Dice K's 2012 Contribution

[BSN07]

I think he'll get around 8-10 starts. Come back in the 2nd half. Probably take quite a few late-season starts from Bard so he's not worn out by October.

 

That's about as optomistic a view as you can get. He had surgery in mid-June. So that's his 12 month mark. Dice-K has never shown the ability to pitch with discomfort, so I doubt very much he will be ready at the earliest pitchers are expected back from TJS. I think he will be lucky to be in the Majors by September.

 

IMO he makes a cameo in September, if the Sox are in the playoffs maybe just maybe makes an appearence then leaves for the West coast on a one year rebuilding value deal to the Dodgers, Giants or Padres.

[seabeachfred]

Let's assume Dice K is ready to pitch in July or August. I wonder if BV's experience as a manager overseas working with Japanese pitchers might see him handle the guy a little differently than he was handled before. I mean Valentine dealt with players in Japan; perhaps he has a take on things that would get the best he could out of Matsuzaka. We sure as hell haven't gotten much out of him the last three years.

[a700hitter]

Let's assume Dice K is ready to pitch in July or August. I wonder if BV's experience as a manager overseas working with Japanese pitchers might see him handle the guy a little differently than he was handled before. I mean Valentine dealt with players in Japan; perhaps he has a take on things that would get the best he could out of Matsuzaka. We sure as hell haven't gotten much out of him the last three years.

He'll be able to cuss him in Japanese after he walks the bases loaded.

[Spudboy]

The idea of this turd pitching again at Fenway has nauseated me. I will make a promise to the entire Rogue State that if Rice-K returns to Boston, I will pay Tanya Harding to greet him at Logan with a 44 once Louisville Slugger to the knees.

 

f*** him and the rickshaw he rode in on. Let him rot in Fort Meyers.

[BSN07]

The idea of this turd pitching again at Fenway has nauseated me. I will make a promise to the entire Rogue State that if Rice-K returns to Boston, I will pay Tanya Harding to greet him at Logan with a 44 once Louisville Slugger to the knees.

 

f*** him and the rickshaw he rode in on. Let him rot in Fort Meyers.

 

I feel almost the same as you. I don't like him and his whole deal. And I would not be upset to never see him pitch for the Red Sox again. But he was not a total bust. The last couple years have been awful. His first two where good and one came with a Championship. So I try not to loathe the guy He's 3rd on my list of Sox players I can't stand at the moment.

[RedSoxNC84]

I still believe he'd be an effective reliever, maybe even a decent swingman.. That remains to be seen however. I can see him getting a deal with another team for a BP spot maybe.

[Elktonnick]

I still believe he'd be an effective reliever' date=' maybe even a decent swingman.. That remains to be seen however. I can see him getting a deal with another team for a BP spot maybe.[/quote']

 

In my opinion Dice-K's pride would never allow him to accept a BP role. He'll go back to Japan first.

[RedSoxNC84]

In my opinion Dice-K's pride would never allow him to accept a BP role. He'll go back to Japan first.

 

Who knows, maybe he will get a major league deal from some team to start. Plenty of teams do need a rotation spot filled. I can't really see him getting the same kind of deal he got from the Sox to start with however.

[SoxSport]

I think he goes back to Japan at the end of his contract. And I doubt he will be much effective before then.

[RedSoxFan84]

I'm no expert on Dice-K, but I honestly just don't like the guy. He seems kind of stuck-up and thinks that he's above everyone else or something. Am I wrong there? I hate his contract and I don't see him doing much in 2012, regardless of when he comes back. In all honesty, I'd be over the moon if we could trade this guy for spare parts or he goes back to Japan.

[10aeinhorn]

I feel almost the same as you. I don't like him and his whole deal. And I would not be upset to never see him pitch for the Red Sox again. But he was not a total bust. The last couple years have been awful. His first two where good and one came with a Championship. So I try not to loathe the guy He's 3rd on my list of Sox players I can't stand at the moment.

 

can i ask about the other 2 guys in front of him that you hate?

[RedSoxNC84]

I still think he'd have some suitors, but I can't see him sticking around unless he swallows his pride and lets a team take a flier on him or something. Either that or he goes back to Japan to pitch, which may even be the best for him.

[ORS]

First rehab start tonight in Salem. Rough outing giving up 2 HR to A ball hitters, but he pitched 4 frames on 57 pitches / 40 strikes, with no walks, which is encouraging.

[Palodios]

Every now and then, Dice-k pitches lots of strikes during a game. No coincidence, batters hit a ton of home runs off him during those games too.

[mvp 78]

The fact that he is even appearing in A ball is very encouraging. Results don't matter at this point as long as he's getting healthier.

[scsoxsfan]

http://boston.sbnation.com/2012/4/20/2962746/boston-red-sox-news-2012-daisuke-matsuzaka-injury-update-rehab-assignment-tommy-john

 

By what this is saying we might get starts but limited pitches. We will see how things pan out. Hopefully in a good way cause we need some good luck on or side for once.

[ORS]

http://boston.sbnation.com/2012/4/20/2962746/boston-red-sox-news-2012-daisuke-matsuzaka-injury-update-rehab-assignment-tommy-john

 

By what this is saying we might get starts but limited pitches. We will see how things pan out. Hopefully in a good way cause we need some good luck on or side for once.

The pitch count in the article is referring to his outing last night. It will build up from there.

[Station 13]

If Buchholz keeps putting up s*** starts, boot him back to the minors or the pen. He's got 4 weeks to get his act together before Dice-K either boot Bard out or Buchholz.

[MANNYHOF24]

DiceK will pitch in Portland on Saturday 1PM... I really want to go see it, tickets are like 6 dollars.

[a700hitter]

DiceK will pitch in Portland on Saturday 1PM... I really want to go see it' date=' tickets are like 6 dollars.[/quote']That sounds like fun. You can give us a first hand report.

[Dojji]

If he's back by early June, that could create the excuse to send Bard back to the pen.

 

Considering that we don't want to completely trash Bard's innings cap, that doesn't seem like a horrible time to do it. Bard has the innings cap to pitch about 100 innings this year, so if you get 60 in the rotation and 40 out of the pen the rest of the way, that wouldn't be awful.

[MANNYHOF24]

If he's back by early June, that could create the excuse to send Bard back to the pen.

 

Considering that we don't want to completely trash Bard's innings cap, that doesn't seem like a horrible time to do it. Bard has the innings cap to pitch about 100 innings this year, so if you get 60 in the rotation and 40 out of the pen the rest of the way, that wouldn't be awful.

 

I have no where seen that they are going to cap Bard at 100 innings. I would think he could go 140-160.

[ORS]

I have no where seen that they are going to cap Bard at 100 innings. I would think he could go 140-160.

I agree, which means they are going to have some serious decision making to do come early June. The 30-day clock for a pitcher's rehab stint is now clicking for Matsuzaka, so they'll need to make a decision by that time. When Matsuzaka returns, someone will need to be either sent down or to the BP.

 

Bard is stretched out to start now. If he stays in the BP at this time, they risk injury and/or time without him to try and stretch him out later in the year for more starting in the second half. This is why it makes no sense to do that now. I say this while recognizing that his need in the BP is greatest right now, with Bailey returning after the all-star break and Hill returning in the near future. They are kind of between a rock and a hard place. If they trash the idea of him starting this year, they need to restart the process all over next year, with the same limitation on innings cap. I don't think this is a good course of action if the overall goal is to turn him into a starting pitcher they can turn loose for 32 starts a year.

 

I think they should see what happens with Doubront/Bard/Buchholz over their next handful of starts and make a decision from there. I think the best course of action is to let the top 2 stay in the rotation, send the low man on the totem pole down to Pawtucket to continue starting and work on any lingering performance issues (looking at you Buchholz, right now), and then bring that person back to the rotation when Bard hits his limit as a starting pitcher, moving Bard into the BP to finish the year.

[SoxSport]

Buchholz is an example of a pitcher who has been overly pampered by the Red Sox.

[redsoxbeatz]

Can't wait to see all the hundreds of millions of dollars on the BoSox DL finally return to the active lineup! And it'll all happen around the same time (if Jacoby returns on schedule.)

[Spitball]

DiceK will pitch in Portland on Saturday 1PM... I really want to go see it' date=' tickets are like 6 dollars.[/quote']

 

I'm jealous. I love Hadlock Field. The place should be packed on Saturday so you might want to get tickets ahead of time. It looks like he will make another start the following Thursday but might be at Pawtucket.

 

Also, if he is still with Trenton on Monday, Andy Pettitte should be their pitcher.

 

Back in 1991 when Fernando Valenzuela was making a minor league tune-up in Little Rock, I took my son to the game. It was standing room only, and they actually put fans on the field.

[MANNYHOF24]

I agree, which means they are going to have some serious decision making to do come early June. The 30-day clock for a pitcher's rehab stint is now clicking for Matsuzaka, so they'll need to make a decision by that time. When Matsuzaka returns, someone will need to be either sent down or to the BP.

 

Bard is stretched out to start now. If he stays in the BP at this time, they risk injury and/or time without him to try and stretch him out later in the year for more starting in the second half. This is why it makes no sense to do that now. I say this while recognizing that his need in the BP is greatest right now, with Bailey returning after the all-star break and Hill returning in the near future. They are kind of between a rock and a hard place. If they trash the idea of him starting this year, they need to restart the process all over next year, with the same limitation on innings cap. I don't think this is a good course of action if the overall goal is to turn him into a starting pitcher they can turn loose for 32 starts a year.

 

I think they should see what happens with Doubront/Bard/Buchholz over their next handful of starts and make a decision from there. I think the best course of action is to let the top 2 stay in the rotation, send the low man on the totem pole down to Pawtucket to continue starting and work on any lingering performance issues (looking at you Buchholz, right now), and then bring that person back to the rotation when Bard hits his limit as a starting pitcher, moving Bard into the BP to finish the year.

 

I agree, I honestly would rather send Clay down if he doesn't figure it out rather than Jerk Bard and Doubront out of the rotation.

 

I tend to think Clay will figure it out, his stuff has been decent so far this year... His command is another story. I will say I have liked his ability to at least limit the damage in his last two starts, going 6 and 7 IP. I expect Clay to be rolling by the time DiceK returns. It sort of begs the question though, do we really want DiceK in the rotation if everyone in there now is pitching well? Maybe we can package DiceK, Youk and Lars Anderson for a decent return. We would probably have to eat a ton of money though.

[a700hitter]

I agree, I honestly would rather send Clay down if he doesn't figure it out rather than Jerk Bard and Doubront out of the rotation.

 

I tend to think Clay will figure it out, his stuff has been decent so far this year... His command is another story. I will say I have liked his ability to at least limit the damage in his last two starts, going 6 and 7 IP. I expect Clay to be rolling by the time DiceK returns. It sort of begs the question though, do we really want DiceK in the rotation if everyone in there now is pitching well? Maybe we can package DiceK, Youk and Lars Anderson for a decent return. We would probably have to eat a ton of money though.

With regard to proposal to send down to the PawSox one of Bard, Doubront or Buch to keep getting starts, I don't think any of them have options left.

 

As for the proposed trade, I think you would be selling very low on Youk and Dice K.

[Station 13]

With regard to proposal to send down to the PawSox one of Bard, Doubront or Buch to keep getting starts, I don't think any of them have options left.

 

As for the proposed trade, I think you would be selling very low on Youk and Dice K.

 

Bard got all his options (3), since they never use it to demote him. Buchholz still have 1 option. Doubront none.

[SoxSport]

If Buchholz keeps putting up s*** starts' date=' boot him back to the minors or the pen. He's got 4 weeks to get his act together before Dice-K either boot Bard out or Buchholz.[/quote']

 

Buchholz clearly was not ready to pitch in April. The question is why not. He had the whole winter to rehab. They probably went too easy on him because of his back.