2009 Pawsox

[Rdsxmbnt]

Decent start for Buchholz today:

 

9.0 IP, 1 hit, 0 ER, 0 BB, 7 K (perfect game broken up in the 9th)

 

EDIT: Also hit 97 a half-dozen or so times

[Teddyballgame10]

Decent start?

[BoSox21]

thats absolutely ridiculous

[diony]

lol

[BoSox21]

he threw only 96 pitches, 70 of which were strikes....and he's #7 on our pitching depth chart right now

[a700hitter]

He can have Wakefield's spot. That's the only spot available for him. Make Wakefield the Trainer.

[BoSox21]

I was thinking about this when walking my dog earlier and im all for giving Wakefield like a month off in July for either Smoltz or Buchholz. But I still see a trade coming. You cant even put anyone in the bullpen cause their stacked as well...if only Ortiz was even a shell of his former self right now....

[Dipre]

Either Clay or Bowden will end up forcing the FO's hand.

 

Bucholz looks like he has nothing left to prove in the minors.

[Cocos Disciples]

Pretty solid outing.

 

Now has a 1.30 ERA, 0.75 WHIP, 4.08 K/BB, 9.12 K/9.

[jacksonianmarch]

Either Clay or Bowden will end up forcing the FO's hand.

 

Bucholz looks like he has nothing left to prove in the minors.

 

I thought about that for a bit. I was actually on the same page initially. But now that I think about it, how can they force their hand? The Sox have both Bowden and Buch on the 40 man. Buch has had 3 options used. He needs to be in the MLB full time next yr, just in time for that #5 slot to open. Bowden has used 2 options and can be optioned again in 2010. Lets say the sox give Buch the slot in 2010 and they give Bowden the slot in 2011 after letting Wake walk, that would fit in with their plans. The sox actually dont have a lot in terms of MLB ready SP depth past the big 3. They actually dont have anything significant between Bowden and Hagadone/Kelly. That may have been by design over the last few yrs.

[example1]

Buchholz got up to 97 and had only one three ball count. Please be able to do that (throw strikes) in Boston, Clay.

 

The sox actually dont have a lot in terms of MLB ready SP depth past the big 3. They actually dont have anything significant between Bowden and Hagadone/Kelly. That may have been by design over the last few yrs.

 

I don't know if this was exactly their plan, but in terms of young MLB caliber pitching the Sox have really out-done themselves.

 

Kelly- 19 (project)

Bowden, Tazawa- 22

Hagadone, Bard- 23

Buchholz, Masterson- 24

Lester- 25

 

There are still 4 guys there who really should be MLB contributers as pitchers in the near future (Bowden, Tazawa, Hagadone and Buchholz) and the Sox already have a great staff.

 

 

 

I have no clue how the Sox will ultimately integrate Buchholz into the rotation, but it needs to happen this year. Here's a guy who has already tossed a no-no, almost pitched a perfect game today, and who has been striking out more than 1 per IP in the majors even when he struggles. Until Bowden is pitching no-nos and absolutely dominating the competition, there is no real hurry to get himself, Hagadone or Tazawa into the 'bigs. The club is just that good.

 

If Buchholz is blocked though, then the Sox may need to make a move to clear up some space.

[jacksonianmarch]

I think the sox are doing what the yankees hoped to do with Hughes. Leave him in AAA no matter how awesome he was doing. Remember, they tinkered with Buch last yr and it showed in his production. Now, he's just killing teams, but it could easily go awry on him. Remember, he wasnt the toughest kid in the bunch. I honestly think they got Penny and Smoltz to buy one extra yr on him. Take the pressure off. And its working. There isnt a need for him to go to the bigs this yr, especially since Masterson could easily swing right back into the starting role.

[ORS]

Kelly- 19 (project)

Bowden, Tazawa- 22

Hagadone, Bard- 23

Buchholz, Masterson- 24

Lester- 25

 

There are still 4 guys there who really should be MLB contributers as pitchers in the near future (Bowden, Tazawa, Hagadone and Buchholz) and the Sox already have a great staff.

Doubront belongs in this group right now too. People forgot about him after his rough 2007, but he recovered in 2008. In 129.1 IP, he struck out 138, only walked 28, and gave up 10 homers, which is good for a FIP of 2.72.

 

He reportedly showed up to camp this year with a couple of extra mph on his FB, and he's only 21 in AA. This year he's struck out 39, walked 15, and given up 3 homers in 37.2 IP, which is a FIP of 3.36.

[Rdsxmbnt]

Bowden really starting to put the whole package together. For a while he was working on his slider so the results were a little lackluster, but over the 12 day all-star break for him he supposedly worked on some stuff out of the pen and has come back extremely strong. Last three starts:

5.0 IP, 0 hits, 0 ER, 4 BB, 5 K

7.0 IP, 4 hits, 2 ER, 0 BB, 5 K

7.0 IP, 6 hits, 1 ER, 0 BB, 6 K

 

19.0 IP, 10 hits, 2 HRA, 4 BB, 16 K, 1.42 ERA. Shame that there is no room in the rotation because he's a MLB ready SP