Pitchers and catchers will officially report next weekend to the Boston Red Sox spring training complex in Fort Myers, Florida. Soon the rest of the team will file in.

Swing. Catch. Throw.

That sounds better than: Scoop. Lift. Heave.

So while you take a break from the snow shovel, let’s talk a little baseball.

Before we mention what to look for this spring, it’s interesting to look back at this space last year. Among the subjects were:

Center field: Jackie Bradley Jr. or Grady Sizemore (no talk of Mookie Betts or Rusney Castillo).

Leadoff: Bradley, Shane Victorino or Daniel Nava (no thought of Betts or Brock Holt).

The crowded starting rotation: Six starters (all of whom, except Clay Buchholz, are gone).

So what to focus on in the 2015 camp? Here are four words that will cause conversations.

Expectations: Flash back to the 2013 camp, which followed a last-place finish in 2012. Expectations were dour. No big splashes in the offseason were made, moves that would seemingly turn this team around. Yet the Red Sox went on to win the World Series.

Now, following another last-place finish, the doom-and-gloom is replaced by hope. Can Boston rebound again? The Red Sox did not open the checkbook wide for a big-time pitcher but they brought in some promising bats, with Hanley Ramirez and Pablo Sandoval.

Ace: The Boston rotation of Clay Buchholz, Rick Porcello, Justin Masterson, Wade Miley and Joe Kelly looks solid enough. But is there an ace among them? Critics are bemoaning the lack of that special pitcher – think Pedro Martinez, Curt Schilling, Josh Beckett or Jon Lester.

Are five good arms and a sea of prospects in Triple-A enough to carry the Red Sox?

Those calling for a staff ace still hope Boston trades for Cole Hamels. But the Red Sox may not like the price, in terms of the Phillies’ demand in such a deal, or Hamels’ salary ($112 million over five years).

Outfield: Last year’s starting rotation looked full (although Ryan Dempster’s retirement helped settle that). This year the outfield is packed: Victorino, Castillo, Ramirez, Betts, Nava, Allen Craig, Bradley and Holt.

Take out Bradley (likely headed to Triple-A) and Holt (a utility player), and Boston still has five outfielders.

Ramirez seems set in left and Boston is not paying Castillo $11 million this year to play in the minors. If Victorino is healthy, what to do with Betts – who may be Boston’s best leadoff hitter? Nava and Craig are outfield/first base back-ups, but can Boston keep both on the roster?

A lot of questions to be answered here.

Health: Victorino is coming off back surgery. Mike Napoli was slowed last year, as was Dustin Pedroia. Ramirez has been hurt the past two years. Buchholz seems to make a yearly reservation on the disabled list.

Every report of a sore hamstring or stiff shoulder is going to send alarms throughout Red Sox Nation.

Besides those four issues, here are a few subplots to watch:

Xander Bogaerts at shortstop, the sequel. The Red Sox are saying (again) that Bogaerts is their shortstop. Critics may complain about his range, but a solid job in the field and fulfilled potential at the plate will silence them.

The bullpen mix always seems to be guesswork. Koji Uehara, Junichi Tazawa, Craig Breslow and Edward Mujica are back, and Boston finally seems set on keeping Brandon Workman a reliever for now. Will newcomers Anthony Varvaro, Robbie Ross and Alexi Ogando all pan out?

With catcher Christian Vazquez assuming the No. 1 job, will his bat hold up enough to justify his starting role?

So many things to watch for with these Boston Red Sox. Just peer over the snow drift and you can see it … baseball is coming.