Red Sox 25 Man Roster for 2010

[Emmz]

Yeah, Seattle's offense was pretty much non-existent, but I don't know that Figgins and Bradley are going to make as significant an impact as some people think.

 

Everyone seems to think the Mariners will now simply walk away with the division. I think the Angels are still a decent club, and the Rangers are too.

 

Of course, the Angels are significantly damaged with the losses of some key players in Figgins and Lackey. I know that.

[Dipre]

Yeah, Seattle's offense was pretty much non-existent, but I don't know that Figgins and Bradley are going to make as significant an impact as some people think.

 

Everyone seems to think the Mariners will now simply walk away with the division. I think the Angels are still a decent club, and the Rangers are too.

 

Of course, the Angels are significantly damaged with the losses of some key players in Figgins and Lackey. I know that.

 

The Figgins-Ichiro one-two punch will become a disruptive force at the top of that lineup, and a healthy, happy Bradley is very much capable of carrying that offense.

 

They will have a big impact. Not to mention Ryan-Rowland Smith is a better rotation arm than most people give him credit for.

[BSN07]

LAA is still the team to beat in that division IMO. Albeit they have fallen back to the pack so to speak. Texas and Seattle are coin flips for 2nd and 3rd.

 

Seattle has a great 1-2 punch of Felix and Lee, but they still have some holes to fill in that line up.

 

Texas has a solid lineup with some very nice young stars. If they can manage Vlad for a DH and a SP they will be right there in the thick of things. But overall their rotation has some ? marks.

[Dipre]

LAA is still the team to beat in that division IMO. Albeit they have fallen back to the pack so to speak. Texas and Seattle are coin flips for 2nd and 3rd.

 

Seattle has a great 1-2 punch of Felix and Lee, but they still have some holes to fill in that line up.

 

Texas has a solid lineup with some very nice young stars. If they can manage Vlad for a DH and a SP they will be right there in the thick of things. But overall their rotation has some ? marks.

 

The Angels lost Vlad Guerrero, Figgins and Lackey, they have replaced all three with Hideki Matsui. They also have uncertainty on the back end of the bullpen, neither Rodney nor Fuentes is the answer at closer.

[Emmz]

The Figgins-Ichiro one-two punch will become a disruptive force at the top of that lineup, and a healthy, happy Bradley is very much capable of carrying that offense.

 

They will have a big impact. Not to mention Ryan-Rowland Smith is a better rotation arm than most people give him credit for.

 

Bradley's a mental case. Figgins-Ichiro is a speedy one-two, yes, and Figgins will love the new ballpark. However, they have a significant drop after their two aces in the rotation, and couple holes on offense.

[Emmz]

The Angels lost Vlad Guerrero' date=' Figgins and Lackey, they have replaced all three with Hideki Matsui. They also have uncertainty on the back end of the bullpen, neither Rodney nor Fuentes is the answer at closer.[/quote']

 

Yeah, but they still have some good players in that lineup, and a decent rotation. Lackey was a huge blow, definitely, and they certainly won't be the team they were last season.

 

I just think that they're better than most think they are.

[Dipre]

Bradley's a mental case. Figgins-Ichiro is a speedy one-two' date=' yes, and Figgins will love the new ballpark. However, they have a significant drop after their two aces in the rotation, and couple holes on offense.[/quote']

 

If they bring Branyan back, their offensive makeover is complete.

 

As for the pitching, Rowland-Smith is a solid number three, and they have some options to provide league-average innings from the four and five spot, which is something most teams don't have the luxury of saying.

[Dojji]

The Figgins-Ichiro one-two punch will become a disruptive force at the top of that lineup, and a healthy, happy Bradley is very much capable of carrying that offense.

 

They will have a big impact. Not to mention Ryan-Rowland Smith is a better rotation arm than most people give him credit for.

 

It'll come down to Brandon Wood. Almost positive he'll get a long look at 3B this Spring with Maicer Izturis as the alternate. if Wood earns the job and produces, the Angels are a force to be reckoned with.

[Emmz]

Wood actually was someone mentioned who could be a potentially good replacement, but I doubt he produces right away.

[Dipre]

It'll come down to Brandon Wood. Almost positive he'll get a long look at 3B this Spring with Maicer Izturis as the alternate. if Wood earns the job and produces' date=' the Angels are a force to be reckoned with.[/quote']

 

It's not only Brandon Wood, Doiji.

 

It's a team without an ace and without a reliable closer. And even if Woods does hit, they'll need a lot of luck to replicate their 2009 offensive numbers, but the pitching is the real question mark.

[riverside sluggers]

Re-Hash

 

Lineup

1. Jacoby Ellsbury cf/lf

2. Dustin Pedroia 2b

3. Victor Martinez c

4. Kevin Youkilis 1b

5. David Ortiz dh

6. Adrian Beltre 3b

7. JD Drew rf

8. Mike Cameron lf/cf

9. Marco Scutaro ss

 

Bench- Jason Varitek, Bill Hall, Jeremy Hermia, and Jonny Gomes/Fernando Tatis type RHH outfielder

 

Starting Rotation

1. Jon Lester

2. Josh Beckett

3. John Lackey

4. Clay Buchholz

5. Daisuke Matsuzaka

 

Bullpen

Tim Wakefield

Dustin Richardson

Manny Delcarmen

Ramon Ramirez

Hideki Okajima

Daniel Bard

Jonathan Papelbon

[Dojji]

Our biggest need now is for a semi-dependable LHRP so we don't overwork Oki with setup and matchup duties..

[SoxFan1970]

Barring any major multi player injuries, this team has as good a chance to win the WS as any!

[example1]

Our biggest need now is for a semi-dependable LHRP so we don't overwork Oki with setup and matchup duties..

 

The bullpen is the area that has me a bit worried, to be honest. I think they still have one of the best in baseball, but it has less established depth currently than it did last year. In 2009 it was a significant asset and it seems like an essential part of the "pitching and defense first" approach.

 

I think they would be well-served with another option out of the bullpen.

[riverside sluggers]

Right now matching the 2 teams up. Yankees have the edge in lineup and closer (though how long can MO pitch like hes in his 20s?). Rest of the bullpen has the Sox with a slight advantage. Sox have a leg up on the starting rotation and definitely the bench

[riverside sluggers]

Our biggest need now is for a semi-dependable LHRP so we don't overwork Oki with setup and matchup duties..

 

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2008/12/2010-mlb-free-a.html

 

Left-handed relievers

John Bale (36)

Joe Beimel (32) - Type B, not offered arb

Alan Embree (40)

Scott Eyre (38) - Type B, not offered arb

Mark Hendrickson (36)

Ron Mahay (39)

Will Ohman (31) - Type B, not offered arb

Horacio Ramirez (30)

Glendon Rusch (35)

Scott Schoeneweis (36)

Brian Shouse (41) - Type B, offered arb

Ken Takahashi (41)

Ron Villone (40)

Jamie Walker (38)

 

I wouldnt mind Eyre on a 1 year deal

[Dojji]

I could go for Mahay or Beimel. We're not looking for a closer type IMHo, just a depth lefty to take the pressure off Oki, since when he gets tired it tends not to be pretty.

[Dipre]

I could go for Mahay or Beimel. We're not looking for a closer type IMHo' date=' just a depth lefty to take the pressure off Oki, since when he gets tired it tends not to be pretty.[/quote']

 

Seconded, and i was about to post this.

 

My preference would be Mahay but i think both of them could get the job done.

[TheMino007]

Last year, the AL runs scored average was 781 runs. The Red Sox scored 872 runs. Unless you can justify the loss of Bay costing the Sox at least 50 runs even with a full year of V-Mart, a full year of Scutaro and of course, Mike Cameron, then this is a very above-average offense.

 

I say the Sox settle around the 830-850 runs scored range. Solidly above average.

 

The Sox scored a lot of junk runs when they didn't need them. They would explode in one game and then get shut down for the next two and drop two of three in the series. Come playoff time, they didn't have a good offense, in fact it was terribe. For stretches of the year, the offense just didn't show up. Total runs is meaingless. The Sox can score 15 runs in one game, and score 1,2,2 in the next 3 games and score 20 runs in 4 games, which is a good amount. But they go 1-3 b/c they only scored enough in the first game to win. That comes from having a lot of OBP guys and not enough guys to drive them in, and that what the Sox problem last year, men left on base

[Dipre]

The Sox scored a lot of junk runs when they didn't need them. They would explode in one game and then get shut down for the next two and drop two of three in the series. Come playoff time' date=' they didn't have a good offense, in fact it was terribe. For stretches of the year, the offense just didn't show up. Total runs is meaingless. The Sox can score 15 runs in one game, and score 1,2,2 in the next 3 games and score 20 runs in 4 games, which is a good amount. But they go 1-3 b/c they only scored enough in the first game to win. That comes from having a lot of OBP guys and not enough guys to drive them in, and that what the Sox problem last year, men left on base[/quote']

 

While i agree that "junk runs" were scored, the way to measure an offense is by the amount of runs scored (3rd), OBP (2nd), SLG (2nd) and TB (2nd). Whether they scored junk runs or not is irrelevant to the discussion. Every team does it. Good pitching is obviously tougher to hit than bad pitching, also, the playoff sample size of three games is also inconsequential to the current discussion, and it's absolutely ridiculous to use it under any scenario, since it consists of three games against mostly top-tier pitching.

 

While i agree that the Sox offense was inconsistent to the extreme last year, all offenses are inconsistent, and the fact that many bizarre occurrences as well as decline and injuries lead to that result, but no matter how you slice it, the Sox were a top-three offense last year, and will likely remain a top-five offense entering next year, but with a much better run-prevention unit.

[TheMino007]

Like I said, I care less about total runs, to me its meaningless. I want a more consistant offense that scores a steadier amount of runs on a game in and game out basis.

[Plumpamania]

No one understands how teams like the '03 Marlins or the '96-'00 Yankees won titles.

 

Pitching.

 

Defense.

 

Wins.

[Plumpamania]

Like I said' date=' I care less about total runs, to me its meaningless. I want a more consistant offense that scores a steadier amount of runs on a game in and game out basis.[/quote']

 

If you want a more consistent offense, please view the statistic of team OBP/SA/OPS and TB.

 

If you want a metric to show you a 'more consistent' offense other than 'what you feel is consistent', please provide that statistical usage...because I can't. We use OBP/SA/OPS/TB....:dunno:

[Dipre]

Like I said' date=' I care less about total runs, to me its meaningless. I want a more consistant offense that scores a steadier amount of runs on a game in and game out basis.[/quote']

 

Which is probably what you'll get in 2010. So what's exactly your point?

[TheMino007]

Cameron is a offensive downgrade compared to Bay

Beltre is an offensive downgrade compared to Lowell

A full year of V-Mart will help

Scutaro will help a bit.

I don't see the offense getting better

[jacksonianmarch]

and that is with the premise that Ortiz can still hit approx 30 bombs. If Ortiz continues his drop and lets say he goes for a .750OPS with 20HRs, then this lineup will be absolutely powerless. I cannot believe that fans of a team that saw the devastating effects of having 2 prime players in the lineup lead them to two championships would settle for this and try to defend it. The sox were built with multiple .800 or so OPS players who had high OBPs surrounding 2 HOF caliber hitters. That model saw the sox return to greatness. Now, the lineup has one hitter who is truly dangerous, but not in the 40 homer 130RBI way, but in the 20+HR, 35+ double, 100+ walk way. Nobody in this lineup is a true blue offensive nightmare. Teams built on OBP need a guy who is their buzzsaw, who makes those baserunners hurt the other team. A guy who you want up with the game on the line every time. I though Youk and Bay were a poor man's tandem in that category in 2009, but they fit that mold nonetheless. This yr's model is Youk and who? Martinez and Youk? He's a great hitter for a catcher, but overall he's pretty good offensively, certainly not great. Drew? Well, he's more of an OBP, bat on the shoulder kind of guy who really doesnt fit the middle of the order player mold. Ortiz? In his youth, in his youth. This is the problem. The sox O will work counts and will have a bunch of guys in the above average OPS category. But they arent fearsome at all. And fearsome lineups are the ones that tear through any type of pitching. Good pitching is going to rifle through the sox this yr. Mark it.

[jacksonianmarch]

And another thing. By diminishing your offensive potential, you essentially erase your margin for error. If any one of these guys goes down, you're f***ed. If Ortiz' knees start acting up again, or Martinez' shoulder or if Drew gets a case of necrotizing vaginitis then you are looking at an already weaker offense getting even more depleted. Plus, I dont see any of the sox prospects having a major offensive impact this yr, so it isnt like they can pull someone from AAA to play DH should Papi go down.

[Plumpamania]

f***ed in the way Texiera started off the year last year with Arod hitting behind him because he's a giant panzy? At least we have quality players in the farm system able to come up and help out instead of the Cody Ransom's the Yankees trotted out during injury. Who plays SS if Jeter goes out for a season again like he did a number of years back sliding into third I believe it was and dislocating his shoulder. Who replaces him?

 

The Red Sox are the MUCH better defensive team at the moment than the Yankees with superior pitching. This team is MUCH more constructed now like the Yankee dynasty teams in the late '90s...unless you're saying that those teams were horrible.

 

The Yankee teams of the '90's during most championship runs had Giraridi catching half of those, a declining Charlie Hayes/Wade Boggs then Scott Brosius...I hear they had .800 OPS. I heard that Chuck Knoblach hit his prime while with the Yankees. I heard that the random DH position of Jose Canseco to Darryl Strawberry to Cecil Fielder were all .800 plus OPS guys who smashed out 40 HRs. I heard they had 2 HoF Calibur hitters in the middle of their line up...I heard Paul O'Neill and Bernie Williams were hall of fame hitters in the 3/4 positions..I heard they mashed 40 hrs and did 130 rbi's every year.

 

Oh wait.

 

They had some of the best pitching available in that time period and a solid defense behind them with the exception of the dwindling years of Derek Jeter and Bernie Williams. What the Red Sox are doing now is EXACTLY what the Yankees did in the late 90's. They have home grown talent: Lester, Buccholtz, Papelbon, Pedrioa, Youkilis, Ellsbury: They're taking the best pitching staff in baseball from starting rotation to the bullpen (like the Yankees did with Wells, Clemens, Pettite, Cone, Rivera, Nelson, Stanton) and going to dominate that way.

 

Think about it:

C --- Posada --- Martinez

1B --- Martinez --- Youkilis

2B --- Knoblauch --- Pedroia

SS --- Jeter --- Scutaro

3B --- Brosius --- Beltre

LF --- Spencer/Strawberry --- Ellsbury

CF --- Williams --- Cameron

RF --- O'Neill --- Drew

DH --- Fielder --- Ortiz

 

Look familiar...?

[Plumpamania]

I'm really interested to see your response to this Jacko, b/c outside of really one season by Martinez, there was no 30 HR threat in that Yankee line up. Just like the current Red Sox line up, lots of solid defense, lots of 20 HR hitters and good OBP throughout. Like the Yankees dynasty, the best pitching in the majors.

 

Unless you're saying the Yankees teams of the late '90s were flukes and in reality sucked...

[diony]

Jeter and Scutaro?