For some teams, the bullpen is the residual, and so it may be for the Red Sox in 2015.
Some roles are already assigned: Koji closer, Mujica RH closer-in-waiting, Tazawa RH setup.
Layne has a leg up as a left-handed specialist: good movement, good deception, multiple arm angles, and excellent command on slider, fastball, sinker and curve - but is he good enough against RHB to graduate to LH setup?
Badenhop (RH sinkerball specialist) is a free agent. He has earned his payday, but I doubt that it will come from the Red Sox. Nevertheless, he's good value in Fenway, and might return.
Wright looks like a good multi-purpose reliever and emergency spot starter. His knuckler appears to be more catchable than a Wakefield flutterby.
Starting out as relievers, graduating to starter: Kelly, Webster, de la Rosa, Workman, Barnes, Ranaudo, Escobar and Rodriguez could each start, relieve, ride the shuttle or be traded. I project Kelly and Webster to start; de la Rosa and Workman to the bullpen; Barnes, Ranaudo and Escobar to ride the shuttle; and Rodriguez in the minors to preserve club control.
On the bubble: Hembree RH, Britton LH, Wilson RH and Villareal RH will compete for the Justin Thomas Memorial Award as 25th Man on the April Roster. All are dirt-cheap, and have stuff: 93+ mph fastball, good breaking pitches. Count me here as a believer in Great Britton. He failed as a 2014 AAA reliever, but succeeded at the majors in several years. He's left-handed, which always helps, and I think his power stuff will develop in the majors. Wilson's no slouch: his fastball command has improved, and he's approaching his peak years. I'd like to keep them both. Hembree... we'll see. Villareal we might see too.
Additions: everyone's favorite Confederate General Miller - a bit like Badenhop, some other team will probably need him more than the Red Sox.
Tradables: every prospect and every reliever except Koji.
Assuming a 7-man bullpen and sign or trade for two starting pitchers, and pending further sign or trade, I project
SP1 (Lester or other signing)
SP2 (Iwakuma or other trade for Cespedes and SP prospect)
Buchholz: he'll have two great years in the next five, and 2015 will be one of them.
Kelly: 95 sinker and good movement on the slider and curve.
Webster: 2 great offspeed pitches and improving fastball command by throwing 93 instead of 95.
closer: Uehara
closer in waiting: Mujica
RH setup: Tazawa
LH setup: Layne
RH multiple innings: de la Rosa, Workman
25th man: Britton/Wilson/Hembree/Ranaudo/Barnes/Escobar
Some roles are already assigned: Koji closer, Mujica RH closer-in-waiting, Tazawa RH setup.
Layne has a leg up as a left-handed specialist: good movement, good deception, multiple arm angles, and excellent command on slider, fastball, sinker and curve - but is he good enough against RHB to graduate to LH setup?
Badenhop (RH sinkerball specialist) is a free agent. He has earned his payday, but I doubt that it will come from the Red Sox. Nevertheless, he's good value in Fenway, and might return.
Wright looks like a good multi-purpose reliever and emergency spot starter. His knuckler appears to be more catchable than a Wakefield flutterby.
Starting out as relievers, graduating to starter: Kelly, Webster, de la Rosa, Workman, Barnes, Ranaudo, Escobar and Rodriguez could each start, relieve, ride the shuttle or be traded. I project Kelly and Webster to start; de la Rosa and Workman to the bullpen; Barnes, Ranaudo and Escobar to ride the shuttle; and Rodriguez in the minors to preserve club control.
On the bubble: Hembree RH, Britton LH, Wilson RH and Villareal RH will compete for the Justin Thomas Memorial Award as 25th Man on the April Roster. All are dirt-cheap, and have stuff: 93+ mph fastball, good breaking pitches. Count me here as a believer in Great Britton. He failed as a 2014 AAA reliever, but succeeded at the majors in several years. He's left-handed, which always helps, and I think his power stuff will develop in the majors. Wilson's no slouch: his fastball command has improved, and he's approaching his peak years. I'd like to keep them both. Hembree... we'll see. Villareal we might see too.
Additions: everyone's favorite Confederate General Miller - a bit like Badenhop, some other team will probably need him more than the Red Sox.
Tradables: every prospect and every reliever except Koji.
Assuming a 7-man bullpen and sign or trade for two starting pitchers, and pending further sign or trade, I project
SP1 (Lester or other signing)
SP2 (Iwakuma or other trade for Cespedes and SP prospect)
Buchholz: he'll have two great years in the next five, and 2015 will be one of them.
Kelly: 95 sinker and good movement on the slider and curve.
Webster: 2 great offspeed pitches and improving fastball command by throwing 93 instead of 95.
closer: Uehara
closer in waiting: Mujica
RH setup: Tazawa
LH setup: Layne
RH multiple innings: de la Rosa, Workman
25th man: Britton/Wilson/Hembree/Ranaudo/Barnes/Escobar