John Sickels' Top 20 Boston Red Sox

by Randy Booth on Feb 19, 2006 9:42 PM EST in News Comment 0 comments

Here is the list I've been waiting all off-season to see. It's John Sickels' Top 20 Boston Red Sox list.

It's a good list, and a lot different than you'll see across the web. He ranks youngsters Clay Buchholz and Michael Bowden very high, but he has a "gut" instinct about them.

Yahmed Yema is placed at 15; really high I think. John likes him a lot, though, a sleeper candidate. We'll see how he hits this season after an off-season in the Red Sox organization.

Overall, 11 prospects that are B- or better. Pretty good, in my opinion.

LENNY DINARDO!
Yes. Finally a website devoted to THE Lenny DiNardo. Check out. I'll be checking it out every single day. DiNardo is the man.

SCHILLING WANTS PAPELBON
Curt Schilling also wants Jonathan Papelbon in the rotation:

"I think what I said was, I think he's a guy you benefit a lot more from getting 200 innings from than 60," Schilling said when asked about lobbying for Papelbon earlier this winter.

"Makeup-wise, he's not far from being a consistent winner in the big leagues. He's got to pitch. He's got to get innings.

"I'm obviously lobbying for the guy to be a starter. As much as you guys like to think I'm the assistant GM, I'm not. I pounded Theo [Epstein] about it yesterday. He rolled his eyes like he usually does and moved on. As long as he stays healthy, he's one of those guys who's going to do a lot of good things. I think having him in the rotation makes us a better team."