2016 Boston Red Sox Playoff Discussion

[The Viking]

Alright, might as well fire this up a little early, we can discuss playoff roster, potential 1st round opponents, etc.

The 1st round of the ALDS is scheduled to start on Thursday, October 6th (as well as 7th, 9th and 10th, 12th if necessary)
AL Div winner #3 @ AL Div winner #2
AL Wild Card winner @ AL Div winner #1

Boston is in line to be any of the top 3 spots, currently tied with Texas for #1.

Personally I think this is the 25-man

C: Leon
1B: Ramirez
2B: Pedroia
SS: Bogaerts
3B: Shaw/Hill/Holt?
LF: Benintendi/Young
CF: Bradley Jr
RF: Betts
DH: Ortiz

Bench:
Vazquez (C)
2 of Shaw/Hill/Holt
Benintendi or Young

That's 13 players and we will need 12 pitchers to round it out.

They will need 4 starters if there is no 3-day rest starter stepping up. Or they can go 3 starters, have Porcello or Price go on 3 days rest on the 10th and the other goes regular rest on the 12th.
But let's throw 4 SP on here with 8 relievers (Bullpen has been ridiculously good this month)

Porcello
Price
Rodriguez
Buchholz
Kimbrel
Uehara
Ziegler
Kelly
Barnes
Ross (LHP)
Scott (LHP)
Hembree or Tazawa

So that's my 25 man - anyone I'm missing?

538 has updated their odds pretty cool site:

2016 MLB Predictions

Anyway, they now have the Sox as the sight leader as best chance to win the WS (23%), just inching past Theo's Cubs (22%). Cubs and Sox are #1 and #2 in run differential in MLB respectively. By the way who would have thought 15 years ago that the Sox and Cubs would be the favorites for WS matchup.

I'll add stuff here as I come across it.

Oh, and Magic Number is 2 to clinch the division, should happen appropriately in the Bronx one would think.

 

[G0UCONN]

Do they add Moncada to roster as a base runner off bench?

He has made some baserunning blunders so maybe not. But be nice to have him on bench seeing atmosphere etc if can do it.

 

[Husky25]

Silverman: Thinking ahead to the Red Sox’ playoff roster

I don't think Porcello or Price go on 3 days rest in the ALDS. I think the rotation is exactly how you have it. Too bad Wright doesn't look like he will be ready for the ALDS after reporting slight discomfort from 120 feet..

Where's Drew Pomeranz on your roster? Silverman says he will likely serve as a long man out of the bullpen. Plus, he has experience in getting ready quickly, so both Ross and Scott are likely not needed. I think neither Hembree or Tazawa end up making the ALDS roster as well.

Finally, I don't see Vasquez making the roster over Holiday or Hannigan, certainly not if Wright is deemed fit (not likely, but still). Vasquez is basically a glorified September call up.

 

[The Viking]

Ahh, good point on Pomeranz - blanked on that - he would take Tazawa/Hembree's slot

Personally I like the idea of having two LHP specialists, especially if we end up facing Texas in the 1st round - they have 3 LHB that are potent in Odor, Mazara and Moreland.

I like having a good defensive catcher as your number 2 if you end up pinch hitting for Leon or pinch running. Vazquez would be my pick but who knows.

 

[60'sfan]

Do they add Moncada to roster as a base runner off bench?

He has made some baserunning blunders so maybe not. But be nice to have him on bench seeing atmosphere etc if can do it.

I don't think there is any way that Moncada makes the roster. It was a mistake to bring him up. He is no way ready for the majors. Unfortunately, the only thing the Sox did by show-casing him was demonstrate that he has some serious weaknesses. He is a poor fielder who cannot hit a curve ball and he has a tendency to lose concentration (not only was he picked off base but he forgot how many outs there were once). I would not want to have him taking a roster spot.

 

[60'sfan]

Ahh, good point on Pomeranz - blanked on that - he would take Tazawa/Hembree's slot

Personally I like the idea of having two LHP specialists, especially if we end up facing Texas in the 1st round - they have 3 LHB that are potent in Odor, Mazara and Moreland.

I like having a good defensive catcher as your number 2 if you end up pinch hitting for Leon or pinch running. Vazquez would be my pick but who knows.

The Sox are a little nervous about how many innings Pomeranz has thrown and he could be left off the roster completely. If he is, I would rather see Hembree than Tazawa. I get very nervous when Tazawa is in the game. I agree with you on Vazquez.

 

[The Viking]

Pomeranz was nasty on Sunday, no doubt he will be on the postseason roster.

I think it was Alex Speier who tweeted out that with the Sox, Pomeranz had only thrown 5 pitchers 94 or faster as a starter. As a reliever on Sunday, he threw 9.

 

[60'sfan]

I can't help thinking that the Red Sox blew this by not getting home field advantage. This I blame on Farrell. I am pretty confident that they would have won the first game with the crowd behind them although the second game would have been better if it were Price-less. Dumbrowski's moves are looking worse and worse as the games get serious. Price clearly cannot pitch in the post-season and Kimbrel has proven to be unreliable. When other teams were acquiring difference-makers like Chapman, Dave picked up Pomeranz and Abad. Oh well, there is always next year and we have a ton of good young position players.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

The Yanks look forward to seeing the Red Sox at the 19th Hole on Monday

 

[60'sfan]

The Yanks look forward to seeing the Red Sox at the 19th Hole on Monday

Ha, ha. We have at least one more game to play first.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

Ha, ha. We have at least one more game to play first.

My son is a Sox fan. In the 4th inning, I took out my old golf clubs and leaned the bag against the right right next to the TV. If he was a little older, i.e. a teen, I would either need a new TV today or I would have been in the hospital having one of the clubs surgically removed from my head

 

[60'sfan]

My son is a Sox fan. In the 4th inning, I took out my old golf clubs and leaned the bag against the right right next to the TV. If he was a little older, i.e. a teen, I would either need a new TV today or I would have been in the hospital having one of the clubs surgically removed from my head

At least he was able to watch. I tape the games now. If the Sox win, I watch. If they lose I delete. I just don't trust them this year.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

Ha, ha. We have at least one more game to play first.

What would you like to drink? We'll even buy the first round for 1) not even making the playoffs, and 2) regardless what he did or did not do, Papi was a great competitor and deserves at least 1 drink on us for his last game.

Spring Training is just over 4 months away

 

[mauconnfan]

What would you like to drink? We'll even buy the first round for 1) not even making the playoffs, and 2) regardless what he did or did not do, Papi was a great competitor and deserves at least 1 drink on us for his last game.

Spring Training is just over 4 months away

I know their fans have hammered ARod for his post season performances, well some just started their young illustrious careers in ARod fashion didn't they? Too bad for Papi it had to end with a broom to his a** I feel awful.

 

[8893]

 

[Husky25]

They lost. What do you want to discuss? How? Why? Not interested.

For a last place team that was in shambles a year ago, whose manager was a cancer diagnosis from being fired, and for a club that was not really expected to compete for the playoffs in the first place (let alone the World Series), I think they exceeded expectations and I for one was entertained during the regular season. The Sox were an offensively explosive, but 9 times out of 10, pitching a defense prevail and the Sox pitching could not catch up to the offense.

There. Happy?

 

[Stainmaster]

How's Familia looking?

 

[8893]

How's Familia looking?

Looking like he got a five-day jump on his golf game as compared with your guys.

 

[mauconnfan]

Looking like he got a five-day jump on his golf game as compared with your guys.

They'll both get strokes from Betances!

 

[Scoe]

Welcome to the golf course the Yankees are waiting for you on the 18th hole.