Justin Masterson

[pats55sox45]

what a stud: 6.2 IP' date=' 3 hits, 2 ER, [b']0[/b] BB, 10 K

 

In the 4th he gave up a single up the middle and then a HR and that was the only mistakes he made. He is dominating AA hitters.

 

On the season now:

 

26 IP, 10 hits, 3 ER, 5 BB, 32 K, 1.04 ERA

 

thats 11.07 K/9, and a 6.4 K/BB

 

is he ahead of bowden now anyone think?

[ksushi]

I think its close. Bowden is so young and has such great stuff, but Masterson is really impressing right now.

[Rdsxmbnt]

Masterson has a start tonight at 7, and ill say this, he'd better be on that mound

[Rdsxmbnt]

He did indeed start today, though not his best start, not bad:

 

7 IP, 5 hits, 2 ER, 3 BB/3 K, 15-3 GO-FO

 

On the season:

33 IP, 15 hits, 5 ER, 8 BB, 35 K, 1.36 ERA

 

9.54 K/9, 2.18 BB/9, 4.37 K/BB, 0.27 HR/9, and of course ridiculous G/F numbers but I dont know the exact numbers

[Rdsxmbnt]

Another fantastic start for Masterson: 6 IP, 4 hits, (2 runs) 1 ER, 1 BB, 10 K, 7-1 GO-FO

 

All hits were singles, amazing he's completly dominating AA. This was his 2nd 10 K game for Portland, and he's gone 6+ innings in all of his starts.

 

On the season now: 39 IP, 19 hits, 9 BB, 45 K, 1.38 ERA

 

That's 10.38 K/9, 2.08 BB/9, 5.0 K/BB, 0.23 HR/9. And an insane GB/FB ratio

[ksushi]

Masterson is quickly becoming one of our best prospects. What a monster.

 

AA for the rest of the season?

[ORS]

8 runs last time out. 7 tonight.

 

All I can say is I hope he's hurt, because that blows.

[das11209]

If this guy falls apart - the Dye trade will be second guessed for a long time.

[schillingouttheks]

It's already being second guessed.

[Rdsxmbnt]

Call me a prospect homer or w/e but you dont trade a prospect like Masterson and a cost-controlled set-up man for a 1yr bench player.

[CrespoBlows]

Call me a prospect homer or w/e but you dont trade a prospect like Masterson and a cost-controlled set-up man for a 1yr bench player.

 

Dye would have been playing a lot more often than the average bench player. Ortiz is really scuffling in August, getting him some time off would have been very valuable for the team in October.

 

Besides, how badly do we need Masterson? I know there's no such thing as too much pitching, but Buchholz, Lester, Papelbon, Matsuzaka, Beckett, and Bowden are all under 27 years old.

 

This team is probably one or two in terms of the best team of baseball. Having Dye's bat in the lineup would have made them the unquestioned favorite for the World Series. I'd take that in exchange for our future 7th inning relief pitcher.

[jacksonianmarch]

I agree. This isnt the yankees here who have one spot filled long term with a proven effective major league pitcher (Wang). The sox have 2 spots filled with proven guys in DMats and Beckett and both will be there long term. That makes things a whole lot easier and makes the second tier guys a whole lot more expendable. You figure that the sox long term spots are..

 

1. Beckett

2. Matsuzaka

3. Buchholz

4. Lester

5. Bowden

 

and a point can be made that even if the sox dont make ANY trades or FA signings that even at his best, Masterson wont make the rotation. And how likely is it that the sox wont sign one FA or make one pitching trade? Exactly. And notice, if one of the trio of Buchholz/Lester/Bowden reach their potential, then the sox would have a killer top 3 which makes the last 2 spots a whole lot less meaningful.

 

Move to the pen.

 

Closer- Papelbon

Set-up- Okajima

7th inning- Delcarmen

 

outside of these three guys, I have Masterson as 3rd on the long term depth chart with Hansen and Lopez (only because he is a loogy) ahead of him. Like I said before, the top 2 spots are filled with proven guys and Masterson's slot even if he pans out totally in the pen, is likely to be that of what Brendan Donnelly had prior to his injury. I know you can never have enough pitching, but when your big time spots are filled, you can afford to part with some.

 

In opposition to this theory is the yankees and Alan Horne. Horne is very similar to Masterson although he seems to be a bit more advanced in terms of his potential as a starter. The Yankees had the opportunity to fix up a big hole in their pen short term with Gagne who at the time was considered to be a wonderful option for the pen. With a guy like Horne and with the yankees aging pitching staff, parting with him is a whole lot more painful. Here's why...

 

Long term, the yankees staff has one proven MLB starter

1. Wang

 

The second guy you can pencil in will be Hughes who looks like he certainly could be a good one, but he is far from a proven commodity. So pencil Wang and Hughes in top 2. Following them would be Chamberlain (if he isnt considered closer to be when mo hangs em up), Kennedy, then Horne. So long term, Horne is in our plans as the #5. There are tons of options behind him like Marquez, Clippard, Wright, Kontos, McCutchen, Sanchez, Garcia, Nova, McCallister, Brackman, Betances, el al, but Horne is more advanced or is flat out better than all of them. Hence, dealing a guy like Horne, who many consider to be a top of the middle tier type pitching prospect, could have had devastating effects on a neophyte rotation.

 

Looking at the pen..

???

Bruney maybe, Britton maybe. Edwar maybe. Henn maybe. Chamberlain maybe. There isnt anything locked in like you guys have. To go along with guys like Cox, Sanchez, Melancon, Robertson and others, you have a very unproven neophyte pen for the future that brims with talent, but does not have the proven major league efficacy that yours does. Hence, for us, dealing a guy with the kind of arsenal and versatility for a half yr rental could really hurt us, even though our minor league pitching depth is far superior.

 

Hence, I think the majority of the guys on this site are correct. Masterson shouldnt have been a breaking point in the Dye negotiations as he isnt as integral to the sox as a a guy who is very similar to him is to the yankees. Team specific is the way you have to look at it.

[das11209]

If Kenny asked for both MDC and this kid along with WMP - that was way too much. But in my opinion Theo should have pulled the trigger if MDC was not involved in the Dye deal and shut Papi down till mid September.

[Rdsxmbnt]

guess he was hurt, he was placed on the 15 Day DL with a strained calf according to soxprospects.

[UC9904]

If this guy falls apart - the Dye trade will be second guessed for a long time.

 

Cut the crap. Masterson is an elite pitching prospect regardless of the fact that he has had TWO--yes, I know two poor performances in a row is unheard of for a prospect--poor starts in a row. Giving up a talent such as Masterson should not be done for a rental...especially since one of Hansen or Delcarmen reportedly would have had to have been involved in the deal as well.

 

Oh, and I'm guessing there's a decent chance that an injury had something to do with it.

[schillingouttheks]

Masterson is an elite pitching prospect already? Dye makes us world series favorites. Prospects are questions; banners are there forever. Now, there are some prospects that I wouldn't trade, but Masterson is probably 4-ish years away from being a major league pitcher. He may not even have a spot in the starting rotation when he's ready. If you can trade Masterson and get a world series in return (or a very good shot at one), it's worth it.

[jacksonianmarch]

Cut the crap. Masterson is an elite pitching prospect regardless of the fact that he has had TWO--yes, I know two poor performances in a row is unheard of for a prospect--poor starts in a row. Giving up a talent such as Masterson should not be done for a rental...especially since one of Hansen or Delcarmen reportedly would have had to have been involved in the deal as well.

 

Oh, and I'm guessing there's a decent chance that an injury had something to do with it.

 

not even close. Masterson is a mid level prospect to start with who started to climb to the upper part of that mid level until he got the s*** kicked out of him. He isnt even close to being an elite prospect. Not even close. Elite to me is top 10 in the entire game, and I dont think you will find too many people who'd have him in the top 50 of all pitching prospects.

[DUSTINMOHR4LIFE]

not even close. Masterson is a mid level prospect to start with who started to climb to the upper part of that mid level until he got the s*** kicked out of him. He isnt even close to being an elite prospect. Not even close. Elite to me is top 10 in the entire game' date=' and I dont think you will find too many people who'd have him in the top 50 of all pitching prospects.[/quote']

 

He is by no means elite, but I would be very suprised to not see him in the Top 50.

[UC9904]

I'm not saying he's an elite pitching prospect in all of baseball (ala Buchholz), but he's certainly one of the elite pitching prospects in the Red Sox system. I was all for making the trade to acquire Jermaine Dye (moreso than Gagne), but it just wasn't worth it at the price of TWO of Masterson, Delcarmen, and Hasen. It's just my opinion, but I have a hard time giving up multiple good young arms for a rental unless the team is absolutely desperate in that area (ex: if there was an injury).

 

And how is Masterson 4 years away? Do your homework buddy.

[CrespoBlows]

I'm not saying he's an elite pitching prospect in all of baseball (ala Buchholz), but he's certainly one of the elite pitching prospects in the Red Sox system. I was all for making the trade to acquire Jermaine Dye (moreso than Gagne), but it just wasn't worth it at the price of TWO of Masterson, Delcarmen, and Hasen. It's just my opinion, but I have a hard time giving up multiple good young arms for a rental unless the team is absolutely desperate in that area (ex: if there was an injury).

 

And how is Masterson 4 years away? Do your homework buddy.

 

He's probably thinking that Masterson will take a little longer to adjust. I personally do not view him as a starter, but more of an elite setup pitcher.

[schillingouttheks]

I'm not saying he's an elite pitching prospect in all of baseball (ala Buchholz), but he's certainly one of the elite pitching prospects in the Red Sox system. I was all for making the trade to acquire Jermaine Dye (moreso than Gagne), but it just wasn't worth it at the price of TWO of Masterson, Delcarmen, and Hasen. It's just my opinion, but I have a hard time giving up multiple good young arms for a rental unless the team is absolutely desperate in that area (ex: if there was an injury).

 

And how is Masterson 4 years away? Do your homework buddy.

 

It was 2 of Delcarmen, Masterson, and Hansen? I thought it was Masterson + WMP, but I'll check that.

 

Like Crespo said, I see him more of a late-inning reliever (like a set-up guy) because of the lack of space in the future rotation. With the young arms we already have that project to occupy slots in the rotation in the next 3 years, I don't see Masterson holding one of them. You can also be sure that the Sox will try to sign at least one big-name FA pitcher in that time frame. So, Masterson may be ready sooner than 4 years from now, but I don't see him having a spot on this team until then.

[BoSox21]

It was 2 of Delcarmen' date=' Masterson, and Hansen? I thought it was Masterson + WMP, but I'll check that.[/quote']

 

yea, it was 2 of those 3. they didnt have any interest in Pena

[schillingouttheks]

yea' date=' it was 2 of those 3. they didnt have any interest in Pena[/quote']

 

Well then, I was way off. My bad.

[ORS]

The Master....

 

[table]Date|IP|H|ER|BB|K

4/3|4.0|3|0|0|3

4/8|5.0|2|0|0|7[/table]

[Rdsxmbnt]

quite the start today for Masterson: 5 IP, 4 hits, 0 ER, 2 BB, 10 K

 

On the season now: 19.0 IP, 14 hits, 2 ER (0.95 ERA), 5 BB, 23 K

[jacksonianmarch]

lets just say, theoretically that MDC reverts to being a hit or miss kind of guy and Timlin gets DFA'd. Do you think Masterson is a potential candidate for middle inning duty near the end of the season? I think he'd be quite potent there.

 

You do know that if the Twins dealt with the sox for Johan that Masterson would have been the heir apparent to Nathan and he'd have been on the block.

[ORS]

Hansen should get an opportunity to help the MRP corps before they mess with Masterson's development as a starter. They've ditched the attempts to clean up Hansen's mechanics and are letting him do what he was doing at St John's. The slider is reportedly back, as is the sink on his FB. The results in Pawtuckett look promising.

 

Why are we supposed to care about what the Twins would have done?

 

EDIT: As for the end of the season, I can certainly see them topping off his innings for the season in the Boston BP when the rosters expand.

[AZBlue]

They've ditched the attempts to clean up Hansen's mechanics and are letting him do what he was doing at St John's.

 

The rumor was that Scott Boras's "pitching experts" tinkered with Hansen's mechanics, not the Boston pitching coaches.

[ORS]

I recall reading that. As you said, it was the "rumor". Whoever initiated it is of little concern to me. What's important is that he's elected to return to what works.