2015 Redsox starting lineup prediction

[Tr1boy]

Rick Porcello. Didn't see too much of him last season .  His career stats are kind of mediocre.

Reading that he is a streaky pitcher that when he is on, he is nearly unhittable.   Highlights below show an impressive set of different pitches he can throw for strikes. But how it all comes together , his mentality etc. Not really sure about. Can anyone provide some details about this guy the redsox could get via trade? Ace material?

Looks like he can use 5-10 pounds of muscle

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqKogGIDqU8

[Cman]

Anything can happen, of course, but the Red Sox could be in big trouble. They missed out on Lester, apparently aren't even going to try to get Max Scherzer, and the best guy left is 33-year-old James Shields. A rotation that starts with the inconsistent and injury-prone Clay Buchholz, ends with the terrible Brandon Workman, and fills the middle with mostly unproven youngsters isn't going to take you far. We'd better hope the revamped offense scores 6 or 7 a game.

There's the trade market.
But I'm not overly worried yet.

Just curious, do you know of any quality starters on the trading block? I sure hope someone becomes available, because right now they have a triple-A rotation.

Hamels, Kennedy, Cueto, Porcello....

[Tr1boy]

I'm disappointed that Lester didn't resign but also can understand

-the initial offer last season? was not good and near insulting.   

-Lester being traded like an object so the Sox can get some assets back, then the redsox asking him to comeback.  While the Sox thought this might be a good plan and Lester would think so also, it might of hit a nerve.  Lester might of not made any noise but was quietly upset about it


I'm not a big fan of him leaving for 15-20 million dollars more though. Big money to any of us but 130 vs 150 imo still means your ridiculously rich.  Not sure when he comesback as a visitor if he will get booed or get a standing ovation.

[Roy H.]

I'm not a big fan of him leaving for 15-20 million dollars more though. Big money to any of us but 130 vs 150 imo still means your ridiculously rich. 

Even to a professional athlete, $20 million is a lot of money.  It's not like we're talking about $50k here.  Yes, in all probability, he'll never need the extra money, but if he wants to set up his grandchildren's grandchildren for life, I don't fault him for that.

[GetLucky]

The word now is that the Sox just traded Webster, De La Rosa, and an unnamed minor-leaguer  to Arizona in exchange for Wade Miley.

[Donoghus]

Reports that Sox just traded Cespedes & two pitchers to Detroit for Rick Porcello.

Sox needed to make a move to help clear out the OF logjam.  Cespedes was a natural choice.  Most people felt he wasn't going to be in Boston for the long haul so might as well move him because of his trade value.   Porcello seems the type that could be a #3 starter in this rotation.  Problem is the rotation seems full of #3s & #4s at the moment but I think this move is a good one and probably had to be made.

[TwinTower14]

I like Porcello, he is truly a ground ball pitcher, the Sox infield defense should be very strong as long as Xander continue to develop at SS.  Sandoval, Pedey and Napoli are all strong defenders.  All the Sox starters have heavy ground ball rates ( Porcello, Kelly, Buch and Miley)...

They still need an anchor for the staff whether it's Hamels or Shields.  I would be fine either way, probably cost you Swihart but at least the Sox have Vazquez.  You can't deal Betts or Xander at all IMO.  I would not be surprised at all  next season if Betts is an All-Star caliber player. 

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

Anything can happen, of course, but the Red Sox could be in big trouble. They missed out on Lester, apparently aren't even going to try to get Max Scherzer, and the best guy left is 33-year-old James Shields. A rotation that starts with the inconsistent and injury-prone Clay Buchholz, ends with the terrible Brandon Workman, and fills the middle with mostly unproven youngsters isn't going to take you far. We'd better hope the revamped offense scores 6 or 7 a game.

There's the trade market.
But I'm not overly worried yet.

Just curious, do you know of any quality starters on the trading block? I sure hope someone becomes available, because right now they have a triple-A rotation.

Hamels, Kennedy, Cueto, Porcello....

I'd heard the wave of Hamels rumors (duh on my part), but I hadn't come across anything substantive on the others. And look, now the Sox got Porcello. Thanks for the info.

[knuckleballer]

Reports that Sox just traded Cespedes & two pitchers to Detroit for Rick Porcello.

Sox needed to make a move to help clear out the OF logjam.  Cespedes was a natural choice.  Most people felt he wasn't going to be in Boston for the long haul so might as well move him because of his trade value.   Porcello seems the type that could be a #3 starter in this rotation.  Problem is the rotation seems full of #3s & #4s at the moment but I think this move is a good one and probably had to be made.

They've added two solid pitchers who will eat up innings.  I would be psyched with these moves if they already had Lester.  They must have something up their sleeve to acquire a front line pitcher.  Here's a completely wild guess.  Bogaerts and Owens plus other prospects, maybe even Swihart, to the White Sox for Chris Sale.  There were rumors about a month ago of the two teams discussing Sale.

Porcello and Miley are both extreme ground ball pitchers and Bogaerts is weak defensively.  Chicago will play Bogaerts at third since they need to upgrade the position. The Sox sign a journeyman SS and hope Deven Marrero beats him out for the job.

It would stink to lose Bogaerts, but Sale is young and elite. 

[TwinTower14]

Reports that Sox just traded Cespedes & two pitchers to Detroit for Rick Porcello.

Sox needed to make a move to help clear out the OF logjam.  Cespedes was a natural choice.  Most people felt he wasn't going to be in Boston for the long haul so might as well move him because of his trade value.   Porcello seems the type that could be a #3 starter in this rotation.  Problem is the rotation seems full of #3s & #4s at the moment but I think this move is a good one and probably had to be made.

They've added two solid pitchers who will eat up innings.  I would be psyched with these moves if they already had Lester.  They must have something up their sleeve to acquire a front line pitcher.  Here's a completely wild guess.  Bogaerts and Owens plus other prospects, maybe even Swihart, to the White Sox for Chris Sale.  There were rumors about a month ago of the two teams discussing Sale.

Porcello and Miley are both extreme ground ball pitchers and Bogaerts is weak defensively.  Chicago will play Bogaerts at third since they need to upgrade the position. The Sox sign a journeyman SS and hope Deven Marrero beats him out for the job.

It would stink to lose Bogaerts, but Sale is young and elite.

I saw those rumors about Sale too but I am not buying it.  White Sox just added the Shark and Robertson, they are all in this year.  No way they trade their ace, especially one that is young and cheap.  I think the Sox will walk away with one of Shields, Cueto, Zimmerman or Hamels.  I am completely opposed to moving Xander or Betts.  I would move Owens, Swihart, Margot and filler for any of those guys listed above.  Shields would only cost money but he is the oldest and worst of the bunch....

[gpap]

Reports that Sox just traded Cespedes & two pitchers to Detroit for Rick Porcello.

Sox needed to make a move to help clear out the OF logjam.  Cespedes was a natural choice.  Most people felt he wasn't going to be in Boston for the long haul so might as well move him because of his trade value.   Porcello seems the type that could be a #3 starter in this rotation.  Problem is the rotation seems full of #3s & #4s at the moment but I think this move is a good one and probably had to be made.

They've added two solid pitchers who will eat up innings.  I would be psyched with these moves if they already had Lester.  They must have something up their sleeve to acquire a front line pitcher.  Here's a completely wild guess.  Bogaerts and Owens plus other prospects, maybe even Swihart, to the White Sox for Chris Sale.  There were rumors about a month ago of the two teams discussing Sale.

Porcello and Miley are both extreme ground ball pitchers and Bogaerts is weak defensively.  Chicago will play Bogaerts at third since they need to upgrade the position. The Sox sign a journeyman SS and hope Deven Marrero beats him out for the job.

It would stink to lose Bogaerts, but Sale is young and elite.

I don't think Sale is available.

I've been hearing the Nationals could possibly look to deal Jordan Zimmerman and then add Max Scherzer.

I am wondering if the Sox could pull off something crazy where they deal Victorino, Allen Craig, Joe Kelly, Henry Owens and Mookie Betts for Jordan Zimmerman and the 3 years remaining on Jayson Werth's deal.

Can you imagine the power in our lineup with Ortiz, Ramirez, Sandoval and Werth?

I would think however the Sox would first want to extend Zimmerman

[Evantime34]

Reports that Sox just traded Cespedes & two pitchers to Detroit for Rick Porcello.

Sox needed to make a move to help clear out the OF logjam.  Cespedes was a natural choice.  Most people felt he wasn't going to be in Boston for the long haul so might as well move him because of his trade value.   Porcello seems the type that could be a #3 starter in this rotation.  Problem is the rotation seems full of #3s & #4s at the moment but I think this move is a good one and probably had to be made.

They've added two solid pitchers who will eat up innings.  I would be psyched with these moves if they already had Lester.  They must have something up their sleeve to acquire a front line pitcher.  Here's a completely wild guess.  Bogaerts and Owens plus other prospects, maybe even Swihart, to the White Sox for Chris Sale.  There were rumors about a month ago of the two teams discussing Sale.

Porcello and Miley are both extreme ground ball pitchers and Bogaerts is weak defensively.  Chicago will play Bogaerts at third since they need to upgrade the position. The Sox sign a journeyman SS and hope Deven Marrero beats him out for the job.

It would stink to lose Bogaerts, but Sale is young and elite.

I'm not as plugged in with the sox as I used to be. If they traded Bogaerts who would they play at short that would be a defensive upgrade? Isn't Hanley worse than Bogaerts?

[knuckleballer]

Reports that Sox just traded Cespedes & two pitchers to Detroit for Rick Porcello.

Sox needed to make a move to help clear out the OF logjam.  Cespedes was a natural choice.  Most people felt he wasn't going to be in Boston for the long haul so might as well move him because of his trade value.   Porcello seems the type that could be a #3 starter in this rotation.  Problem is the rotation seems full of #3s & #4s at the moment but I think this move is a good one and probably had to be made.

They've added two solid pitchers who will eat up innings.  I would be psyched with these moves if they already had Lester.  They must have something up their sleeve to acquire a front line pitcher.  Here's a completely wild guess.  Bogaerts and Owens plus other prospects, maybe even Swihart, to the White Sox for Chris Sale.  There were rumors about a month ago of the two teams discussing Sale.

Porcello and Miley are both extreme ground ball pitchers and Bogaerts is weak defensively.  Chicago will play Bogaerts at third since they need to upgrade the position. The Sox sign a journeyman SS and hope Deven Marrero beats him out for the job.

It would stink to lose Bogaerts, but Sale is young and elite.

I saw those rumors about Sale too but I am not buying it.  White Sox just added the Shark and Robertson, they are all in this year.  No way they trade their ace, especially one that is young and cheap.  I think the Sox will walk away with one of Shields, Cueto, Zimmerman or Hamels.  I am completely opposed to moving Xander or Betts.  I would move Owens, Swihart, Margot and filler for any of those guys listed above.  Shields would only cost money but he is the oldest and worst of the bunch....

I'm not a fan of moving Bogaerts either, but his defense is suspect and they no longer have the option of moving him to third if he doesn't improve.  I was surprised that Chicago even discussed Sale, but maybe there is some fire behind that smoke.  Their third baseman was dreadful in the second half of last season and Bogaerts is an elite prospect.  It would certainly be reminiscent of the H Ramirez/Beckett trade...from the Red Sox point of view at least.

[Roy H.]

Reports that Sox just traded Cespedes & two pitchers to Detroit for Rick Porcello.

Sox needed to make a move to help clear out the OF logjam.  Cespedes was a natural choice.  Most people felt he wasn't going to be in Boston for the long haul so might as well move him because of his trade value.   Porcello seems the type that could be a #3 starter in this rotation.  Problem is the rotation seems full of #3s & #4s at the moment but I think this move is a good one and probably had to be made.

They've added two solid pitchers who will eat up innings.  I would be psyched with these moves if they already had Lester.  They must have something up their sleeve to acquire a front line pitcher.  Here's a completely wild guess.  Bogaerts and Owens plus other prospects, maybe even Swihart, to the White Sox for Chris Sale.  There were rumors about a month ago of the two teams discussing Sale.

Porcello and Miley are both extreme ground ball pitchers and Bogaerts is weak defensively.  Chicago will play Bogaerts at third since they need to upgrade the position. The Sox sign a journeyman SS and hope Deven Marrero beats him out for the job.

It would stink to lose Bogaerts, but Sale is young and elite.

I'm not as plugged in with the sox as I used to be. If they traded Bogaerts who would they play at short that would be a defensive upgrade? Isn't Hanley worse than Bogaerts?

Deven Marrero is a prospect who can probably play MLB-level plus-defense right now.  His hitting isn't there, though.

[knuckleballer]

Reports that Sox just traded Cespedes & two pitchers to Detroit for Rick Porcello.

Sox needed to make a move to help clear out the OF logjam.  Cespedes was a natural choice.  Most people felt he wasn't going to be in Boston for the long haul so might as well move him because of his trade value.   Porcello seems the type that could be a #3 starter in this rotation.  Problem is the rotation seems full of #3s & #4s at the moment but I think this move is a good one and probably had to be made.

They've added two solid pitchers who will eat up innings.  I would be psyched with these moves if they already had Lester.  They must have something up their sleeve to acquire a front line pitcher.  Here's a completely wild guess.  Bogaerts and Owens plus other prospects, maybe even Swihart, to the White Sox for Chris Sale.  There were rumors about a month ago of the two teams discussing Sale.

Porcello and Miley are both extreme ground ball pitchers and Bogaerts is weak defensively.  Chicago will play Bogaerts at third since they need to upgrade the position. The Sox sign a journeyman SS and hope Deven Marrero beats him out for the job.

It would stink to lose Bogaerts, but Sale is young and elite.

I'm not as plugged in with the sox as I used to be. If they traded Bogaerts who would they play at short that would be a defensive upgrade? Isn't Hanley worse than Bogaerts?

They have Deven Marrero in triple A who is an elite defensive shortstop.  He's not much of a hitter, but he has improved and was great in the Arizona fall league.