Carson Smith credited location and movement over velocity for his success last season, WEEI.com reports. "It's tough going out there throwing four out of every five days. That's why your velocity can always vary, but as long as I keep my accuracy and move

Smith credited location and movement over velocity for his success last season, WEEI.com reports. "It's tough going out there throwing four out of every five days. That's why your velocity can always vary, but as long as I keep my accuracy and movement consistent, I'm pretty positive about my chances. If I'm in the low-to-mid 90s, I'm pretty happy."

Analysis:

Smith's fastball isn't overpowering at 93 mph, so he relies heavily on his slider. He dominated right-handers, who hit just .169 off him and overall, Smith held hitters to a .192 average. At this point in the offseason, Smith projects into a share of the setup role along with Junichi Tazawa and Koji Uehara, behind closer Craig Kimbrel.