2018 OTM Pick 5 Competition

How to Participate

Create a Post in this thread with the names of 5 players that are not current with the Red Sox organization. Players can be FAs (excluding those with options, on the Red Sox) or under contract with another team (trade-able). Once a set of 5 is posted you cannot chose the same 5 players.

IE - You cannot say "Chris Sale" because he’s already on the Red Sox. You also cannot choose players who have player/club options for the 2018 season, as those would just be unfair.

IE 2 - If BobZupcic says "Paul Goldschmidt/JD Martinez/AJ Pollock/Justin Verlander/Masahiro Tanaka" as his five, then .406 cannot choose the same five players. Additionally, you cannot choose those same five players in another order (so no Masahiro Tanaka/Justin Verlander/JD Martinez/AJ Pollock/Paul Goldschmidt list from .406. From here on out, let's assume .406 chose the same players, except instead of AJ Pollock, he chooses Shohei Otani, and that’s the only difference.

Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images

How to Win!

As we go through the off-season and players are acquired by the Red Sox either as FA or via trade you will receive 1 pt for each player of your Pick 5 that makes the opening day 25-man roster. Tiebreaker will go to the Pick 5 with the highest overall 2017 salary of properly chosen players.

IE - You win by picking the right players. If BobZupcic chose the list above, and AJ Pollock and Paul Goldschmidt get traded to the Red Sox, then BobZupcic will get 2 points. Since .406 did not choose AJ Pollock, he only gets one point, for correctly picking Paul Goldschmidt... however, if Shohei Otani and JD Martinez both sign with the Sox, .406 will get 2 points for correctly guessing both, and BZ will get one point for JD Martinez, leaving both .406 and BZ tied at 3 points a pop... the tiebreaker is salary. Whoever between AJ Pollock and Shohei Otani makes more money would determine the winner in this two person scenario.

Deadlines

Deadline to participate will be Monday, November 6th, at 10 PM EST. If your prediction is out BEFORE a player signs, then you will get credit for the point. If your prediction is out AFTER a player signs, you will not.

IE - Let's assume JD Martinez signs with the Red Sox on November 6th at 9:00 PM EST (I don’t think he can do this, because of the 5 day period, but let’s just say he breaks the rules if there is one)

Photo by Harry How/Getty Images

If BZ predicts the Red Sox sign him, and his post is made on November 6th at 4:30 PM EST, then he will get credit, since Martinez had not yet signed with the Red Sox.

If .406 predicts that the Red Sox sign Martinez, and his post is made on November 6th at 9:01 PM EST, even one second after JD Martinez joined the Red Sox, even if he gets in before the November 6th, 10 PM EST deadline, he will not get credit.

This obviously makes things tricky. It becomes a balance of "how late can I make my pick AND ensure I get the five I predict"?

Past Winners with links (Can anyone guess 3?)

Last season, we turned out to be the absolute worst at guessing. 1 pick right was enough to win, and that pick was Chris Sale. It was a good pick. I have a gut feeling someone will get more than 1 this time.

Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images

2017 Pick 5 Winners: sguglie2, titio1300, On to Lansdowne Street (1)

2016 Pick 5 Winner: Rick Bentsen (2)

2015 Pick 5 Winner: RogueNine (2)

2014 Pick 5 Winner: .406 (2)

2013 Pick 5: Pick 5 Writer's Strike

2012 Pick 5 Winner: aubatron2011 (2)

2011 Pick 5 Winner: mg050369 (2)

Happy Pickin'!

I’m torn on whether or not I should participate, but here’s my picks. If you guys decide I count, then I do.

Giancarlo Stanton/JD Martinez/Eric Hosmer/Luke Gregerson/Tony Watson