Red Sox president and CEO Larry Lucchino was a guest of the Dennis & Callahan Show on Tuesday morning. Lucchino was asked to evaluate the performance of Bobby Valentine to date as the manager continues his first spring training as manager of the Sox.
"He's done a wonderful job," Lucchino said. "Working well with Ben Cherington and he's just been a shot in the arm of energy and newness."
With Valentine in the fold, there has been talk in the media about an organizational shift, with a possible increased emphasis on base-stealing and bunting, the kind of "small ball" that is more prevalent in the National League.
"Bobby does believe a little bit more in the running game and the bunting game as was the case under Terry Francona and Theo Epstein," Lucchino acknowledged. "But we'll see. This is spring training. … You try things, you want to see what the capacity of various players can be, so when the time comes you know what your options are. I wouldn't read too much into it yet, but I do see a slight shift."
Jose Iglesias has impressed again this spring with several sparkling defensive plays. Lucchino was asked if there is a chance the 21-year-old Iglesias -- considered by most the unquestioned shortstop of the future in Boston -- will in fact be starting for the Red Sox on Opening Day.
"I think there's a remote chance," Lucchino said. "I like him a lot, it's fun to watch him play, it's fun to see the growth and development both physically and developmentally from the last year or two and it'll be fun to watch him for the next couple of years. But Mike Aviles is playing extremely well, he had a couple of hits yesterday, and he can be a key component of this team this year. But Iglesias has a great future."
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