- The back of the rotation is pretty open, with 2 spots up for grabs and a competition between Len Barker, Dean Chance, and Jon Lester.
- With Barker out for quite some time, and with literally no SP performing even adequately, this is wide open. Look for David Bush to be considered as well.
- Bush and McMahon are the only SPs showing much promise. Assuming they make it, the other 3 slots are between Chance, Nixey Callahan, Eddie Cicotte, Roger Clemens, and Lester (all of whom have had highly mediocre Springs). The shock here is Clemens, who came in as the presumed #1 starter. Tim Wakefield has been sent back to AAA.
- With Barker out for quite some time, and with literally no SP performing even adequately, this is wide open. Look for David Bush to be considered as well.
- Luiz Gohara looks to be the closer, with Heath Bell and Derek Lowe behind him. It’s not clear beyond that, with Joe Beggs, Jonathan Papelbon, and Eddie Watt all in the running.
- Gohara has lost the inside track on the closer job, with Papelbon and Watt now competing for it.
- Watt–yet to allow an earned run–will close for now, with Papelbon and Beggs setting things up for him.
- Ellis Kinder has been called up for some bullpen depth.
- Gohara has lost the inside track on the closer job, with Papelbon and Watt now competing for it.
- None of the IF jobs are up for grabs, although it’s not clear if Dustin Pedroia or Pete Runnels will backup Claude Richey at 2B, and Vern Stephens, Wayne Causey, and Nomar Garciaparra are all trying to make case to be Francisco Lindor‘s backup at SS.
- 2B got more interesting, as Ritchey is mired in a horrible slump while Pedroia is hitting .500. Lindor is playing fine, but Causey, Stepehns, and Garciaparra are all playing better at this point. Something has to give here, with 3B Bill Melton the odd man out right now.
- Pedroia has earned the starting nod right now, but none of the 2B are performing terribly.
- Bill White would be the starter at 1B right now, with George Scott struggling to stay on the roster, given the other players who could fill in at 1B.
- The SS situation hasn’t really changed. Stephens is doing best right now, and Lindor has to improve quite a bit to make the roster at all.
- 2B got more interesting, as Ritchey is mired in a horrible slump while Pedroia is hitting .500. Lindor is playing fine, but Causey, Stepehns, and Garciaparra are all playing better at this point. Something has to give here, with 3B Bill Melton the odd man out right now.
- There may be 2 roster spots open for David Justice, Eddie Rosario, Joe Kelley, Fred Lynn, Dwight Evans, and Manny Ramirez to compete over.
- Kelly, Ramirez, Mookie Betts, and Lynn are playing themsleves out of consideration while Tony Conigliaro and Rosario are moving up the chart.
- The OF is pretty dire. Conigliaro and Rosario are hitting best. The assumption is that Ted Williams will come around, but aside from that it’s wide open. Right now, Lynn has been sent to AAA, and Justice is in danger of missing the roster cut for sure.
- Kelly, Ramirez, Mookie Betts, and Lynn are playing themsleves out of consideration while Tony Conigliaro and Rosario are moving up the chart.
- Jim Pagliaroni is hitting well enough to lay claim to the starting C job, with Bob Brenly‘s defense giving him the edge over Billy Bryan as the reserve.
| Near Definite | Likely | Possible | Long Shot | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starting Pitchers | Sadie McMahon | David Bush | Nixey Callahan Roger Clemens Dean Chance Jon Lester Eddie Ciccotte | |
| Middle Relievers | Heath Bell Derek Lowe Luiz Gohara Turk Farrell | Ellis Kinder | ||
| Setup | Jonathan Papelbon Joe Beggs | |||
| Closer | Eddie Watt | |||
| C | Jim Pagliaroni Bob Brenly Billy Bryan | |||
| 1B | Bill White | George Scott | ||
| 2B | Dustin Pedroia Pete Runnels | Claude Richey | ||
| 3B | Wade Boggs | Bill Melton | ||
| SS | Vern Stephens | Wayne Causey Francisco Lindor Nomar Garciaparra | ||
| OF | Ted Williams | Eddie Rosario Tony Conigliaro | Reggie Smith David Justice Dwight Evans Mookie Betts Joe Kelley Manny Ramirez |