Bard to Rotation a Mistake?

[Behindenemylines]

I kind of figured the Cubs would take a flyer on Bard. They know him and his potential and probably think they can fix him. If they do fix him at least he will be in the NL.

[SoxSport]

2 years for a durable starter - you look at what the market pays for guys like Edwin Jackson for instance ... guys whose central virtue is that they never get hurt ... and that everybody is drowning in money (you know it's a buyers market when BJ Upton got what he got from the Braves - and it was "reasonable" for the free agent class). Dempster at 2/26 is a very fair price. I've been annoyed with the inconsistency, but he has been there every fifth day - and in a sport where you want your Kyle Weilands as far the hell away from any start that matters as possible, that is a talent in itself. We do not get to the playoffs without his contribution.

 

It's ironic they converted Bard to a starter--and wrecked his career--just to save maybe $8-10 million it would have cost to sign another starter like Jackson. Then the next year, they thought nothing of giving 2/$26 million to a 36 yo declining pitcher like Dempster--if only because they had money to spend. It will be a challenge to get their money's worth out of Dempster. My guess it just might be in the back end of the bullpen--setup or closer in a pinch--where he has considerable experience. Tazawa is pretty well cooked right now, and they could use him in the setup slot.

[User Name]

The starter conversion was Bard's idea. This is common knowledge. Please stop spouting nonsense.

[Behindenemylines]

There is nothing good about the whole Bard SP experiment. Bard probably saw his chance at big $$$$ was as a starter and the Sox shortage of starters at the time allowed it to happen. Just think if we had the top set up man Bard (When he threw strikes) in front of Uehara today. It would shorten the game.