Tuesday, February 21, 2006

Pitching Groups at Spring Training

According to the Globe's Gordon Edes here are the Sox pitching groups in camp:

Group 1--Van Buren, Martinez (Edgar, not Pedro), Bausher, Pauley, Vermilyea
Group 2--Wakefield, Clement, Arroyo, Serrano
Group 3--Schilling, Beckett, Papelbon, Alvarez, Lester
Group 4--DiNardo, Bumatay, Breslow, Holtz, Seibel
Group 5--Timlin, Tavarez, Riske, Foulke, Seanez
Group 6--Ginter, Delcarmen, Hansen, Meredith, Nunez

Any question that the Sox are trying to bring along the young hard throwers (Beckett, Papelbon, and Lester) by pairing them with Schil?

Group 1 basically puts together the bleeding edge guys and Group4 has the few with a shot as making the team as the LHP reliever.

What really stands out from this is the makeup of groups 5 and 6. It seems like Delcarmen, Meredith, and Hansen could have benefitted greatly from spending time around some of the established setup guys, particularly Timlin. And if Hansen is the closer of the future why not pair him with Foulke? Any chance they're protecting Foulke's ego by shielding him? (Ironic note: as I post I'm listening to Rod Stewart grind out "(I Know) I'm Losing You" -- I wonder if that's what the Sox-Foulke relationship may be this year?).