2007 Post Season Roster

[Beckett95]

i would rather see Moss/Clayton then Cash...

[Gom]

Well, I don't know your team as well as you do, but who would you take if not for your third catcher?

 

Now the Red Sox taking the long series would make sense. Who the hell would pitch your game 4 if you had the short series?

[TheKilo]

Well, I don't know your team as well as you do, but who would you take if not for your third catcher?

 

Now the Red Sox taking the long series would make sense. Who the hell would pitch your game 4 if you had the short series?

 

 

1. I'd take Moss or Bryan Corey over Cash, but don't think the move is terrible.

2. Jon Lester

[Gom]

I thought Lester made the roster. My bad.

[VA Sox Fan]

October 2, 2007

More on Wake

By Amalie Benjamin, Globe Staff

Terry Francona, on the decision to leave Tim Wakefield off the first-round roster:

 

"Up until just a little bit ago, Wakefield was o our roster. Trying to be competitive n the last month of the season. You know, Wake got a cortisone shot. In his role with us now, if something unfortunate ever happened to a starter, Wake would be asked to come in and fill something like that in the game, and he's not ready to do that. He's been fighting it for a long time and it's not fair to Wake.

 

"Now again, because of our feelings for Wake, some of the loyalty, some of the respect that's there, we want to give him a chance to pitch on our roster, in the series. It wasn't fair to him, and it was putting the team in a very difficult spot, which he understood. But we needed a chance to revisit it and talk about it again.

 

"Although, we all know Wake, he bleeds for us, but he understands it's the right thing to do. We were going to possibly put him in a situation that was not fair to him or the team. So now doing this, we can slow down his throwing, not rush him into two or three innings in a game where he's not ready, and get him ready for a start, hopefully later on. That's the thinking there."

 

Posted By: abenjamin | Time: 02:51:58 PM

[VA Sox Fan]

I thought Lester made the roster. My bad.

 

Lester is. He was answering your 1st and then 2nd question.

[Sox Fan In Indy]

If we beat the Angels, are we allowed to change our roster again before the ALCS?

[Cocos Disciples]

Yes.

[Gom]

Lester is. He was answering your 1st and then 2nd question.

I need to stop doing crack.

[VA Sox Fan]

I need to stop doing crack.

 

I agree, the combination of crack and being a Yankee fan is not a good mix....

[mosox]

I'm not thrilled about Lopez and Kielty. Lopez is a lefty reliever who can't get lefties out and Kielty has looked bad the plate lately.

[TheKilo]

Now that The Red Sox have made the playoffs, it would be prudent to see who makes the 25 man and who doesn't.

 

THE LOCKS

PITCHERS:

1. Josh Beckett

2. Curt Schilling

3. Daisuke Matsuzaka

4. Jonathan Papelbon

5. Mike Timlin

6. Hideki Okajima

7. Manny Delcarmen

8. Eric Gagne

 

POSITION PLAYERS

9. Jason Varitek

10. Kevin Youkilis

11. Dustin Pedroia

12. Julio Lugo

13. Mike Lowell

14. Manny Ramirez

15. Coco Crisp

16. JD Drew

17. David Ortiz

18. Jacoby Ellsbury

19. Doug Mirabelli

 

"QUESTIONABLES"

20. Tim Wakefield

21. Jon Lester

22. Julian Tavarez

23. Clay Buchholz

24. Javier Lopez

25. Eric Hinske

26. Alex Cora

27. Bobby Kielty

 

"LONG SHOTS"

28. Kevin Cash

29. Brandon Moss

30. Royce Clayton

31. Bryan Corey

32. Kyle Snyder

33. Devern Hansack

 

 

Basically, I think there are 19 locks for the postseason roster, and everyone else has some question marks surrounding them.

 

If I had to fill the remaining 6 spots, I would take:

 

Jon Lester

Clay Buchholz

Julian Tavarez

Bobby Kielty

Eric Hinske

Alex Cora

 

I think 11 pitchers are more than enough.

 

I don't think Wakefield should be on the team, as he has been awful lately and I don't think is fully healthy.

 

I don't think Javier Lopez should be on the team because he can't get lefties out. I'd much rather see Delcarmen or Timlin in the 7th.

 

2008 Edition:

 

THE LOCKS:

 

PITCHERS

 

1. Josh Beckett

2. Jon Lester

3. Daisuke Matsuzaka

4. Tim Wakefield

5. Paul Byrd

6. Jonathan Papelbon

7. Justin Masterson

8. Hideki Okajima

9. Manny Delcarmen

10. Javier Lopez

 

POSITION PLAYERS

 

11. Jason Varitek

12. Kevin Youkilis

13. Dustin Pedroia

14. Jed Lowrie

15. Jason Bay

16. Coco Crisp

17. Jacoby Ellsbury

18. Alex Cora

 

BENCH

 

19. Kevin Cash

20. Sean Casey

21. Mark Kotsay

22. David Ortiz

 

 

QUESTION MARKS

 

23. Mike Lowell

24. JD Drew

25. David Ross

26. Jeff Bailey

27. Chris Carter

28. David Aardsma

29. Mike Timlin

 

 

LONG SHoTS

 

30. Gil Velazquez

31. George Kottaras

32. David Pauley

33. Chris Smith

34. Jonathan Van Every

 

 

The way I see it, there's three open spots. I'm going to assume Drew and Lowell will be on the roster until told otherwise, so we're really looking at one open position. I think the last open position will go to:

 

 

Jeff Bailey.

[Cocos Disciples]

Concur'd, with a 3 man rotation (in the ALDS at least), a 7 man bullpen is probably enough.

[Thumper]

Mike Timlin.

 

Wouldn't be put past me if I were serious.

 

 

Jeff Bailey please.

[TheKilo]

Nah, Timlin's toast, and Aardsma blew any chance he had last night. I have a feeling it'll be Bailey because of position flexibility and that he's a RHH off the bench.

[Thumper]

Nah' date=' Timlin's toast, and Aardsma blew any chance he had last night. I have a feeling it'll be Bailey because of position flexibility and that he's a RHH off the bench.[/quote']

 

Agreed, and as CD said, the bullpen we have now should be enough. Especially against Anaheim, the key to win it is going to be hitting rather than pitching. Sure we gotta keep their runs down, obviously, be we're gonna have to strike first and strike a lot and keep leads. That's why I'd rather another hitter on the roster.

[TheKilo]

2008 Edition:

 

THE LOCKS:

 

PITCHERS

 

1. Josh Beckett

2. Jon Lester

3. Daisuke Matsuzaka

4. Tim Wakefield

5. Paul Byrd

6. Jonathan Papelbon

7. Justin Masterson

8. Hideki Okajima

9. Manny Delcarmen

10. Javier Lopez

 

POSITION PLAYERS

 

11. Jason Varitek

12. Kevin Youkilis

13. Dustin Pedroia

14. Jed Lowrie

15. Jason Bay

16. Coco Crisp

17. Jacoby Ellsbury

18. Alex Cora

 

BENCH

 

19. Kevin Cash

20. Sean Casey

21. Mark Kotsay

22. David Ortiz

 

 

QUESTION MARKS

 

23. Mike Lowell

24. JD Drew

25. David Ross

26. Jeff Bailey

27. Chris Carter

28. David Aardsma

29. Mike Timlin

 

 

LONG SHoTS

 

30. Gil Velazquez

31. George Kottaras

32. David Pauley

33. Chris Smith

34. Jonathan Van Every

 

 

The way I see it, there's three open spots. I'm going to assume Drew and Lowell will be on the roster until told otherwise, so we're really looking at one open position. I think the last open position will go to:

 

 

Jeff Bailey.

 

2009 Edition:

 

THE LOCKS:

 

PITCHERS:

 

1. Josh Beckett

2. Jon Lester

3. Clay Buchholz

4. Daisuke Matsuzaka

5. Ramon Ramirez

6. Billy Wagner

7. Hideki Okajima

8. Daniel Bard

9. Jonathan Papelbon

10. Takashi Saito

 

POSITION PLAYERS:

 

11. Kevin Youkilis

12. Dustin Pedroia

13. Alex Gonzalez

14. Mike Lowell

15. Jason Bay

16. Jacoby Ellsbury

17. JD Drew

18. Victor Martinez

 

 

BENCH:

 

19. David Ortiz

20. Jason Varitek

21. Rocco Baldelli

 

"QUESTIONABLES":

 

22. Michael Bowden

23. Manny Delcarmen

24. Paul Byrd

25. Tim Wakefield

26. Nick Green

27. Jed Lowrie

28. George Kottaras

29. Joey Gathright

30. Brian Anderson

 

"LONG SHOTS":

 

31. Hunter Jones

32. Gil Velazquez

33. Chris Woodward

34. Josh Reddick

35. Marcus McBeth

36. Jeff Bailey

37. Dusty Brown

 

The way I see it, there are four open spots remaining. I think they are going to want to carry a 3rd catcher because they have done that the last two seasons, so I think Kottaras makes the team.

 

MDC, in my opinion, has pitched himself off the postseason roster for now. The last guy out of the pen needs to be someone who can pitch multiple innings. I think it comes down to Byrd or Bowden, and I'll take the young kid with some upside and better stuff.

 

Middle infield backup seems to be decided with Green's injury, I think Lowrie gets the call.

 

As for 5th OF, I think the Sox would benefit more from Gathright's speed than Anderson's defensive prowess.

 

In short, I think the final 4 spots go to:

 

Kottaras

Bowden

Lowrie

Gathright

[Beaneater]

Shouldn't Kotchman be in "questionables"? Or is he ineligible for the postseason?

[BoSox21]

Kotchman will make it and IMO, the other three spots will go to Gathright, Byrd and Lowrie

[Dojji]

Gathright is ineligible for the postseason. I think you could DL Wakefield to get him on. But I'm not really sold on the need for a speed burner off the bench and I'd rather see a more complete player take that role.

 

Delcarmen, Reddick, Lowrie is the way I'd go.

[Dipre]

Gathright is ineligible for the postseason. I think you could DL Wakefield to get him on. But I'm not really sold on the need for a speed burner off the bench and I'd rather see a more complete player take that role.

 

Delcarmen, Reddick, Lowrie is the way I'd go.

 

Dave Roberts says hello.

[Dojji]

That was an exceptional circumstance.

 

Gathright has a lot of raw speed but he isn't really a good base stealer. Not really in dave Roberts' league. He gets picked off a lot, and gets bad jumps a lot too.

[BoSox21]

That was an exceptional circumstance.

 

Gathright has a lot of raw speed but he isn't really a good base stealer. Not really in dave Roberts' league. He gets picked off a lot, and gets bad jumps a lot too.

 

It's not just about stealing bases. It's about needing a guy who can score from first on a late-inning double when the team is down by one.

[ORS]

Gathright is ineligible for the postseason. I think you could DL Wakefield to get him on. But I'm not really sold on the need for a speed burner off the bench and I'd rather see a more complete player take that role.

 

Delcarmen, Reddick, Lowrie is the way I'd go.

These two guys are technically ineligible also.

 

They do, however, have two slots that are looking like they'll be able to fill with DL replacements. Miguel Gonzalez and Nick Green are eligible and will probably be on the DL come October.

 

Therefore, anyone in the organization and on the 40-man roster as of 9/1 can be considered eligible.

[WhiskeyBreath]

Beckett

Lester

Buchholz

Dice K

 

Papelbon

Bard

Wagner

Saito

Ramirez

Okajima

MDC/Byrd/Bowden (MDC can make it if he can find a way to straighten himself out over the next few weeks but if he can't, Byrd or Bowden can be their long guy if things go wrong)

 

Bay

Youk

Martinez

Pedroia

Drew

Ellsbury

Gonzalez

Lowell

Ortiz

Baldelli

Varitek

Kotchman

Gathright

Woodward ( I would say Green but from what I understand he won't be healthy enough)

[TheKilo]

Good call on Kotchman, guys. He'll probably make the team and bounce Kottaras out for the first series.

 

As for Gathright and Lowrie not being eligible, ORS covers it above. I also don't think there is any chance Reddick makes the team over Gathright or Anderson. Gathright isn't a huge defensive downgrade from Anderson and his speed could be a very valuable asset.

[Dipre]

Good call on Kotchman, guys. He'll probably make the team and bounce Kottaras out for the first series.

 

As for Gathright and Lowrie not being eligible, ORS covers it above. I also don't think there is any chance Reddick makes the team over Gathright or Anderson. Gathright isn't a huge defensive downgrade from Anderson and his speed could be a very valuable asset.

 

Who would you rather have Pinch-running after *Insert slow dude here* hits a double in the 8th inning of a one-run ballgame we're losing?

 

I'd take Gathright over Anderson or Reddick any day.

[Javier Lopez]

wakefield and byrd i hope dont make it

 

bowden is better choice

[PWNdroia]

wakefield and byrd i hope dont make it

 

bowden is better choice

 

I would take one of those (Byrd) or (Wake) just to be a mop up man. Other than that, I'll pass, neither is that great.

 

But you have to think, Tazawa over Bowden? Hmm... not sure. But neither will make it anyway.

[TheKilo]

Tazawa's on the 60 day DL.

 

Post better.