SPECULATOR: Spring Training "What if"s — AL Edition
Feb 19 2012
In our 2012 debut this week, we kick off our pre-season coverage with a set of "What if..." questions from around the American League.
What if Daniel Bard (RHP, BOS) doesn't stick in the Boston rotation?
With a couple of openings in the back of their rotation, the Red Sox enter camp this month with the intent of stretching out Daniel Bard as a starting pitcher. But, as we saw with Neftali Feliz a year ago, stretching out in March does not necessarily preclude a return to the bullpen in April. If Bard does go back to the bullpen, what might his role be?
Newcomers Mark Melancon and Andrew Bailey are likely to handle the 8th- and 9th-inning roles, respectively, if Bard is in the rotation. If Bard comes back to the pen, that plan may...
Almost!
You’re just a few clicks away from accessing this feature and hundreds more throughout the year that have a singular goal in mind: Winning your league. Subscribe to BaseballHQ.com here!
Already a subscriber? Sign in here
More From Speculator
They don't all hit the ground running. We apply the longstanding "10-step path to prospect stardom" to this year's player pool.
Jun 10 2026 3:06am
Jun 10 2026 3:06am
A tour through some in-season QBaB leaderboards, including YTD best/worst scores and risers over the last month.
Jun 3 2026 3:08am
Jun 3 2026 3:08am
After last week's in-season "UP"side column, it's time to strike a more pessimistic tune.
May 27 2026 3:07am
May 27 2026 3:07am
With enough of the season in the rearview, we're ready to speculate with some revised "UP" side projections.
May 20 2026 3:07am
May 20 2026 3:07am
We've all had a bad day at the office... what if we grant a mulligan to some starting pitchers who had one as well?
May 13 2026 3:07am
May 13 2026 3:07am
