This is part of a 30-article series looking at each team’s depth chart headed into spring training. Boston Red Sox Rotation 1. Jon Lester 2. Josh Beckett 3. John Lackey 4. Daisuke Matsuzaka 5. Clay Buchholz 6. Tim Wakefield 7. Michael Bowden 8. Junichi Tazawa 9. Boof Bonser 10. Gaby Hernandez 11. Fabio Castro 12. Kris Johnson Wakefield won’t be happy if pushed to a bullpen role to start the season, but it’s hard to imagine the Red Sox creating room for him if everyone else is healthy. Injuries will likely creep up and sort these things out. Odds are that the team will also have need for Bowden in the rotation at some point. Bullpen 1. Jonathan Papelbon 2. Hideki Okajima 3. Daniel Bard 4. Ramon Ramirez 5. Manny Delcarmen 6. Boof Bonser 7. Tim Wakefield 8. Joe Nelson 9. Brian Shouse 10. Scott Atchison 11. Dustin Richardson 12. Ramon A. Ramirez 13. Junichi Tazawa 14. Fernando Cabrera 15. Fabio Castro 16. Michael Bowden 17. Jorge Sosa 18. Edwin Moreno The bullpen depth is flat-out ridiculous. Nelson, Atchison and the other Ramon Ramirez are average middle relievers, Shouse and Richardson are legitimate lefty specialists and both Cabrera and Castro have some upside if they can find opportunities. Unfortunately, no one from the group figures to make the team unless someone starts off on the disabled list.
Catcher 1. Victor Martinez 2. Jason Varitek 3. Dusty Brown 4. Mark Wagner First base 1. Kevin Youkilis 2. Mike Lowell 3. Victor Martinez 4. Aaron Bates Second base 1. Dustin Pedroia 2. Bill Hall 3. Jed Lowrie 4. Tug Hulett Third base 1. Adrian Beltre 2. Mike Lowell 3. Bill Hall 4. Kevin Youkilis Shortstop 1. Marco Scutaro 2. Jed Lowrie 3. Bill Hall 4. Tug Hulett 5. Gil Velazquez Lowell is still around, but the Red Sox would almost surely prefer to change that prior to Opening Day. There won’t be nearly enough at-bats available to keep him content, even if the team did start to sit David Ortiz more frequently against left-handers. Left field 1. Jacoby Ellsbury 2. Jeremy Hermida 3. Josh Reddick 4. Bill Hall 5. Darnell McDonald Center field 1. Mike Cameron 2. Jacoby Ellsbury 3. Ryan Kalish 4. Bill Hall 5. Darnell McDonald Right field 1. J.D. Drew 2. Jeremy Hermida 3. Josh Reddick 4. Bill Hall 5. Darnell McDonald Designated hitter 1. David Ortiz 2. Victor Martinez 3. J.D. Drew 4. Mike Lowell Hermida, Varitek and Hall would appear to be guaranteed spots on the bench. The fourth would have to go to Lowell if he’s still around and healthy. Otherwise, Hulett would seem to be the logical choice. Lowrie might yet be in the team’s long-term plans, but he needs at-bats after missing time due to wrist problems and he’ll probably get those in Triple-A.
