FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Like a worn, scratchy old record, the question of how the Red Sox can win another World Series is on repeat. They hear it constantly, over and over.
No one's done it since the Yankees, who won three straight from 1998-2000. Manager Alex Cora, however, feels these Sox are built to handle the pressure.
“We know where we play. The challenge of going out there and performing for this fan base and the media and everybody else is what gets us going.”
Cora also knows there are certain things you can’t control, like the health of a team. When he was asked about the 2008 Red Sox, who missed a chance to repeat when they lost the ALCS in seven games to Tampa Bay, Cora quickly pointed out that team was hurt.
“Mikey (Mike Lowell) wasn’t playing. [Mark] Kotsay had to play first. [Sean] Casey was on one leg. Josh [Beckett] was banged up. Pap (Jonathan Papelbon) was banged up.”
Nathan Eovaldi, who secured cult status with his marathon relief stint in Game 3 of the World Series, knows banged-up bodies are the one thing that can derail another championship.
MORE SPRING TRAINING
“Everybody has to stay healthy, that’s the biggest thing,” said Evoaldi, “Getting overused at the beginning, like we talked about earlier, everybody is going to need to contribute.
Boston Red Sox
Blake Swihart added: “I think just how long we play and that extra month of playing time. In the long run we want to play that extra month, but you lose a month of workouts and training.”
Which is why many of the players in the clubhouse adjusted their offseason routine. That's easier said than done for someone like Eovaldi, who's known for his work ethic.
“It’s definitely hard for me," Eovaldi admitted. “I’ve thrown a couple bullpens and I’m frustrated with where I’m at right now. I have to keep reminding myself it’s a long time before the season starts.”
Swihart worked with a UFC trainer who monitored not only his workouts, but his rest.
“You are still tired today, you are still worn out," he said. "So we would go based off that. I think a lot of guys have been doing that, listening to their body and just trying to do as much that day without over training.”
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