Is the actual rotation the worst in the last 10 Y?

[seabeachfred]

I think Renaudo has potential. He only has 7 games in the big leagues, but was 14-4 in Pawtucket last year with a 2.61 ERA. Needs to work on his control a bit, but he is someone I'd like to see get a shot as a starter if we need one.

I thought the same thing too Gomes. Renaudo looked real good in his first win of the year and it was against the Yankees. He might develop further and he was a very successful pitcher at both LSU and in the Cape Cod League so he knows how to win. Can he transfer that in a tougher environment is the question. As for getting a shot if we need a pitcher, I think you can safely put that one in the bank my friend. If Ben is really serious about now standing pat with our starters you can bet your last dime that Renaudo will get his shot sooner rather than later. Remember who we have in that rotation---one coming off a crippling season both in stats and health and another who if he blinks wrong is on the shelf for a month.

[iortiz]

I do not want to take away any credit to anybody of the 2013 red sox, cause they were a very exciting team to watch, but in that year a lot of good and unexpected things happened. The planets just aligned I would say.

Is it going to happen again if this is the finish product?
Hopefully, but this current rotation is not even a PO one in my book.

[mvp 78]

I do not want to take away any credit to anybody of the 2013 red sox, cause they were a very exciting team to watch, but in that year a lot of good and unexpected things happened. The planets just aligned I would say.

Is it going to happen again if this is the finish product?
Hopefully, but this current rotation is not even a PO one in my book.

If the planets aligning mean Lackey was finally healthy, Lester pitched to career norms, Buchholz spent half the year on DL, and the rest of the rotation was mediocre at best, then I guess the planets aligned? It's not like every guy had career years and they lucked into the playoffs.

[iortiz]

If the planets aligning mean Lackey was finally healthy, Lester pitched to career norms, Buchholz spent half the year on DL, and the rest of the rotation was mediocre at best, then I guess the planets aligned? It's not like every guy had career years and they lucked into the playoffs.

You are missing the point. You are looking it in a retrospective way. In a retrospective take, it is easy to judge, even a 10 Y old can. Point is, look it as it is right now; entering into a new season. Did you expect a microscopic ERA from Buch while giving u 12 W even with his healthy situation during that season? Did you really expect a solid Lackey? a lot of scepticism was around Lester everywhere.

...And yes! a lot of things aligned as well. Our back-end of the BP was found during the season and their performance were simply ridiculous; an automatic win. Papi hit as he was out of this planet, specially in PO. etc.

Point is, while I was very sceptical entering into 2013 season, I was not this sceptical specially regarding pitching.

[Palodios]

...And yes! a lot of things aligned as well. Our back-end of the BP was found during the season and their performance were simply ridiculous; an automatic win. Papi hit as he was out of this planet, specially in PO. etc.

The Red Sox built a bullpen with several excellent relief options that year. Andrew Bailey, Jack Hanrahan, Koji Uehara, Tazawa, Andrew Miller. Three guys with closer potential had season ending injuries. That was simply excellent-team-building that went well in some places and poorly in others.

If you're going to point to guys going ham, you're looking at the wrong sources. Felix Doubront's streak of consistency, Iglesias hitting like a major leaguer, Victorino being a beast, and Ellsbury staying healthy were pretty incredible.

[iortiz]

The Red Sox built a bullpen with several excellent relief options that year. Andrew Bailey, Jack Hanrahan, Koji Uehara, Tazawa, Andrew Miller. Three guys with closer potential had season ending injuries. That was simply excellent-team-building that went well in some places and poorly in others.

If you're going to point to guys going ham, you're looking at the wrong sources. Felix Doubront's streak of consistency, Iglesias hitting like a major leaguer, Victorino being a beast, and Ellsbury staying healthy were pretty incredible.

Bailey and Hanrahan were busts, so at the time you had two options, trade for a closer or try with Koji or Tazawa. It worked out but in all fairness nobody saw that coming specially with those numbers posted.

[iortiz]

The Red Sox built a bullpen with several excellent relief options that year. Andrew Bailey, Jack Hanrahan, Koji Uehara, Tazawa, Andrew Miller. Three guys with closer potential had season ending injuries. That was simply excellent-team-building that went well in some places and poorly in others.

If you're going to point to guys going ham, you're looking at the wrong sources. Felix Doubront's streak of consistency, Iglesias hitting like a major leaguer, Victorino being a beast, and Ellsbury staying healthy were pretty incredible.

Yeah! Add this as well to the planets haha.

Will all the things align again? I do not want to be negative but it is a looooooong crap shot.

[a700hitter]

It was very key in 2013 that Buch came out of the gate 11-0, and he was pitching to an ERA under 2. That was better than anyone would have predicted and it was a best case scenario. By the time he went on the DL, the team was rolling pretty good, because Lester had turned around his performance from the prior 2 seasons (a period where his performance was declining in direct correlation to losing movement on his cutter). Also key was the fact that the other 4 rotation spots made between 27 and 33 starts a piece. When you do that, you will have some consistency and usually be successful. Jake Peavy was acquired to pick up the slack for Buch and a slumping Doubs. He performed consistently too taking 10 starts. It was the healthiest year for our rotation since 2008 -- a year that we should have won another champion.

[Palodios]

Bailey and Hanrahan were busts, so at the time you had two options, trade for a closer or try with Koji or Tazawa. It worked out but in all fairness nobody saw that coming specially with those numbers posted.

It worked out because the bullpen was built in a way that it could endure multiple injuries. Koji's K/BB was historically good before coming to Boston-- there is something about having pinpoint control that can make a pitcher thrive. Look at his WHIP from the 4 previous years -- 0.64, 0.78, 0.70, 0.95. The guy just never gave up base runners.

[iortiz]

It worked out because the bullpen was built in a way that it could endure multiple injuries. Koji's K/BB was historically good before coming to Boston-- there is something about having pinpoint control that can make a pitcher thrive. Look at his WHIP from the 4 previous years -- 0.64, 0.78, 0.70, 0.95. The guy just never gave up base runners.

I like Koji and all he did but at the time Koji had very little experience closing. Not even comparable with the other 2 busts. At the time I clearly remember Cherrys asking for closers included Papelbon since Koji and Tazawa weren't that "safe bet" for the rest of the season left.

[User Name?]

Experience has very little to do with closing effectiveness. You are arguing for the sake of arguing here anyways.

[a700hitter]

It worked out because the bullpen was built in a way that it could endure multiple injuries. Koji's K/BB was historically good before coming to Boston-- there is something about having pinpoint control that can make a pitcher thrive. Look at his WHIP from the 4 previous years -- 0.64, 0.78, 0.70, 0.95. The guy just never gave up base runners.

The best thing that could have happened was that Bailey and Hanrahan pulled a Bobby Jenks act and went down right away. We knew Koji had a quality arm and that he puts up good numbers, but his performance was other-worldly. It was definitely in the top 3 closer performances that I can remember. The other 2 were the year Eck had an 0.61 ERA and the year that Wilie Hernandez seemed to pitch everyday for the Tigers. Koji's season was another example of the planets aligning for the Red Sox in 2013.

[iortiz]

Experience has very little to do with closing effectiveness. You are arguing for the sake of arguing here anyways.

Then any reliever could close, and is not the case.

[Palodios]

Koji's season was another example of the planets aligning for the Red Sox in 2013.

I just want to point out that Koji's career WHIP is the lowest for any player with 200+ IP at 0.85. The next on the list is Kimbrel at .90. He had been very effective for his career -- the problem has always been health.

[a700hitter]

I just want to point out that Koji's career WHIP is the lowest for any player with 200+ IP at 0.85. The next on the list is Kimbrel at .90. He had been very effective for his career -- the problem has always been health.

I realize that, but getting one of the best season performances for a closer in the history of the game was not to be expected.