Who Will Be Called Up When Rosters Expand?

With the non-waiver trade deadline having recently passed; the waiver deadline bearing few fruit in terms of rumors; and September…

6/10: Polite Torontonians humbly request Bostonians to stop streaking in their fair city

Boston Red Sox (36-26) @ Toronto Blue Jays (32-31) Clay Buchholz (4-3, 3.82) @ Jo-Jo Reyes (2-4, 4.16) 7:07 PM…

Luis Exposito tops Pawtucket depth chart at catcher

photo © 2009 Eric Kilby | more info (via: Wylio)At the age of 39, Jason Varitek’s best days are in…

Luis Exposito’s Place as Catcher of the Future

Having been added to the Red Sox 40-man roster on Friday, catcher Luis Exposito’s career prospects earned a significant boost as he climbs up the minor league ladder in pursuit of a full-time Major League job.

Epstein’s Draft Hits… and Misses

With the 2010 Amateur Draft just around the corner (Monday June 7 through Wednesday, June 9), I wanted to spend this week's column looking back at the previous best and worst picks of the Theo Epstein era, an era in which the strength of the minor league system has been both a top priority for the team and an area of almost unparalleled success.

With seven drafts under their belts, this front office has taken the team from a roster of two homegrown regulars (Nomar Garciaparra and Trot Nixon) in 2003 to eight in 2010. Among them are a perennial Cy Young contender, a powerhouse corner infielder, a league champion base stealer, an elite closer, a man with a 100 mile an hour fastball, and an MVP. In addition, there is a new crop of talent maturing in the minors, with some players nearing the point where they will make a Major League contribution. So, not bad for a few years. After the jump, we'll take a look at the best and worst draft picks of the past seven years.

The Future Holds many Questions for the Red Sox Catching — And Hopefully an Answer

Fact: As a catcher, Victor Martinez makes a good first baseman – and a D.H.

Fact: Jason Varitek, at 38, is on the down side of a once brilliant career. Fact: Both players’ contracts expire after the 2010 season. Question: Who will comprise the next generation of Red Sox catchers? Will it be either Pawtucket catcher Mark Wagner or Dusty Brown, each of whom is on Boston’s 40-man roster? Or will it be one – or both – of Boston’s very best catcher prospects, Luis Exposito or Tim Federowicz?

BoSox AFL Update

With the conclusion of every major league season comes the beginning of the second season of “minor” leagues in baseball – the Winter Leagues. This 2009 off-season, the Sox have placed 17 promising prospects across four leagues, including some of the most exciting names in the organization, such as Casey Kelly, Ryan Kalish, Jose Iglesias, and Yamiaco Navarro. The Winter Leagues are one of the more interesting annual rituals of the MLB, aside from maybe the Rule 5 Draft, as every team in baseball pours their most highly touted prospects into one pool where they duke it out for organizational supremacy.

Some quick notes from Ft. Myers (Fife, Pimentel, etc.)

I've been down at the Fort for the past couple of days, and have spent most of that at the Player Development Complex. Here's some quick notes from yesterday and today.

Chat Transcript: Ortiz, Yankees, Buchholz and more

David Ortiz - Samara Pearlstein

Sit down with a big cup of coffee, because have I a treat for you. I participated in a chat on Tuesday night and they have made the transcript available for Fire Brand to peruse.

I talk about which minor leaguers to keep an eye on... what the Sox need to do to win this year... how important David Ortiz is to us.

Oh, I also throw out predictions such as who will finish at first... scoff at the Yankees... and talk about who the heck can be our future catcher.

SOX ON DECK: Remember these names

As we all know, it’s a dawn of a new age in Boston when young, vibrant players don the Red…