John Lackey to undergo Tommy John surgery

[WhiskeyBreath]

Just reported on NESN.

 

At least he won't be pitching for the Sox next year. This forces the team to go ahead and replace him in the rotation.

[redsoxrules]

Wow... what a waste of money

[Cask N Flagon 76]

Wow let's get a pitcher now things are looking much better that he is out of the rotation.

[User Name]

After announcing it, Cherington mentioned that "buy low" candidates may be used to shore up rotation depth. Color me terrified.

[VA Sox Fan]

Wow! What a great 1st announcement from the new GM! :thumbsup:

 

 

John Lackey to have Tommy John surgery

 

Posted by Matt Pepin, Boston.com Staff October 25, 2011 03:43 PM

 

New Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington said today that pitcher John Lackey will have Tommy John surgery and miss the 2012 season.

 

Lackey had elbow soreness during the season, and recently saw a specialist, Dr. Lewis Yocum.

 

"John Lackey will go ahead and have Tommy John surgery," Cherington said during the news conference at which he was introduced as the successor to Theo Epstein, who has left to become president of baseball operations for the Chicago Cubs.

 

"We look forward to having him as part of our staff, hopefully in 2013," Cherington said.

[a700hitter]

I was hoping they would trade him before the surgery became necessary. Hopefully, there is some insurance on this bum.

[Laser Show]

The Sox rotation is looking like a mess heading into 2012 so far.

 

Lester

Beckett

Buchholz

 

 

Who are realistic options for the 4 and 5 spot? I could see us making a run at Oswalt, and then the 5 is a mystery.. Possibly Kazmir? There was interest in Harden at the end of the year, maybe try to sign him now?

[Divinity]

He's still going to suck when he comes back in 2013

[Trillz808]

Lets just hope Ben doesn't go out and try to fill his rotation spot with another Bedard, keeping my fingers crossed for some good acquisitions in the Starting Rotation

[Cask N Flagon 76]

After announcing it' date=' Cherington mentioned that "buy low" candidates may be used to shore up rotation depth. Color me terrified.[/quote']

 

 

Seriously you are terrified of that?. No disrespect but anyone would be an upgrade to that

fat piece of sh**.

[User Name]

The Sox rotation is looking like a mess heading into 2012 so far.

 

Lester

Beckett

Buchholz

 

 

Who are realistic options for the 4 and 5 spot? I could see us making a run at Oswalt, and then the 5 is a mystery.. Possibly Kazmir?

 

Please please please no Kazmir.

 

Oswalt on a two-year deal doesn't sound too bad. But they need to build rotation depth besides the fifth spot (which may as well be Aceves.)

[User Name]

Seriously you are terrified of that?. No disrespect but anyone would be an upgrade to that

fat piece of sh**.

 

Remember the last time "buy low" candidates were used to shore up the rotation in Penny and Smoltz?

 

How'd that turn out?

[Cask N Flagon 76]

Remember the last time "buy low" candidates were used to shore up the rotation in Penny and Smoltz?

 

How'd that turn out?

 

 

Wow i completely forgot haha. How quickly i tried to forget about that horror show.

[Cask N Flagon 76]

How about an Oswalt or Burehle i think i'm spelling his name wrong oh well.

[WhiskeyBreath]

The Sox rotation is looking like a mess heading into 2012 so far.

 

Lester

Beckett

Buchholz

 

 

Who are realistic options for the 4 and 5 spot? I could see us making a run at Oswalt, and then the 5 is a mystery.. Possibly Kazmir? There was interest in Harden at the end of the year, maybe try to sign him now?

 

Bard

[User Name]

Wow i completely forgot haha. How quickly i tried to forget about that horror show.

 

The Yankees struck gold by looking for C-grade arms that were actually healthy and caught lightning in a bottle with a couple of 'em.

 

The Sox could do the same, but no retreads or guys with attitude problems.

[Trillz808]

Bring back Pedro hahahah all joking aside... the outcome of all these buy low players have ended up biting us in our ass just about everytime so i hope that Ben finds a better way to fill the rotation spot then buying low

[jung]

I actually found it interesting that Cherington said that the Sox already have their 1-2-3 starters and surely Aceves or Bard moves to the rotation presuming they do sign Paps.

 

I have agreed with those that have posted here that they actually have three 2's which makes for a very strong core of starting pitchers. However none of them proved to be a stopper for this team and i have contended that your number 1 guy most at least have that capability. Beckett is in transition to the back half of his career, Lester is in transition to the beginning of best part of his career but this was the year he was EXPECTED to step up for the first time. That is not the same as pitching without the pressure of expectation. Buchholtz is a shade behind Lester but none were stoppers. Given how important starting pitching is and given Cherington's comments about taking some buy low gambles, it sounds to me like somebody like Volquez is were they might go and take a gamble there and try to take advantage of his upside. That might at least get them to 2013 when it might again make sense to go after a big name FA SP.

 

I think much depends on this manager choice and who gets the job as pitching coach. While the Sox have 3 really good starters they are all in some form of transition, Beckett and Lackey career based, Buckholtz coming off injury....I would love to see a pitching coach that can help them through these transitions successfully.

[User Name]

I apologize but this is a very big pet peeve of mine: It's not BucholTz, it's Bucholz.

 

Anyways, i disagree with the notion that Lester is not an ace. He hasn't even reached the ceiling of what he can do. I will concede though that the lack of discipline he (and all of them showed) last year may give people pause about calling him an ace, but this year was most likely just a bump in the road for his rise towards the elite.

 

Remember he is just entering his prime.

[boston22407]

He's still going to suck when he comes back in 2013

 

The keys is he wont be around the team and by then they will trade him

[WhiskeyBreath]

I apologize but this is a very big pet peeve of mine: It's not BucholTz' date=' it's [b']Bucholz.[/b]

 

Anyways, i disagree with the notion that Lester is not an ace. He hasn't even reached the ceiling of what he can do. I will concede though that the lack of discipline he (and all of them showed) last year may give people pause about calling him an ace, but this year was most likely just a bump in the road for his rise towards the elite.

 

Remember he is just entering his prime.

 

It's actually Buchholz.

[Laser Show]

I'd like to see a blockbuster trade go down. We absolutely need a SP with a proven track record who will step up and anchor the rotation. Someone in the mold of CC, Felix, and Verlander that produces QS after QS and just eats innings. We have plenty of offense and I could see trying to trade a bat and and some of the blocked minor leaguers.

 

However, I have no idea who is available out there.

[a700hitter]

Fangraphs will show that he is better than many pitchers in 2012.

 

I would like to see Bard starting in 2012. They need to add a starter from outside the organization. I wouldn't be opposed to the notion or Pedro coming back for one last go round. Sign him cheap with incentives. Let him get in shape for ST and let's see what he's got.

[jung]

Actually I should have said this was the year Lester was expected to step past Beckett which is a little different from stepping up. At any rate, that did not happen in 2011 either. I actually think both Beckett and Lester qualify as "Aces" but if the term is meant to imply a single guy, then it would be hard to anoint Lester as the guy based on Beckett's 2011 and Lester's 2011.

 

Maybe the pitching coach can make a difference in that regard. Since he has seemed to pitch better without the pressure of being the supposed number 1 if they are both healthy it might make sense to have Beckett start game 1 of the 2012 season and let Lester work his way past Beckett without being saddled with that expectation from day one of the 2012 season. Expectation seems to be the one thing Lester did not handle well in 2011 and he is certainly young enough that starting 2012 "behind" Beckett and working past him over the course of 2012 would not seem that big a deal.

 

I would not do that however if Lester pitched really well in the spring as if that happens the Sox will have to acknowledge that I would think.

[BigPapiEnFuego]

hell yes. this is awesome. maybe the doctor can reattach the ligament sideways and we never have to see him again

[jung]

It's actually Buchholz.

 

Its my error not Users. I grew up with a Buchholtz and I have never been able to get the name outta' my head seeing it on a mailbox for 15 years.

 

However, I have no idea who is available out there.

 

2013 has a much better stock of FA SP to play with than 2012. Waiting one year might not be the worse thing for them so that might be a Godsend. CJ Wilson is the accepted top of the 2012 FA SP heap.

[Dojji]

Lets just hope Ben doesn't go out and try to fill his rotation spot with another Bedard' date=' keeping my fingers crossed for some good acquisitions in the Starting Rotation[/quote']

 

Not really anything wrong with Bedard. I don't think anyone thought he was a guy who would go deep into games for us.

 

I would bring Bedard back if the money makes sense. I don't think we want to turn over the entire rotation this year, since I honestly think that rotation had the talent to contend in the first place.

 

Lester

Beckett

Buchholz

Bedard

 

That's actually a really good starting spot for a turnaround team, if you forget about 2007 Bedard and focus on what post-elbow-injuries Bedard can do for you.

[Laser Show]

Not really anything wrong with Bedard. I don't think anyone thought he was a guy who would go deep into games for us.

 

I would bring Bedard back if the money makes sense. I don't think we want to turn over the entire rotation this year, since I honestly think that rotation had the talent to contend in the first place.

 

Lester

Beckett

Buchholz

Bedard

 

That's actually a really good starting spot for a turnaround team, if you forget about 2007 Bedard and focus on what post-elbow-injuries Bedard can do for you.

 

Bedard as the #5 sounds reasonable. I just stand by my thinking that we NEED a #1 that can pitch 225 quality innings.

[Dojji]

I just stand by my thinking that we NEED a #1 that can pitch 225 quality innings.

 

Good luck finding one of those.

[mvp 78]

Bedard as the #5 sounds reasonable. I just stand by my thinking that we NEED a #1 that can pitch 225 quality innings.

 

It's a need for every team. They don't grow on trees. Lester would be a #1 for half the league. A rotation of Lester/Buch/Becks/Bedard/Bard or Aceves would still be towards the top of the league. Remember, DiceK could end up being a serviceable fill in down the stretch.