Red Sox Prospectus: The Young Arms

This is the first in a series of articles on the 1981 Boston Red Sox.

Billy Mike Smithson knows he is a longshot. "Realistically, I have no chance to make the team," he says, "but I hope I get a chance to show what I can do."

Smithson (call him Mike) is one of three pitchers with no major-league experience battling for a spot on the Red Sox' 25-man roster. By opening day, the present crowd of 21 hurlers will have dwindled to ten; and the rest will set up shop at the Sox AAA affiliate in Pawtucket, the AA team in Bristol, or points beyond.

Top Nine

And, barring injuries, nine spots seem fairly certain. Those nine belong to returnees Dennis Eckersley, Mike Torrez, Chuck Rainey, (although his arm is questionable). Bob Stanley, Dick Drago, Tom Burgmeier and the rehabilitated Bill Campbell, plus newcomers Frank Tanana and Mark Clear (both from California). That leaves one spot--and 12 pitchers.

Obviously, manager Ralph Houk will give a good, long look to those who have pitched well in the majors, like southpaw John Tudor (8-5, 3.02 in Boston last year) and vet Skip Lockwood. He'll also be inspecting perennial prospects Win Reramerswaal and Keith MacWhorter, neither of whom made it big in their short stints in Massachusetts last year.

But don't be shocked if the camp phenom turns out to be a young pitcher. There is more untested talent throwing on Winter haven hills this spring than this organization has seen in a long while, and given the starting-over tenor of the squad this year, Houk may turn to a youngster for his tenth pitcher.

Look At Him!

The first to watch is Steve Crawford. "Of all the young pitchers down here, I don't think anyone has a better chance than me," the fastballer says, and he's probably right. Crawford followed up an impressive (9-7, 2.64) season in Bristol last year with a strong September with the big club (2-0, 3.62), and his fastball may be the best in the organization. Crawford is big (6-ft., 5-in., 225 lbs.), young (22), and--although still raw--somewhat proven. Of all the kids, he would seem to have the inside track. Right behind Crawford may be Smithson. His 5-9 mark at pawtucket last summer is deceiving (2.91 ERA), and just about everyone mentions him in the top two or three when discussing prospects. His name came up in trade talks over the winter, and he is obviously a commodity the organization wants to hang on to.

Smithson's lack of major-league experience may hurt, but if he isn't on the ten-man staff right off look for him to be one of the first called up during the season. "It seems like every year one dark horse makes the team", Smithson says. "Maybe this year, it'll be me."

No Palomino

Another dark horse with plenty of potential is Mike Howard. Howard compiled a 10-5, 3.78 record in Bristol, but faltered when promoted to PawSox (1-5, 4.58). He is also a first-year roster player and supposedly needs work. If the arm is as good as it seems to be, however, he will be one to watch--perhaps next year.

A pair of young hurlers with smatterings of big league experience will get a look. Lefty Bruce Hurst was spotty in his stint with the Sox last summer (2-2, 9.10, one run-in with Don Zimmer) but is rated as a definite prospect by the organization. Righty Jim Dorsey, acquired in the trade that sent Frod Lynn to California, went 14-7 with Salt Lake City (AAA) last season, and came up to the Angels in September.

Coast Experience

Pitching in the Pacific Coast League, a hitters' league, may help Dorsey adjust to the realities of Fenway park ("I sure learned how to throw with short fences behind me"), but as a righthanded starter the competition is too tough. Look for him in Pawtucket.

What remains are three mysteries. Bobby Ojeda made the jump from A-ball (15-7, 2.43 in Winter Haven of the Florida State League two years ago) to Pawtucket (6-7, 3.22) last year, but he was emphatically unimpressive in Boston last season (6.92). The lefthander will need an eye-opening spring to move up or down from Pawtucket, where he is currently slated to go.

He's Fat

Luis Aponte, a 26-year old survivor of the ill-fated Inter-American League, is a short reliever, which is good, and a righthander, which may be bad. He pitched fairly well in limited action with the Red Sox last year, and plenty of people seem impressed ("If anyone is standing out right now it's Crawford and Aponte."--Gary Allenson). Still, with Drago, Campbell and perhaps Lockwood, is there really room for another righthander in the bullpen?

The real question mark in camp is Jerome King, a 6-ft., 3-in, righty who split 12 decisions in Bristol last year with an ERA just under four. He can start or relieve, is a first-year roster player, and probably won't last past first cuts.

Obviously, a great deal is riding on the young arms. If Tanana's arm isn't better, if Campbell cana't make the comeback, if Rainey isn't the same and if Torrez confinues his inadequacy, the Sox will need plenty of work from the kids to go anywhere.

Tanana's arm, Carney Lansford's glasses and the invisible man, Cariton Fisk, will make the news in the next few weeks, but the squad's chances in baseball's toughest division may depend on just who Houk chooses for that last spot.

Looking Good

"As a matter of fact, "Stanley, set in the bullpen, says, "They all look good. I think we're going to be pretty good this year, there's a good attitude."

And Smithson, the dark horse says: "We're all working hard. I think the young guys make the vets work harder. I'm throwing well, but we'll see what happens."