Lucchino says sox looking for pitching

[jacksonianmarch]

Just heard him say it on WEEI. The question was based upon an article written by Nick Cafardo talking about the sox state of affairs after their 1-2 combo of Beckett and Lester. Lucchino agreed, saying that the sox are looking for pitching upgrades, especially in the wake of Timmy going to the DL. He also said that the Blue Jays are absolutely reluctant to deal Halladay in division and that their asking price to do so is significantly higher than it is for teams outside the division.

 

Just food for thought on the Cafardo article.

 

Outside of Beckett and Lester, here are the sox rotation numbers....

 

56GS 313IP 371H 179ER 107BB 216K 5.15ERA 1.53WHIP and a 6.2K/9IP

 

He uses the ERA as a figure and then subtracts out Wakefield, which brings that ERA closer to 6. Regardless, the stats have confounders, like DiceK's early performance, but they also include Masterson's efforts which lower the above numbers significantly.

[jacksonianmarch]

I think this becomes even more relevant now. You have Buchholz in your rotation feeling his way along and you have Smoltz sucking ass. Penny is now your #3 starter behind your two studs in Beckett and Lester. If the sox are not 100% sure that DiceK can come back and be vintage, they need to go out and acquire a starter

[Dojji]

Or we can just wait for Wakefield to return, let Buchholz come along at his own pace, cut bait with "Smoltzy" (great idea, there, too bad it didn't work!) and bring in Bowden or Tazawa

[TheKilo]

Not ready to cut bait on Smoltz yet. His peripheral numbers are still pretty good. It's been one or two innings that did him in a la Lester earlier in the year.

 

Today was the first day that you could say he got rocked.

 

I think they give him 2-3 more starts to figure it out.

[Dojji]

That puts us dang close to the playoff eligibility deadline and past the trading deadline. I'm not sure that if you "gave Smoltz 2 or 3 more starts" you'd have time to acquire and evaluate a new option properly unless you did it now.

[jacksonianmarch]

I doubt the sox let Buchholz feel his way along. If he doesnt light it up through the next few starts, I bet he goes down

[Dojji]

There isn't much more for Buchholz to learn in the minors. At this point, he is what he is as a big leaguer and any further development is going to take place on the big stage.

 

As much as I'm not very high on the guy, it makes sense to make sure Buchholz is on the roster on the 31st of August this year. Lord knows I've been wrong about guys before and I would love for a few of those mistakes to be pleasant for once.

[TheKilo]

That puts us dang close to the playoff eligibility deadline and past the trading deadline. I'm not sure that if you "gave Smoltz 2 or 3 more starts" you'd have time to acquire and evaluate a new option properly unless you did it now.

 

Playoff eligibility is September 1 IIRC.

 

Two more starts brings him to the middle of next week.

 

Smoltz wouldn't be starting a playoff game right now, anyway.

[jacksonianmarch]

Dojji, he breaks camp with Boston if he is still in the sox org next yr. That is both given and necessary due to option status. But I sincerely doubt the sox will continue to throw him out there in a playoff race that they are currently losing if he isnt throwing gems. It hurts his confidence and stock and also hurts the team performance which is critical at a time like this. Maybe they keep him in Boston and use him as a long reliever. Maybe he is their spot starter. But I doubt the sox keep him out there if he isnt going 5+ innings and giving their suddenly anemic offense a chance to win.

[Dojji]

Actually true, Kilo, if only because the team loves to run Wakefield out there for game 4 of the ALCS even though he's sucked in the playoffs since 2003.

 

At this point it's either Smoltz or Wakefield to pitch Game 4 of the ALCS. With Penny as the #3. All I can say is that if we don't improve our rotation at least a little, Smoltz had better pitch better because I don't think I can stand another Wakefield playoff start.

[TheKilo]

I disagree, it's Penny #3 and Buchholz 4 unless Buch implodes.

 

I'll bet Buchholz is the #3 by the end of the year.

[Dojji]

Dojji' date=' he breaks camp with Boston if he is still in the sox org next yr. That is both given and necessary due to option status. But I sincerely doubt the sox will continue to throw him out there in a playoff race that they are currently losing if he isnt throwing gems. It hurts his confidence and stock and also hurts the team performance which is critical at a time like this. Maybe they keep him in Boston and use him as a long reliever. Maybe he is their spot starter. But I doubt the sox keep him out there if he isnt going 5+ innings and giving their suddenly anemic offense a chance to win.[/quote']

 

Last I checked, it's only the divisional race the Sox are losing. They're still fine for the playoffs.

 

You're going to have to go through a rough patch or two and be patient with it if you want to see a young player thrive. the question of when to cut bait on a talented but underperforming youngster is one that has burnt more than one organization. persoally I think the only thing you'd be doing by sending Buchholz back to Pawtucket at any point for the rest of the year is marking time until Smoltz's and Penny's contracts expire. I don't think that's in any way productive if he might break out at any time in those 2 months.

 

In 2007 the Red sox benefitted from having Jon Lester on the playoff roster even when he didn't necessarily need to be there (the team burned its last option on Lester that year and could have sent him down at anytime) and that was before Lester came into his own and he was still pitching 5 inning games.

 

Believe me, if I have to choose between a Wakefield start, this version of Smoltz, and Buchholz, I know where my choice lies. And I don't even like Buchholz that much.

[Dojji]

I disagree, it's Penny #3 and Buchholz 4 unless Buch implodes.

 

I'll bet Buchholz is the #3 by the end of the year.

 

We'll see. I wouldn't half love it if you were right, and it's about time. If that kid matures like Lester did and those 96 MPH radar readings go from occasional to common, he's going to be lethal.

 

But he's not there yet,

[TheKilo]

We'll see. I wouldn't half love it if you were right, and it's about time. If that kid matures like Lester did and those 96 MPH radar readings go from occasional to common, he's going to be lethal.

 

But he's not there yet,

 

No he's not, but he needs to learn at the big league level.

 

Unfortunately, this season won't allow him to be the #5 and learn on the job as he will be counted on to do a lot more.

[jacksonianmarch]

You are right, the sox are up by 2.5 games in the wild card. But they were 5.5 games up on a playoff spot when the ASB struck, so it isnt just the yankees who are gaining on them.

[TheKilo]

You are right' date=' the sox are up by 2.5 games in the wild card. But they were 5.5 games up on a playoff spot when the ASB struck, so it isnt just the yankees who are gaining on them.[/quote']

 

The sweep in Texas might have had something to do with that.

[Dojji]

And two weeks before that, it was the Yankees in exactly the same spot. It's been back and forth. Color me extremely not worried.

[jacksonianmarch]

it did absolutely. But they did get swept by Texas, a team who looks like they are gonna stay in this thing for awhile.

[jacksonianmarch]

And two weeks before that' date=' it was the Yankees in exactly the same spot. It's been back and forth. Color me extremely not worried.[/quote']

 

The yankees have had droughts, that much is for sure. And they will have another one, that much is for sure also. I just think that their droughts will be minimal due to the pitching that is coming through the pipe and the fact that 3 of our pitchers have a long history of being second half performers.

[TheKilo]

it did absolutely. But they did get swept by Texas' date=' a team who looks like they are gonna stay in this thing for awhile.[/quote']

 

Color me doubtful on that.

 

It's Millwood, Feldman, and a whole bunch of nothing in that rotation. Not enough strikeout guys in that ballpark.

[TheKilo]

The yankees have had droughts' date=' that much is for sure. And they will have another one, that much is for sure also. I just think that their droughts will be [b']minimal due to the pitching that is coming through the pipe[/b] and the fact that 3 of our pitchers have a long history of being second half performers.

 

Who?

[jacksonianmarch]

I meant with the pitching that we currently have and the expected improvements over first half performances. With CC, Burnett and Pettitte all being guys with historically better second halves, I think we are in a good spot from a starting pitching perspective. I didnt mean to imply that we had a hot shot rookie pitching coming up. Cause we dont.

[SoxSport]

I think what Lucchino said makes sense. It's about pitching. Always has been vs the Yankees. The latest scuttle is Lee/VMart. Maybe an easier hill to climb than Halladay. Though they have to make sure the Yankees don't get Halladay. That just negates anything they do in pitching.