Good News for Red Sox and Cardinals

Photo Credit: Getty Images

Photo Credit: Getty Images

The Boston Red Sox held off a ninth inning rally by the St. Louis Cardinals this afternoon to take a 4-3 win. As we know, these final scores don’t mean a lot, but what happens during Spring Training with individual players is more important than game results.

For both the Sox and the Cardinals, today was a positive day. Clay Buchholz, who has been on the disabled list at least once every year for the last six years, pitched 4 2/3 innings of one run ball against the powerful Red Birds who had most of their regulars in at the start of the game.

Buchholz, despite his injuries, has shown the ability to win and, if healthy, could be a big help as the Sox try to go from Worst-to-First again.

The battle for third base – between Travis Shaw and Pablo Sandoval – which has now been acknowledged by the Sox management, heated up. Shaw went 3-for-4 and Sandoval, in at DH, went 2-for-3.

Shaw is now 18-for-38 or .474 on the Spring while Sandoval is 9-for-31 or .290. Shaw has shown more at third defensively while the Panda has not looked good. If it were not for Sandoval’s big salary, this wouldn’t even be a match.

From the Cardinals point of view, the best catcher in baseball, Yadier Molina, coming back from two surgeries on his left thumb, got his first hit of the year. Adam Wainwright looks to be fully recovered from his Tommy John surgery and ready to go.

The Cards won the Central Division last year with a 100-62 record without Wainwright, who has won 121 and in his career with a 2.98 ERA.

The Cards lost John Lackey and Jason Heyward, but the return of Wainwright and a healthy Molina make them a much stronger team. The question is, do they have enough to hold off Joe Maddon’s Chicago Cubs? It’s going to be an interesting year in the National League Central Division.