Red Sox 2012 Spring Training Thread.

[a700hitter]

Alfredo Aceves called' date=' said you were forgetting someone.[/quote']I like Aceves, but not as the main piece of our bullpen.

[BornToRun]

I like Aceves' date=' but not as the main piece of our bullpen.[/quote']

 

Considering what he did last year, I'd say he's one of the most valuable pieces on this team. There isn't another reliever like him.

[Palodios]

They really need to put Bard back into the bullpen and have Cook start. It solves all of the problems.

[BornToRun]

I wasn't a fan of bard to the rotation in the first place but I'm willing to give it a few starts but I think he's gonna turn out to be better as a bullpen piece.

[Palodios]

I wasn't a fan of bard to the rotation in the first place but I'm willing to give it a few starts but I think he's gonna turn out to be better as a bullpen piece.

 

The reality is, you have to use players where they give the most value. Bard will be a decent starter, or an elite reliever. Cook or Padilla will be a decent starter or a decent reliever. That's the difference that I see.

[BornToRun]

The reality is' date=' you have to use players where they give the most value. Bard will be a decent starter, or an elite reliever. Cook or Padilla will be a decent starter or a decent reliever. That's the difference that I see.[/quote']

 

I think either one could do the job. Padilla hung around for quite a while and cooks a groundball pitcher and that's always a good thing.

[a700hitter]

Considering what he did last year' date=' I'd say he's one of the most valuable pieces on this team. There isn't another reliever like him.[/quote']This is reminiscent of years gone by -- my brethren Red Sox fans overblowing the value of players. Think about this. We had Aceves in the pen with Bard and Papelbon last season, and it wasn't a good pen. Ripping Papelbon and Bard from that pen can't improve it.

 

For some perspective:

 

Yankees: Mo

Red Sox: Aceves

[BornToRun]

This is reminiscent of years gone by -- my brethren Red Sox fans overblowing the value of players. Think about this. We had Aceves in the pen with Bard and Papelbon last season, and it wasn't a good pen. Ripping Papelbon and Bard from that pen can't improve it.

 

For some perspective:

 

Yankees: Mo

Red Sox: Aceves

 

We had one of the leagues most effective bullpens last year but the starters couldn't go deep into games and they just got worked too hard. You're understating how good our bullpen was for the majority of the 2011 season.

[a700hitter]

They really need to put Bard back into the bullpen and have Cook start. It solves all of the problems.

I agree that Bard should be going back to the pen. The problem is Bard wants to be a starter, and he'll be an unhappy camper in the pen. From what I am hearing, Aceves was quite unhappy to be going back to the pen. The whole Bard and Aceves to the rotation plan had too much downside an too little upside. It was a very bad idea. Neither shot the lights out as starters. The better of the two-- Aceves-- is going back to the pen. The more dominant reliever-- Bard -- is staying in the rotation-- for now. The pen has been weakened tremendously and the improvement to the rotation by Bard is questionable at this point.

[User Name]

The reality is' date=' you have to use players where they give the most value. Bard will be a decent starter, or an elite reliever. Cook or Padilla will be a decent starter or a decent reliever. That's the difference that I see.[/quote']

 

That's not how they see it over the long term. Bard could possibly evolve into a frontline starter, and he's simply more valuable (if effective) as a starter than as a reliever.

 

It's much easier to find a good reliever than a good starter.

[VA Sox Fan]

Considering what he did last year' date=' I'd say he's one of the most valuable pieces on this team. There isn't another reliever like him.[/quote']

 

I agree. But I do hope he gets the chance to start on a regular basis if possible and if needed.

[Elktonnick]

They really need to put Bard back into the bullpen and have Cook start. It solves all of the problems.

 

I thik they believe that Cooke won't be stretched out enough until the end of April.

[BornToRun]

I agree. But I do hope he gets the chance to start on a regular basis if possible and if needed.

 

I wouldn't try to put him in the rotation on a regular basis because his numbers weren't pretty out of the starting role but it's nice having him available to start some games every now and then should the need arise. There really is nothing we can't use him for, I'm so glad the skanks were stupid enough to let him go last year.

[mvp 78]

"Decent" overstates what Cook and Padilla bring to the table.

[BornToRun]

"Decent" overstates what Cook and Padilla bring to the table.

 

Same thing could be said about colon or Garcia last year. Cook and Padilla are veteran ml starters who could conceivably hold down a spot at the back of the rotation if we needed them too, I wouldn't count on them to anchor the staff but they could be serviceable back end starters.

[SCM33]

They really need to put Bard back into the bullpen and have Cook start. It solves all of the problems.

 

Yup. I really dont want Aceves or Bard in the rotation......bullpen as it stands right now, is terrible.

[VA Sox Fan]

I wouldn't try to put him in the rotation on a regular basis because his numbers weren't pretty out of the starting role but it's nice having him available to start some games every now and then should the need arise. There really is nothing we can't use him for' date=' I'm so glad the skanks were stupid enough to let him go last year.[/quote']

 

I see what you're saying. He just seems to have a strong desire to start. But his spot starts and long relief were very valuable last season.

[BornToRun]

I see what you're saying. He just seems to have a strong desire to start. But his spot starts and long relief were very valuable last season.

 

I could see myself being behind a move to the rotation if it was absolutely necessary but I don't want that happening unless there are no other options. He's our master key coming out of the bullpen.

[mvp 78]

Same thing could be said about colon or Garcia last year. Cook and Padilla are veteran ml starters who could conceivably hold down a spot at the back of the rotation if we needed them too' date=' I wouldn't count on them to anchor the staff but they could be serviceable back end starters.[/quote']

 

Since 09, Cook has been hot garbage and Padilla hasn't been healthy. Cook had a 6 era in the NL West. I'd take my chances with Garcia over these turds.

[mvp 78]

Yup. I really dont want Aceves or Bard in the rotation......bullpen as it stands right now' date=' is terrible.[/quote']

 

Who would you have in the rotation then?

[BornToRun]

Since 09' date=' Cook has been hot garbage and Padilla hasn't been healthy. Cook had a 6 era in the NL West. I'd take my chances with Garcia over these turds.[/quote']

 

Retreads never look good but one or both of them could work out. Who foresaw an aging junkballer like Garcia or a fat tub of whale s*** like colon would pan out in the al east.

[SCM33]

Who would you have in the rotation then?

 

Padilla. Which is an unpopular choice, I already know.....

[User Name]

Retreads never look good but one or both of them could work out. Who foresaw an aging junkballer like Garcia or a fat tub of whale s*** like colon would pan out in the al east.

 

Colon got some "outside help" though, and the Yankees were probably aware of this.

[mvp 78]

Padilla. Which is an unpopular choice' date=' I already know.....[/quote']

 

It's fine, I just didn't like what I saw of him when I lived in LA.

 

He coyld be a lot better than Wake or Lackey, but is a huge injury concern.

[BornToRun]

Colon got some "outside help" though' date=' and the Yankees were probably aware of this.[/quote']

 

Still, no one in their right mind would say he was gonna pitch like he did last year.

[mvp 78]

And that ephus (sp?) is just horrible.

[User Name]

I like Padilla. He can still throw hard, and that eephus could be a good pitch if used correctly.

 

His only real problem is batshit insanity.

[BornToRun]

I like Padilla. He can still throw hard, and that eephus could be a good pitch if used correctly.

 

His only real problem is batshit insanity.

 

A little batshittery never hurt anybody, like bill lee for example.

[VA Sox Fan]

A little batshittery never hurt anybody' date=' like bill lee for example.[/quote']

 

Two different types batshittery. But hey, as long as Padilla pitches well, maybe he'll keep the batshittery to a minimum. That and maybe he's on helpful meds this season. The legal ones, of course.

[BornToRun]

Two different types batshittery. But hey' date=' as long as Padilla pitches well, maybe he'll keep the batshittery to a minimum. That and maybe he's on helpul meds this season. The legal ones, of course.[/quote']

 

Im calling it now, padillas gonna turn out to a decent starter for this team. I can see him pulling an era in the low to mid 4s and is there really much more you can ask for than that.