Red Sox 2012 Spring Training Thread.

[redsoxfan3]

One of the great things about Spring Training RSF3 is that there always seems to be some player who catches the fancy of the fans and this year is no different what with Ciriaco raising a bunch of eyebrows. Usually this doesn't lead to anything because many of those players were signed to fill up the additional rosters of Pawtucket and Portland. Darnell McDonald somehow slipped through a couple of years ago and saved a career that had been wallowing in the minor leagues. It doesn't happen very often and even now McDonald's days with the Red Sox could be numbered.

 

BTW, you said on a previous post that you were a moderator on another Red Sox Board. What board was it?

 

I agree with you about Ciriaco. Also, that is a good comparison to Darnell McDonald. I just wish him the best of luck, because I know that the man is doing everything possible to make this team and is actually making a strong case. I don't think he has a spot on our roster, but he could very well go somewhere else and be a good asset off of the bench potentially (for a crappier team).

 

I do not want anyone think that I am advertising for the other site or anything, but I do not believe that the website even exists anymore to my knowledge. I was a moderator at a forum called Red Sox 24/7 and it ended up becoming New England Sports 24/7. I was also moderator and adminstrator at several other forums that were general sports forums. This is the only forum I am currently active at because after a while the forums got shut down due to several reasons.

[SoxSport]

Iggy has been set back by a groin problem. Did he get it trying to steal home the other night on the first pitch? Everyone was surprised by that play, and it may have backfired on Bobby. Now the kid has lost his momentum towards sticking with the team. He needs to get back in the lineup. He was looking real good at the plate.

 

Outside of Cafardo, the Globe bias (Abraham et al) has been Aviles, and he looks like he has the inside track right now. But with the C kid looking so good, I would think they would want him in AAA and Iggy with the Sox. I still would prefer the defense at SS, with some sacrifice in hitting. Plus the youth with upside. Aviles looks like a good reserve to me. His average hitting isn't going to be much of a factor near the bottom of the lineup. Ross will hit higher. I'd prefer the speed and defense of Iggy to offset some of the plodders in the lineup. Youks looks overweight and has slowed down some. They could use more range at SS with him at 3B.

[SoxSport]

On Macdonald, I have a hunch he will make the team. He's a right handed bat, and he hits lefties well.

Plus he's a good athlete--can run and field. He's had a good spring--better than some of the other players. So he's made his case, so far. I think the organzation likes him, and he's the kind of player Bobby probably likes.

 

This guy is a mystery to me. I don't know what held him back in his career. Maybe he just didn't hit RHP well enough.

[a700hitter]

For all the talk about competition this spring, I think the opening day roster is all but set. I think this has to be the roster they take north:

 

1. Salty

2. Shoppach

3. AGon

4. Pedroia

5. Aviles

6. Youkilis

7. Ortiz

8. Punto

9. Ellsbury

10. Ross

11. Sweeney

12. McDonald

13. Crawford (if not DL'd)

14. Albers

15. Lester

16. Beckett

17. Buchholz

18. Bard

19. Aceves

20. Bailey

21. Melancon

22. Morales

23. Doubront (out of options)

24. Bowden (out of options)

25. Miller (out of options)

 

The only variable is Crawford who might not be ready. In that case, it could be Iglesias or even Lars if he can play the OF a little bit. Other than that, I don't see anyone else having a chance to crack the roster.

[SoxSport]

Anderson is an unexpected add-on that makes the roster more difficult to figure. Does he have options?

The kid almost looks like the best hitter in camp.

 

You figure they need another reserve infielder with Youks a questionmark. Punto isn't enough.

I'd like to see them carry 11 pitchers and add another reserve player. 12 pitchers are too many on a 25 man roster. Teams used to carry 10 pitchers years ago when complete games were common, and bullpen guys were only used when really needed.

 

I see 700 has 11 pitchers listed. I see Albers is missing. I figure him, not Bowden. Albers has a major league contract? CC will probably be DLed unless he's ready to start. I would carry Iggy if he's healthy. For the defense. Lavarnway on a short leash. You figure they want him catching every day.

[Dojji]

Anderson is still amazingly young for how long we've talked about him. Younger than Lavarnway. Him getting it and reclaiming his potential is far from beyond the realms of possibility.

[SoxSport]

Anderson is still amazingly young for how long we've talked about him. Younger than Lavarnway. Him getting it and reclaiming his potential is far from beyond the realms of possibility.

 

Agreed. He started off strong, then sputtered in AAA. He has put 20 lbs in his upper body, and looks like a different hitter. You don't want to give him away.

[a700hitter]

I see 700 has 11 pitchers listed. I see Albers is missing. I figure him, not Bowden. Albers has a major league contract? CC will probably be DLed unless he's ready to start. I would carry Iggy if he's healthy. For the defense. Lavarnway on a short leash. You figure they want him catching every day.

^ Good catch. I'll edit my list. There is even less flexibility than I thought.

[jung]

What is the situation with Anderson? I think the Sox must still have options remaining in his case but then again????

[a700hitter]

John Tomase of the Boston Herald reports that the relationship between Red Sox GM Ben Cherington and manager Bobby Valentine seems to be starting off well. If the Red Sox name Jose Iglesias their starting shortstop, it'll be a sign of just how much Valentine's opinion matters. The front office has maintained the defensive whiz needs more seasoning.

If this happens, either Punto or Aviles might be let go. There's no room on the roster for both of them after Crawford comes back, unless DMac gets cut.

[jung]

Wow, that new Iggy stuff has caught me a bit off guard. I have thought (based on his speed through the minors against his hitting skills) that the Sox et al have been pushing him along certainly before V got here. So now does it look like the Sox in the form of their FO wants to slow him down a bit and V wants to get him up now? Sort of an odd reversal for the FO maybe.

[a700hitter]

I see 700 has 11 pitchers listed. I see Albers is missing. I figure him, not Bowden. Albers has a major league contract? CC will probably be DLed unless he's ready to start. I would carry Iggy if he's healthy. For the defense. Lavarnway on a short leash. You figure they want him catching every day.

I think Bowden makes the team initially, because he has no options left. The same goes for Miller and Doubront. I think it will be between Miller and Bowden with regard to who gets cut first.

[seabeachfred]

I think Bowden makes the team initially' date=' because he has no options left. The same goes for Miller and Doubront. I think it will be between Miller and Bowden with regard to who gets cut first.[/quote']

 

I can understand why the Red Sox would allow three pitchers without any more options to make the team, but only for about a month or so. As soon as they see the worthless Miller start screwing up things again, it is time to stop worrying that they may have g iven up on him too soon. He hasn't done jack crap since he was signed. He is a total waste. Bowden gets a little more time but it is also time for him to fish or cut bait. Once our best pitching prospect, he either has gone backward through his own lack of talent or has been misused by the Red Sox and has been held back from fully developing. I hope he makes it but I still have my doubts about that. As for Doubrant, how many more times do I have to bore you and others with my mantra that is high time he steps up and claims a spot. We can't keep waiting on this guy forever.

 

I often wonder why some of our pitchers get to Double AA and then regress. Any of you out there thought about why that might be so?

[SoxSport]

Wow' date=' that new Iggy stuff has caught me a bit off guard. I have thought (based on his speed through the minors against his hitting skills) that the Sox et al have been pushing him along certainly before V got here. So now does it look like the Sox in the form of their FO wants to slow him down a bit and V wants to get him up now? Sort of an odd reversal for the FO maybe.[/quote']

 

The FO has traditionally been slow on rookies. They did that with Kalish, and it backfired on them with him getting seriously hurt in Pawtucket. They are slow bringing players back from injuries, as well. Last year, Buchholz' return was almost a joke. In September, they wanted him to go down to Florida to pitch one or two innings first.

 

It looked like Iggy was on a track to be the starting SS until he got that groin problem.

I think the roster decisions will be made by Valentine--not the FO. I doubt Cherington has the same leverage that Epstein had. There could be some changes this year in the way the team operates. V is a lot different than Francona, and is more assertive. He actually has the team winning games in ST. I think their goal is to have a faster start this year.

[Station 13]

Sox got Aaron Kurcz as final compensation piece from Cubs.

[Dojji]

Sox got Aaron Kurcz as final compensation piece from Cubs.

 

Nice numbers on the kid. I like.

[Station 13]

Nice numbers on the kid. I like.

 

Excellent K/9.

[Dojji]

From lurking here and there:

 

Not considered a bigtime prospect. Not a lot of pro experience. Throws in the 92-94 MPH range, features a slider and change. Could start in A+ or AA, which considering he's going to be 21 next year is interesting. Has both started and pitched in relief. Looks like the Cubs were trying to stretch him out.

 

I can see how this guy could become a solid pitcher but it does look like the odds aren't great.

 

I'm guessing, but I'd bet he starts in A+ and starts the year in the rotation. Sounds like the thing he needs to do right now is establish his secondary pitches, and doing that against a higher level of competition may or may not work well. He's young enough that the team can afford to be conservative, so if they see him as more than roster filler, he's probably a Salem Red Sox.

[Station 13]

58 games, only 12 starts. I think he's a reliever.

[Dojji]

All the starts took place last year which was his first full season.

 

I'd like to have a game log of when those starts took place, wouldn't be shocked at all if they were towards the end of the season. It would fit the pattern considering he hadn't started the year before.

 

If they were stretching him out, he's in position to get up to 130 or so innings this year, and 180 the next, which if they did promote him aggressively would be the AA and AAA campaigns and leave him ready to go sky's-the-limit at any point after that, which is why I jumped to that particular conclusion

[jacksonianmarch]

He's a marginal prospect, which effectively secures the fact that the sox got s*** for Epstein

[a700hitter]

He's a marginal prospect' date=' which effectively secures the fact that the sox got s*** for Epstein[/quote']Hey, you've got to give talent to get talent. We essentially fired our GM, so we got what he was worth.

[Station 13]

He's a marginal prospect' date=' which effectively secures the fact that the sox got s*** for Epstein[/quote']

 

He's 21. and those were good stats. That is what I expected to get in return, not some 26 year old that's still in AAA.

[Dojji]

He's 21. and those were good stats. That is what I expected to get in return' date=' not some 26 year old that's still in AAA.[/quote']

 

Right, he's not a top prospect, but he's interesting. One can see how he might make an impact.

[Spitball]

Anyone posted about the Yankees signing Andy Pettitt to a minor league deal? I don't see it.

[BigPapiEnFuego]

Anyone posted about the Yankees signing Andy Pettitt to a minor league deal? I don't see it.

http://www.talksox.com/forum/damn-yankees/16283-andy-pettitte-returns-yankees.html#post733086

 

here ya go

[ipot]

OK think for a minute. Look at his history. This guy was released by the Pirates. He was a free agent. An MLFA to be exact. Any team could have had him on their big league roster and that inexpensively, and all of them passed, so the Sox signed him as cheap insurance (emphasis on "cheap") for their minor league roster.

 

On what team in this league,. on what planet in the universe, does that translate to becoming useful trade bait just because of one half decent Spring?

 

I'm not sure he'd even be an interesting makeweight in a deal.

 

 

OK, OK, OK. I fully fess up to having a colossal brain fart a few days ago.

All this time I was confusing Ciracio with the Xander Bogaerts kid. Scratch my ridiculous suggestion.

 

Correction: Ciracio is a AAA lifer.

[ipot]

I actually like that Andy's back. Here in nyc, it's "Pettite Day" on the airwaves all day.

 

If it ignites the ol' rivalry, it's all good.

[SoxSport]

With Clemens off the steroids/lying hook on a trial technicality, Pettite is off the hook, too, in terms of testifying. So he is back in baseball business. He could probably pitch in Yankee stadium if he was 50.

Maybe they are worried about Pineda, who may not yet be up to the buildup.

[SoxSport]

Just read in Cafardo's column that the Red Sox offered Oswalt as much as any team, $6 mil.

I guess the chances are 50/50 Oswalt signs with the Sox, though Carpenter is having some problems with

the Cardinals and that could open a slot for him there. I think Bard-Aceves and the others are probabaly sufficient to fill the 4 and 5 slots, anyways, though you wonder about an injury to the top 3.