At 1:05pm today the 2012 baseball season begins for the Boston Red Sox. Â Jon Lester goes up against Justin Verlander and the Detroit Tigers in a game that will be aired on NESN and ESPN2.
The 25-man roster wasn’t set, though, until yesterday where Bobby Valentine announced that the team would be carrying 13 pitchers and 12 position players to begin 2012. Â Injuries have made things interesting for Valentine so far but he finally settled on the following roster:
Starting rotation:Â Â LHP Jon Lester, RHP Josh Beckett, RHP Clay Buchholz, LHP Felix Doubront, RHP Daniel Bard
Bullpen: RHP Mark Melancon, RHP Vicente Padilla, LHP Franklin Morales, RHP Michael Bowden, LHP Justin Thomas, RHP Scott Atchison, RHP Matt Albers
Closer: RHP Alfredo Aceves
Catcher: Jarrod Saltalamacchia
1B: Adrian Gonzalez
2B: Dustin Pedroia
3B: Kevin Youkilis
SS: Mike Aviles
LF: Cody Ross
CF: Jacoby Ellsbury
RF: Ryan Sweeney
DH: David Ortiz
Bench:
OF: Darnell McDonald
INF: Nick Punto
C: Kelly Shoppach
It’s an interesting looking roster and one that will most likely change a few times this year, but for now this is the team that Ben Cherington and Bobby Valentine hope bring them into October baseball.
The Red Sox have a day off tomorrow and continue their opening series with the Tigers with Josh Beckett on the mound Saturday and Clay Buchholz taking the mound Sunday. Welcome to the first weekend of 2012 Major League Baseball!
(Originally published on Examiner.com)