Boston Red Sox Roster Projection…Pt III…

…wrapping things up…

Bullpen:

The gasoline club:  Brandon Workman, Matt Barnes, Heath Hembree, Ryan Brasier, Marcus Walden, Josh Taylor, Darwinzon Hernandez, Austin Brice

DL:  None

Actual prospects that may contribute this season:  I’d normally say Bryan Mata (#4), perhaps with a cup of coffee to give him a brief taste, but with the state of the world, the uncertain status of the season and the fact that he is not on the 40-man roster at the current time, the chances are probably slim.  No other prospects will be up this year.  Even if you are rooting for Jay Groome (#7) to make it up.  Sorry.

Additional flotsam likely to make an appearance or twenty this season:  Check this list out:  Colten Brewer, Matt Hall, Chris Mazza, Josh Osich, Mike Shawaryn, Jeffrey Springs, Phillips Valdez, Trevor Hildenberger, Mike Kickham, Bobby Poyner…and just about anyone else off the scrap heap.  Luminaries.

Comments:  It would be one thing entering the season with a rotation like they are if they had a bunch of good bullpen arms.

But guess what?  No can do with that.

Who in the world expects Workman to duplicate last season?  Or even approach it?  Barnes is useful, especially if not overworked.  But what are the chances that doesn’t happen again with this motley crew?  Plus, he’s nowhere near a closer.  So if Workman returns to Earth, who’s next?  Brasier?  We’ve seen that movie before.  There’s simply no one else capable of closing on the staff.

Hernandez should be in the rotation, as referred to in the starters’ analysis, despite being fairly electric out of the ‘pen last season in his stint with the club.  Of course, he walked way too many guys, so there’s still some work to be done.  Perhaps he should be starting games in Pawtucket this year instead of pitching the 5th-6th inning once a week in Boston.  Maybe he can close?  But again…the walks…

Walden had a nice run until late last year.  There are reasons why guys like him and Brasier spend a decade in the minors.  We are likely to see why with Marcus this year.  And started to late last season.  Hembree is a great 4th-6th inning guy.  Taylor was a surprise and I’d like to see more.  But I said that about Travis Lakins too…and Lakins is long gone.  Brice?  Whatever.

The last group of names starting with Brewer?  Yuck.  But they will all pitch innings for the big club this year.  Provided there is some sort of length to the season.  Actually, even with a half a season they all should make an appearance.

That should excite no one.

This entire staff is kind of putrid.  And any kind of injury to one or two of the “better” arms would be an even bigger nightmare.  The team is not going to trade any prospects to get better arms, so forget about that.  Not sure I want them doing that anyway.

So what you see is what you will get.  Once again, brace yourself…

Outfield:

Unquestioned starters:  Andrew Benintendi (LF), Jackie Bradley Jr. (CF), Kevin Pillar (RF), J.D. Martinez (DH)

Bench:  None

DL:  Alex Verdugo (LF/CF/RF)

Actual prospects that may contribute this season:  Marcus Wilson (#21)

Additional flotsam possibly seeing major league time this season:  None

Comments:  Yup, no Mookie Betts here…so I guess it is official.  I suppose it truly won’t be official until we see Pillar in his spot on Opening Day.  But still…and I guess by then it could still be Verdugo in right instead.  Methinks that with Alex’s back injury and he being young and a big part of the Mookie deal, that the Sox will be overly cautious with him, maybe even throughout the entire season.  Especially with MLB likely trying to stuff as many games as they can on the schedule.

My bigger hope is that we see Pillar in center and Verdugo in right on Opening Day, with Bradley being on a completely different team.  But that’s been my hope for several years now, the latter part anyway.  With any luck, he will start off hot, and at some point in the middle of that, before the trading deadline (whenever that will be), the Sox can pawn him off for something useful.  Probably wishful thinking there as well.  I’m still at the very least praying that the Sox let him leave when he becomes a free agent after the 2020 season.

Ok, enough about JBJ.

But speaking of the trading deadline, don’t be shocked if J.D. is moved then.  I don’t believe the Sox wanted him to opt-in to his contract this past offseason.  No one believes the team wanted him to opt-in.  And that’s even if they were “able to keep” Mookie by cutting Martinez’ costs.

I think the Sox wanted both of them gone.  For “payroll flexibility”.  Along with David Price.  And maybe even Nathan Eovaldi.

That’s how I see it anyway.

As for J.D., let’s hope he is able to start the year out well.  I mean, he made a big deal about not being able to see video between each at bat.  Does that really matter?  Can’t he watch tape AFTER every game to analyze?  Doesn’t matter if we think it matters.  HE thinks it matters.  So let’s just hope that this doesn’t get into his head and he sucks this year.  Don’t ever rule this kind of stuff out with the way professional athletes are so fragile these days.

As for the actual on field product, it’s not horrible.  Especially if Verdugo can pan out.  Not to mention if Benintendi can actually get back on the upward trajectory again.  Pillar was a great signing for the cost, positional flexibility, speed and defense.  JBJ has his moments.  And honestly, J.D should be fine.

Yeah, there will be no Mookie.  And none of these guys will be him either.  Nor will Marcus Wilson, if you were wondering.  Or any other prospects…this season anyway.

With all the salary paring, will this be the year Rusney Castillo makes it back to the majors?  Unlikely.  Unfortunately, while he made a ton of dough on the deal, he likely cost himself a major league career at the same time.

Sure, he gets to play baseball every day for a living, albeit in the minors.  But wouldn’t he have preferred to take a little less to actually see time in the majors?

Maybe he wasn’t good enough for the majors.  But with the amount of stiffs floating around the major leagues, my guess is that he could have been a 4th outfielder somewhere.  For some time anyway.  Maybe he gets a starting gig on a bad team.

But we will never know.  And for all we know, he is just counting his money and doesn’t give a rat’s arse.

There doesn’t appear to be anyone else that should see time in the outfield for the Sox this season, unless they come from outside the organization.

So if you were hoping to see #8 prospect Jarren Duran (Colby??!), you’ll have to wait at least another year or two.

Even without Mookie and with JBJ, I am not going to lose a whole lot of sleep over the outfield, or even the offense in general.  It’s the pitchers that scare the bejesus out of me.  Either way, here’s hoping the season will get off the ground in the first place…and soon!