- Joined
- Aug 31, 2011
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I hear a lot of talk about the Sox going after Giancarlo Stanton, Cole Hamels, resigning Jon Lester. They all sound great but I think the cost will be too high either in terms of prospects or dollars. I would rather seen them be patient with their young players. I would cut Will Middlebrooks loose. He is an average fielder with way too many holes in his swing. He has always struck out five times as much as he walks in the majors and the minors.
I would open with Christian Vazquez at catcher. He is great defensively, calls a good game and could be a star. Mike Napoli would play first and Dustin Pedroia second, Xander Bogaerts at short, and Mookie Betts at third. He has to play somewhere and seems to be comfortable everywhere. I expect a comeback year for Pedroia and a big year from Bogaerts. Left field would belong to Yoenis Cespedes, Rusney Castillo center and hopefully Shane Victorino in right. David Ortiz would be DH until he shows he can no longer hit. On the bench would be Brock Holt, David Ross, Daniel Nava and perhaps Allen Craig. Waiting in the wings would be Garin Cecchini, Blake Swihart, Bryce Brentz and Jackie Bradley Jr. I still haven't given up on Jackie. I think he can learn to hit again and is a great fielder.
Starting pitching will be the biggest challenge. Hopefully Buchholtz remembers how to pitch and Joe Kelly learns how to throw strikes. I would try to sign James Shields but leave the last two spots to some combo of Webster, Ranaudo, De La Rosa, Workman and Owens. The losers would go to the pen which could be pretty good with Uehara, Tazawa, Badenhop, Layne and Mujica.
Depending on how the starting pitching worked out, we could have a very good year or another bad year but at least we will preserve our prospects.
I would open with Christian Vazquez at catcher. He is great defensively, calls a good game and could be a star. Mike Napoli would play first and Dustin Pedroia second, Xander Bogaerts at short, and Mookie Betts at third. He has to play somewhere and seems to be comfortable everywhere. I expect a comeback year for Pedroia and a big year from Bogaerts. Left field would belong to Yoenis Cespedes, Rusney Castillo center and hopefully Shane Victorino in right. David Ortiz would be DH until he shows he can no longer hit. On the bench would be Brock Holt, David Ross, Daniel Nava and perhaps Allen Craig. Waiting in the wings would be Garin Cecchini, Blake Swihart, Bryce Brentz and Jackie Bradley Jr. I still haven't given up on Jackie. I think he can learn to hit again and is a great fielder.
Starting pitching will be the biggest challenge. Hopefully Buchholtz remembers how to pitch and Joe Kelly learns how to throw strikes. I would try to sign James Shields but leave the last two spots to some combo of Webster, Ranaudo, De La Rosa, Workman and Owens. The losers would go to the pen which could be pretty good with Uehara, Tazawa, Badenhop, Layne and Mujica.
Depending on how the starting pitching worked out, we could have a very good year or another bad year but at least we will preserve our prospects.