Sox Next Ace

[bosox318]

Ok one of the big problems for the Sox this year was a lack of pitching. With Schilling going to retire soon and with no clear future ace ready to step in besides some of the young guys(pap, lester, sanchez) and they might not be an ace until a couple years down the road. I see the need for the Sox to go and find there future ace. A.J Burnett is the only player i see with the potential to be an ace. who do you see the sox pursuing for there future Ace?

[Manny Goes Boom]

WOW, tough question. Not sure, Burnett is a good pitcher but hes sorta inconsistent, but has great stuff.

[Cityofchampions33]

Papelbon has reminded everyone of Clemens in his 1st half season, if he keeps it goin' he could be our ace starting 2007. Lester and Sanchez I say give both around 2008 to get a spot in the rotation, 2009 for full potential. I swear to god, if Theo trades one of them...

[SchillingIsTheNatural]

Not much in the ace category this year via free agency. I've always been an AJ Burnett fan though and still think he could be great. He is in his prime and given some decent coaching and surround him with smart veterans he could blossom. I don't like his comments against his coach cause that shows a character flaw. It could mean, however, he really wanted to win and his frustration got the best of him...I don't mind that too much. He does have some of the best stuff in baseball. Those who want to compare him to Pavano need to take a step back and watch the two of them pitch. There is no comparison...AJ Burnett is a much stronger pitcher than Pavano. Injuries would be a real problem though. It is possible Manny Ramirez gets moved for an ace quality pitcher but I'm not sure who.

 

After what I saw last year though I got a good look at Jonathan Papelbon. It's not just his stuff (although electric) its his build as a player. Big, strong, emotional....everything you want. I think he will really intimidate hitters as he gets better and more experienced but we deffinitly saw he can handle the big games in Boston.

 

I do remember John Henry saying somewhere he would love to have a young rotation with a Burnett, Lester, and Papelbon at the top. Then there is a chance we could make a move for Barry Zito...hows that rotation for you.

[riverside sluggers]

I do remember John Henry saying somewhere he would love to have a young rotation with a Burnett, Lester, and Papelbon at the top. Then there is a chance we could make a move for Barry Zito...hows that rotation for you.

 

now thats what i call a damn good rotation. i did hear on WEEI that the Oakland A's is a probability for a Wells trade and Zito (like Bronson) will have an arbitration offseason as the team has a club option on him. hmmm

 

--Oakland A's get Wells, Abe Alvarez and another prospect (i forgot that Wade Miller could also be trade bait since Sox still have the club option on him as well)

--Red Sox get Zito, relief pitcher Kiko Calero, and maybe one of their prospects who is in the early stages

where can I sign up for that ??!

[Manny Goes Boom]

now thats what i call a damn good rotation. i did hear on WEEI that the Oakland A's is a probability for a Wells trade and Zito (like Bronson) will have an arbitration offseason as the team has a club option on him. hmmm

 

--Oakland A's get Wells, Abe Alvarez and another prospect (i forgot that Wade Miller could also be trade bait since Sox still have the club option on him as well)

--Red Sox get Zito, relief pitcher Kiko Calero, and maybe one of their prospects who is in the early stages

where can I sign up for that ??!

 

Sounds good to me. :thumbsup: Zito pitched really good in the second half. I Would definately love to see him in a Red Sox uni.

[Daveyp490]

i think the future ace will be hansen, i don't see him contuining as a closer once foulke is back. he has the stuff to be a domiant starter, all he needs is more time and develop hsi pitches, if not hansen then i think lester. If lester is still in boston, he will dominate because he is a strikeout pitcher

[Cityofchampions33]

hansen don't have the endurance, otherwise he'd be a lights out starter, and would be absolutely nasty.

 

Chances are if we love that deal so much that the A's will reject it, though I'd love to get Zito here, he's already said he wants to be in Boston.

[guapo34]

In the next couple years there isn't going to be a dominant starting pitcher to hit free agency. I think the sox pretty much need to count on Schilling, Pappelbon, and guys at the same level as Wakefield/Arroyo. Improve the bullpen, improve the Defense, get a more balanced offense. In 3 years the sox aren't commited to anyone and will have all the money in the world to spend. 3 years down the road they should be smarter and target 1/2 aces when we do get these big contracts, rentaria/varitek/manny..etc. The guys I'd like to see them target are Roy Oswalt, Rich Harden, and Dontrelle Willis. Of course in 3 years any of these guys could get hurt/fall apart/get signed by the team they're with and never hit free agency. But since there are no aces coming any time soon I thought it would be fun to project.

[riverside sluggers]

yea but in 3 years sox will already have their farm system caliber pitchers: Papelbon, Lester & Sanchez already in the Sox rotation--so i dont see a big need for starting pitching at that time

[guapo34]

It'd be great if those guys turn into Aces. From what I've read Lester has the best chance while papelbon seems to be the closest to a sure thing. However, Pappelbon is the only one who will be arbitration eligible by then, and it'll only be his first year. Assuming all 3 of these guys turn into great pitchers, and they are all still with the sox and not traded, both big ifs, we still would have lots of money to spend and 2 more positions to fill in the starting rotation. Why wouldn't you try and get even better and sign 1/2 big name pitchers?

[SchillingIsTheNatural]

Yeah that was my point with the signing of Burnett and trading for Zito. Those options will come along faster than three years down the road considering Burnett's future will be decided this winter. Houston probably has the money to lock up Roy Oswalt for a long time especially since they will be losing Roger Clemens and I don't know how long Pettite will stick around. On the other hand Rich Harden will be fun to watch since I'm sure he would command top money and if history shows anything...Oakland will trade him before that happens. That being said the situation with Zito will occur before that because I believe this is his last season under contract? I could be wrong though.

 

My personal feelings about Burnett is that he would have the best stuff on our staff. Being able to pitch with Schilling, Wakefield, Varitek etc. can only help him. Not sure you can justify the cost but I would be real interested...

 

Another point is our farm system reaches beyond the big three in Lester, Paps, and Sanchez. I really believe Hansen will be the Red Sox closer for a long time and thats fine by me. This time next year we may be talking about Clay Buccholz in the same sentence with the rest of the guys. I'm excited to see what he does and many of us discount Abe Alvarez. He is only 22 and was our top pitcher in Pawtucket. Give Alvarez two more years and bring him up the same time Paps was brought up. Michael Bowden has a ways to go but has the stuff to compete.

 

Not everyone will work out which is why I would suggest leaving the #3/#4/#5 slots for Red Sox prospects...the top two spots for guys such as Schilling, Zito, Burnett, etc. whoever we could get.

[riverside sluggers]

That being said the situation with Zito will occur before that because I believe this is his last season under contract? I could be wrong though.

 

Zito like Arroyo will be entering the offseason with a 2006 team option the A's can exercise or decline.

[26 to 6]

i think the future ace will be hansen, i don't see him contuining as a closer once foulke is back. he has the stuff to be a domiant starter, all he needs is more time and develop hsi pitches, if not hansen then i think lester. If lester is still in boston, he will dominate because he is a strikeout pitcher

I disagree, Hansen has been a reliever since High School (im sure he started a few games, but he was mainly a reliever) and probably doesnt have the endurance.

 

ANd how is he going to develop pitches when he only has like 2 or 3 of them?

[Cityofchampions33]

Zito would be a great pick up for us, he's solid now, and could serve as the veteran when Schill retires, therefor tutoring our suture star pitchers.

[ORS]

In the next couple years there isn't going to be a dominant starting pitcher to hit free agency.

2006

Andy Pettitte

Barry Zito

Jon Garland

 

2007

Roy Halladay

Roy Oswalt

Josh Beckett

Bartolo Colon

Freddy Garcia

C.C. Sabathia

 

2008

Johan Santana

Mark Prior

 

In 2007, Mark Buehrle and Chris Carpenter have team options for 2008. In 2008, Jake Peavy and Rich Harden both have team options for 2009. It's safe to assume those options will be picked up. The pitching market is a little light this year and next, but after that it gets interesting. The Halladay/Oswalt/Beckett sweepstakes will be interesting in 2007. It will take mega-bucks to land Santana in 2008.

 

I think the Red Sox will be best served by starting Papelbon next year to let him start his MLB learning curve as a starter. The same thing goes for Lester and Sanchez in 2007. They will be free from Schilling's and Clement's contracts in the 2007 offseason. That gives them a lot of money in the pitching rich 2007 FA market and some abililty to go after Santana in 2008.

 

EDIT: D-Train doesn't hit the market until the end of the 2009 season.

[SchillingIsTheNatural]

Wow....those are deffinitly some names but they can even be considered the year before in potential trades. Look at what almost happened to AJ Burnett. Out of that list I would take Roy Halladay over anyone. He has proved he can beat anyone in the AL East, can win a Cy Young, and would have won another this season had he not been injured.

[schillingouttheks]

Wow....those are deffinitly some names but they can even be considered the year before in potential trades. Look at what almost happened to AJ Burnett. Out of that list I would take Roy Halladay over anyone. He has proved he can beat anyone in the AL East, can win a Cy Young, and would have won another this season had he not been injured.

I wouldn't mind taking Johan Santana over Roy Halladay :dunno:

[Sox Fan on Cape]

Alot of things can happen in two years.

[Ray10]

Im pretty sure that Halladay and Oswalt will be held onto by their teams.

[MC Hammer]

I wouldn't mind taking Johan Santana over Roy Halladay :dunno:

Well righties do better in Fenway. I mean if your looking at it as getting the best pitcher then I guess you could make a case for Santana over Halladay, but Halladay is the best pitcher for fenway.

[riverside sluggers]

Halladay in 10 games pitched at Fenway is 3-3 with a 4.28 ERA

[SchillingIsTheNatural]

Halladay in 10 games pitched at Fenway is 3-3 with a 4.28 ERA

 

But he always has to play the Red Sox at Fenway.

[MANNYHOF24]

I thought Zito was a free agent this year? the thing i would worry about with him is pitching at Fenway with the Green Monster over his shoulder, since he is not a hard thrower i dont think it would be a good move. Burnett Maybe, why invest all that money when you have Schill Paps Clement Wake and Arroyo tied up, maybe add a smaller name pitcher and go strongly after Halladay, and Santana in a couple years, also i believe Lester will be a stud for this team.

[riverside sluggers]

Burnett Maybe, why invest all that money when you have Schill Paps Clement Wake and Arroyo tied up,

 

Arroyo isnt tied up to the Sox, contract wise. entering this off-season he will be arbitation eligible (2006 team option). he seems likely to be dealt in any 1st baseman deal

[Sox Fan on Cape]

Arroyo isnt tied up to the Sox, contract wise. entering this off-season he will be arbitation eligible (2006 team option). he seems likely to be dealt in any 1st baseman deal

They probably will, but I wouldn't be upset to see him back.

[riverside sluggers]

They probably will, but I wouldn't be upset to see him back.

 

no douybt he's a great guy and he has his moments of great pitching.

 

but just food for thought being: 6 starts he made he had lasted 5 innings or less. 1 of those starts had given up 6 ER, other 5 had given up 7 ER

[SchillingIsTheNatural]

Gammons mentioned Barry Zito is a trade target of the NY Mets.....sooooo apparently there is a shot he could be moved.

 

That would be a nice replacement lefty for David Wells. Then when Lester joins the team we could have two lefty starters and three righty starters...I like that...teams would have to adjust every game.

[MC Hammer]

Why is everyone so worried about getting a lefty? You don't have to have even 1 lefty starter to be a successful team. I think we need to worry more about getting the best pitcher we can and not so much about trying to get a lefty.

[SchillingIsTheNatural]

Sounds like Barry Zito would be the best pitcher available sooooo...yay!

 

Its just an added bonus....it only helps a team when they get to a series if they can mix it up. Being able to go righty, lefty, righty in a three game series makes the other team have to change there order each day, possibly stay out of any kind of rhythem, and set up your bullpen in different ways.