Didn't see a thread on the bullpen so figured I'd start one. geoduck no quahog made these suggestions for changing the bullpen (assuming no trade):
Uehara
Tazawa
Ogando
Layne
Ross Wright
Breslow Kelly
Barnes Masterson
They have a serious problem right now--as geoduck suggests, only 4 guys in the current bullpen (assuming Wright doesn't count) are reliable--and of those, only the first two are first-rate. Ogando obviously has problems with the long ball and Layne, while excellent against lefties, may not be more than a lefty specialist.
Personally, I'd love to see the Red Sox try Kelly in the bullpen (beginning in Pawtucket). They have a big need that he might fill here--and based on his stuff, seems like he at least has a chance to be successful as a late innings guy. Right now, the margin for error is razor thin and it's obvious how much they are depending on Taz and Uehera at the back end.
Breslow must go. He should have gone a while ago. Nothing against him personally--seems like a great guy, just had a kid--but he does not appear to have anything left. I wouldn't even trust him in the 9th inning with a 4 run lead (yet somehow he has found himself in high leverage situations recently).
Ross has been pretty unimpressive. Replacing him with Wright seems fine (lacking any better option). Wright might be better as a starter, though.
I guess it is worth seeing if Masterson has any value in the bullpen, though I'd give him a very short leash and aim for low leverage situations to begin.
If Masterson can't do anything out of the pen and/or if Wright fits better as a starter, it gets tricky. I'd consider giving Dalier Hinojosa or Dayan Diaz a shot, though neither is a scintillating option (Hinojosa has a 34-15 K-BB ratio in 38.1 innings at Pawtucket this year and his stuff does not sound extraordinary; Diaz has a 25-8 K-BB ratio in 28 innings at Pawtucket, 25 hits allowed, 3 HR. His stuff sounds better than Hinojosa's, but so does Aro's and he struggled at the big league level in limited action recently.
So, I'd go with Uehara, Taz, Layne (mainly against lefties), Ogando, Kelly (after some time at Pawtucket if he succeeds there). For the last 2 slots, it's a mystery, The easiest options I see are trying some combination of Masterson, Wright, Diaz, and/or Hinojosa, but none of those sound great and most seem like long shots at best (plus, under my approach, they'd need a 3rd guy while waiting on Kelly). A trade seems worth exploring, though I have no immediate ideas on that front.
What is clear is that Breslow's time should be up and Ross should be back in the minors.
Uehara
Tazawa
Ogando
Layne
They have a serious problem right now--as geoduck suggests, only 4 guys in the current bullpen (assuming Wright doesn't count) are reliable--and of those, only the first two are first-rate. Ogando obviously has problems with the long ball and Layne, while excellent against lefties, may not be more than a lefty specialist.
Personally, I'd love to see the Red Sox try Kelly in the bullpen (beginning in Pawtucket). They have a big need that he might fill here--and based on his stuff, seems like he at least has a chance to be successful as a late innings guy. Right now, the margin for error is razor thin and it's obvious how much they are depending on Taz and Uehera at the back end.
Breslow must go. He should have gone a while ago. Nothing against him personally--seems like a great guy, just had a kid--but he does not appear to have anything left. I wouldn't even trust him in the 9th inning with a 4 run lead (yet somehow he has found himself in high leverage situations recently).
Ross has been pretty unimpressive. Replacing him with Wright seems fine (lacking any better option). Wright might be better as a starter, though.
I guess it is worth seeing if Masterson has any value in the bullpen, though I'd give him a very short leash and aim for low leverage situations to begin.
If Masterson can't do anything out of the pen and/or if Wright fits better as a starter, it gets tricky. I'd consider giving Dalier Hinojosa or Dayan Diaz a shot, though neither is a scintillating option (Hinojosa has a 34-15 K-BB ratio in 38.1 innings at Pawtucket this year and his stuff does not sound extraordinary; Diaz has a 25-8 K-BB ratio in 28 innings at Pawtucket, 25 hits allowed, 3 HR. His stuff sounds better than Hinojosa's, but so does Aro's and he struggled at the big league level in limited action recently.
So, I'd go with Uehara, Taz, Layne (mainly against lefties), Ogando, Kelly (after some time at Pawtucket if he succeeds there). For the last 2 slots, it's a mystery, The easiest options I see are trying some combination of Masterson, Wright, Diaz, and/or Hinojosa, but none of those sound great and most seem like long shots at best (plus, under my approach, they'd need a 3rd guy while waiting on Kelly). A trade seems worth exploring, though I have no immediate ideas on that front.
What is clear is that Breslow's time should be up and Ross should be back in the minors.