Lester's Future

[SoxFanForsyth]

From what I've been reading Webster hasn't exactly lit up Triple A Ball the last couple of weeks. He has even been ejected from two games according to one report. I know the guy has explosive stuff but he was in the Dodger organization and they always over-hype their prospects and most never amount to much save for Kershaw and Kemp, though those are two pretty good pieces to have on a team. I would like to see Alan pitch three or four solid games in a row before we think about bringing him up or talking about his long potential for our rotation. Then again, after Lackey's less than impressive performance last night we may need another starter besides the replacement for Doubrant if that guy doesn't come around.

 

My hope was that this was just a hiccup for Lackey and next time he will pitch much better. That means more than ever that Buchholz must remain healthy and become a top winning ace for us, and that Lester get out of his recent doldrums and start pitching "ace" type baseball, like starting tonight.

 

If Lackey doesn't come around? The guy with a 3.14 ERA? If that guy doesn't come around?? Not sure what you're talking about here...

 

And Webster had one bad start in his past 6 starts with the PawSox. Prior to his last start, he strung together five solid AAA games in a row, throwing 28 innings to a 2.25 ERA.

 

Certainly he needs to work on his walks, I will agree with that, but we can't act like he's a bum.

 

It's not the Dodgers that are hyping this guy. It's Baseball America, Keith Law, Fangraphs, all of the prospect rankings have him as a potential top of the rotation guy.

 

Exact same can be said of Rubby De La Rosa. Rubby has strung 8 consecutive starts where he's posted a 1.14 ERA with a K an inning and a 3.96 BB/9.

 

Again, a guy who needs to harness his control a bit but that comes with development and experience throwing offspeed pitches, getting a feel for them.

[seabeachfred]

If Lackey doesn't come around? The guy with a 3.14 ERA? If that guy doesn't come around?? Not sure what you're talking about here...

 

And Webster had one bad start in his past 6 starts with the PawSox. Prior to his last start, he strung together five solid AAA games in a row, throwing 28 innings to a 2.25 ERA.

 

Certainly he needs to work on his walks, I will agree with that, but we can't act like he's a bum.

 

It's not the Dodgers that are hyping this guy. It's Baseball America, Keith Law, Fangraphs, all of the prospect rankings have him as a potential top of the rotation guy.

 

Exact same can be said of Rubby De La Rosa. Rubby has strung 8 consecutive starts where he's posted a 1.14 ERA with a K an inning and a 3.96 BB/9.

 

Again, a guy who needs to harness his control a bit but that comes with development and experience throwing offspeed pitches, getting a feel for them.

 

Well last night's performance by Lackey could be a red flag in that it might mean he may be losing his edge the way he pitched back in 2011 before he went on the shelf. To me I hope it was a hiccup because we need him badly to perform. As for Webster, he needs to harness his stuff so that he is around the plate more. You're right in that scouts and scouting reports give him high potential marks as they now to do De La Rosa. Needless to say between them, Renaudo, Barnes and Owens, we are going to need at least two of them to step up for us within the next two years.

[Palodios]

Well last night's performance by Lackey could be a red flag in that it might mean he may be losing his edge the way he pitched back in 2011 before he went on the shelf. To me I hope it was a hiccup because we need him badly to perform. As for Webster, he needs to harness his stuff so that he is around the plate more. You're right in that scouts and scouting reports give him high potential marks as they now to do De La Rosa. Needless to say between them, Renaudo, Barnes and Owens, we are going to need at least two of them to step up for us within the next two years.

 

Fred, you have nothing to worry about here. Over the last 4 starts, he gave up 1, 3, 0, and 0 runs. He has the best fastball speed of his career. Lackey is in good shape.

[seabeachfred]

Fred, you have nothing to worry about here. Over the last 4 starts, he gave up 1, 3, 0, and 0 runs. He has the best fastball speed of his career. Lackey is in good shape.

 

Thanks for the shot in the arm Palodios; you're a good guy to have for a colleague here, but be told I am starting to be worried about our rotation. True, it has been just the three of the last four games but I notice the Orioles are getting good pitching (beating the damn Angels again today, 4-2 in the 6th inning), and the Yankees have been hanging in there mainly because of what they have on the mound. What I'm hoping for is a string of solidly pitched games by our rotation and especially a turn around by Lester. He was awful last night and I wonder what's with the guy always complaining to the umpires about missed calls.

 

What do you think of the possibility that the Red Sox will call up Webster and just give him the ball and let him go. I think we need a spark in the starting staff. Then, again, I hope I'm wrong.

[SoxFanForsyth]

Thanks for the shot in the arm Palodios; you're a good guy to have for a colleague here, but truth be told I am starting to be worried about our rotation. True, it has been just the three of the last four games but I notice the Orioles are getting good pitching (beating the damn Angels again today, 4-2 in the 6th inning), and the Yankees have been hanging in there mainly because of what they have on the mound. What I'm hoping for is a string of solidly pitched games by our rotation and especially a turn around by Lester. He was awful last night and I wonder what's with the guy always complaining to the umpires about missed calls.

 

What do you think of the possibility that the Red Sox will call up Webster and just give him the ball and let him go. I think we need a spark in the starting staff. Then, again, I hope I'm wrong.

 

Don't worry, SBF - Ayabar just hit a bases clearing triple for the Angels, then an errant throw allowed him to score, so he hit a little league inside the ballpark Grand Slam!

 

6-4, Halos.

[SoxFanForsyth]

Now 8-4 Angels.

 

About that Orioles pitching.....

[a700hitter]

Farrell on Lester:

 

Lester needs across-the-board fundamental improvement, he said.

 

“To the naked eye, to sit there and say that there’s one exact thing at this point, that’s pretty difficult to pinpoint,” Farrell said. “We’ve got some work to do with Jon.”

 

Farrell seems a little baffled.

[Dewey Evans]

The team holds a 2014 option for 14mill.I don`t see them picking that up if he continues like this.If he puts up another plus 4.50ERA the decision will be hard not to .Still we are talking about a Lefty SP thats only 30 years old at 2014 start.

[SoxFanForsyth]

Farrell on Lester:

 

Farrell seems a little baffled.

 

Don't think he seems baffled. Just think he needs to go back and see where the minor tweak needs to be.

 

The fact that it's not blatantly obvious is more of a good sign than a bad. Last year Farrell could see Lester opening his front leg, dropping his back leg, and flattening out his pitches. That's much harder of a fix than, say, Lester pulling his throwing arm too far back toward 2nd base before he throws, which is what I've heard Farrell say may be the case.

[jung]

I don't think Farrell is baffled. I do think he is going to force Lester to attack the strike zone next time out and let the cards fall where they may. If Lester is tentative about that or just does not do it, then Farrell and Nieves may well be looking at a different set of issues. However based on what Lester has said (feel great, as in no physical issues) and based on what Nieves and Farrell have said (Lester cannot let hitters dictate whether or not he is going to attack the strike zone) Plan A appears to be attack the strike zone and see what happens.

 

i don't think they see a specific mechanical flaw for Lester to work on which I can understand. Lester did not appear to do the same thing twice, good or bad last time out and being inconsistent is not a mechanical flaw.

 

We have seen Lester fall into these blue funks before and that may be all that is going on here. Does not mean it will solve itself overnight but it might. Then again, it might not. Pitcher's complicated animals and Lester is on the complicated end of the pitcher spectrum.

[Behindenemylines]

Unless he is hurt I can see Lester returning to the way he was pitching in the beginning of the season. If they can't get Lester straightened out then this team isn't going anywhere this season any way. When right he is one of the best lefties in the league. Can't see the Sox trading a home grown lefty that has to be right for the Sox to win anything this season.

[Bellhorn04]

Jon Lester since September 11, 2011:

 

54 starts

 

319.2 innings

 

174 earned runs

 

4.90 ERA

 

24 Quality Starts

 

The 24 Quality Starts include 5 with the 'bare minimum' of 6 innings, 3 earned runs. If you eliminate those, you're down to 19 Quality Starts out of 52 games, or 36.5%.

[SoxSport]

Farrell needs a healthy Buchholz and a Lester on track to stay in the hunt. Lackey has been looking good lately, and Dempster has had his good games. Doubront is a guy who should be in the BP rather than wearing the BP out with his short starts. The rotation could use a transfusion. They need to get lucky with one of those prospects.

[iortiz]

Jon Lester since September 11, 2011:

 

54 starts

 

319.2 innings

 

174 earned runs

 

4.90 ERA

 

24 Quality Starts

 

The 24 Quality Starts include 5 with the 'bare minimum' of 6 innings, 3 earned runs. If you eliminate those, you're down to 19 Quality Starts out of 52 games, or 36.5%.

 

Since 2011? It isn't a short sample and could be a trend...

 

If so, I wouldn't give him a big contract. Lets see how he ends up until he hits the FA though.

[Clemens21]

Lester looked reeally good to start the season. Its too bad he is so inconsistent.

[a700hitter]

Since 2011? It isn't a short sample and could be a trend...

 

If so, I wouldn't give him a big contract. Lets see how he ends up until he hits the FA though.

It is definitely a trend. The hope was that it was due to a mechanical flaw that Farrell could correct. Based on recent statements from Farrell, it seems like his problems are not just a simple mechanical flaw.

[Clemens21]

It is definitely a trend. The hope was that it was due to a mechanical flaw that Farrell could correct. Based on recent statements from Farrell, it seems like his problems are not just a simple mechanical flaw.

 

No, it is probably mental, which is way worse than mechanical. The upside is that he has the natural ability to correct his issue whenever he gets his head on straight.

[a700hitter]

No, it is probably mental, which is way worse than mechanical. The upside is that he has the natural ability to correct his issue whenever he gets his head on straight.

Yes, a mental issue is much worse than a mechanical flaw.

 

BTW, People are dumping him from fantasy teams like like a bag of week old garbage after today's performance.

[BSN07]

Yes, a mental issue is much worse than a mechanical flaw.

 

BTW, People are dumping him from fantasy teams like like a bag of week old garbage after today's performance.

 

I think it started as mechanical and then got mental after a couple bad starts. Some pitchers are able to pitch at least average when they are going through issues during a season. Seems Lester just falls right off a cliff.

[BSN07]

Will Myers is getting promoted to the Majors for the Rays vs Red Sox series. Lester has def helped the team where it is today but if Myers comes up racking I'm gonna wish even more they had traded Lester to KC last off season hahaha

[SoxFanForsyth]

Will Myers is getting promoted to the Majors for the Rays vs Red Sox series. Lester has def helped the team where it is today but if Myers comes up racking I'm gonna wish even more they had traded Lester to KC last off season hahaha

 

We wouldn't have anywhere to put Myers at this point. With Nava, Ells, and Vic, we have a pretty solid OF right now.

 

I think if we had made that trade, we would not be close to 13 games over .500 right now to be honest.

[rjortiz]

We wouldn't have anywhere to put Myers at this point. With Nava, Ells, and Vic, we have a pretty solid OF right now.

 

I think if we had made that trade, we would not be close to 13 games over .500 right now to be honest.

 

It certainly would have caused a ripple effect. We would have needed another starter, and we probably don't sign Victorino.

[SoxFanForsyth]

It certainly would have caused a ripple effect. We would have needed another starter, and we probably don't sign Victorino.

 

Right. I think I'd rather have Lester + Victorino than, for example, Lohse and Myers.

[BSN07]

Right. I think I'd rather have Lester + Victorino than, for example, Lohse and Myers.

 

I'd rather have Sanchez and Myers

[Bellhorn04]

I'd rather have Sanchez and Myers

 

Sanchez just hit the DL with a shoulder problem.

[BSN07]

Sanchez just hit the DL with a shoulder problem.

 

Ya I just saw that, this is why I'm not a GM

[Bellhorn04]

Ya I just saw that, this is why I'm not a GM

 

A lot of being a GM is just ******** luck.

[Orange Juiced]

A lot of being a GM is just ******** luck.

 

I don't know what percentage of it is luck, but for sure, you can make a deal for a normally healthy and productive player and then he gets his ACL torn on a weird play at 2b and the trade ends up being terrible. Or sometimes you add a middling player and then he just puts it all together and blossoms.

 

Still gotta do a good job making wise decisions, but so much of it is out of your control.

[SoxFanForsyth]

*Off topic post warning* Someone want to make a new game thread? Game starts in 30 min. And I've started like 20 this year.

[Designated Hater]

I would say trade the guy, but at this point he's of no real value to anyone in that he regularly has high pitch counts, can't pitch beyond the 6th, has an ERA north of 4.50, and is REALLY in his own head.

 

Who needs that?

 

I like his story with how he got healthy again and came back to MLB. Very touching, but at the end of the day it's not even the W-L record that is most important (the old sabermetrics argument), but the ERA and WHIP...and both are high.

 

I say let him walk at the end of his deal to let him test the market. He won't really be able to cash in anywhere and you will probably be able to bring him back at low dollars to be your 3rd or 4th starter.

 

Cherrington needs to find a starting pitcher STAT if they are going to go anywhere in the post season.