I will admit that I am one of the people a little bit skeptical about signing both Ramirez and Sandoval. Honest opinion is that I wasn't high on Sandoval in a vacuum, signing him after signing Ramirez seems to create some surplus though. Something will have to be done with that surplus.
Looking at organizational depth, understanding that players appear redundantly.
Catcher: Vazquez, Butler(?), Swihart. This looks OK if you are willing to live with not much offense while you wait to see what Swihart has. I presume however they will find a veteran instead of Butler.
First Base: Napoli, Craig, Sandoval, Lavarnway, Shaw. I think this is the end of the line for Lavarnway. He has no options and they don't seem to like him as a catcher. Shaw got added to the 40 man and has 3 options. Not sure what they are going to do with Allen Craig, seems like a flip candidate now that they can cover 1B with Sandoval in an emergency.
Second base. Pedroia, Betts, Holt, Weeks.. The real two person log jam. Pedroia isn't going anywhere, signing all of these other guys probably limits where Mookie can end up. It will be interesting. Weeks and Holt will probably compete for utility dude.
Third base. Sandoval, Ramirez/Bogaerts, Holt, Francisco, Middlebrooks, Cecchini, Shaw. Hanley may not be an option to play 3B but if he's at SS then Xander needs to go somewhere, etc. Francisco is a JAG. WMB looks gone, and this also looks like they will pass on Cecchini.
Shortstop. Bogaerts/Ramirez, Holt, Marrero. I assume that plan A is to let Bogaerts develop, but after the Sandoval signing it's really hard to figure out what they want to do with Ramirez. So have they now given up on Bogaerts as SS? I am assuming these signings mean they don't see Mookie on the left side of the infield at all.
Left Field. Cespedes, Bogaerts/Ramirez, Craig, Nava, Brentz, Cecchini. Putting Xander/Ramirez here only as a total guess of how they might be able to get all of these guys in the lineup. Cecchini as well but now they seem pretty well covered so I expect he'll be playing 3B in Pawtucket until he builds up trade value (or be traded sooner than that). Brentz has options. Still, seems like one or both of Craig or Cespedes has to go and Nava's days are numbered. Betts could also play here but there is a lot of depth, not sure this is where he will find at bats.
Center Field. Castillo, Betts, Bradley. I can't imagine Bradley being on next year's 25 man given all of the other players they will have to keep, but he does have options and maybe like Cecchini will go to Pawtucket to build up some trade value or get more experience in RF.
Right Field. Victorino, Craig, Betts, Bradley, Nava. I'm writing off completely the idea of Ramirez or Bogaerts ending up in RF. I don't like the idea of hobbled Allen Craig out there. It will take something surprising like Victorino retiring for Nava to keep a job on this team I think (or a mega trade that sees a bunch of other OF go.)
DH. Ortiz. Obviously they can fill in this space as needed as well with all of the other guys, but even given his age, I would put even odds on Ortiz being the Sox best hitter (not offensive player, hitter) next year, so you can't just push him out.
The Sox have an obvious need at starting pitcher, probably need some bullpen help.
Obviously there is a long way to go in the off-season and the team will not keep all of these players. The most likely moves to me seem to be (in order of likelihood).
- Release/trade Lavarnway. Out of options, hasn't shown much, Sox don't seem to like his catching skills so that's out.
- Option Bradley and Cecchini. No room on the 25 man.
- Release/trade WMB. Assume someone out there still values him for something.
- Trade Cespedes. Unless they are giving up on Xander as a SS (which would seem like a dumb play given that Hanley isn't a great defensive SS) they need to find a place for Hanley to play. But, this might be hard as they will want some value here.
- Release/trade Craig. Contract will make it harder to do, but unless he has a huge health upgrade I don't know how they will really use him.
- Release/trade Nava. Easy to do, not sure they will get much, will wait until they fail to trade Craig and Cespedes though, I think. If they both go, he may keep a place. He has no options.
That would change the depth to:
SS: Bogaerts, Holt (fill in), Ramirez (longer term injury), Marrero (sitting in Pawtucket)
3B: Sandoval, Holt (fill in), Bogaerts/Ramirez (longer term injury), Cecchini
LF: Ramirez, Nava (fill in/injury), Brentz (second injury)
CF: Castillo, Betts, Bradley (injury)
RF: Victorino, Betts, Bradley (injury)
This still creates the problem of how to deal with getting Betts enough PA.
Looking at organizational depth, understanding that players appear redundantly.
Catcher: Vazquez, Butler(?), Swihart. This looks OK if you are willing to live with not much offense while you wait to see what Swihart has. I presume however they will find a veteran instead of Butler.
First Base: Napoli, Craig, Sandoval, Lavarnway, Shaw. I think this is the end of the line for Lavarnway. He has no options and they don't seem to like him as a catcher. Shaw got added to the 40 man and has 3 options. Not sure what they are going to do with Allen Craig, seems like a flip candidate now that they can cover 1B with Sandoval in an emergency.
Second base. Pedroia, Betts, Holt, Weeks.. The real two person log jam. Pedroia isn't going anywhere, signing all of these other guys probably limits where Mookie can end up. It will be interesting. Weeks and Holt will probably compete for utility dude.
Third base. Sandoval, Ramirez/Bogaerts, Holt, Francisco, Middlebrooks, Cecchini, Shaw. Hanley may not be an option to play 3B but if he's at SS then Xander needs to go somewhere, etc. Francisco is a JAG. WMB looks gone, and this also looks like they will pass on Cecchini.
Shortstop. Bogaerts/Ramirez, Holt, Marrero. I assume that plan A is to let Bogaerts develop, but after the Sandoval signing it's really hard to figure out what they want to do with Ramirez. So have they now given up on Bogaerts as SS? I am assuming these signings mean they don't see Mookie on the left side of the infield at all.
Left Field. Cespedes, Bogaerts/Ramirez, Craig, Nava, Brentz, Cecchini. Putting Xander/Ramirez here only as a total guess of how they might be able to get all of these guys in the lineup. Cecchini as well but now they seem pretty well covered so I expect he'll be playing 3B in Pawtucket until he builds up trade value (or be traded sooner than that). Brentz has options. Still, seems like one or both of Craig or Cespedes has to go and Nava's days are numbered. Betts could also play here but there is a lot of depth, not sure this is where he will find at bats.
Center Field. Castillo, Betts, Bradley. I can't imagine Bradley being on next year's 25 man given all of the other players they will have to keep, but he does have options and maybe like Cecchini will go to Pawtucket to build up some trade value or get more experience in RF.
Right Field. Victorino, Craig, Betts, Bradley, Nava. I'm writing off completely the idea of Ramirez or Bogaerts ending up in RF. I don't like the idea of hobbled Allen Craig out there. It will take something surprising like Victorino retiring for Nava to keep a job on this team I think (or a mega trade that sees a bunch of other OF go.)
DH. Ortiz. Obviously they can fill in this space as needed as well with all of the other guys, but even given his age, I would put even odds on Ortiz being the Sox best hitter (not offensive player, hitter) next year, so you can't just push him out.
The Sox have an obvious need at starting pitcher, probably need some bullpen help.
Obviously there is a long way to go in the off-season and the team will not keep all of these players. The most likely moves to me seem to be (in order of likelihood).
- Release/trade Lavarnway. Out of options, hasn't shown much, Sox don't seem to like his catching skills so that's out.
- Option Bradley and Cecchini. No room on the 25 man.
- Release/trade WMB. Assume someone out there still values him for something.
- Trade Cespedes. Unless they are giving up on Xander as a SS (which would seem like a dumb play given that Hanley isn't a great defensive SS) they need to find a place for Hanley to play. But, this might be hard as they will want some value here.
- Release/trade Craig. Contract will make it harder to do, but unless he has a huge health upgrade I don't know how they will really use him.
- Release/trade Nava. Easy to do, not sure they will get much, will wait until they fail to trade Craig and Cespedes though, I think. If they both go, he may keep a place. He has no options.
That would change the depth to:
SS: Bogaerts, Holt (fill in), Ramirez (longer term injury), Marrero (sitting in Pawtucket)
3B: Sandoval, Holt (fill in), Bogaerts/Ramirez (longer term injury), Cecchini
LF: Ramirez, Nava (fill in/injury), Brentz (second injury)
CF: Castillo, Betts, Bradley (injury)
RF: Victorino, Betts, Bradley (injury)
This still creates the problem of how to deal with getting Betts enough PA.