2012 Boston Red Sox Thread

keysersoze3421 · Joined: 08 Mar 2007 Posts: 22906

2012 season means time for a new team thread. Here are the past threads:

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keysersoze3421 · Joined: 08 Mar 2007 Posts: 22906

Good news for the Spring:

*Carl Crawford will probably only need about 50 PAs in the minors before coming back

*Cody Ross, who will start for Crawford initially and share starts in RF thereafter, has been mashing the ball this spring (6 HRs, .366 avg.)

*Felix Doubront, out of options, looks to finally be hitting his stride and could procure the 4th slot in the rotation this year

Bad news:

*With Doubront's emergence and probable placement in the fourth slot comes Daniel Bard's nosedive as a starter this spring (6.57 ERA). With Doubront, Aceves, and Aaron Cook all vying for two spots, it is possible that Bard winds up back in a bullpen spot, maybe even his old set-up job.

*Mark Melancon has also gotten hammered this spring with an ERA north of 6, but Bobby is mum so far on how he's going to structure his 'pen coming into the season

My prediction for our Opening Day 25-man roster:

C: Saltalamacchia // Shoppach
1B: Gonzalez
2B: Pedroia
SS: Aviles // Punto
3B: Youkilis
LF: Ross
CF: Ellsbury
RF: McDonald // Sweeney
DH: Ortiz // Lavarnway

SP1: Lester
SP2: Beckett
SP3: Buchholz
SP4: Doubront
SP5: Cook

MR/LR: Aceves
MR/LR: Padilla
MR: Miller
MR: Bowden
MR: Melancon
SU: Bard
CL: Bailey

That pitching depth makes me very happy.
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This guy wants to tell me we're living in a community? Don't make me laugh. I'm living in America, and in America you're on your own. America's not a country. It's just a business.

PatsPwn · Joined: 14 Mar 2007 Posts: 5604

By all accounts Daniel Bard was excellent in his start today. I think hes a lock for the rotation right now. And I'm not sure that Lavarnway will make the opening day roster.

Also, after Theo compensation Chris Carpenter had surgery on his elbow, it looks like the Red Sox want to revisit the issue.

http://bostonherald.com/sports/baseball/red_sox/view/20220330source_sox_still_want_cubs_to_talk/
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keysersoze3421 · Joined: 08 Mar 2007 Posts: 22906

I take it you think Bard will start over Cook?
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This guy wants to tell me we're living in a community? Don't make me laugh. I'm living in America, and in America you're on your own. America's not a country. It's just a business.

PatsPwn · Joined: 14 Mar 2007 Posts: 5604

PatsPwn · Joined: 14 Mar 2007 Posts: 5604

Didn't take long for Andrew Bailey to get hurt.

The rotation is set:

Lester
Beckett
Buchholz
Doubront
Bard
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HOVA333 · Posted: Sun Apr 01, 2012 10:26 pm Post subject:

I like the fact that we now have 2 lefties in the rotation, with good stuff.
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keysersoze3421 · Joined: 08 Mar 2007 Posts: 22906

Sox predictions for this year?

Some of mine:

*Carl Crawford rebounds to post a .300/.350/.450 line worth over 4 WAR

*Clay Buchholz starts 25 games and posts an ERA under 3.80

*Daniel Bard's starter campaign goes down in flames and he ends up in the bullpen by June

*Aaron Cook and Vicente Padilla prove to be worthy reclamation projects

*Salty becomes our catcher of the future

*Jacoby Ellsbury's HR total regresses to under 25

*Pitching health and consistency cost the Red Sox a playoff berth
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This guy wants to tell me we're living in a community? Don't make me laugh. I'm living in America, and in America you're on your own. America's not a country. It's just a business.

PatsPwn · Joined: 14 Mar 2007 Posts: 5604

- Dice K returns midseason and pitches better than ever before (sub 4 FIP)

- Daniel Bard is our best starter through the first part of the season (and also the most fun to watch) before he wears down/is shut down

- The Aviles/Punto two headed monster struggles mightily, leading to a promotion for Jose Iglesias who wins a gold glove

- Adrian Gonzalez hits 40 HR's

- Cody Ross hits 25+ HR's and becomes a fan favorite

- Alfredo Aceves starts at least one fight

- Red Sox grab one of the two wildcard spots
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PatsPwn · Joined: 14 Mar 2007 Posts: 5604

So Aceves is our closer. Surprised and disappointed. Aceves is much more valuable as a multiple inning kinda guy imo. Of course if there is a such thing as "closer mentality" I'm pretty sure he would have it.
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keysersoze3421 · Joined: 08 Mar 2007 Posts: 22906

Love that move. We have Cook, Miller, and Padilla (assuming all three make the roster) to stretch it out and work multiple innings. And as you pointed out, Aceves has a great mental game. I like Melancon as set up too.
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This guy wants to tell me we're living in a community? Don't make me laugh. I'm living in America, and in America you're on your own. America's not a country. It's just a business.

keysersoze3421 · Joined: 08 Mar 2007 Posts: 22906

I take that back. Cook and Ross Ohlendorf were optioned to the minors, which is good news because both will be making regular starts and can step right in if we need a spot starter or one of our guys goes down with an injury.
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This guy wants to tell me we're living in a community? Don't make me laugh. I'm living in America, and in America you're on your own. America's not a country. It's just a business.

keysersoze3421 · Joined: 08 Mar 2007 Posts: 22906

RYAN SWEENEY! Yes!
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This guy wants to tell me we're living in a community? Don't make me laugh. I'm living in America, and in America you're on your own. America's not a country. It's just a business.

PatsPwn · Joined: 14 Mar 2007 Posts: 5604

keysersoze3421 · Joined: 08 Mar 2007 Posts: 22906

And there's an early manifestation of our crappy bullpen.
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This guy wants to tell me we're living in a community? Don't make me laugh. I'm living in America, and in America you're on your own. America's not a country. It's just a business.