2014 Lineup Thread

[Orange Juiced]

A few roster situations still to work out: Does Sizemore start in CF? Does JBJ go to the minors? Do they deal Carp? Etc. I'm going to assume this roster for the purposes of this thread, though you can certainly weigh in if you think otherwise:

 

C - Pierzynski

1b - Napoli

2b - Pedroia

3b - Middlebrooks

SS - Bogaerts

LF - Nava

CF - Sizemore

RF - Victorino

DH - Ortiz

Bench - Ross, Herrera, Gomes, Carp

 

I assume they'll go with 12 pitchers for now.

 

So here's my ideal lineup:

 

Vs RHP

CF Sizemore

RF Victorino

2b Pedroia

DH Ortiz

1b Napoli

LF Nava

SS Bogaerts

C Pierzynski

3b Middlebrooks

 

Good mixture of L/R, power spread throughout the lineup, less speed than last year with Jacoby gone. Really solid lineup.

 

Vs LHP

CF Sizemore

RF Victorino

2b Pedroia

DH Ortiz

1b Napoli

LF Gomes

SS Bogaerts

3b Middlebrooks

C Ross

 

Lose something offensively with Ross in instead of Pierzynski. Much more RH heavy lineup with Gomes and Ross in there, leaving just two lefties in.

 

Either way, those lineups should produce 800+ runs. Things change if JBJ stays and Sizemore goes for some reason.

 

I'd also consider moving Victorino or Pedroia up and sliding Sizemore down. Grady has more power than speed these days, but he's still a solid OBP guy when right (career .357 OBP). Having Middlebrooks down in the 8-9 slots means he can hit with less pressure; we can live with his low OBP and love his 20-25 homers from deep in the lineup. It gives them a viable threat at the bottom, thus lengthening the lineup.

[User Name]

Over the last three years, Ross has a .712 OPS vs LHP (.804 last year), while AJ has a .724 OPS (.718 last year) against them. What do they lose when Ross hits LHP instead of AJ?

[BSN07]

If they think Sizemore is able to handle every day duties I'm guessing Bradley will go to the minors. From what I've read they don't seem to want to trade Carp unless it's for something significant. Bradley will be first guy up as soon as one of the OF's hits the DL. It's bound to happen at some point realistically.

 

My lineups at this point would be

 

LHP

 

CF Sizemore

RF Vic

2B Pedroia

DH Papi

1B Napoli

LF Gomes

3B Middlebrooks

C Ross

SS Bogaerts

 

RHP

 

CF Sizemore

RF Vic

2B Pedroia

DH Papi

1B Napoli

LF Nava

3B Middlebrooks

C AJ

SS Bogaerts

 

 

I think putting the least amount of pressure on Bogaerts early on is important. Move him up in the lineup if he forces the issue.

[a700hitter]

If they think Sizemore is able to handle every day duties I'm guessing Bradley will go to the minors. From what I've read they don't seem to want to trade Carp unless it's for something significant. Bradley will be first guy up as soon as one of the OF's hits the DL. It's bound to happen at some point realistically.

 

My lineups at this point would be

 

LHP

 

CF Sizemore

RF Vic

2B Pedroia

DH Papi

1B Napoli

LF Gomes

3B Middlebrooks

C Ross

SS Bogaerts

 

RHP

 

CF Sizemore

RF Vic

2B Pedroia

DH Papi

1B Napoli

LF Nava

3B Middlebrooks

C AJ

SS Bogaerts

 

 

I think putting the least amount of pressure on Bogaerts early on is important. Move him up in the lineup if he forces the issue.

I don't think they will push their luck with Sizemore by making him play every day. I think that he will get 2 days off each week to keep from breaking him down. Picking up Sizemore's, Victorino's and Gomes off days should give Bradley very regular playing time -- probably 350 - 400 ABs. I think that he will break camp with the team.

[SoxSport]

I agree they'll stick with JBJ and Sizemore--at least in the beginning. That means cutting somebody else from the roster. I would be in favor of cutting a BP pitcher. How many are they carrying--11 or 12 pitchers? 12 seems absurd, but that's what they do these days pitching guys one inning per heatup. Not very efficient, in my view. Seems guys like Britton can start the season in AAA. Workman they need as starter insurance.

How many Ofers? JBJ, Size, Gomes, Nava, Vic and Carp. But Carp can count as Nap backup at 1B. Vic is fragile, so Size and JBJ need some time in RF. That's where both come in handy. Looks like Size can contribute if they don't overuse him. They have to be conservative about him--at least for awhile. He hasn't played in 2 years.

[jacksonianmarch]

I don't know how you can keep both Sizemore and JBJ on your roster. Think about it...

 

1. Pierzynski

2. Ross

3. Napoli

4. Ortiz

5. Carp

6. Pedroia

7. Bogaerts

8. Middlebrooks

9. Backup IF

10. Victorino

11. Nava

12. Gomes

 

The above players are guaranteed spots. You don't start a season with 11 pitchers, mostly because no starter is off the leash. A lot of them are still at 90 pitch counts, maybe 100. And not all of them are sharp. That means a fair amount of 4-5 inning stints in the first 2 weeks of the season. You will need the relievers. If Sizemore looks like he's healthy enough to man the position, you option JBJ down and let him get regular reps. If Sizemore loses the battle, then he gets cut.

[a700hitter]

I don't know how you can keep both Sizemore and JBJ on your roster. Think about it...

 

1. Pierzynski

2. Ross

3. Napoli

4. Ortiz

5. Carp

6. Pedroia

7. Bogaerts

8. Middlebrooks

9. Backup IF

10. Victorino

11. Nava

12. Gomes

 

The above players are guaranteed spots. You don't start a season with 11 pitchers, mostly because no starter is off the leash. A lot of them are still at 90 pitch counts, maybe 100. And not all of them are sharp. That means a fair amount of 4-5 inning stints in the first 2 weeks of the season. You will need the relievers. If Sizemore looks like he's healthy enough to man the position, you option JBJ down and let him get regular reps. If Sizemore loses the battle, then he gets cut.

I disagree that they need more than 6 guys in the pen. They have a couple of off-days in April and there is likely to be a rain out. If they need to send down a position player, does Nava have options?

[jacksonianmarch]

Nava had one of the highest OBP's in the game last yr. He has earned his spot

[a700hitter]

Nava had one of the highest OBP's in the game last yr. He has earned his spot

Maybe Carp will get traded. Nava can play Lf, RF

and 1B. Carp doesn't bring anything to the team that Nava doesn't bring.

[seabeachfred]

I disagree that they need more than 6 guys in the pen. They have a couple of off-days in April and there is likely to be a rain out. If they need to send down a position player, does Nava have options?

 

NAVA????????? Ted, I love your roster and lineup and agree with the latter 100%, but please get that Nava and options out of your mind. Daniel had a solid season for us last year, hitting over 300 and hitting a dozen homers in a semi-regular role. Somebody else goes down or gets cut, not Nava. You don't reward a solid effort with a demotion. He's earned the right to be on the team and in the lineup. My take is that if Sizemore wins the CF job then Jackie is sent down. If Bradley wins it then Grady is released and then pray to God some other team in the division doesn't sign him to come back and beat the living s*** out of us. It still could go either way but right now I say the former Indian All Star looks like the man for us in CF.

[Dojji]

Also worth noting is the fact that Nava is destroying the ball this spring with a .950 OPS.

 

Nava has done nothing to demonstrate he should be anywhere but in a big league uniform this year. The story changes based on what he does starting April First, but until then, he's a member of the team, and arguably our starting LF (Gomes' performance in the playoffs notwithstanding, Nava outproduced him handily in the regular season)

[SoxSport]

They won't release Sizemore the way he is playing. More likely, they will send JBJ down to Pawtucket on a short leash. Their problem is they are short of guys who can play RF. Nava is a defensive liability out there. He and Gomes are almost strictly LF. That leaves Vic, Size and JBJ for CF and RF. Carp is really a backup to Nap at 1B. Carp and Nava can hit, so they prefer to keep both. I don't know. It's a dilemma. They don't want to cut into their depth. So I would shorten the bullpen a bit, at least early in the season, until the OF sorts itself out. They want to be careful about coming up short in the OF.

[seabeachfred]

They won't release Sizemore the way he is playing. More likely, they will send JBJ down to Pawtucket on a short leash. Their problem is they are short of guys who can play RF. Nava is a defensive liability out there. He and Gomes are almost strictly LF. That leaves Vic, Size and JBJ for CF and RF. Carp is really a backup to Nap at 1B. Carp and Nava can hit, so they prefer to keep both. I don't know. It's a dilemma. They don't want to cut into their depth. So I would shorten the bullpen a bit, at least early in the season, until the OF sorts itself out. They want to be careful about coming up short in the OF.

 

If Bryce Brentz shows what he showed in ST I cannot for the life of me see why the Red Sox would not bring the guy up as an extra outfielder to spell Vic when he needs a rest or when Vic is moved to CF to give Grady a breather-----assuming Sizemore wins the CF job.

[a700hitter]

If I had to part with any of them, Nava, Carp, Sizemore or Bradley, I'd trade Carp. Nava was very consistent last year and he plays more positions than Carp. Plus Nava is a switch hitter and we have plenty of left handed batters.

[a700hitter]

They won't release Sizemore the way he is playing. More likely, they will send JBJ down to Pawtucket on a short leash. Their problem is they are short of guys who can play RF. Nava is a defensive liability out there. He and Gomes are almost strictly LF. That leaves Vic, Size and JBJ for CF and RF. Carp is really a backup to Nap at 1B. Carp and Nava can hit, so they prefer to keep both. I don't know. It's a dilemma. They don't want to cut into their depth. So I would shorten the bullpen a bit, at least early in the season, until the OF sorts itself out. They want to be careful about coming up short in the OF.

I think we can go with 6 bullpen guys. That's enough pen depth. I'd rather do that than cut one of the position players.

[Station 13]

Carp is insurance if Ortiz/Napoli gets injured. Career 118ops+

 

Plus he is only 27.

I don't see them moving him. We have no other 1B in the system.

[Behindenemylines]

I think it comes down to keeping Bradley or another bullpen arm on the opening day rooster. Everything you here it sounds like they want JBJ to play every day and that means at AAA. If I had to predict the roster that goes north:

 

IF: Napoli, Pedroia, Bogaerts, WMB, Herrera (Won backup IF job) and Carp

OF: Gomes, Nava, Sizemore, Victorino

C: Pierzynski and Ross

DH: Papi

SP: Lester, Lackey, Doubront, Peavy and Buchholtz

RP: Uehara, Mujica, Tazawa, Miller, Breslow, Capuano and (either Badenhop or Cordero)

[a700hitter]

I think it comes down to keeping Bradley or another bullpen arm on the opening day rooster. Everything you here it sounds like they want JBJ to play every day and that means at AAA. If I had to predict the roster that goes north:

 

IF: Napoli, Pedroia, Bogaerts, WMB, Herrera (Won backup IF job) and Carp

OF: Gomes, Nava, Sizemore, Victorino

C: Pierzynski and Ross

DH: Papi

SP: Lester, Lackey, Doubront, Peavy and Buchholtz

RP: Uehara, Mujica, Tazawa, Miller, Breslow, Capuano and (either Badenhop or Cordero)

I'd prefer Cordero over Badenhop

[Bellhorn04]

I'd prefer Cordero over Badenhop

 

Cordero has pitched 8 scoreless with a .399 OPS allowed. Pretty hard to do better. Apparently Breslow will start on the DL.

[a700hitter]

Doubs has been dogshit his last couple of outings. He might be in a dead arm period. It is better now than after the bell rings.

[seabeachfred]

Doubs has been dogshit his last couple of outings. He might be in a dead arm period. It is better now than after the bell rings.

 

700 Hitter and Bellhorn, I don't want to start ringing the panic bell but another listless performance today by our guys. We're not hitting and Papi, our bell cow, looks like he is ready for a 2009 and 2010 hitting drought that lasts the better part of two months. We better start winning most of the rest of these damn ST games so at least we have a smidgen of momentum heading into the season. The O's, Spanks and Raymen are all having solid Springs and look like they mean business. Frankly put, right now we look like s***.

[a700hitter]

The Sox extend Papi for one year.

 

Red Sox, Ortiz Agree To One-Year Extension

By Edward Creech [March 23 at 4:10pm CST]

 

The Red Sox and David Ortiz have reached agrement on a one-year extension, tweets ESPNBoston.com's Gordon Edes. Rob Bradford of WEEI.com reports the one-year deal for 2015 is worth $16MM and will be announced tomorrow. FOX Sports' Jon Paul Morosi tweets the extension may include a club option for 2016, which becomes a vesting player option based on plate appearances. Edes tweets there is also an option for 2017. Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe notes on Twitter the $16MM salary will match what Mike Napoli is scheduled to make next year.

 

Though he's entering his age-38 season, Ortiz is fresh off yet another outstanding season at the plate in which he batted .300/.395/.564 with 30 homers in 600 plate appearances. Big Papi has been vocal about wanting to work out a one-year extension to remain with the club and has not shied away from telling reporters that he feels he's earned another significant payday as "The Man" in Boston's lineup at an age where many have been reduced to complementary roles. It's hard to argue that Ortiz's production isn't worthy of that salary, as he's been at least 34 percent better than a league-average hitter in each season from 2010-13, according to OPS+ and wRC+.

[Palodios]

I just don't get the sense of the Ortiz extension -- Ortiz is great, but there is no chance he will be worth it. He's 39 this year and will see some decline. After 2014, they could still extend him a 15 million dollar QO, and I seriously doubt anyone would want to give him two years, AND lose a prospect for a 40 year old.

[alphilip77]

I just don't get the sense of the Ortiz extension -- Ortiz is great, but there is no chance he will be worth it. He's 39 this year and will see some decline. After 2014, they could still extend him a 15 million dollar QO, and I seriously doubt anyone would want to give him two years, AND lose a prospect for a 40 year old.

 

Ortiz wanted certainty beyond this year, that's why he was so fixated on getting it done now or (at the latest) by the AS break. If that situation you described were to unfold, I could see Ortiz feeling "disrespected" (millionaire problems, never will understand them...), rejecting the offer and then signing with the Yankees out of spite (the only team I could realistically see throwing caution to the wind as far as signing Q.O. players at that age, as demonstrated with Beltran) or, worst case scenario he waits until after the draft and signs with the highest bidder. Either way, the Sox would not only look bad, but would get hosed either through no draft compensation or having to see the face of their franchise 19 times during the regular season.

 

In any event, it's a moot point though. Papi got his security, Sox brass looks good, and everyone is happy. Now all that's left is to see what those shiny new WS rings look like!

[seabeachfred]

Ortiz wanted certainty beyond this year, that's why he was so fixated on getting it done now or (at the latest) by the AS break. If that situation you described were to unfold, I could see Ortiz feeling "disrespected" (millionaire problems, never will understand them...), rejecting the offer and then signing with the Yankees out of spite (the only team I could realistically see throwing caution to the wind as far as signing Q.O. players at that age, as demonstrated with Beltran) or, worst case scenario he waits until after the draft and signs with the highest bidder. Either way, the Sox would not only look bad, but would get hosed either through no draft compensation or having to see the face of their franchise 19 times during the regular season.

 

In any event, it's a moot point though. Papi got his security, Sox brass looks good, and everyone is happy. Now all that's left is to see what those shiny new WS rings look like!

 

All that is left is to start seeing him hit some baseballs for hits and drive in some runs. He has looked like s*** warmed over this Spring and if there is someone in our lineup that is indispensable he is it. We need him to start hitting and very very soon.

[reYoukilis]

All that is left is to start seeing him hit some baseballs for hits and drive in some runs. He has looked like s*** warmed over this Spring and if there is someone in our lineup that is indispensable he is it. We need him to start hitting and very very soon.

Are you talking about Papi or the Red Sox in general because right now we stink.

[User Name]

It's Spring Training. Spring Training stats mean nothing.

[reYoukilis]

It's Spring Training. Spring Training stats mean nothing.

I realize that and also think that more than other teams, the Sox use ST for tinkering and experimentation but hey, I want to win everyday.

[SoxSport]

Looks to me from Henry's statements they are pontificating Ortiz. Maybe they just want to make sure he isn't going anywhere south of Boston. Maybe they think he is some kind of high priest in Boston--with all his inspirational talk. He did have an unreal playoffs. Fortunately for him, he backs up his bluster. I just hope he doesn't fall flat. The media will get on him. The guy has gotten so many big hits in Boston you can't count them.

[SoxSport]

Question: Do spring training stats mean anything? Answer: sometimes.