Wells Arrives on Time

Lefty David Wells arrived on time to the Boston Red Sox spring training camp yesterday. In a season that saw the Boston rotation and bullpen riddled with injuries, the 42-year-old with a history of controversy became an anchor for the team, going 15-7 with a 4.45 ERA. In the offseason, however, Wells demanded a trade, expressing a desire to be closer to his hometown of San Diego for his final season in Major League Baseball. Though the Red Sox have promised to try to trade Wells, they have thus far been unsuccessful in finding a west coast team who would give them value for the aging pitcher. With Josh Beckett, Matt Clement, Bronson Arroyo, Tim Wakefield, Curt Schilling, and rookie Jonathan Papelbon all competing for spots in the starting rotation, the Red Sox would seem to have an embarassment of riches in starting pitchers at a time when most teams are struggling to field a competitive five-man rotation. The victory of the Chicago White Sox in last year's World Series only further proved the need for a strong rotation. However, the future of Curt Schilling, recovering from what was perhaps the most significant injury of his career, and up-and-coming Jonathan Papelbon are uncertain. Should all seven of Boston's starting pitchers remain healthy all year, they would seem destined for a fourth straight postseason - but nothing is certain in baseball, especially for the team that plays in Fenway Park.

Date
February 20, 2006

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