13 replies to this topic

[The Gray Eagle]

Looks like Pawtucket could have plenty of players who are fun to watch this season, so I was wondering what the lineup and pitching staff should be like.

 

Looks like Lavarnway is ticketed to start the season in AAA, barring an injury or trade. Nava should be in a battle to make the Red Sox, but with Carp in town and out of options, I think Nava will end up starting in AAA too.

 

I think because of the bullpen numbers game at the big league level, Tazawa is going to be starting the season in AAA. I hope not, but if so, he would be another guy who would be fun to watch down there.

 

Here's what Pawtucket's club might look like to start the season. I'm sure those of you with deeper knowledge of the system will jump in here and correct any mistakes.

 

C: Lavarnway, Butler?

1B: Mark Hamilton, Mauro Gomez

2B: Brock Holt

SS: Iglesias

3B: Drew Sutton, maybe Gomez?

OF: Justin Henry, Nava, JC Linares, Buckshot Brentz, Hazelbaker, with Hassan and Kalish when available.

 

I hope Sutton will agree to stay in the minors, assuming he won't make the big club. He's a really useful guy to have around. Looks like there will be a battle for OF playing time, especially when the injured guys are ready.

 

There will also definitely be a couple more IFs on there, I just don't know who yet.

 

SP: Rubby, Webster, Wright, C. Hernandez

RP: Tazawa, A. Wilson, Carpenter, De la Torre, Beato, Dolye?

 

Who else is a rotation candidate, or should be on the staff? I'm sure I missed a few guys, both pitchers and everyday players.

 

If it shakes out this way, this should be a Pawtucket team that's more interesting to me than most of them have been in recent years. Some real prospects, and some interesting older guys who could end up helping the big club if needed: Gomez hit well in AAA and winter ball, Holt gets on base, Hamilton looked good before last year, Linares seems like he can hit, Sutton can cover a lot of positions and get on base, Nava could be down there, and there should be a knuckleballer in the rotation possibly Tazawa in the pen.

 

And then there are prospects/former prospects like Rubby, Webster, Lavarnway, Brentz and Iglesias, hopefully Kalish fairly soon.

 

Seems like they should have a good team OBP and solid pitching.

 

[TomRicardo]

If Tazawa is on Pawtucket I would imagine he would start.

[Lose Remerswaal]

Breslow might start in the 'pen down there on rehab assignment

 

For NRIs

 

Jonathan Diaz might stick around at SS

Ryan Sweeney might stay if he can't find something better

[inoffensiv philosophy]

If Tazawa is on Pawtucket I would imagine he would start.

Not sure why you'd imagine that (I guess it's fun to imagine stuff). Tazawa was a reliever whilst with Pawtucket in 2011 (8 appearances, 14.3 IP) and 2012 (25 appearances, 42.3 IP). I don't see why they'd convert him back to starting in the minors when his likely (and probably only possible, at this point) future role in the majors is as a reliever.

[Hugh G Rection]

I don't think they keep their best reliever (in 2012) in AAA.... I have to imagine not only is he a lock in Boston, but he's already being penciled in as one of the main 8th inning/relief aces along with Bailey. I know Tazawa has options, but the idea should be to field the best team in the majors.

[TomRicardo]

Not sure why you'd imagine that (I guess it's fun to imagine stuff). Tazawa was a reliever whilst with Pawtucket in 2011 (8 appearances, 14.3 IP) and 2012 (25 appearances, 42.3 IP). I don't see why they'd convert him back to starting in the minors when his likely (and probably only possible, at this point) future role in the majors is as a reliever.

Because if you aren't going to stretch him out, there is no reason to put him in the minors. He is a lot better than a lot of their reliever flotsam.

[Savin Hillbilly]

I don't think they keep their best reliever (in 2012) in AAA.... I have to imagine not only is he a lock in Boston, but he's already being penciled in as one of the main 8th inning/relief aces along with Bailey. I know Tazawa has options, but the idea should be to field the best team in the majors.

 

The problem with that theory is: who gets bumped back to the 6th/7th inning? Uehara? He's basically a more established version of what Tazawa was last year. Bailey? I think having traded Reddick for him because he was an established closer, the Sox are going to feel some self-imposed pressure to at least continue to use him in high-leverage situations.

 

There's a logjam of experienced RH relievers with very, very good track records on this team--not sure why TRic is calling them "flotsam." As good as Tazawa showed himself in 2012, it's still pretty tough to make a case that he should be slotted ahead of Uehara and Bailey. And that means he'll probably be used in the 6th and 7th innings.

[Hugh G Rection]

The problem with that theory is: who gets bumped back to the 6th/7th inning? Uehara? He's basically a more established version of what Tazawa was last year. Bailey? I think having traded Reddick for him because he was an established closer, the Sox are going to feel some self-imposed pressure to at least continue to use him in high-leverage situations.

 

There's a logjam of experienced RH relievers with very, very good track records on this team--not sure why TRic is calling them "flotsam." As good as Tazawa showed himself in 2012, it's still pretty tough to make a case that he should be slotted ahead of Uehara and Bailey. And that means he'll probably be used in the 6th and 7th innings.

Regardless of what inning he's used in it should be in Boston, and I think it will be.

[Koufax]

Given the strength of the pen, doesn't it make sense to stash him in Pawtucket as starting rotatation depth?

[SoxScout]

Stash him for what? If that was in any way a possibility wouldn't they be stretching him out now like they are with Ace and Morales?

 

We can see a path to having a pretty sweet bullpen, I don't see how removing a young guy coming off just an incredible year is a good idea. If he does anything similar to last year he is probably coming into 2014 as the Red Sox closer.

[Hugh G Rection]

Sox Scout is right, the time to stretch him out would have been after TJ when he was building up arm strength and doing 2 inning stints from A-ball on up. If they wanted him to be a starter they would have simply kept him increasing innings through the begining of last year.  The ship has probably sailed for him as a starter and that may be a positive. No one really thought that Tazawa's stuff would play up that much better out of the pen, he had good stuff as a starter and he'd have good stuff in the pen.... But when he finnally got to full strength his stuff played up hugely in the pen. His fastball went from sitting 92-93 to sitting 95, his splitter went from a show me-pitch/change of pace to a swing and miss out pitch. I think a lot of people forget just how good Tazawa was last year and how dominant his stuff looked.

[Hugh G Rection]

Does anyone think that if JBJ has a torrid spring or I should say if he maintains his torrid Spring he goes to AAA to start the year?

[Pearl Wilson]

Evidently it's a possibility (albeit remote) that he will break camp with the big club. It seems he's put his best foot forward so far this spring.

 

Link

 

 

[pokey_reese]

Evidently it's a possibility (albeit remote) that he will break camp with the big club. It seems he's put his best foot forward so far this spring.

 

Link

I would say that for this thread, the more relevant part of that article is:

 

"..a club official said, with the plan still in place that Bradley will open the 2013 season in Triple-A Pawtucket."