McAdam: On first day of spring training, Red Sox players react to changing landscape

FORT MYERS — Even as they get ready for the start of a new season, Red Sox players already in camp are dealing with change.

Their previous manager is gone, and a replacement has not yet officially been named. Two veteran star players have, after a false start, finally been traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers. And the team still awaits word from Major League Baseball on its punishment for a 2018 sign-stealing scandal.

In short, there's a lot to deal with at a time when the start of spring training is supposed to signal a return to normalcy. Indeed, the trade of Mookie Betts and David Price served as a reminder that, above all else, this is first and foremost a business.



"It definitely is,'' acknowledged reliever Brandon Workman. "There's definitely a lot of background noise right now. But we'll do our best to block that out and get ready for the season.  We're out here to play our best whether Mookie or Price are on the team or not, or anybody else. So we're going to go out and try to win ballgames, just the same as if they were here. You don't expect guys like that to get traded, but that's what happened, so we'll go out and do our best.''

It seems strange to consider that, a year ago at this time, the Red Sox were trying to figure out how to repeat as champions. Now, their roster has taken a major hit and, for the time being at least, don't have a manager.

"I think the difference right now is that we lost three people who were a really big part of (our success) -- Mookie, DP and AC (Alex Cora),'' said Eduardo Rodriguez. "That's a big difference right now. But that's part of the business. This is how baseball is and we've got to get ready for spring training and get ready for the season.''

For some players, the loss of Betts and Price was personal. In addition to losing them as contributors, they'll also be missed for their impact as teammates.

"(Price) was like a brother or father to me,'' said Rodriguez. "The first day I got here in spring training, he was there for me all the time -- when I got hurt, everything. Every day I was throwing a bullpen, every day that I was getting on the mound, he was talking about games, situations. Every time I was throwing a bullpen, he was out there with me, seeing what pitches I was throwing, location and everything. He helped me a lot to have success last year.''

Michael Chavis recalled that Betts took him under his wing almost immediately and urged him to slow down and be less nervous in interviews with the media.

"Top-notch, incredible,'' said Chavis of Betts. "He did a lot to make me feel comfortable -- not just in the day-to-day aspect but also just growing as a player.  I think he's as good a guy as he was a player. And DP was actually the first big leaguer to reach out to me as a minor leaguer. So losing him and his personality and my personal connection to him is sad.''

Meanwhile, there has been a report that bench coach Ron Roenicke will be the choice to replace Cora once the results of MLB's investigation are known.

"Ron's great. Everybody loves him,'' said Workman. "Great baseball guy. My experience with him has mostly been about (controlling) the running game, as a pitcher, but it will be exciting seeing him take charge.''

"It's out of my control,'' shrugged Chavis of the managerial search. "I did like Alex. I can't say enough about him in terms of how he helped me as a player and and as a person. (But) I love Ron. He's a good dude. Really knowledgeable about baseball. He's been around the game a long time. He has a nice combination of like the old-school stuff but he also has a good understanding of how the game is developing and how baseball is changing.''

Meanwhile, the players are eager for the investigation to be complete so they can move forward and not be bothered with the distractions.

"It's definitely something we'd like to get behind us as a team,'' said Workman.

In time, the routine of spring training will take over.

"Getting ready for the season's always fun,'' said Workman, "and we're getting back into the swing of things, so I'm excited for it.''

Even if, this spring, everything is different.