Catchers
Varitek
Miralbelli
Infielders
Millar
Bellhorn
Renteria
Meuller
Youkilis
Ramon Vazquez
DH
Some guy named Pappi
OF
Manny
Damon
Nixon
Payton
Hydzu/Stern
McCarty is on a minor league deal, so who knows if he will be brought up. They could send Youkilis back down for a spell, but I don't see that happening. Today's globe said Youk will see some time at 1B.
Starting Pitchers
Schilling
Wells
Clement
Wakefield
Miller
Arroyo
Relief
Timlin
Embree
Mantei
Halama
Foulke
That is 11 pitchers. If Schilling and maybe Miller not ready to start the season, I guess Halama gets some starts and maybe Abe Alvarez. Other guys to stay in pen if there are injuries to others - DiNardo, Malaska and, of course, BHK (although we'd love to move him).
I miss when Matt would do stuff like this:
ReplyDeleteYankees versus Red Sox
Pitcher by pitcher.
Johnson vs Schilling...maybe (and I mean maybe) a slight edge to Johnson (Schill's been in the AL for a year, knows a lot of the hitters and had a great year against lineups with a DH)
Wells vs Mussina...When healthy this is close...What would Wells' record have been with the Sox offense last year? Probably 22-23 wins
Miller vs Wright...Both with injury histories, but I give this to Miller
Clement vs Pavano...can't call this...numbers say Pavano, but who knows?
Brown vs Wakefield/Arroyo Arroyo will win 20 and Brown's head will explode...Advantage Sox
So, even with the addition of Johnson, we match up...maybe even are a little better. We have one extra (two extra if you count Halama) starters. Our bullpen is better. Our defense is better. We'll see about offense...Sheffield won't last the year with injuries without the cream...but they could add Beltran...And we could still add a Ben Sheets at the break...
WHERE ARE YOU MATT?
OK...
ReplyDeleteMy quick take...Hyzdu and Stern will both not make the squad. There's no way that a WS Champ (hehehe, got that in) goes with a rookie/Rule 5 type for a position player.
For some reason I see McCarty and Millar splitting time as that 5th outfielder option until something else comes along during the season. That is what we did last year.
McCarty gives us yet another arm in a "junk" situation, he's a solid glove at first, and can play some outfield.
I don't think we'll give back the Rule 5 guy, but I could see a plaguing injury putting him on the DL (a la DiNardo last year).
Is Miller definitely not ready for opening day? I hadn't heard anything about that.
Schilling/Johnson? Better pitcher? RJ. Durability? Schilling. Advantage? Depends upon the qualifiers. Fairly even.
Wells/Mussina? Mussina. Although when Mussina pitches for a full season he wears down toward the end.
Miller/Wright? Both have injury problems. Sox get the edge here (Yankees should stop taking the Braves' throwaways)
Clement/Pavano? Even.
Wakefield/Arroyo v. Brown. Sox by a lot...
But I can't look at the one on ones here.
Yankees
Johnson
Mussina
Wright
Pavano
Brown
(That is not a scary rotation. Sorry...Maybe I am biased, but there's only 2 pitchers there that worry me.)
Sox
Schilling
Wells
Miller
Clement
Arroyo
Wakefield
Halama
There's a lot of depth. A lot of innings guys...No stress on our already stacked bullpen. Yankees starters have to do a lot of the work. Sorry, Stanton USED to be good...
Well I think the pitching staffs will come down to who is healthy and who adapts to the team/league changes the best.
ReplyDeleteCan you imagine if everyone steps up (on both teams) and pitches to their potential? It could be scary. That being said, there will be injuries and head cases -I think the Sox may have more injury worries while the Yanks will have the headcases.
As for the 5th OF spot, I think they may keep a guy like Stern. Since this year everyone (nixon) is healthy going into the season, they have Payton as the back up, the can still use Millar in OF if needed and they say Youk may play some first. so having a guy that can steal a base off the bench may make sense.
What about another trade? Is Youk the 1B after next year? Couldl they move Meuller or even Youk? Maybe that is the deadline deal - Youk, Lester and someone else (Alvarez, Ramirez) for Ben Sheets. I guess they keep their options open by having him.
What about batting order? I would like to see them do something to really put pressure on teams.
Renteria
Meuller
Damon
ramirez
Ortiz
millar
although they probably go
Renteria
Damon
ramirez
Ortiz
millar
varitek
Well I think the pitching staffs will come down to who is healthy and who adapts to the team/league changes the best.
ReplyDeleteCan you imagine if everyone steps up (on both teams) and pitches to their potential? It could be scary. That being said, there will be injuries and head cases -I think the Sox may have more injury worries while the Yanks will have the headcases.
As for the 5th OF spot, I think they may keep a guy like Stern. Since this year everyone (nixon) is healthy going into the season, they have Payton as the back up, the can still use Millar in OF if needed and they say Youk may play some first. so having a guy that can steal a base off the bench may make sense.
What about another trade? Is Youk the 1B after next year? Couldl they move Meuller or even Youk? Maybe that is the deadline deal - Youk, Lester and someone else (Alvarez, Ramirez) for Ben Sheets. I guess they keep their options open by having him.
What about batting order? I would like to see them do something to really put pressure on teams.
Renteria
Meuller
Damon
ramirez
Ortiz
millar
although they probably go
Renteria
Damon
ramirez
Ortiz
millar
varitek
David -- pretty good Matt-type post! But, of course, Matt's was much better. Quote of the year (so far): "Arroyo will win 20 and Brown's head will explode." Man, I'd be thrilled if either of those happens, let alone both.
ReplyDeleteHey, does it worry any of you that Brown may pull a Derek Lowe and, under all this fire, pitch up to his potential this year? It wasn't so long ago he was one of the NL's premier pitchers...in 2000 the thought of RJ/Brown/Mussina would have been utterly terrifying. I mean, I think he's sincerely over-the-hill, but you never know.