2017 Lineup

[Orange Juiced]

With the Sox picking up Rutledge, I think they are fairly set for position players, assuming a 12-man pitching staff.

 

Catchers

- Leon

- Vazquez

 

Infielders

- Ramirez

- Pedroia

- Bogaerts

- Sandoval

- Rutledge

- Moreland

 

Outfielders

- Benintendi

- Bradley

- Betts

- Young

- Holt

 

Here's how I see it, assuming health...

 

Vs. RHP

C - Leon

1b - Moreland

2b - Pedroia

3b - Sandoval

SS - Bogaerts

LF - Benintendi

CF - Bradley

RF - Betts

DH - Ramirez

 

Lineup:

1. Pedroia

2. Benintendi

3. Betts

4. Ramirez

5. Moreland

6. Bogaerts

7. Bradley

8. Sandoval

9. Leon

 

Vs. LHP

C - Vazquez

1b - Ramirez

2b - Pedroia

3b - Sandoval

SS - Bogaerts

LF - Benintendi

CF - Bradley

RF - Betts

DH - Young

 

Lineup:

1. Pedroia

2. Benintendi

3. Betts

4. Ramirez

5. Bogaerts

6. Young

7. Bradley

8. Sandoval

9. Vazquez

 

Notes:

Obviously, Vazquez and Leon share duties at C. One may have "personal catcher" duties with a particular pitcher, regardless of who the opposing pitcher is, who knows. Rutledge spells any of the IF on any given day. Young can spell an OF or play DH against lefties. Holt can spell anybody, pretty much anywhere on the field. Moreland, if he's not starting, can be a defensive replacement for Hanley at 1b in the late innings. Good versatility on the bench, then, in Vazquez, Moreland, Young, Holt, and Rutledge. Not a ton of power there, but Moreland has some pop and Young has decent power, given limited at-bats. Good mix of lefty and righty bats there as well.

 

That lineup lacks the one monster bat, but let's keep in mind that here was the biggest thumper in each of the 2016 playoff teams' lineups (I'm taking Papi out of the mix, for obvious reasons):

 

Boston: Betts - 31 hr, 113 rbi, 131 ops+

Toronto: Donaldson - 37 hr, 99 rbi, 152 ops+

Baltimore: Machado - 37 hr, 96 rbi, 128 ops+ (could have gone with either Trumbo or Davis too)

Cleveland: Santana - 34 hr, 87 rbi, 121 ops+

Texas: Beltre - 32 hr, 104 rbi, 128 ops+

Chicago: Bryant - 39 hr, 102 rbi, 149 ops+

Los Angeles: Seager - 26 hr, 72 rbi, 137 ops+

San Francisco: Belt - 17 hr, 82 rbi, 132 ops+

Washington: Murphy - 25 hr, 104 rbi, 157 ops+

NY Mets: Cespedes - 31 hr, 86 rbi, 133 ops+

 

The point is that Betts (and Hanley, also) is right there with most of these guys, and these teams mostly succeeded without having a David Ortiz 162 ops+ figure. A Sox lineup featuring Betts, Bradley, Bogaerts, Pedroia, Ramirez, and an emerging Benintendi is going to be pretty good. Maybe not the top scoring lineup in baseball, but it'll be pretty good.

[S5Dewey]

 

The point is that Betts (and Hanley, also) is right there with most of these guys, and these teams mostly succeeded without having a David Ortiz 162 ops+ figure. A Sox lineup featuring Betts, Bradley, Bogaerts, Pedroia, Ramirez, and an emerging Benintendi is going to be pretty good. Maybe not the top scoring lineup in baseball, but it'll be pretty good.

 

Let me add to that, if I may.

IMO our 'up the middle' defense is probably as good as anyone's in the league. Pedey & JBJ are GG caliber, our catching duo is very good defensively, and while Bogaerts isn't GG material he's steady and dependable. When adding Sale to our roster and thinking about the rest of the staff I like our chances very much. This team probably won't score as many runs as last year but with out pitching and defense we won't have to.

[Kingface]

Let me add to that, if I may.

IMO our 'up the middle' defense is probably as good as anyone's in the league. Pedey & JBJ are GG caliber, our catching duo is very good defensively, and while Bogaerts isn't GG material he's steady and dependable. When adding Sale to our roster and thinking about the rest of the staff I like our chances very much. This team probably won't score as many runs as last year but with out pitching and defense we won't have to.

 

Agree with you 100% my friend!

[moonslav59]

I'd go with this:

 

Lineup vs RHPs:

1. Beni LF

2. Pedey 2B

3. Betts RF

4. Ramirez DH

5. Moreland 1B

6. Bradley CF

7. Bogaerts SS

8. Sandoval 3B

9. Leon C

 

Lineup vs LHPs:

1. Pedroia 2B

2. Bogaerts SS

3. Betts RF

4. Ramirez 1B

5. Young DH

6. Benintendi LF

7. Bradley CF

8. Rutledge/Holt 3B

9. Vazquez C

[Kimmi]

Let me add to that, if I may.

IMO our 'up the middle' defense is probably as good as anyone's in the league. Pedey & JBJ are GG caliber, our catching duo is very good defensively, and while Bogaerts isn't GG material he's steady and dependable. When adding Sale to our roster and thinking about the rest of the staff I like our chances very much. This team probably won't score as many runs as last year but with out pitching and defense we won't have to.

 

I was reading about how Sale might really be helped by our catchers' pitch framing skills. The White Sox catchers all had negative runs saved last season, and Alex Avila and Dioner Navarro were among the worst in baseball.

[Spudboy]

I was reading about how Sale might really be helped by our catchers' pitch framing skills. The White Sox catchers all had negative runs saved last season, and Alex Avila and Dioner Navarro were among the worst in baseball.

 

We'll see. The Sox catchers did not seem to have such a profound effect on David Price.

 

Not that I noticed, anyway.

[Hugh2]

Don't be surprised to see Swihart back with the Sox early in 2017.

[Spudboy]

Don't be surprised to see Swihart back with the Sox early in 2017.

 

I hope that we do. Not that I want anything adverse to happen to Leon or Vasquez.

 

I just like Swihart and want him to succeed on this team. Not in Pawtucket or on another MLB team.

[Hugh2]

I hope that we do. Not that I want anything adverse to happen to Leon or Vasquez.

 

I just like Swihart and want him to succeed on this team. Not in Pawtucket or on another MLB team.

 

Yup, I think Swihart dropped in a lot of peoples minds much more than his actual value and talent did and I really hope he has a good break out season too.

 

I think people are forgetting how good this lineup can be even without Ortiz, we took a step back this off season but not a big one. The pitching took a much more larger leap forward.

 

I expect a slightly better overall team in 2017 that is better balanced.

[moonslav59]

I expect a slightly better overall team in 2017 that is better balanced.

 

Better rotation (by a lot)

Better defense (especially if Pablo can hold his own at 3rd)

Better bottom-of-the-order line-up

 

Maybe a little worse vs RHPs

Maybe a slightly worse pen (until Smith gets into form)

[Hugh2]

I expect a slightly better overall team in 2017 that is better balanced.

 

Better rotation (by a lot)

Better defense (especially if Pablo can hold his own at 3rd)

Better bottom-of-the-order line-up

 

Maybe a little worse vs RHPs

Maybe a slightly worse pen (until Smith gets into form)

 

I'm not sure the rotation will be that much better, even with Sale. It's kind of hard to not assume they will be better and I believe they will. You added Sale, Price might not struggle out of the gate too and ERod could take a step back. However, Porcello could regress to something inbetween 2016 and 2015 and you might not get the same performance out of Wright that you did. Still it's hard to argue against the improved rotation.

 

I do think the defense will be better, and I do think relief pitching will be better as well. Overall better and more well balanced team.

[moonslav59]

I'm not sure the rotation will be that much better, even with Sale. It's kind of hard to not assume they will be better and I believe they will. You added Sale, Price might not struggle out of the gate too and ERod could take a step back. However, Porcello could regress to something inbetween 2016 and 2015 and you might not get the same performance out of Wright that you did. Still it's hard to argue against the improved rotation.

 

I do think the defense will be better, and I do think relief pitching will be better as well. Overall better and more well balanced team.

 

Lots of "ifs" in the rotation, but all 7 of our best starters had a great half this year. We only need 5 to do well.

 

I stand by "better by a lot."

[sk7326]

I think the rotation will be better - it might not be that much better than ours was as the season ended ... but the consistency will just be a lot better.

 

Sale, Price and Porcello are proven stocks - I expect Porcello to regress, but all of them have been extremely reliable bets to crank out 7+ solid to spectacular innings a night. Even on most of Price's crappy starts - he could persevere past the "soft underbelly of the pitching staff" stage of the game. Rodriguez' ceiling is every bit those three guys and (given his age) there is a good chance he will find more consistency where the starts look more like his appearances against Baltimore and Oakland than the garbage outings.

 

The ceiling for the rotation might not have improved all that much - but the floor is much much higher.

 

That probably describes the team at large.

[moonslav59]

On paper, our rotation is much better.

 

That's about all you can hope for, until the games begin.