2016 Starting Rotation

[Kimmi]

While adding a mid-rotation guy seems like a viable and wise thing to do, another consideration to doing that is that it creates a roster crunch. Most of those guys are not going to accept a minor league assignment. Adding a mid-rotation guy likely means DFAing another, unless you want Rodriguez or Kelly in AAA.

[a700hitter]

or maybe the roster crunch is dealt with by moving one of the current pitchers in the transaction to get a pitcher.

[Kimmi]

Why not? They haven't gone bankrupt yet. I don't know how much more is in the budget for salaries. I think being in the dumps the past few years could get them to bump up the payroll a bit.

 

Which they did with Price's monster contract.

 

It's really easy for fans to say that the team should just increase payroll to suit whatever needs the fans think the team has. Realistically and from a practical business standpoint, it's not going to happen, nor should it.

 

Henry is a lot of things, but "cheap" is one thing that I don't think he can be fairly labeled. He has shown time and again that he is willing to spend, within reason, to make this team competitive.

[Kimmi]

or maybe the roster crunch is dealt with by moving one of the current pitchers in the transaction to get a pitcher.

 

Sure, but we're talking about a mid-rotation pitcher. What sense does it make to move one mid-rotation pitcher for another?

[a700hitter]

Sure, but we're talking about a mid-rotation pitcher. What sense does it make to move one mid-rotation pitcher for another?

Elias is not a mid-rotation guy.

[Kimmi]

Elias is not a mid-rotation guy.

 

But Elias is likely already starting the season in AAA, or if not, he will likely be sent back down shortly thereafter.

 

Trading away a guy with options would not help the roster crunch.

[a700hitter]

But Elias is likely already starting the season in AAA, or if not, he will likely be sent back down shortly thereafter.

 

Trading away a guy with options would not help the roster crunch.

If Elias can be sent down, I am not seeing the possible roster crunch if we get another middle of the rotation pitcher.

[Dojji]

Why would you send Roenis Elias down? He has 2 years big league experience, it would be a weird decision to start him in the minors, arguably he was better last year than 3 members of the current rotation.

[a700hitter]

Why would you send Roenis Elias down? He has 2 years big league experience, it would be a weird decision to start him in the minors, arguably he was better last year than 3 members of the current rotation.

I didn't say that I would send him down. I think we have plenty of flexibility to add another mid-rotation pitcher without creating a roster crunch. Elias having options is just additional flexibility.

[mvp 78]

But Elias is likely already starting the season in AAA, or if not, he will likely be sent back down shortly thereafter.

 

Trading away a guy with options would not help the roster crunch.

 

Elias will be the 5th starter on opening day.

[mvp 78]

Which they did with Price's monster contract.

 

It's really easy for fans to say that the team should just increase payroll to suit whatever needs the fans think the team has. Realistically and from a practical business standpoint, it's not going to happen, nor should it.

 

Henry is a lot of things, but "cheap" is one thing that I don't think he can be fairly labeled. He has shown time and again that he is willing to spend, within reason, to make this team competitive.

They werrn't competitive in 2012, 2014 or 2015.

[User Name]

I would have sent Kelly down to be honest. Let him earn his way to a rotation spot.

[cp176]

I would have sent Kelly down to be honest. Let him earn his way to a rotation spot.

 

I like this thinking!

[Kimmi]

If Elias can be sent down, I am not seeing the possible roster crunch if we get another middle of the rotation pitcher.

 

The way I see it right now, the 5 starters to open the season will be Price, Buchholz, Porcello, Kelly, and Wright. If we sign a mid-rotation starter to a big league deal, the only one who can be sent down from that list without permission or without going through waivers is Kelly. While I would be okay with that for depth purposes, he is currently pitching very well.

 

Let's suppose that Elias gets that 5th spot over Wright and is then traded to make room for the new pitcher. Rodriguez will be back, presumably at the end of April. Who goes then? Does Rodriguez stay in AAA? Or Kelly if he's pitching like he has been recently?

[Kimmi]

Elias will be the 5th starter on opening day.

 

Possibly, but I'm of the opinion that Wright will get that spot, with Barnes being stretched out to be the long man in the pen, provided Barnes continues to pitch well.

[Kimmi]

They werrn't competitive in 2012, 2014 or 2015.

 

But they should have been. Henry did not go cheap in any of those seasons.

[Kimmi]

I would have sent Kelly down to be honest. Let him earn his way to a rotation spot.

 

Has he not been doing that?

[a700hitter]

The way I see it right now, the 5 starters to open the season will be Price, Buchholz, Porcello, Kelly, and Wright. If we sign a mid-rotation starter to a big league deal, the only one who can be sent down from that list without permission or without going through waivers is Kelly. While I would be okay with that for depth purposes, he is currently pitching very well.

 

Let's suppose that Elias gets that 5th spot over Wright and is then traded to make room for the new pitcher. Rodriguez will be back, presumably at the end of April. Who goes then? Does Rodriguez stay in AAA? Or Kelly if he's pitching like he has been recently?

Both Wright and Elias can pitch out of the bullpen. There would be no reason to send Kelly down to the minors.

[Kimmi]

Both Wright and Elias can pitch out of the bullpen. There would be no reason to send Kelly down to the minors.

 

And when Rodriguez comes back? You have Price, Buch, Porcello, Kelly, Rodriguez, New Guy. That's one too many.

[a700hitter]

And when Rodriguez comes back? You have Price, Buch, Porcello, Kelly, Rodriguez, New Guy. That's one too many.

Kelly can pitch out of the pen. If he is pitching too well to send to the pen, that will be a nice problem to have. I wouldn't worry about the number crunch being a long lasting problem. The worst case scenario is that the numbers crunch will last until the end of June when Buch hits the DL.

[Spudboy]

In any case I am of the opinion that the rotation blows goats as currently configured.

 

Hoping that Kelly "has figured it out" and that Buch will pitch well for the entire season is folly. There is just no reason to believe that they will.

 

The Sox need to make a move somehow to get another quality top of the rotation arm.

 

Let's see what Dombrowski does.

[a700hitter]

In any case I am of the opinion that the rotation blows goats as currently configured.

 

Hoping that Kelly "has figured it out" and that Buch will pitch well for the entire season is folly. There is just no reason to believe that they will.

 

The Sox need to make a move somehow to get another quality top of the rotation arm.

 

Let's see what Dombrowski does.

There is no reason except for a fan's eternal hope that comes every spring. There is no well-founded expectation that both of those things will happen.

[User Name]

Has he not been doing that?

 

Hindsight is 20/20.

[Bellhorn04]

Hindsight is 20/20.

 

I honestly don't know what you mean about Kelly.

[User Name]

I honestly don't know what you mean about Kelly.

 

Who would have thought he'd be pitching like he is in ST? It's hindsight to say "well he's pitching awesome now, so grabbing an arm would have been a bad idea and created a roster crunch". Even if he pitches well though, he and Buch are both made of glass, so further MLB rotation depth for this team was not a luxury, it was a need.

[a700hitter]

Who would have thought he'd be pitching like he is in ST? It's hindsight to say "well he's pitching awesome now, so grabbing an arm would have been a bad idea and created a roster crunch". Even if he pitches well though, he and Buch are both made of glass, so further MLB rotation depth for this team was not a luxury, it was a need.

We will have plenty of holes in our rotation throughout the season whether by under performance and/or injury. I would not bet anything that Buch and Kelly can stay in the rotation and take 30 starts each. Now, with ER's knee issue our depth will be taxed right from the beginning of the season. The last thing we need to worry about is a roster crunch.

[mvp 78]

There's no such thing as having too much pitching.

[Bellhorn04]

Who would have thought he'd be pitching like he is in ST? It's hindsight to say "well he's pitching awesome now, so grabbing an arm would have been a bad idea and created a roster crunch". Even if he pitches well though, he and Buch are both made of glass, so further MLB rotation depth for this team was not a luxury, it was a need.

 

Kelly also finished strongly last year.

 

That said I agree that he's made of glass.

 

I'm certainly not oozing with comfort about our rotation, but I think our overall staff is a lot better than it was last year at this time.

[mvp 78]

@brianmacp Farrell all but said that it's between Elias and Wright for the fifth-starter role. Wright starts Tuesday at Jupiter with Owens behind him.

[User Name]

Kelly also finished strongly last year.

 

That said I agree that he's made of glass.

 

I'm certainly not oozing with comfort about our rotation, but I think our overall staff is a lot better than it was last year at this time.

 

It is, but how long until Buch and Kelly need time off?