Daniel Nava, Mike Carp, and David Ross - Important Puzzle Pieces

Daniel Nava, Mike Carp, and David Ross might not be the most well known Red Sox players, but they might be three of the most important players we have on our roster. Sure, everyone is talking about Mike Napoli, Clay Bucholz, or David Ortiz, and rightly so, but Nava, Carp, and Ross have to be included. Nava has been solid in the outfield for us, coming up with a couple of big home runs early and playing solid defense (anyone remember his diving catch? I do). Mike Carp has hit .464 so far in 14 games, with 2 home runs and 8 RBIs, according to ESPN. His position is listed as left field, but he's filled in for Napoli at first as well. If you can give your starter a rest for a couple games and know you won't miss a beat, you have a good chance of going far, and Mike Carp brings that security to your team. Given the injury problems the team had last year, it's probably a huge relief for the organization to have someone like this. That also plays into why David Ross is so important. He has come in to replace regular catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia on a couple of occasions and shown some serious pop. David Ross has also had some solid games behind the plate, like last night with Ryan Dempster. Having someone behind the plate you can trust is huge for a pitcher, and so far, both Ross and Saltalamacchia have shown the capability to be that guy this year. All of this means Ryan Lavarnway will probably be a bench-warmer, unless both Saltalamacchia and Ross go down with injuries. These guys can get the big hits when necessary and also play solid defense. Daniel Nava has been good so far and Ross and Carp will also be critical down the stretch, because like I said before, you need players who you can trust to come up big when they replace the regulars if and when they go down with injuries.


Twitter - @ConorJF1016