By Sean McAdam / Boston Herald
Now that the Red Sox have advanced to the American League Championship Series against the Tampa Bay Rays starting Friday night in St. Petersburg, Fla., the roster must evolve to accommodate a different opponent and a different schedule.
Moving from a best-of-five series spread out over eight days to a best-of-seven set across 10 days, the Sox will need to carry 11 pitchers, one more than in the Division Series win over the Los Angeles Angels.
The long-form ALDS schedule, chosen by the Angels and offering a day off between Games 1 and 2, meant the Sox could put two starters, Tim Wakefield and Paul Byrd, in the bullpen. In the ALCS, either Byrd or Wakefield will be called upon as the Game 4 starter; the other will continue to serve as a long man out of the ’pen.
The Sox will need an extra pitcher for the bullpen, though their options aren’t great.
Finally, the loss of third baseman Mike Lowell (right hip) means the Sox will need another bench player. Lowell was removed from the ALDS roster hours before the climactic Game 4, making him ineligible for the ALCS. Not that it would have made much difference.
“I don’t think, even with the rest (between series) that I would have been ready for the ALCS,” Lowell said.
A look at the likely breakdown of the ALCS roster:
Catchers (2): Jason Varitek and Kevin Cash.
In addition to the pair, the Sox carried David Ross in the ALDS to give them more flexibility when it came to hitting (or running) for Varitek. All three played in Game 3.
Cash has limited experience at third, but in the postseason, with defense a priority, that’s not viewed as an option. Having Ross around would again give manager Terry Francona some flexibility for late-inning maneuvering, but with the need for 11 pitchers and the necessity of a replacement for Lowell, they no longer have that luxury.
Outfielders (5): Jason Bay, Coco Crisp, Jacoby Ellsbury, J.D. Drew and Mark Kotsay.
These are the same five outfielders the Sox carried in the first round. Kotsay is listed here as an outfielder, his natural position, but with Lowell ineligible and Youkilis set to start at third, Kotsay may be the team’s starting first baseman, at least against right-handers.
Infielders (7): Youkilis, David Ortiz, Dustin Pedroia, Jed Lowrie, Alex Cora, Sean Casey and Gil Velazquez.
Youkilis will move to third base with Lowell sidelined, with Kotsay at first and Casey, the lone position player not see to action in the ALDS, in reserve. The loss of Lowell leads to one less righty bat on the bench, but it’s doubtful the Sox would want to bring Jeff Bailey aboard to start a game or two at first against Rays lefty Scott Kazmir.
That leaves the sure-handed Velazquez, the 28-year-old who made his major league debut in the final week of the regular season, as the extra role player, edging out outfielders Jonathan Van Every (speed) and Chris Carter (lefty bat).
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