Spring training lineups are a delicate balance
FORT MYERS, Fla. — For John Farrell and other managers, the challenge of spring training is finding the balance between preparing for the season and providing a suitable product on the field.
The Red Sox, as an example, are in the middle of a schedule that includes six games in six days in five Florida cities. Fielding representative teams while not unnecessarily wearing out players requires extensive planning.
“This is our vehicle to get players ready physically,” Farrell said. “And yet you walk in [to the ballpark], and there’s 11,000 people. There’s this conflict of big business and getting players ready.”
Teams are required to use at least four “regulars” in spring training lineups. That guideline is often stretched for the sake of keeping players healthy. It’s more of an issue in Florida, where bus trips of 2-3 hours are common, than in Arizona.
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