According to reports, Jason Varitek has agreed to a one-year deal with both team and player options for a second year. The team won't announce the deal until Varitek completes a physical, which isn't going to happen today. Either way, though, the long saga appears to be over.
So, too, it appears, is the team's work for this winter. Here's the way the 25-man roster appears to shape up right now:
Catcher (2): Jason Varitek, Josh Bard.
Infield (6): Kevin Youkilis, Dustin Pedroia, Jed Lowrie, Mike Lowell, Julio Lugo, David Ortiz.
Outfield (5): J.D. Drew, Jacoby Ellsbury, Jason Bay, Rocco Baldelli, Mark Kotsay.
Starting pitchers (5): Josh Beckett, Jon Lester, Daisuke Matsuzaka, Tim Wakefield, Brad Penny.
Bullpen (7): Jonathan Papelbon, Hideki Okajima, Manny Delcarmen, Justin Masterson, Javier Lopez, Ramon Ramirez, Takashi Saito.
John Smoltz, Clay Buchholz and Michael Bowden each will be in the mix before the season gets too far along; so too will Wes Littleton and maybe even Junichi Tazawa. Catcher George Kottaras is out of options; his situation in spring training will be one to monitor closely. Other than that, though, this team is ready to open the season.
What do you think? Is that a roster that can win a World Series?
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2 comments:
I'm sure they'll clinch the AL and make it to the World Series. But win it? They'll try, and their efforts will be respectable and noble. But the Cardinals will prevail.
(I can be a homer too.)
Word: gonsuc
As deserving of WS Title as Pujols is I cant have too much faith in StL to get too far, I can see them making the playoffs maybe, but it will take another odd NL year to see them advance.
Albeit, another unpredictable year isnt to far fetched.
That being said I do believe this sox team will contend. I expect regression from Pedroia and Youkilis, although they seem somewhat immune from that, I expect them to lead the team offensively. I expect Lowrie and Lowell to perform better than last year, and if healthy Ortiz and Drew should play well. I think Bay could be huge this year. If the pitching stays relatively healthy and at least one of the low risk-high reward guys comes through, I think this team could be very good...
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