Back end of the Rotation

[SoxSport]

The Yankees still have Millwood in the wings. They'll need somebody by mid-season, and are probably scouring the poor teams right now for a salary dump. The Red Sox are stuck on square 1 unless they can unload Lackey or Dice-K. They should be able to deal Dice-K back to Japan--where he probably wants to be.

[italstallianion]

If only we could trade Dice-K to Japan for some young talent.

[WellBefore2004]

The Yankees still have Millwood in the wings. They'll need somebody by mid-season' date=' and are probably scouring the poor teams right now for a salary dump. The Red Sox are stuck on square 1 unless they can unload Lackey or Dice-K. They should be able to deal Dice-K back to Japan--where he probably wants to be.[/quote']

 

Millwood opted out a week or two ago.

[boston22407]

Reliever Michael Bowden, who had spent the season in Triple-A Pawtucket, has joined the Red Sox. With Daisuke Matsuzaka likely headed to the disabled list following an MRI on his right elbow on Tuesday, Bowden will give the Sox bullpen depth at a time when Tim Wakefield will be starting and Alfredo Aceves will likely also join the rotation.

 

Bowden was pitching quite well out of the bullpen for the PawSox, with a 1.59 ERA, 28 strikeouts and just four walks in 22 2/3 innings spanning 14 appearances. He has held right-handed hitters to an .091 average; lefties are hitting .370 against him. A roster move has not yet been made to add him to the 25-man roster, with the Sox likely awaiting the start of Tuesday's game (on a rainy evening) to announce the move officially.

 

Bowden attributed his success this year to confidence and his comfort with coming out of the bullpen. The 2005 first-rounder is working exclusively as a reliever this year for the first time in his career.

[italstallianion]

lol who knew that a right elbow can get rid of two of our worst starters? Maybe JD Drew should get some vertigo again.

[SoxFanForsyth]

Unbelievably, because of the rainout last night, Lackey will miss only ONE start during his DL stint.

 

He was placed on the DL retroactive to 5/11, meaning he will be off of the DL on the 25th or 26th. Due to last night's start being skipped because of rain, his next scheduled start would have been on 5/22, and the following start on 5/27.

 

Assuming Lackey comes back when eligible, this could be the best case scenario. If he goes back to being the 4.00 ERA Lackey that he was during the 2nd half of the season last season, this could be a huge boost for us.

 

Also - two random thoughts - 1. I am excited to see what Aceves can do in the rotation, and am curious as to what the Red Sox do if Aceves comes out and throws 3 games at a 2.50 or 3.00 ERA. And 2. I bet if Lackey was going to miss more than 1 start, that they would bring up Andrew Miller, but it's not worth an option for 1 start.

[Palodios]

One note on Wakefield

 

You've got to be * kidding me. After spending a small * fortune on Cubs tickets, I get to see * Wakefield get * light up by a * NL * Central team? What the * is this team thinking? This is a * disservice to the fans, and this team should be * ashamed of its * self. I'm tired of this * team throwing away * games out of * loyalty to a * who throws * 60 * mph

 

Words not suitable for small children replace by an asterix.

[a700hitter]

One note on Wakefield

 

You've got to be * kidding me. After spending a small * fortune on Cubs tickets, I get to see * Wakefield get * light up by a * NL * Central team? What the * is this team thinking? This is a * disservice to the fans, and this team should be * ashamed of its * self. I'm tired of this * team throwing away * games out of * loyalty to a * who throws * 60 * mph

 

Words not suitable for small children replace by an asterix.

I can sympathize with you. Over the last several years it seems like every time we make a weekend trip to Boston we would always see Wakefield in one of the games. It would piss us off. One time Wakefield hit some longevity milestone, I told my son that it was my fear that we would see Wakefield going for his 300 win when he old 65 yrs old and Mirabelli would be chasing 200 HRs at the same time. LOL! I feel your pain, and I agree that rolling him out to start for this team is an embarrassment. I'd rather see Oil Can Boyd pitch.

[WhiskeyBreath]

It's a pipe dream but maybe the Twins sell low on Liriano.

 

http://img200.imageshack.us/img200/8328/15fmavr.gif

[Jasonbay44]

I dont think this is thread worthy, so Ill just post it here. Sox signed Kevin Millwood

 

Red Sox signed RHP Kevin Millwood to a minor league contract.

Millwood opted out of his minor league deal with the Yankees in early April after posting a 4.50 ERA and 10/6 K/BB ratio in three minor league starts. The 36-year-old right-hander had a poor showing in 2010 with the Orioles and will struggle to climb his way to the majors with Boston.

 

-Rotoworld

[SoxSport]

I was surprised the Yankees didn't bring him up. Unless Hughes comes back big or they make a trade, they might have trouble making the playoffs with that rotation. The bulk of their early season games have been at home.

[SoxSport]

It's a pipe dream but maybe the Twins sell low on Liriano.

 

http://img200.imageshack.us/img200/8328/15fmavr.gif

 

I wonder if they would deal Liriano to the East. I doubt it. Besides, he's pitched well two games in a row.

[SoxSport]

One note on Wakefield

 

You've got to be * kidding me. After spending a small * fortune on Cubs tickets, I get to see * Wakefield get * light up by a * NL * Central team? What the * is this team thinking? This is a * disservice to the fans, and this team should be * ashamed of its * self. I'm tired of this * team throwing away * games out of * loyalty to a * who throws * 60 * mph

 

Words not suitable for small children replace by an asterix.

 

Another note on Wake: Often overlooked is the need for a caddy for him deprived the Red Sox of developing a real successor to Tek over the years. A negative for Wakefield that has hurt the Red Sox.

[BigPapiEnFuego]

The Red Sox have traded for LHP Franklin Morales from the Rockies for a PTBNL. Okajima has been DFA

[Station 13]

The Red Sox have traded for LHP Franklin Morales from the Rockies for a PTBNL. Okajima has been DFA

 

Link??

[BigPapiEnFuego]

Just type his name in google, it's all over it

[boston22407]

Link??

 

http://rotoworld.com/player/mlb/4527/franklin-morales

[SoxFanForsyth]

Franklin Morales - Hard throwing lefty, FB sits at 94-96. Curveball around 76-77. Change up at around 82-83. Young guy, only 25 years old right now.

 

Good splits, LHH hit .177 against him, RHH hit .265 (hitting .172 this year). Solid lefty to go along with Hill in the bullpen.

[BigPapiEnFuego]

He also has experience as a starter, so that is a plus.

[Dojji]

He's one of the guys we mauled back in 07.

[Station 13]

Might as well try something else. Okajima wasn't coming in close games anyway. He last threw over a week ago. We've play tight games in that stretch.

[Scottish Red Sox Fan]

I do see the back end of the rotation as a problem area for the Red Sox.

 

I have never been a fan of Dice-K, it was a total sin the amount of money we wasted to get that guy. One of Theo Epstein's worst moves as Red Sox GM. I also wasn't overly excited by the move to bring in John Lackey, I didn't think it represented good value for money, and unfortunately I would say my scepticism has been well founded so far. I really feel there was an element of 'We didn't get Johan Santana or Roy Halladay so we'll bring in another big name pitcher to appease the fans' about the Lackey deal. The problem with this is that Lackey is nowhere near the pitcher Halladay is and is nowhere near the pitcher Santana was at the time he was available for trade.

 

Both Lackey and Dice-K are tied to huge contracts that no other team is going to take off our hands so we really have to get on with it and make the best of the situation unfortunately. We can only hope that John Lackey can get his act together and recapture some of his Angels form. As for Dice-K, I'd put him down to Pawtucket until such time as he can prove that he can stay healthy for a length of time and also that he can pitch well consistently. While he's at AAA we'd have to muddle through with some sort of platooning of Wakefield/Bowden/Doubront. That's the road I'd like to see us go down anyway.

[Dojji]

Aceves with six solid today. Glad we stole him from NYY -- we might have a winner here. If Ace and Wake can nail down the bottom of the rotation we might just want to try and do without Lackey.

[snydersminipretzels]

I wouldn't mind seeing the Red Sox take a run at Edwin Jackson.

[Palodios]

The Red Sox aren't going to give up on Lackey. He's just too damn good to pitch like he has in 2011.

[v2freak]

I don't think Wake is a terrible 5th option. It wasn't too long ago that he was an all-star and had 16 wins. Aceves seems to be doing alright as well. If he can give the Sox 6 innings, 2 ER which is what they hoped for out of Brad Penny, the rotation should be fine. Although I do like the idea of Derek Lowe returning and Aceves moving back to the LRP position

[Emmz]

He's simply not capable of pitching effectively against competent teams anymore. He's out of gas, he needs to retire. Whether it was a short or long time ago that he was winning games is irrelevant when it's that visible that you have nothing left in the tank. Putting Wake as the 5th starter would hurt this team a lot.

[Emmz]

The Red Sox aren't going to give up on Lackey. He's just too damn good to pitch like he has in 2011.

 

And 2010.

 

I like Lackey, but he's always been overrated. He's always been just a solid pitcher who was good for an upper-3 to lower-4 ERA. I think he can get back to there, maybe, but it's taking almost a year and a half now. They overpaid for what he was actually capable of, and they're getting less.

[Palodios]

And 2010.

 

I like Lackey, but he's always been overrated. He's always been just a solid pitcher who was good for an upper-3 to lower-4 ERA. I think he can get back to there, maybe, but it's taking almost a year and a half now. They overpaid for what he was actually capable of, and they're getting less.

 

In 2010, he pitched to career averages from June onwards, and ended with a WAR of 4.0, as a top 14 valuable pitcher in the AL, and a model of consistency. For some reason this gets ignored, and he gets s*** on because he is who he is. You were the one who was bringing up sabermetic monetary values, in 2010, he was worth 15.9 million.

[a700hitter]

I don't think Wake is a terrible 5th option. It wasn't too long ago that he was an all-star and had 16 wins. Aceves seems to be doing alright as well. If he can give the Sox 6 innings' date=' 2 ER which is what they hoped for out of Brad Penny, the rotation should be fine. Although I do like the idea of Derek Lowe returning and Aceves moving back to the LRP position[/quote']Wake is not a good option.