliber partners on the right side of the infield from 2007-15. With Ramirez, Pedroia and the Sox do not have that luxury.
The timing is noteworthy given that 2015 marked Pedroia’s first full season in the big leagues in which defensive metrics viewed him as something less than an elite defender. From 2007-14, he averaged 11.5 defensive runs saved (as calculated by Baseball Information Solutions); in 2015, he was three runs below a league-average for second baseman. Fangraphs’ Ultimate Zone Rating suggested he was slightly above average, but still had a career-worst defensive season.
If Pedroia is at his defensive peak, he can mask some of Ramirez’s defensive shortcomings. If the 2015 season marked a fork in the road for Pedroia, however, the Red Sox’ infield could be in trouble.
That being the case, perhaps of greater – or at least equal – note as the weigh-ins of Ramirez and Sandoval is the fact that Pedroia is in a physically different place than he was a year ago. After the 2014 season, Pedroia had a chance – without the need for any offseason surgeries on his hands or wrists – to focus his workouts on rebuilding upper body strength to improve his ability to drive the ball.
The result was Pedroia’s highest home run total (12) and slugging percentage (.441) since 2012, but the 32-year-old acknowledged last month that the offseason work came at the expense of his overall athleticism. This spring, it appears, Pedroia approached his offseason program at Exos (formerly Athletes’ Performance) in a fashion meant to re-establish his defensive credentials.
“He was probably eight or 10 pounds heavier last spring than he is now,” said Red Sox manager John Farrell. “I think it just speaks, regardless of the player, as you go through your career, you’re always evolving as a player. You’ve got to adjust as your body is telling you and he’s doing that. He’s back to more agility, more speed type of work that’s allowed him to maintain the defensive range.”
Follow Alex Speier on Twitter at @alexspeier.