25 Man Roster

[notin]

I think most teams have at least 23 or 24 roster spots figured out (barring injury) before spring training games even begin. And I think this does apply to the Sox.

 

So, before we even see that one player absolutely go off this spring and make a futile case for himself, I think the Sox only have one spot up for a roster battle.

 

In no particular order, I think the most likely candidates to either get demoted or waived are Rodriguez, Barnes and Hembree. With the first two, both do have options left and would not be gone all year.

 

Thoughts?

[Fisk]

If Erod and Wright win rotation spots, probably means Pomerantz is going to the bullpen. If that happens I imagine Abad would be gone.

[moonslav59]

If Erod and Wright win rotation spots, probably means Pomerantz is going to the bullpen. If that happens I imagine Abad would be gone.

 

I agree. I'd take Hembree over Abad for that last slot, but a DL (phantom or otherwise) might allow us to keep both guys without options.

[notin]

I agree. I'd take Hembree over Abad for that last slot, but a DL (phantom or otherwise) might allow us to keep both guys without options.

 

Phantom DL is possible. If not, sending Barnes to Pawtucket temporarily would allow the Sox to keep everyone. ..

[Fisk]

Phantom DL is possible. If not, sending Barnes to Pawtucket temporarily would allow the Sox to keep everyone. ..

 

I think they have high hopes for Barnes this year, be very surprised if he is sent down.

[oldtimer]

The conventional 25 man roster includes:

5 SP

7 RP

2 Catchers

6 IF

5 OF

 

Our DH is an IF so he would count against those 6 so who do we have expected?

 

Starting IF would be Moreland, Pedroia, Bogaerts and Sandoval with Rameriz counting against the IF. Who is the 6th? Hernandez, Rutledge or Marrero?

 

Starting OF would we Betts, JBJ amd Beni leaving room for 2 (Holt and Swihart? or Seisky)

 

Catchers Leone, Vazquez

 

Starting 5 P Porcello, Price, Sale, ( 2 of Pomeranz, Wright, Rodreguez) with presumably one to the BP

 

BP Consisting of 6 plus one from above. Kelly, Thornburg, Ross, Henbree, Kimbrel, (Barnes or Abad) assuming Smith starts season on IR. That leaves Workman and Scott in limbo.

 

Anyone clarify where we are at this point? Still possible that injuries will determine a position or two.

[notin]

I think they have high hopes for Barnes this year, be very surprised if he is sent down.

 

I think so too and I like him as a reliever.

 

But this isn't about hopes; it's about depth. And Barnes is on a very short list of Sox MLB pitchers with an option remaining. And players in his position do get sent to the minors all the time...

[Fisk]

I would be very surprised if they sent him down, yes I understand the depth aspect, but they will have pretty good minor league depth.

[notin]

The conventional 25 man roster includes:

5 SP

7 RP

2 Catchers

6 IF

5 OF

 

Our DH is an IF so he would count against those 6 so who do we have expected?

 

Starting IF would be Moreland, Pedroia, Bogaerts and Sandoval with Rameriz counting against the IF. Who is the 6th? Hernandez, Rutledge or Marrero?

 

Starting OF would we Betts, JBJ amd Beni leaving room for 2 (Holt and Swihart? or Seisky)

 

Catchers Leone, Vazquez

 

Starting 5 P Porcello, Price, Sale, ( 2 of Pomeranz, Wright, Rodreguez) with presumably one to the BP

 

BP Consisting of 6 plus one from above. Kelly, Thornburg, Ross, Henbree, Kimbrel, (Barnes or Abad) assuming Smith starts season on IR. That leaves Workman and Scott in limbo.

 

Anyone clarify where we are at this point? Still possible that injuries will determine a position or two.

 

1. The sixth infielder will be Rutledge, who seemed like ab odd choice for a Rule 5 pick and was probably chosen fir a reason. Both Marrero and Hernandez have an option.

 

2. Holt and Young fill the outfield spots. Swihart will go to the minors. Sneaky will either go to Pawtucket or the waiver wire. (Or both at some point.)

 

3. Abad will make the team if he if healthy. If he was even on the border, he could have been non-tendered. But as the Sox opted to go to arbitration to determine his salary, and because he has no options left, he is absolutely safe for now...

Edited February 26, 2017 by notin

[moonslav59]

I think they have high hopes for Barnes this year, be very surprised if he is sent down.

 

Is he clearly better than Hembree or Abad?

 

I like Barnes, too, but if keeping him on the 25 man means Hembree must be cut or traded, I could see him being sent to AAA. He'd be first in line for a call-up.

[moonslav59]

1. The sixth infielder will be Rutledge, who seemed like ab odd choice for a Rule 5 pick and was probably chosen fir a reason. Both Marrero and Hernandez have an option.

 

2. Holt and Young fill the outfield spots. Swihart will go to the minors. Sneaky will either go to Pawtucket or the waiver wire. (Or both at some point.)

 

3. Abad will make the team if he if healthy. If he was even on the border, he could have been non-tendered. But as the Sox opted to go to arbitration to determine his salary, and because he has no options left, he is absolutely safe for now...

 

If everyone is looking good and healthy, I still think trading Abad might not be a bad idea.

[moonslav59]

1. The sixth infielder will be Rutledge, who seemed like an odd choice for a Rule 5 pick and was probably chosen fir a reason. Both Marrero and Hernandez have an option.

 

I agree. Rutledge has to play himself out of a slot this spring to not make the opening day 25 man roster.

 

2. Holt and Young fill the outfield spots. Swihart will go to the minors. Sneaky will either go to Pawtucket or the waiver wire. (Or both at some point.)

 

Young and Holt are locks. That puts Swi at AAA to develop his catching skills further.

 

My choices:

 

C: Leon & Vaz

1B: Moreland & HanRam (DH vs RHPs)

2B: Pedey

3B: Pablo & Rutledge

SS: Bogey

UT: Holt

LF: Beni & Young

CF: JBJ

RF: Betts

SP: Sale, Porcello, Price, ERod, Wright

RP: Kimbrell, Thornburg, Kelly, Ross, Pom, Barnes, Hembree (Abad on Phanton DL or Barnes to start season in AAA)

 

Carson Smith will join the 25 man roster at some point.

 

AAA players likely to see significant playing time:

Swihart: C, DH, LF, corner IF?

Hernandez: SS, 2B, 3B

S Travis: 1B

Selsky: LF

Workman & Elias: SP/RP

R Scott: RP

Owens & Johnson: SP

K Martin, N Ramirez, L Ysla: RP

 

 

[TylerD]

If Erod and Wright win rotation spots, probably means Pomerantz is going to the bullpen. If that happens I imagine Abad would be gone.

 

Erod in my opinion definitely deserves a rotation spot. Young and talented. Wright likely will too.

[Fisk]

Erod in my opinion definitely deserves a rotation spot. Young and talented. Wright likely will too.

 

I agree he definitely should be in the rotation but they might prefer to preserve the depth.

[notin]

Erod in my opinion definitely deserves a rotation spot. Young and talented. Wright likely will too.

 

Not likely.

 

Im no fan of Abad, but the Sox didn't go to arbitration to keep him as an insurance policy so they could pay him to pitch elsewhere..

[cp176]

I think so too and I like him as a reliever.

 

But this isn't about hopes; it's about depth. And Barnes is on a very short list of Sox MLB pitchers with an option remaining. And players in his position do get sent to the minors all the time...

 

lol - this is another arguement that we have beaten to death. My guess is that they will keep and use the players that will give them the best chance to win regardless of available options. All things being equal - 2 players who are basically the same and you have room for only one, then yes the one with the option probably gets sent down.

[moonslav59]

Not likely.

 

Im no fan of Abad, but the Sox didn't go to arbitration to keep him as an insurance policy so they could pay him to pitch elsewhere..

 

I'm not sure we'd have to pay a cent. We could probably trade him for a non-40 man roster prospect to a team who loses their lefty Rp'er to injury.

[moonslav59]

lol - this is another arguement that we have beaten to death. My guess is that they will keep and use the players that will give them the best chance to win regardless of available options. All things being equal - 2 players who are basically the same and you have room for only one, then yes the one with the option probably gets sent down.

 

How far apart are Branes, Hembree and Abad?

 

I'd say they are probably close enough to choose the 2 without options.

 

Now, if Hembree or Abad suck in ST'ing, then Barnes should get the nod. (Maybe we can blame one of them sucking on an injury and phantom DL one of Hembree of Abad.

 

I agree that ERod is too good to send down.

 

We could also start the year with ERod or Pom in AAA until we need our 5th starter -- our 9th game (4/12/17).

[Fisk]

Pom is not going to triple a 3 options with him starter, reliever or DL. Barnes unless he totally bombs in spring trading also is not going down, they think of him as a main cog in the bullpen.

[Fisk]

I'm not sure we'd have to pay a cent. We could probably trade him for a non-40 man roster prospect to a team who loses their lefty Rp'er to injury.

 

No one would probably trade for him, they would know the Redsox would probably just take him off the 40, so they would just pay minimum salary for him. Do not think the sox would be to concerned about his 2 million it's all about not going over the luxury tax.

[moonslav59]

No one would probably trade for him, they would know the Redsox would probably just take him off the 40, so they would just pay minimum salary for him. Do not think the sox would be to concerned about his 2 million it's all about not going over the luxury tax.

 

I doubt the Sox would have to pay the full $2M. My guess is someone might want him for close to what he's paid.

 

They might also try a 2 for 1 deal to clear up roster spot.

 

I doubt they trade him.

 

Someone will go on the DL this spring...phantom or real.

[Fisk]

Teams will know that we have to put him on waivers it would be very hard to trade him. Definitely will get nothing of value for him.

[Kimmi]

I think so too and I like him as a reliever.

 

But this isn't about hopes; it's about depth. And Barnes is on a very short list of Sox MLB pitchers with an option remaining. And players in his position do get sent to the minors all the time...

 

I agree with you 100% on the depth issue. I will be very surprised if one of our pitchers is released at the beginning of the season because he doesn't have options.

 

My guess is that ERod or Barnes will start in AAA, or someone will hit the DL, either phantom or real.

[Kimmi]

Pom is not going to triple a 3 options with him starter, reliever or DL. Barnes unless he totally bombs in spring trading also is not going down, they think of him as a main cog in the bullpen.

 

I will also be very surprised if Pom does not start the season as a starter. I know that many see him as a better option in the pen, but I think it's in the team's best interest not to 'demote' him to the role of reliever yet.

[Fisk]

Barnes is a key cog in the sox bullpen he is not being optioned, I agree with Erod he might get optioned because of starting depth but bullpen depth is not a problem.

[notin]

Pom is not going to triple a 3 options with him starter, reliever or DL. Barnes unless he totally bombs in spring trading also is not going down, they think of him as a main cog in the bullpen.

 

Yes but the whole idea of keeping just the best players is for Little League. Even if Hembree or Abad totally bomb in ST doesn't necessarily mean they get cut. Teams want to control as many players as possible because they know, as we have all seen at some point, that a bad March doesn't always mean that player will have a bad August. ...

[Fisk]

Yes but the whole idea of keeping just the best players is for Little League. Even if Hembree or Abad totally bomb in ST doesn't necessarily mean they get cut. Teams want to control as many players as possible because they know, as we have all seen at some point, that a bad March doesn't always mean that player will have a bad August. ...

 

I understand the whole depth issue, but I will be shocked if Barnes is sent down they think to highly of him. I also believe they see him as the reliever who can go multiple innings.

[moonslav59]

Yes but the whole idea of keeping just the best players is for Little League. Even if Hembree or Abad totally bomb in ST doesn't necessarily mean they get cut. Teams want to control as many players as possible because they know, as we have all seen at some point, that a bad March doesn't always mean that player will have a bad August. ...

 

Agreed.

 

We used 10 SP'ers last year and 20 RP'ers (some were used as both a starter and RP'er).

 

We even had to go out and acquire a SP'er (Pom) and two RP'ers (Ziegler & Abad).

 

We had 12 pitchers pitch as a RP'er in 14 or more games.

 

Keeping as many capable RP'ers one the team is probably a higher priority than having a slight upgrade at our 5th or 6th our of 7 pen slots.

 

We';; be revisiting this discussion once Carson Smith is healthy.

[notin]

Agreed.

 

We used 10 SP'ers last year and 20 RP'ers (some were used as both a starter and RP'er).

 

We even had to go out and acquire a SP'er (Pom) and two RP'ers (Ziegler & Abad).

 

We had 12 pitchers pitch as a RP'er in 14 or more games.

 

Keeping as many capable RP'ers one the team is probably a higher priority than having a slight upgrade at our 5th or 6th our of 7 pen slots.

 

We';; be revisiting this discussion once Carson Smith is healthy.

 

Probably not.

 

By the time Smith is healthy, multiple injuries will have sweet in across the staff. The Sox will probably wind up demoting someone like Kyle Martin or Robby Scott to make room for him in Boston. ..

[notin]

I understand the whole depth issue, but I will be shocked if Barnes is sent down they think to highly of him. I also believe they see him as the reliever who can go multiple innings.

 

While I agree with your assessment, starting the season in Pawtucket wouldn't change that. He'd probably only spend a couple weeks in Pawtucket before being recalled due to an injury to someone in the bullpen.