The Official 2012 Boston Red Sox Thread

[Ray Finkle]

Finally..... The Official 2012 Boston Red Sox Thread has come to ThePhins.com. After months of consist begging from our favorite non Sox fan, FinYank13, the day is here (even a day early).

Pitchers and catchers officially report tomorrow so let’s take a look at the current 2012 roster.

Here are the pitching spot locks:

Rotation:
Jon Lester - RHP
Josh Beckett - RHP
Clay Buchholz - RHP

Bullpen:
Andrew Bailey - RHP
Mark Melancon -RHP
Franklin Morales – LHP

Also locks but roles are undetermined as they can either be SP or RP:
Daniel Bard – RHP
Alfredo Aceves – RHP

Players competing for a spot in the rotation/bullpen:
Matt Albers – RHP*
Michael Bowden – RHP*
Felix Doubront – LHP*
Andrew Miller – LHP*
Junichi Tazawa – RHP
Scott Atchison – RHP
Jesse Carlson – LHP
Aaron Cook – RHP
Vicente Padilla – RHP
Ross Ohlendorf – RHP
Carlos Silva – RHP

* are pitchers out of options so if they don’t make the MLB team out of ST they have to go through waivers before they can be sent back to the minors

Pitchers that are injuried to start the year but expected back at some point (probably June or July the earliest if at all):
Rich Hill – LHP
Daisuke Matsuzaka – RHP
Bobby Jenks – RHP
John Lackey – RHP (out for the year)

So there are 8 locks and 4 spots opened. If I were to guess (obviously things will change between now and April) but I’d say the remaining 4 spots will go to Doubront, Albers, Miller and Padilla with roles to be determined as to whether they start or are in the pen, except for Albers who’s in the pen.

I wouldn’t be surprised to see RHP Alex Wilson up at some point this year as he’s pretty much the only Sox pitching prospect close enough to the big leagues. He’s been a starter in the minors but most experts figure he’ll be a RP.

The offense side of things is pretty locked up with:

Jarrod Saltalamacchia – C
Kelly Shoppach – C
Adrian Gonzalez – 1B
Dustin Pedroia – 2B
Kevin Youkilis – 3B
Mike Aviles – INF
Nick Punto – INF
Carl Crawford – LF
Jacoby Ellsbury – CF
Ryan Sweeney – OF
Cody Ross – OF
Darnell McDonald – OF
David Ortiz – DH

Players that will start the year in the minors that can come up to help the MLB club if need be:
Ryan Lavarnway – C
Ryan Kalish – OF
Will Middlebrooks – 3B
Jose Iglesias – SS
Juan Carlos Linares – OF (sleeper)

Overall, I think right now the Sox have a good MLB club. I think there are question marks in the rotation but I still expect them to be a competitive ball club fighting for a playoff spot. A lot depends on health, luck and whether or not guys step up and play to their abilities. I’m pretty excited about seeing how the Bobby Valentine Era starts, although I will always love Terry Francona, I think it was time for a change. If I were a betting man, I’d say right now the Sox are a 3rd place team in the AL East but I don’t think the gap between them and Tampa Bay and New York is that far. I can easily see any combination of the Yankees, Rays and Sox rounding out the AL East and if the second wild card team is added I think you’ll see the 3 AL East teams in the playoffs.

But of course they have to play the game on the field and not on paper, so I welcome any Red Sox fan and fans of any other team to come on in and discuss the Red Sox or whatever else is a popular topic of debate in this thread this year. I hope this is a good season and can’t wait for the real games to begin.

Go Sox!

[BigDogsHunt]

Finally..... The Official 2012 Boston Red Sox Thread has come to ThePhins.com. After months of consist begging from our favorite non Sox fan, FinYank13, the day is here (even a day early).!

You and I both know, that would NOT hold up in a court of law...we all sense the truth!!


the missing names of Drew, Wakefield, Varitek, and Colonel Sanders make me sad.....well, Colonel Sanders may be back!

[finyank13]

Finally...Kill the OFFSEASON thread!!!

[Ray Finkle]

You and I both know, that would NOT hold up in a court of law...we all sense the truth!!


the missing names of Drew, Wakefield, Varitek, and Colonel Sanders make me sad.....well, Colonel Sanders may be back!

Anytime Drew, Wakefield or Varitek want to come to Fenway Park to throw out a 1st pitch and wave to the crowd, they'll be more than welcome. But it's definitely time for all 3 to hang up the uniform. All 3 are important parts of the 2004 and 2007 championships.

[Ray Finkle]

Tim Wakefield is retiring. He's going to announce it at a press conference today at 5pm in Ft. Myers.

Thanks for the memories 49!

[finyank13]

Tim Wakefield is retiring. He's going to announce it at a press conference today at 5pm in Ft. Myers.

Thanks for the memories 49!

good guy, class act....

thanks for the flat knuckler in 2003 in Game 7....

[Ray Finkle]

good guy, class act....

thanks for the flat knuckler in 2003 in Game 7....

Co-signed Florida Marlin fans.

But yes Wakefield was a complete class act and good for the organization and filled in every role possible from starter to long relief, to mop up, to set up, to even closer. And if it wasn't for Wakefield, the Red Sox wouldn't have even gotten to that Game 7 in 2003. Really though I will remember him mostly for the 2003 playoffs (not Game 7 but he's very good pitching that post season) and the 3 innings he pitched in Game 5 of the 2004 ALCS.

[finyank13]

Co-signed Florida Marlin fans.

But yes Wakefield was a complete class act and good for the organization and filled in every role possible from starter to long relief, to mop up, to set up, to even closer. And if it wasn't for Wakefield, the Red Sox wouldn't have even gotten to that Game 7 in 2003. Really though I will remember him mostly for the 2003 playoffs (not Game 7 but he's very good pitching that post season) and the 3 innings he pitched in Game 5 of the 2004 ALCS.

I ran into him and Henry Winkler after a Red Sox game one time last year in a hotel lobby....it was the WEIRDEST thing....

[Ray Finkle]

I ran into him and Henry Winkler after a Red Sox game one time last year in a hotel lobby....it was the WEIRDEST thing....

There has to be a better punch line than that....

[finyank13]

There has to be a better punch line than that....

Sadly there isnt Fink....Winkler was in a rush, Wake stayed around and signed autographs....cool as a cumcuber...on any other day you would think that dude is like your Uncle....just a noraml dude....

Ohh look Fink, BREAKING NEW FROM CARFARDO!!!!!!

Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe was told by a friend of Jason Varitek that the veteran catcher is leaning toward retirement.

Cafardo was told during Tim Wakefield's retirement press conference Friday. Varitek's agent, Scott Boras, said Friday that his client had yet to make a decision on his future, but given that Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington doesn't expect to make any additions before the start of camp, it's beginning to feel inevitable. If Varitek hangs up his shin guards for good, he could accept a non-playing role within the organization.

[GreenMonster]

Ray thanks for kicking this thread off every year, good times with the rest of the great Sox fans we have here.

Just read that the Sox will most likely get a pitcher from the Cubs 40 man roster, didn't see this coming when the news went down Theo was leaving but everything I have read says they will land a decent player.

I am very interested in seeing how Bard and Crawford fit in this year.

[Ray Finkle]

Ray thanks for kicking this thread off every year, good times with the rest of the great Sox fans we have here.

Just read that the Sox will most likely get a pitcher from the Cubs 40 man roster, didn't see this coming when the news went down Theo was leaving but everything I have read says they will land a decent player.

I am very interested in seeing how Bard and Crawford fit in this year.

The Red Sox got RHP Chris Carpenter and a PTBNL from the Cubs. Carpenter is a 26 year old bullpen arm, throws 98 mph. He does have some control problems. But it's a decent get by the Sox. Rated 12 to 14 in terms of Cub prospects depending on which site you visit (Baseball America, BP, etc).

EDIT: Red Sox reporters are reporting that their sources say the PTBNL isn't anything special.

[Ray Finkle]

Red Sox placed Bobby Jenks and John Lackey on the 60 Day DL to open up 40 man roster spots for Chris Carpenter and Rich Hill. Very interesting and telling that they added Hill so quickly to the 40 man. He had an opt out at the end of March and is recovering from TJ surgery in June/July but reports have been very positive with his throwing sessions. I thought it was a big blow to the team when Hill went down last year.

[BigDogsHunt]

The Red Sox got RHP Chris Carpenter and a PTBNL from the Cubs. Carpenter is a 26 year old bullpen arm, throws 98 mph. He does have some control problems. But it's a decent get by the Sox. Rated 12 to 14 in terms of Cub prospects depending on which site you visit (Baseball America, BP, etc).

EDIT: Red Sox reporters are reporting that their sources say the PTBNL isn't anything special.

So, new reports are that it will be a swap of PTBNL's???

The Red Sox received 26-year-old righty reliever Chris Carpenter and a player to be named later from the Cubs as compensation for Theo Epstein and a player to be named later from the Red Sox, announced the teams today.

The inclusion of two players to be named later means this saga has not quite reached its conclusion, but an April 15th deadline will take care of that.

[finyank13]

holy crap......

Ramirez, who will be 40 by the time he can play again, is a ghostly reminder of a tainted era with a long history of roguish behavior. Terry Francona, his nice-guy manager in Boston, once said this to Peter Gammons, "Manny Ramirez is the worst human being I've ever met." That might say it all.

http://www.boston.com/sports/columni...na_clearl.html



Look at Drinkwater hahahahah he is out quick...

this is the best "manny" though....I remember I saw this one night at my buddies house, and just lost it....

[Ray Finkle]

So, new reports are that it will be a swap of PTBNL's???



The inclusion of two players to be named later means this saga has not quite reached its conclusion, but an April 15th deadline will take care of that.

I've heard conflicting reports on why the PTBNL are involved but either way sources say neither of the two players switching teams are on the 40 man roster nor are they prospects so in other words don't worry about it.

[Ray Finkle]

Jason Varitek is retiring on Thursday. He wasn't that bad as a back up last year but its obvious his skills at the plate and behind it were declining and Kelly Shoppach is just a better back up option at this point. Thanks for the memories Captain.

Hopefully the Sox can get Tim Wakefield to throw out the first pitch to Jason Varitek on opening day, that would be a nice moment for both of those players. My only fear is Varitek won't be able to catch it if Wake throws him a knuckleball.

[GreenMonster]

Wake and Tek have been nothing but class for this organization.

That is a great idea about opening day, although both guys will take the field thinking they should be on the team.

[finyank13]

Jon Morosi ‏ @jonmorosi
Source says decision is expected in the "next few days" on whether fifth playoff team will be added for '12.

hmmm? I thought this was done already...

[Ray Finkle]

hmmm? I thought this was done already...

Apparently not....

I hope it doesn't happen but it's going to.