So how about Daniel Nava?

[Palodios]

By last few spots do you mean last openings?....I am not sure if you are referring to the quality of bullpen arm or last few spots as in who is pitching in the late innings.

 

I'm referring to openings. You have to figure Uehara/Aceves/Hanrahan/Bailey/Tazawa all get spots. They'll probably go for two lefties, so Morales is a given, and one of Breslow/Miller.

 

So that leaves Breslow/Miller, Mortensen, Wilson, De la Rosa, Bard, and maybe guys like Atchison or Hill in AAA.

 

Doesn't that seem like too much talent to be sitting in the minor leagues?

[jung]

Yup....not sure what they are going to do about it but......yup

 

By the way, if there are two things that to me are dead give aways that you are in trouble they are:

to much discussion of your 4th and 5th starters as that speaks volumes about 1,2 and 3 in the rotation. This is where we sort of were last year.

 

and

 

 

To much discussion of the strength of your bullpen which is an extension of the first discussion and means about the same thing. We are doing quite a bit of that this year although we did a good deal of it last year as well...when we were left discussing the strength of our middle relievers as a group of all things. That is how desperate we got as we groped for something to hang some hope on.

 

Not saying you are guilty on either score Pal. Not meaning to imply that at all.

[a700hitter]

I'm referring to openings. You have to figure Uehara/Aceves/Hanrahan/Bailey/Tazawa all get spots. They'll probably go for two lefties, so Morales is a given, and one of Breslow/Miller.

 

So that leaves Breslow/Miller, Mortensen, Wilson, De la Rosa, Bard, and maybe guys like Atchison or Hill in AAA.

 

Doesn't that seem like too much talent to be sitting in the minor leagues?

 

Unfortunately, they probably keep the 3rd lefty and send Tazawa down because he has options.

[Palodios]

Unfortunately, they probably keep the 3rd lefty and send Tazawa down because he has options.

 

<_>

 

You're completely right.

[Palodios]

Yup....not sure what they are going to do about it but......yup

 

By the way, if there are two things that to me are dead give aways that you are in trouble they are:

to much discussion of your 4th and 5th starters as that speaks volumes about 1,2 and 3 in the rotation. This is where we sort of were last year.

 

The opposite actually. We were looking at the #1-3s as locks, and the #4/5s as the question marks. I believe that this year we have considerably more depth and talent at the back end of the rotation, but the front end seems like it has more question marks.

[mvp 78]

We'll just have to wait and see. I personally think they'll go with 4 OF and turn Ciriaco into a super-utility guy.

 

Even with Pedro being a super-sub, I think they carry a 5th OF.

[a700hitter]

<_>

 

You're completely right.

There is a chance that we move one of the arms as part of a package in another deal. One of the catchers (i.e. Salty) has to go, especially if Napoli gets signed. They could package a BP arm with Salty. That would open up a deserved spot for Tazawa.

[User Name]

Even with Pedro being a super-sub, I think they carry a 5th OF.

 

I doubt it. I think they'll carry an extra pitcher, and Holt as the extra IF.

[SCM33]

Can't believe this guy will be on the opening day roster...

 

OH GOD NOOOOOOO.

 

WHY WAS THIS THREAD BUMPED!!!!

 

I dont think he makes the 25 man roster. If he does, then that pretty much means we aren't making the playoffs.

 

A player of his quality has no business being on a playoff teams roster. Hes better suited as the 5th OF for the Pittsburgh Pirates.

[jung]

The opposite actually. We were looking at the #1-3s as locks, and the #4/5s as the question marks. I believe that this year we have considerably more depth and talent at the back end of the rotation, but the front end seems like it has more question marks.

 

Early in the 2012 season the standouts relative to expectations were Felix and Bard. Nobody else was distinguishing himself at that point relative to expectation. Buch came on later but by then the handwriting was already on the wall. We were happy for Buch in an absolute sense at that point but nobody thought it meant anything with regard to the season then. That horse had already left the barn. Ultimately, taken on the whole, the entire rotation turned out to be a house of cards all the way through the so called depth guys.

 

But early in the season the talk was how that our 4 and 5 were the only guys distinguishing themselves and that was accurate at that point in time.

[Lucienbel]

Unfortunately, they probably keep the 3rd lefty and send Tazawa down because he has options.

 

Not the greatest thing to hear but likely true. Quietly, Tazawa showed he was very capable of pitching last year. It'd be a shame for him to not get slotted in. The fact that he proved whatever roll he was put in he could handle is also a plus. Shame to see this happen.

 

I'd prefer to see him over Breslow honestly. While Breslow has pitched well, never truly understood why he was traded for. Always just seemed like a trade to make Bobby V's goofy bullpen work out the way he wanted, plus it was a guy he knew.

[rjortiz]

OH GOD NOOOOOOO.

 

WHY WAS THIS THREAD BUMPED!!!!

 

I dont think he makes the 25 man roster. If he does, then that pretty much means we aren't making the playoffs.

 

A player of his quality has no business being on a playoff teams roster. Hes better suited as the 5th OF for the Pittsburgh Pirates.

 

He's got some value hitting RHP.

[Bellhorn04]

We should have a moratorium on comments on Nava. For some reason this guy provokes some strong reactions for and against and some really pointless arguments.

[BSN07]

Nava on the 25 man roster out of ST isn't awful. If he's a starting OF it is. But if he's the 5th OF(doubt they will do this, they will send him back to AAA to get AB's everyday) it's not terrible. He's a switch hitter and can play the OF. He's like #25 on the roster, he's not going to be doing much anyways. Everyone should just relax

[a700hitter]

We should have a moratorium on comments on Nava. For some reason this guy provokes some strong reactions for and against and some really pointless arguments.

We should have a moratorium on this. We all like Nava, but he is just not a major league outfielder. He doesn't have major league skills. If he is on the opening day roster, it wouldn't signal disaster, but IMO it would not be a good signal.

[BSN07]

We should have a moratorium on this. We all like Nava, but he is just not a major league outfielder. He doesn't have major league skills. If he is on the opening day roster, it wouldn't signal disaster, but IMO it would not be a good signal.

 

He's a cheap switch hitting 5th OF. Could be worse. You could be like LAA and have a 20M 5th OF

[mvp 78]

The league has'nt seen many .450 OBP's since the days of Teddy Ballgame.

 

Daniel Nava, your 4th OF ladies and germs!

[SoxFanForsyth]

Unfortunately, they probably keep the 3rd lefty and send Tazawa down because he has options.

 

Almost zero chance this happens. Taz posted a 1.43 ERA last year and a 9.2 K:BB ratio. He's not going down to AAA. Not even close, not even with the options.

 

The bullpen, IMO, will look like this:

 

Hanrahan - Bailey - Bard (especially now, after Farrell's comments) - Uehara - Tazawa - Miller - Breslow.

 

I fully expect one of Aceves or Morales to get dealt with Salty before the season starts. And I expect the other of Aceves or Morales to be learning how to start in AAA.

[mvp 78]

Without knowing how Lackey will hold up, it'd be dumb to move Morales right now.

[Bellhorn04]

Without knowing how Lackey will hold up, it'd be dumb to move Morales right now.

 

I think it would be dumb to move any pitcher who can start.

[User Name]

In other words, keep Aceves and Morales around, because they're actual SP depth, which needs to be amassed any possible way.

[VA Sox Fan]

Daniel Nava, your 4th OF ladies and germs!

 

According to WEEI.com, the Red Sox signed outfielder Ryan Sweeney to a minor league contract Friday, with an invitation to spring training. Sweeney, 27, was nontendered by the Sox after hitting .260 in 63 games in 2012, his season ending when he broke his hand punching a door in the clubhouse July 30.

[Dojji]

I'd prefer Nava to Sweeney to be perfectly honest. He's a better hitter by a fair margin, even with the second half crapfest factored in.

 

Look past the detritus of past arguments and actually analyze the two players. Sweeney doesn't really suck any less than Nava by any standard you want to use. And we've seen Nava do things over a stretch of several weeks that Sweeney can't touch offensively.

 

The only thing Sweeney brings to the table over Nava is the ability to play a mediocre center field. Since we already have Victorino and Ellsbury and Bradley in the wings, I'd prefer Nava's OBP ability. And if Nava gets it going again like he did in the first half, which he has the talent to do, it's not going to be close.

 

Since Gomes is probably our starting left field, we could use someone who can get it done on the left side of the plate. Even with the second half suckfest, Nava finished with a ~.800 OPS from the left side. That makes him useful.

 

I'd prefer a guy like Garrett Jones who's a bit more versatile, but in his absence, I think Nava has the inside track on that bench job, and I think given the structure of our outfield, that's appropriate.

[jacksonianmarch]

How about Nava? Well, I expect him to hit .350 for April then .190 from there on out, be on the bench for most of the yr and be an afterthought from there on out. For some reason, teams forget the scouting report against him the first time through then remember that he'd a dead red, easily fooled hitter who you can go right after with some deception and he ends up making easy outs. Dont pitch him cute, don't just try to blow him away, mix it up and he's got no chance

[jung]

Ah yes.....another fail from the vaunted Mr. Kalish this time before the season even starts. I do feel sorry for him though...talk about a hard luck story.....Jeez he can't catch a break.

 

Clearly Bailey will be next followed by the rest of the Sox veterans from the hospital league.

[SoxSport]

I think they see Nava as a LFder and Sweeney as a RFder. They see Sweeney as a backup replacement for Kalish in RF. Sweeney is good defensively in RF at Fenway.

 

What keeps Nava around is OBP. That's what they like about him.

[Bellhorn04]

I think they see Nava as a LFder and Sweeney as a RFder. They see Sweeney as a backup replacement for Kalish in RF. Sweeney is good defensively in RF at Fenway.

 

Victorino is starting RFer unless they move Ellsbury?

[Softlaw]

but he sprays to all fields from both sides

 

You live in a fantasy world. Nava is a lefty platoon type of guy. I do think there is merit in using him as the backup 1st baseman and 5th OF'er.

[Dojji]

It's going to amuse the heck out of me if Nava starts to figure it out from the right side this year.

[who]

It's going to amuse the heck out of me if Nava starts to figure it out from the right side this year.

 

Just as long as he figures it out in AA.