What To Do With The Organized Mess That The Red Sox Are
Wednesday Clay Buchholz and Jed
Lowrie returned from the disabled list. And while, Buchholz didn’t do that good
(Lowrie to me looked great) they are playing.
In order to activate Buchholz and
Lowrie Boston designate Ryan Shealy for assignment and sent Dustin Richardson
and Fernando Cabrera to Pawtuckett (AAA). The Red Sox active roster now has 25
players.
With the emergence of Daniel Nava,
Darnell McDonald, and some nice play lately by Kevin Cash, Michael Bowden, and
Atchison, whom do you send down in place for Jeremy Hermida, Jacoby Ellsbury,
Mike Lowell, Dustin Pedroia, Victor Martinez, Jason Varitek and Josh Beckett.
Jeremy Hermida
As
soon as I finished writing Hermida’s name NESN said that Daniel Nava has been
optioned to Pawtuckett. It is a shame that Nava has to go back down after doing
a great job filling in for Hermida but at the end of the day either Darnell
McDonald or Nava had to go down and Boston chose Nava. He will probably be back
up in September unless another outfielder gets hurt.
Jacoby Ellsbury
Ellsbury
might not be back as soon as Hermida but unless there is another injury among
the outfielders it looks like Darnell McDonald will be sent down. Obviously, a
shame that he has to be sent down but he will be back in September with Nava unless an injury happens.
Mike Lowell
Mike
Lowell is an interesting case. He will start his rehab Thursday. He has
publicly said that he is frustrated and honestly who could blame him. He has not
gotten many starts at third and with Big Papi stepping up not many at
designated hitter. He has done a decent job in a few starts at first base. I
think he will probably get traded before the deadline so it doesn’t really
matter who gets sent down.
I
think that Lowell might get Boston maybe a left-handed relief pitcher or a
decent prospect. Eric Patterson will probably get sent down but might get
called up after Lowell’s trade. If Lowell does not get traded then Patterson
will get sent down, designated for assignment, or maybe even get traded.
If
Lowell just gets traded for a prospect who is not ready yet then look at either
Nava, McDonald, or Aaron Bates to get called up. There are many possibilities
with Lowell so we will just have to wait and see.
Dustin Pedroia
Depending on Lowell Eric Patterson
or Michael Bowden will probably get sent down. If Lowell does get traded for a prospect, Pedroia might just
take Lowell’s roster spot or the player that take Lowell’s spot depending on
when Pedroia comes back. Another guy who could get sent down would be Scott
Atchison. When everyone gets healthy there will be only one long reliever in
the Red Sox bullpen if any. Meaning Bowden, Atchison, or both (with Wakefield
getting moved back to the – bullpen) will get sent down.
Victor Martinez/Jason Varitek
Pretty obvious here, Dusty Brown
and Kevin Cash with be sent down if not designated for assignment. Brown will probably be taken off the
active roster before Cash. Especially if Varitek comes back before Martinez because
even with Wakefield most likely moving back to the bullpen the Red Sox need a
knuckleball catcher.
Cash should be back up in September
if he is not designated for assignment but I doubt he will be because I think
the Red Sox have learned that it helps to have a backup knuckleball catcher. As
for Brown unless an injury happens I see him spending the rest of the year, and
September and hopefully October in Pawtuckett.
Josh Beckett
He
will be back Friday so Michael Bowden will probably get sent down for Beckett
to comeback. However, with the possibility of Bowden being used as trade bait
he might stay up in the majors and have Scott Atchison get sent down. One more
thing to take notice of is that Atchison has been used a lot lately and after
seeing Buchholz struggle in his return the Red Sox might want a fresh, rested
long reliever, in Bowden. If Beckett doesn’t struggle then Atchison might be
called back up in place for Bowden.
Obviously, my
“projected” moves can change with a roster move, trade, or injury so with that
said these would be the changes I would start with if I were Theo Epstein.
1.) Hermida– Nava
5.) Ellsbury– McDonald
3.) Lowell– Patterson
7.) Pedroia– Atchison
4.) Martinez– Brown
6.) Varitek- Cash
2.) Beckett– Bowden
(The number next to
the players name is the order in which I’m guessing they will return.)
With all of that said
who knew it would be so hard to send down guys like Daniel Nava, Darnell
McDonald, and Scott Atchison, players who most of you have not heard of before
this season and the beginning of the year. The Red Sox may have had as many
injuries as the 2009 Mets but the only difference is that the Red Sox are still
in contention.
Bostonball 