Sox Coach Out For Season?

By Sloan

The Red Sox based their 2005-2006 off-season on building a team anchored by pitching and defense. But how will it be smooth sailing this season if they do not have their Admiral at the helm?

Dave Wallace, the Red Sox pitching coach, is not likely to return to the Red Sox this season. If he does somehow make it back to the team, it will not be until after the All-Star break, but that is still highly unlikely.

According to reports in The Boston Globe, Wallace had an infection in his hip which almost killed him. The infection was related to a hip replacement he had several years ago. He underwent surgery Thursday, and is reported to be in stable condition now. Wallace had the surgery to take out the infection, and also has further more intentions to have his hip replaced, again. All of this will be occurring during the Red Sox season, and will take much time, so his return is doubtful.

The Red Sox players wish Wallace and his family the best. Schilling expressed his personal concern to Chris Snow of the Globe on Thursday stating, ''On a personal level, that's not the kind of situation I want to be in, having to relearn someone or have someone learn me at this point in my career. But this is one of those nothing-you-can-do-about-it situations." It is hard to replace Wallace, and right now this is putting a big hole in the Red Sox coaching staff.

Al Nipper, who was hired in the off season as the bull-pen coach will take over Wallace's spot. Nipper was drafted by the Sox in '80 and played from '83-'87. The Sox later traded him to the Chicago Cubs. He put together 42 wins with Boston, and had his best year in '84 with an 11-6 record and a 3.89 ERA. But we all remember him best from the incident when he "head-butted" Roger Clemens after Boston clinched the AL East title. Nipper has been in the Sox organization for 17 years, coaching throughout their Minor league system. Hopefully that experience will help him pick up where Wallace left off.

In my own opinion, all teams start, begin and end with coaching. A good coach makes a good team, Wallace was/is a good coach. You can have 9 all stars or 5 "aces", but without a coach or General to lead them where they need to go, you have nothing. Look at what Torre did for the Yankees in 1996. As much as I hate to refer to them, it was Torre who took that team to the World Series.

The Red Sox situation is that they currently have 7 starters in a 5-man rotation. To Dave Wallace, Josh Beckett was the only "newcomer" and the only one who does not yet have a definite role. For Al Nipper, he has 7 new guys and 7 new roles to fill.

Off-Note:
An article in The Hartford Courant By DAVID HEUSCHKEL yesterday reads-
"David Wells continued his long toss program. Playing catch in the outfield for 20 minutes, he could hear a boy behind the fence repeatedly asking him to stay. "All right kid, I heard you five times," said Wells, who has asked to be traded. Wells, who has not been working out with the other pitchers, said his motorcycles and guitars have been shipped to his San Diego home."

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