Which Bullpen and Swingmen Storylines Are You Most Looking Forward To?

Who makes the Red Sox pen?(Choose 4 of the following as Kimbrel, Koji, and Taz are in)

  • Matt Barnes

    Votes: 52 85.2%

  • Roenis Elias

    Votes: 18 29.5%

  • Heath Hembree

    Votes: 4 6.6%

  • Brian Johnson

    Votes: 2 3.3%

  • Tommy Layne

    Votes: 41 67.2%

  • Noe Ramirez

    Votes: 2 3.3%

  • Robbie Ross

    Votes: 47 77.0%

  • Brandon Workman

    Votes: 12 19.7%

  • Carlos Marmol

    Votes: 10 16.4%

  • Steven Wright

    Votes: 41 67.2%
  • Total voters
    61
Darnell's Son

Darnell's Son

He's a machine.
Moderator
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Apr 23, 2010
9,612
Providence, RI
abs breaks down the bullpen and swingmen, and Carson Smith and Eduardo Rodriguez's injuries factor into the analysis significantly.

Who will take Eduardo's spot in the rotation?

First and foremost, who will be the fifth starter? Based on comments by manager John Farrell and the performances of Wright, Henry Owens and Elias.
Click to expand...
If it's Wright, who takes his spot in the bullpen?

There are numerous candidates vying for the roles. Matt Barnes, Elias, Heath Hembree, Brian Johnson, Tommy Layne, Noe Ramirez, Robbie Ross Jr, and Brandon Workman.
Click to expand...
Workman(thanks SR) was nails in 2013, so how long should he stay in Pawtucket if he doesn't break camp with the big league club?
 
Last edited:
Saints Rest

Saints Rest

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Apr 6, 2003
11,270
Manhattan by day, Stratford by night/weekend
Darnell's Son said:
abs breaks down the bullpen and swingmen, and Carson Smith and Eduardo Rodriguez's injuries factor into the analysis significantly.

Who will take Eduardo's spot in the rotation?



If it's Wright, who takes his spot in the bullpen?



Barnes was nails in 2013, so how long should he stay in Pawtucket if he doesn't break camp with the big league club?
Click to expand...
Do you mean Workman?

I voted for Wright in the bullpen, because I forgot that EdRo's injury may push him into the rotation. If that happens, I think Workman may take his spot.
 
Saints Rest

Saints Rest

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Apr 6, 2003
11,270
Manhattan by day, Stratford by night/weekend
Of these three related threads, this is the one where the answer for me is not some variation of "the kids."

The storyline I am looking forward to is how well the big 3/4 -- Kimbrel, Koji, Taz, and Smith, once he returns -- will do. On paper this looks like it could be the best top-end to the bullpen in a long time.

But questions apply to each:
  • will Kimbrel take to Boston and the AL?
  • Will Koji have anything left?
  • How does Taz bounce back?
  • And of course, whither Smith's forearm?
 
phenweigh

phenweigh

Member
SoSH Member
Aug 8, 2005
1,379
Brewster, MA
The storyline I'm most looking forward to is how Steven Wright will be used. What I'm hoping to see is that he pitches well, gains the trust of the manager and pitching coach, leading to some higher leverage usage. In other words, if Wright is only used to eat innings in blowouts I think it will be a waste of his talent.
 
grimshaw

grimshaw

Member
SoSH Member
May 16, 2007
4,244
Portland
I went with Ross, Layne, Barnes and Wright in the pen.
Ross was pretty good down the stretch, so that's an easy call.
Layne is fine if he's throwing about 15 pitches or so but gets exposed pretty quickly.

It's put up or shut up time for Barnes. I'm not sure how much more he can learn in Pawtucket unless they want to do something like have him close. He has options though, so he'll probably ride the shuttle unless he's really dominating. He's my preference over Hembree who I'm utterly indifferent about.

Early on, the starters aren't as stretched out, so Wright's innings chewing will be much needed. He's also someone they can rightly or wrongly abuse since he's pretty fungible.

I'd like to see what Elias can do as the 5th starter since they already know what they have in Wright. If he doesn't work out he can have more time in AAA. Owens almost surely won't be up early on.

Workman is one of Farrell's binkies, so there's also that possibility later in the year when he's healthy.
 
Red(s)HawksFan

Red(s)HawksFan

Member
SoSH Member
Jan 23, 2009
21,005
Maine
I voted Barnes, Layne, Ross, and Wright. But with the Rodriguez injury, I think Wright gets ticketed for the 5th spot in the rotation. In which case, I think that opens an opportunity for Hembree, Marmol, or (not listed) Escobar, who is out of options anyway so might make it strictly on the old "hoarding resources as long as possible" policy used by Theo and Ben in the past.

Elias and Johnson have more value to the team starting the year in Pawtucket's rotation (Owens too). Unless they break camp as the 5th starter, they won't break camp on the 25-man roster.
 
RIrooter09

RIrooter09

Alvin
SoSH Member
Jul 31, 2008
7,276
Red(s)HawksFan said:
I voted Barnes, Layne, Ross, and Wright. But with the Rodriguez injury, I think Wright gets ticketed for the 5th spot in the rotation. In which case, I think that opens an opportunity for Hembree, Marmol, or (not listed) Escobar, who is out of options anyway so might make it strictly on the old "hoarding resources as long as possible" policy used by Theo and Ben in the past.

Elias and Johnson have more value to the team starting the year in Pawtucket's rotation (Owens too). Unless they break camp as the 5th starter, they won't break camp on the 25-man roster.
Click to expand...
Escobar has already been optioned to AAA. I voted Ross, Layne, Barnes, and Marmol. I assume Wright will be in the rotation, and everyone else still has options.
 
mwonow

mwonow

Member
SoSH Member
Sep 4, 2005
7,196
I initially had Ross, Barnes, Workman and Wright, but with Workman out until the summer and Write seemingly ticketed for the rotation, I added Layne and Marmol. Hopefully, Workman and EdRo recover soon - and hopefully, Smith doesn't miss the season or a substantial chunk thereof...
 
Rasputin

Rasputin

Will outlive SeanBerry
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Oct 4, 2001
29,538
Not here
I think Barnes is the guy that interests me the most. He should get an opportunity in the pen with Wright taking Rodriguez' starts for the first couple weeks. If he does well, he's got a chance to work his way into that end of the bullpen mix and that would be a great thing to see.
 
RIrooter09

RIrooter09

Alvin
SoSH Member
Jul 31, 2008
7,276

PeteAbe seems to think it will be Wright in the rotation and Elias in the pen to start the year.
 
nvalvo

nvalvo

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 16, 2005
21,757
Rogers Park
That makes sense to me. A big part of the job description of our fifth starter is going to be beating Toronto, and with the RH power on that team I'd rather roll the dice with Wright than Elias or Owens.

Even if in the abstract, I would prefer Elias, and think Owens, with a bit more development and refinement, will eventually be the best of the three.
 
RIrooter09

RIrooter09

Alvin
SoSH Member
Jul 31, 2008
7,276
I don't really like Elias to the pen though. I'd prefer he stay stretched out at AAA.
 
HomeRunBaker

HomeRunBaker

bet squelcher
SoSH Member
Jan 15, 2004
30,559
I choose Matt Barnes. This will be the first time he's entered camp in 3 years knowing what his role will be after being bounced around back and forth from rotation to pen 3-4 times last season. He's responded with over 10 IP of scoreless ball.

With Eduardo on the shelf, I start Wright and have Barnes break camp with the big club.
 
P

Plympton91

bubble burster
SoSH Member
Oct 19, 2008
12,408
Barnes seems to me like smoke and mirrors. His fastball is slightly above average velocity but it's straight as an arrow and his command is mediocre. I read an article that they'd made an adjustment to his curveball, but watching closely last night it was the same early breaking roller that it was last season. But, with Smith out he gets one spot to prove me wrong.

I like Elias in the pen, he has wipeout splits vs lefties and could be a real weapon. Ross is a classic 12th guy who can go multiple innings in mop up but isn't a white flag in extra innings. Layne is a very good LOOGY.
 
oumbi

oumbi

Member
SoSH Member
Jun 15, 2006
4,199
Wright as the fifth starter makes sense. A fifth starter who can pitch a lot of innings and not burn out the bull pen is valuable. Last season, Wright went at least 5 innings in 9 of his 10 starts, and 6 or more innings in 4 of the 10 starts.

Add in that so far in his short career there doesn't appear to be much of split between LHB and RHB, and you have one more advantage.
 
Al Zarilla

Al Zarilla

Member
SoSH Member
Dec 8, 2005
59,613
San Andreas Fault
Plympton91 said:
Barnes seems to me like smoke and mirrors. His fastball is slightly above average velocity but it's straight as an arrow and his command is mediocre. I read an article that they'd made an adjustment to his curveball, but watching closely last night it was the same early breaking roller that it was last season. But, with Smith out he gets one spot to prove me wrong.

I like Elias in the pen, he has wipeout splits vs lefties and could be a real weapon. Ross is a classic 12th guy who can go multiple innings in mop up but isn't a white flag in extra innings. Layne is a very good LOOGY.
Click to expand...
Too early for PitchFX data to be showing up, but I'll be looking for Barnes's movement on his fastball, etc. once the season starts. Movement is a function of how fast you throw it, how you place your fingers on the ball, etc. I'm sure among Willis, Farrell, Pedro, Price etc., someone can help him with the grip to get some decent break.
 
jasail

jasail

Member
SoSH Member
Apr 23, 2010
1,190
Boston
DadOfFenway said:
must have missed something - Brandon Workman is out until the summer?
Click to expand...
He had TJS mid-June 2016. An aggressive time table for return would have him return to pitching in early summer. I wouldn't expect him to make an impact on the Sox roster until they expand in September.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom