Baseball Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous baseball thoughts and observations.

Call me an optimist because I really think JD Drew will have a good season this year for the Red Sox. I'm predicting he'll hit at least .300 with at least 20 HR and 140 games played. Like I said - call me an optimist... Scott Rolen will be probably be out for at least Opening Day with a torn fingernail and a broken bone in his finger. Many people will automatically think "oh here we go again" regarding the oft-injured Rolen but I think this may actually be a fluke and that Rolen may put together a decent season this year. Hey - I already said I'm an optimist... In 2001 due mostly to injuries to John Valentin and Nomar Garciaparra - a rookie basically came out of nowhere to be the Opening Day starting 3rd baseman for the Red Sox. That rookie was Shea Hillenbrand. It looks like history may be repating itself because due mostly to injuries to Andy LaRoche and Nomar Garciaparra another rookie may be a surprise Opening Day starter at 3rd base. This time though its the Dodgers and the surprise rookie starter may be Blake DeWitt... Speaking of Shea Hillenbrand - it looks like his career is over. Not even the injury depleted Dodgers are ringing him on the phone. I just hope Hillenbrand realizes how luck a guy with his limited talent was to make $20 million playing baseball not to mention somehow making it to not one but two All-Star games... Speaking of rookies getting to start on Opening Day - Rockies will be going with rookie Jason Nix to start at 2nd. I'm taking a flyer on Nix in one of my fantasy baseball teams. He's got some pop in his bat and Rockies rookie middle infielders have been pretty good bets for the past few seasons...