Red Sox Bullpen 2014 and beyond

TomRicardo

rusty cohlebone
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2014 shapes up like this:
 
Uehara - Closer
Mujica - 8th / Closer
Tazawa - 7th / 8th
Miller - LHRP
Breslow - LHRP 7th/8th
 
DFA candidates
Badenhop - Low end RHRP
Villareal - high Risk High Reward RHRP
 
Options
Workman - Swing Man might stay in Pawtucket to stretch out
De La Rosa - High Risk high Reward RP.  Probably staying in Pawtucket to stretch out
Britton - Great in the post season. LHRP, small chance gets one more chance at Pawtucket as a starter
Wilson - Bullpen Depth most likely pitching relief in Pawtucket
 
NRI
John Ely - Pure Depth Move, Probably Starter in Pawtucket
Shunsuke Watanbe - Looks like very little left in the tank, might deceive hitters for a bit though with unusual delivery
 
 
 
 

Snodgrass'Muff

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I don't think Badenhop is a DFA candidate.  He's nothing like Villareal.  He doesn't walk anyone and has two solid years in a row as a reliever.  He's less a high risk/high reward type pitcher and more of a safe middle reliever who isn't going to issue free bases in the middle innings.  I think he has a very good chance of breaking camp with the club while I'd be shocked if Villareal spends much, if any time on the mound for the Red Sox in 2014.
 
I think we're looking at Uehara, Mujica, Tazawa, Miller, Britton and Badenhop with Workman as the long man and spot starter to start the year, but converting to a late inning option for the second half if the rotation pans out and isn't wracked with injuries.
 
The pen looks like a microcosm of the lineup and rotation.  Lots of guys who are at least average with redundancies built in and a focus on something specific (at least average OBP's in the lineup, throwing lots of strikes in the pen) that the team values highly.  Avoiding weak links appears to be the goal again, and they seem to have done that quite well. Badenhop is a great example of someone who is unlikely to be a standout but also represents a fairly high floor.
 

TomRicardo

rusty cohlebone
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Badenhop is simply a low end IP eater who can easily be outrighted back to the minors.  
 
You think the Sox are dumping Breslow and 3.8 million they are paying him instead?
 

czar

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TomRicardo said:
Britton - Great in the post season. LHRP, small chance gets one more chance at Pawtucket as a starter
Not sure exactly who you are thinking of, but Britton didn't make a playoff appearance (that I can remember, at least).

Pending the outcomes of spring training, I anticipate the Sox will at least carry guys they think will be snagged if they DFA them for the first few weeks or so, even if they feel guys like Workman and Britton are marginally better options.
 

Snodgrass'Muff

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TomRicardo said:
You think the Sox are dumping Breslow and 3.8 million they are paying him instead?
 
I had forgotten Breslow but would amend to suggest Britton will start the year in Pawtucket with Breslow on the major league roster instead.
 

TomRicardo

rusty cohlebone
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czar said:
Not sure exactly who you are thinking of, but Britton didn't make a playoff appearance (that I can remember, at least).

Pending the outcomes of spring training, I anticipate the Sox will at least carry guys they think will be snagged if they DFA them for the first few weeks or so, even if they feel guys like Workman and Britton are marginally better options.
 
You are right, I meant down the stretch but I am wrong about that as well.  He looked tired in September.  I think I had Breslow in my head but Breslow was awful in the WS while great in the ALDS and ALCS.  Almost a tale of two pitchers.
 

geoduck no quahog

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I'm a little surprised no one has brought up the loss of Gary Tuck back to the Yankees.
 
Everything I've read about him (from Varitek to the current catchers) gives him substantial credit for running the bullpen.
 
What secrets will he now provide to Girardi? Would he have any real insights?
 

Merkle's Boner

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geoduck no quahog said:
I'm a little surprised no one has brought up the loss of Gary Tuck back to the Yankees.
 
Everything I've read about him (from Varitek to the current catchers) gives him substantial credit for running the bullpen.
 
What secrets will he now provide to Girardi? Would he have any real insights?
Didn't Tuck leave with Bobby V?
 

AbbyNoho

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Merkle's Boner said:
Didn't Tuck leave with Bobby V?
 
Yeah, Dana Levangie was the bullpen coach the entire year. He's been with the organization for a long time now (bullpen catcher for the 2004 team, advanced scout for the 2007 team, and bullpen coach/catching instructor for the 2013 team). Supposedly he's the scout who recognized Holliday's first base tendencies which allowed for the pick-off in the '07 World Series. 
 
Varitek gives him high praises as well, for what it's worth. (Ignore most of the writing on that article, my local guy Chimelis makes the current Globe staff look like the '80s Globe staff.)