2016 Starting Rotation

[mvp 78]

Johnson is starting today for PawSox. Looks like Owens would take Kelly's next turn in the rotation.

 

O'Sullivan is not on the 40 man roster, so I doubt he'd be called up. He previous MLB numbers aren't very good either.

[Bellhorn04]

Chicken and beer and the very public dispute that happened afterwards is not speculation in the least. The fact that he did not want to pitch for the league minimum was also very much a fact.

 

I'm sure he wasn't thrilled about it, but what evidence is there that Lackey wouldn't have honored the contract with Boston the same way he did for St. Louis? What did he actually say?

[User Name]

I'm sure he wasn't thrilled about it, but what evidence is there that Lackey wouldn't have honored the contract with Boston the same way he did for St. Louis? What did he actually say?

 

The rumor (this is unfounded) was that he may opt to retire instead of pitching for the league minimum in a Sox uniform. When Cherington was interviewed after the fact, he wouldn't flat out say Lackey wanted to be traded, but heavily implied he did. With all of the rumors going around, and Cherington not willing to say outright he never asked for a trade, instead implying that he had a hand in being traded, it's no use hanging your hat on any other explanation. If it walks and quacks like a duck......

 

That doesn't excuse the s***** return, mind you, since the Sox were reportedly the ones who were adamant about Kelly being the pitcher coming back in the trade.

[iortiz]

Yep. And we don't know which party was mad at the other party and for what.

 

Yup. Another speculation turned into fact? LOL!

[sk7326]

SSS abounds ... that said, I hope Price is not being paid by "3 run leads blown"

[User Name]

Yup. Another speculation turned into fact? LOL!

 

How are you this dumb? Read the posts.

[iortiz]

How are you this dumb? Read the posts.

 

You love to turn speculations into facts in order to defend an "argument", why?

 

it's turning bored braaaaahhhhh!

[iortiz]

Anyways, what in the hell is going on with Price?

[User Name]

Just read what's being said for what's being said and stop interjecting with stupid comments to stir s***. If you don't understand what someone's trying to say, ask and don't assume. Also, read the conversation in its entirety before jumping in and saying something so objectively stupid that my ears bleed.

 

Do you know what is a fact? Where was any speculation passed off as fact? Was the chicken and beer scandal not verifiable fact? Were there not reliable sources reporting Lackey wanted out?

 

If you don't have a satisfactory answer to these questions (you don't), you jumped in with a stupid comment for the sake of being a jackass. Stop it.

[Northern Star]

what the f***, Price?

[iortiz]

Just read what's being said for what's being said and stop interjecting with stupid comments to stir s***. If you don't understand what someone's trying to say, ask and don't assume. Also, read the conversation in its entirety before jumping in and saying something so objectively stupid that my ears bleed.

 

Do you know what is a fact? Where was any speculation passed off as fact? Was the chicken and beer scandal not verifiable fact? Were there not reliable sources reporting Lackey wanted out?

 

If you don't have a satisfactory answer to these questions (you don't), you jumped in with a stupid comment for the sake of being a jackass. Stop it.

Again, stop turning speculations into facts. You don't know if Lackey wanted to stay. You don't. Nobody here knows. As bell and Ted said, they are just rumors and conjectures at beast. Don't try to turn this like you did with Porcello's issues. Please stop it.

[a700hitter]

It seemed like we were all in agreement on this.

[Spudboy]

lol

[Kimmi]

It's speculation, but the signs very strongly point to Lackey wanting out after the "mistreatment" of Lester during the extension talks. I don't think Ben had any choice but to trade him.

[a700hitter]

It's speculation, but the signs very strongly point to Lackey wanting out after the "mistreatment" of Lester during the extension talks. I don't think Ben had any choice but to trade him.

He had a choice to get a better deal.

[User Name]

He had a choice to get a better deal.

 

This is fair. Again, (and this is not speculation), the Sox pretty much begged for Kelly.

[a700hitter]

This is fair. Again, (and this is not speculation), the Sox pretty much begged for Kelly.

And were willing to take an albatross like Craig to get him.

[Hitch]

It looks like a disastrous trade now (because it is), but at the time they were getting a very good hitter and highly rated young pitcher in return. If only Craig continued to hit his average(obviously ignoring the injury hit last season) it would have been a good trade.

 

It it has turned out very bad, but at the time it was a solid idea.

Edited April 22, 2016 by Hitch

[Bellhorn04]

It looks like a disastrous trade now (because it is), but at the time they were getting a very good hitter and highly rated young pitcher in return. If only Craig continued to hit his average(obviously ignoring the injury hit last season) it would have been a good trade.

 

It it has turned out very bad, but at the time it was a solid idea.

 

Lackey has pitched great since the start of 2013. His Tommy John surgery was obviously a fantastic success. He really proved himself. I still don't know why this was a necessary move. It does seem there were some other issues involved.

 

Kelly and Craig were not a solid get by any stretch of the imagination. Craig cost us $30 million plus, and he and Kelly both had major red flags.

[User Name]

Craig was always a lottery ticket. The insistence on such an injury-prone, wild guy is what is baffling.

[Hitch]

Lackey has pitched great since the start of 2013. His Tommy John surgery was obviously a fantastic success. He really proved himself. I still don't know why this was a necessary move. It does seem there were some other issues involved.

 

Kelly and Craig were not a solid get by any stretch of the imagination. Craig cost us $30 million plus, and he and Kelly both had major red flags.

 

I'm assuming the reports of Lackey not being happy with the contract situation are true tbf. If he was happy to stay, or, they could work out a new fair contract then that was obviously the step to take. We've seen some baffling decisions in recent years but I can't believe they were willing to trade him if either of those options were available. There seemed like a beef there.

 

So if that was the case, I don't hate the trade(as in what they were thinking). Take away his disaster both in form and injury in 2014, Craig was batting .312 over 1296 at bats from 2011-13. Get him healthy and back anywhere near that and it becomes a great trade(Edit - great is going too far. A good trade). I think tacking on Kelly was an extra they really wanted as they hoped they might be able to make something happen with a guy who had a great arm.

 

It's clearly been a disaster, and it's sometimes very hard to look past hindsight while viewing these things, but when it happened I was excited, while being pretty disappointed we were losing such a good pitcher.

[sk7326]

Craig was always a lottery ticket. The insistence on such an injury-prone, wild guy is what is baffling.

 

The insistence by management that they needed players who could have a 2015 impact from their sell-offs was the baffling thing. They clearly limited their suitors because they wanted significant 2015 return. I have no doubt the Cardinals package was the best one given the straitjacket the Sox put on themselves.

[a700hitter]

The insistence by management that they needed players who could have a 2015 impact from their sell-offs was the baffling thing. They clearly limited their suitors because they wanted significant 2015 return. I have no doubt the Cardinals package was the best one given the straitjacket the Sox put on themselves.

I am sure that they thought it was the best package available. Otherwise, they would not have accepted it. Clearly, they were wrong, and other packages were better.

[sk7326]

I am sure that they thought it was the best package available. Otherwise, they would not have accepted it. Clearly, they were wrong, and other packages were better.

 

I don't know - I mean how many "buyers" at deadline team have useful major leaguers to give away? We know Lackey was not going to yield a crackerjack major league ready prospect (certainly not from the Cardinals who know what they are doing). So any major league return was going to be speculative - just take the prospects fergawdssakes.

[a700hitter]

I don't know - I mean how many "buyers" at deadline team have useful major leaguers to give away? We know Lackey was not going to yield a crackerjack major league ready prospect (certainly not from the Cardinals who know what they are doing). So any major league return was going to be speculative - just take the prospects fergawdssakes.

Maybe so. Clearly, they would have been better off with a couple of prospects.

[Jasonbay44]

I mean literally anything else would have been a better get. Trading Lackey for absolutely nothing would have been better, because at least nothing doesn't get paid 5+ million a year for multiple seasons, like Craig does for same production

[Dojji]

Steve Wright is doing his damnedest to get this team into the positive column. They need to start not wasting his starts, he's been the bright point so far.

[cp176]

The insistence by management that they needed players who could have a 2015 impact from their sell-offs was the baffling thing. They clearly limited their suitors because they wanted significant 2015 return. I have no doubt the Cardinals package was the best one given the straitjacket the Sox put on themselves.

 

What were some of those other "packages" alluded to?

[mvp 78]

No one knows.

[sk7326]

What were some of those other "packages" alluded to?

 

I am speculating of course - just thinking of teams that could offer major leaguers (or darn close) to the Sox for Lackey ... most teams that are buyers don't want to give up anyone decent ... Craig was the lottery ticket in the deal and clearly that has gone very very badly