What Should the Red Sox rotation look like going forward? (when everyone is healthy)

[MANNYHOF24]

With the emergence of Aaron Cook (need to see more), Franklin Morales, and to a lesser extent DiceK, what should the Red Sox rotation look like when Buchholz gets healthy? Should the sox consider a 6 man rotation? That still leaves one odd man out though... Usually I have been against a 6 man rotation, but with how fragile our pitching has been, and the fact that no one has really be so dominant that you need him to go every 5 days, I think they should consider it.

 

Realistically I think this is what we are looking at down the stretch:

 

Beckett

Lester

Buchholz

Morales

Doubront

Cook/DiceK

 

Looking at contracts, DiceK will probably get the shot to remain in the rotation. However, if he continues to pitch well he might actually be a good trade chip at the deadline, getting us bullpen help or a good utility guy.

 

What say you pink hat nation?

[Laser Show]

Too many middle-of-the-rotation guys still. Beckett, Lester, Buchholz, Morales all deserve a spot in the rotation, but none is an ace at this point. Against any team that is not the Phillies, Angels, or Nationals, I think we match up very well after #1 vs #1.

 

We need a #1. A Hamels/Greinke type, followed by Beckett, Lester, Buchholz, Morales would be very intimidating.

[TutGadol]

Please no Dice-K, I'd trade him for anything. Regarding the ace-needed situation, I don't like the idea of trading for an ace. I don't think the team should go all out at the deadline yet. I think Hamels wants to stay a phil and I have a feeling Grenkie is about to flop. He had some mental problems in the past and he was bad in the playoffs. I love his slider though.

[redsoxbeatz]

How about Lester-Ellsbury-DiceK for Felix Hernandez (& one prospect?)

 

DiceK will do so much better in SafeCo and it'll get rid of him. He'll just sweeten the deal.

 

as for the rotation for now,

Beckett

Lester/Buchholz

Buchholz/Lester

Morales

Doubront/Cook

DiceK

[jung]

Felix is probably the one guy that makes the "get an Ace" discussion so damned interesting. It depends on what they would have to give up. I completely agree that we do not have a true 1 at the moment. However, do we really need one to get it done this year or can we get it done with one really good arm...the equivalent of another 2. Funny some of us argued that we had a bunch of 2's right from the start of the season.

 

If we could get it done with another good arm as opposed to an ace I would likely go down that road for this year unless you could really actually make a deal for a Felix. He is just such a special talent.

[RedSoxNC84]

Looks like BV is considering a 6 man rotation when Beckett and Buchholz return, keeping Morales in the rotation. I think this is a good idea.

[Rdsxmbnt]

Might make sense to try to build a package around Doubront to get a number 1 SP. Teams will drool over a guy like Doubront who is young, major league ready, LH, high strikeout numbers. Won't be an ace but is really cheap and productive. Plus add someone like Lavanway and say Iglesias and I think that is a pretty formidable offer.

[a700hitter]

I would not go to a 6 man rotation. That would change the way they are conditioned. If 1 of the 6 gets injured and they have to go back to 4 days rest, they would all suffer.

[FenwayWest]

The 6-man rotations are only happening during long stretches... They've done it when they can, and when you're working with 16 days and no days off, so in reality, there's no change in conditioning...

 

With that said, this whole "oh it changes the conditioning" thing to me is ********. You're a professional player making millions of dollars. You're telling me you can't figure out what to do with an extra day off? At this point, there's no consistency from anyone at the top half of the order, so they don't really get to decide right now. If Lester Beckett and Buch step up and start acting like leaders, then we can talk about maybe shifting the lower guys to the pen, AAA, or trade bait... But when these guys are A) going to the DL every other month and Not dependable, then you don't have many options left.

 

There should be at least 1 or 2 guys in the rotation that you should pencil in as a Win for that night.

[iortiz]

It's hard to say if Cook, Morales, D-K are for real. How many IPs are planned for Doubront this year?

[iortiz]

a better question should be, how many innings should Doubront pitch this year?

[Station 13]

a better question should be' date=' how many innings should Doubront pitch this year?[/quote']

 

Around 140-150. He might not even get near it if he keeps s***ing the beds as he had the last few starts.

 

Who the f***s know what Buchholz will do now. He is good to miss 1/3 of each season. He is unreliable as they come.

[iortiz]

Around 140-150. He might not even get near it if he keeps s***ing the beds as he had the last few starts.

 

Who the f***s know what Buchholz will do now. He is good to miss 1/3 of each season. He is unreliable as they come.

 

well, if he pitches 6-7 IP per games next 8-10 games, that's it. I do not trust D-K. Cook is a mystery to me. I think Morales should be the other starter.

[redsoxfan3]

Ideally I would like to see Lester, Beckett, Buchholz, Doubront, and Morales. It is hard to tell if Morales can keep this up and if Doubront can get his s*** together. Cook was great in his last start. He is definitely a guy to keep around. It is hard to tell what we can expect from Dice-K. Things will work themselves out. I am not against trying to get another solid starter. Maybe Dice-K or Cook could be part of a trade package?

[SoxSport]

Seems I recall suggesting Ells for Felix quite awhile ago, and now the papers and everybody else are talking about it. Lester has been added to the mix, which tends to even out present salary. Lester looks like Porky Pig these days to me, so I'm all for it. I do like 3 lefties in the starting rotation, though, especially playing the Yankees.

[iortiz]

well' date=' if he pitches 6-7 IP per games next 8-10 games, that's it. [b']I do not trust D-K[/b]. Cook is a mystery to me. I think Morales should be the other starter.

 

This

[FredLynn]

DiceK must go. Thats the most important thing right now.

[RedSoxNC84]

Morales all the way. Cook can take Dice-K's spot. He needs to go, we can't have someone who is that inconsistent, when we already have a full rotation of inconsistent pitchers.

[SoxSport]

The guys they want for the rotation are guys that stay off the DL and don't s*** the bed early in games.

There's nothing that pisses off the lineup more than a starter who gets them down 4 or 5 runs in the 1st or 2nd inning. Especially on the road. Yeah, yeah, Dice-k had a stiff neck...so why was he pitching?

I guess that explains all those meatballs down the middle. Better control with a stiff neck.

[SemperFi Sox]

Dice-K needs to be traded. I'll take a D prospect in return.

[kapsis21]

Rockies desperately need an arm, their 4 man rotation is really not working out for them. but their record indicates they are going to be sellers.

[jacksonianmarch]

Through July 15th

 

1. Beckett

2. Lester

3. Buchholz

4. Doubront

5. Morales

6. Cook

 

I know it doesnt sound like a great idea, but I'd do 2 turns of a 6 man rotation, with the bottom three guys fighting it out for 2 spots in the rotation. Doubie was solid for 2.5 months, but has taken it on the chin of late. If he sucks again, I demote him to the pen as the long man. If he comes out and throws up a couple quality starts, you have to stick with him. Cook is probably going to be the winner of one of the spots, IMO, as he has a track record of success and his velocity has come back to a point where he can actually get guys out. I have a feeling it will be down to Doubront and Morales for the last spot in the rotation. Right now, that is obvious, but I have a feeling Franklin comes down to earth when he faces teams who know how to hit.

[kapsis21]

Through July 15th

 

1. Beckett

2. Lester

3. Buchholz

4. Doubront

5. Morales

6. Cook

 

in my view Doubront is gassed, i dont think he has much left in the tank. at this point Cook and Morales are stepping up but seems like another arm is definitely a need for the team now.

[jacksonianmarch]

Doubront has hit the rookie wall. Some guys power through it and show a return to form and some guys just fall off a cliff. It's too early to make that determination