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February 12, 2009

Masterson Will Start Spring As Starter

Rob Bradford (WEEI), on Theo Epstein's press conference this afternoon:
The team will talk with Justin Masterson about his role going forward Friday. Epstein pointed out that the pitcher will know his role by the time camp breaks, although it will most likely be determined definitively closer to the end of spring training. Masterson will start out his progressions as a starter.
Rob also has some video of Jeemer's bullpen session.

18 comments:

  1. Beckett
    Dice-K
    Lester
    Wake
    Masterson
    Penny/Smoltz

    Interesting.If Masterson does well, the Sox will have to figure out how to rotate Wake, Penny, and Smoltz or which of those three will be in the 'pen. If he doesn't, Masterson goes to the 'pen, and either Wake keeps his spot or he splits time with Penny while Smoltz goes full time?

    There's a lot of possibilities here. That's not a bad thing either!

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  2. Nice to have lots of options :)
    I personally like Smoltz in the pen.
    Maybe move Jeemer to a 6th or 7th inning role and use Smoltz/Bot as the closing duo.
    Of course, that's if Bat pans out in the starter role.
    And I like that you can play with the Bat/Wake slot when you have the off day and that you have Penny/Smoltz to fall back on if one of the starters slumps or gets hurt.
    Seems to me that pitching will be stronger this year.

    I am SOOOOO ready for spring/baseball

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  3. Did you guys see that Bobby Abreu just signed for 1 year, 5 million bucks? Adam Dunn for 2 years, 20 million.

    What does this mean for Manny? What would this have meant if Tex had waited until now to sign?

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  4. I sort of thought with all of the starters we have, rehabilitating and minors, Masterson was for sure going in the pen (where I want him to go).

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  5. He may still. It could just be an issue of stretching him out just in case.

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  6. About a month ago, I was in The Bar and speculated out loud as to whether the SF Giants would make a run at Manny. Immediately someone said he had waited on Brain Sabean (Giants GM) himself the night before and asked him about Manny. Sabean said no way they sign him.

    Now I don't think Sabean's going to tell his deepest thoughts to the waitstaff in a steakhouse. But I think if the Giants were going hard after Manny, they would have done so already. The Dodgers are his only apparent option. He'll probably get his three years there, although whether it's at $70m, or more -- or even less? -- is anyone's guess.

    As for Masterson, I'm sure the Sox are just looking for flexibility from him, not deciding on him to be a starter. Of course, it always helps to have six or seven available for the rotation, so that if Wake AND Penny go down, Masterson can start and Bard slide into the 'pen.

    As for Andy...how can we help?

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  7. 8 quality staters for only 5 spots....

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  8. 8 quality staters for only 5 spots....

    Those are the kinds of problems we like.

    As for Andy...how can we help?

    He needs no help. Like the players, he's simply getting ready for the new season.

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  9. Like the players, he's simply getting ready for the new season.

    Getting stretched out so he doesn't tear a ligament?

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  10. "Those are the kinds of problems we like." hear me out on this one: were starting to act like the evil empire in ONE way: stocking up players in one postion when they all could be starting on other teams. if we had 6 quality starters i wouldnt say anything but, i dont like us having 8 starters for only 5 spots. whats gonna happen to Buckholz?

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  11. were starting to act like the evil empire in ONE way: stocking up players in one postion when they all could be starting on other teams

    WTF?

    i dont like us having 8 starters for only 5 spots

    yeah, i'd rather have 3.

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  12. I assume these are the 8 starters you are thinking of:

    Lester
    Dice-K
    Beckett
    Wakefield
    Penny
    Smoltz
    Buchholz
    Masterson

    Let's hope the top 3 are healthy, because:

    Wakefield is 42 and his back can eff up at times.

    Penny and Smoltz (who were available for pennies to any team, by the way) are coming off injuries/surgery.

    Smoltz will likely not be around until June (judging by his comments today).

    Buchholz should start the year in AAA to further get his shit together.

    Masterson will likely be back in the pen.

    ...

    The Saturn Nuts/WMP deal is always brought up in response to people who say "we have too much pitching" -- and while I supported that deal, I'll cite it here anyway.

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  13. That would suck to tear a ligament in the horny parts.

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  14. Well if you include Bowden (which I would) that would be nine and then perhaps even Tazawa, for a nice round 10.

    They said they would pitch Masterson as a starter in spring training regardless of where he would end up.

    We definitely need 10 starters because 4-5 of them could be ineffective by not having their shit together, physically or mentally. It wouldn't be a stretch to expect Penny or Andy to go down with a groin injury at the start of the season.

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  15. im just saying. and by the ends of the year everyone will probably be ready/helathy so what will we do then? get rid of some of our bullpen guys?

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  16. and by the ends of the year everyone will probably be ready/helathy so what will we do then? get rid of some of our bullpen guys?

    you mean the end of spring training, right?

    because the end of the season is a lifetime away. also smoltz and penny are not under contract for 2010 and wake might go home (also: lopez, ramirez and saito go to arb)

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  17. whoa my comment is unreadable....you shouldve whipped out the "got in the ?liquer? cabinet" but i was trying to say sep./nov.

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