2016 Starting Rotation

[Dojji]

I think Wright is poorly used in relief. His career splits show him to be both more effective and more comfortable as a starting pitcher. His ERA goes up by nearly a full run when he comes in out of the pen.

[mvp 78]

Johnson and Owens start in AAA. The guy who is pitching the best will be called up first.

[jung]

My preference would be Johnson but I agree it will the guy pitching best at the time. Johnson is a little older, has a little more frame and width to him and has a more balanced approach. Owens is all about control and sometimes it is there...sometimes not. When not...he gets killed much like other pitchers really dependent on pinpoint control.

[Palodios]

I've lost track. Between Owens, Wright and Johnson, who has options?

[User Name]

My preference would be Johnson but I agree it will the guy pitching best at the time. Johnson is a little older, has a little more frame and width to him and has a more balanced approach. Owens is all about control and sometimes it is there...sometimes not. When not...he gets killed much like other pitchers really dependent on pinpoint control.

 

Owens is not a soft tosser. He's not "all about control", he has control problems, which is a whole different animal.

[Kimmi]

Betting odds are less about potential outcomes and more about where people are putting their money. My guess is that the Cubs and Sox have rabid fanbases that are more likely to bet on their teams...

 

Yes, I realize that betting odds are not quite the same.

 

Right now, it's all I have. LOL

[Kimmi]

I've lost track. Between Owens, Wright and Johnson, who has options?

 

Wright is out of options. Owens and Johnson have 2 and 3 options, respectively. Therefore, Wright either breaks camp with the team or the Sox risk losing him.

[cp176]

they might choose to use the best pitcher regardless of the options. My bet once again going forward is Johnson. My bias(and I am not being a wiseass here) says that he would be as good an option as Kelly and that he is ahead of both Wright and Owens. He very well might become that middle of the rotation guy that we need. Wait - we already have one of those in Porcello. All kidding aside, I see Buccholz and Kelly much as I do Sandoval and Ramirez. Potential, Potential, etc. etc. the back up plans might wind up being the best plans that we have after all.

[Kimmi]

Farrell said today that Wright and Barnes will be competing for a spot out of the BP. Barnes is another one that has options.

 

Right or wrong, unless one is clearly head over heels better than another, it's going to come down to who has options and who doesn't. It would be kind of silly to lose the depth and versatility that Wright could give us by choosing someone over him who is only moderately better. Spring training can't really determine who is clearly better anyway. You have to keep as many viable options available as you can.

[a700hitter]

Barnes' performance was underwhelming in 2015 -- very disappointing.

[cp176]

Farrell said today that Wright and Barnes will be competing for a spot out of the BP. Barnes is another one that has options.

 

Right or wrong, unless one is clearly head over heels better than another, it's going to come down to who has options and who doesn't. It would be kind of silly to lose the depth and versatility that Wright could give us by choosing someone over him who is only moderately better. Spring training can't really determine who is clearly better anyway. You have to keep as many viable options available as you can.

 

If one is clearly better than the other, it would be absolutely foolish to not move the better pitcher up. The world does not work well any other way. In choosing the best pitcher, I assumed that you would realize that it would not be a head scratcher in making that determination. One stands out and is clearly better, he should move up regardless.

[SoxHop]

I think Wright is poorly used in relief. His career splits show him to be both more effective and more comfortable as a starting pitcher. His ERA goes up by nearly a full run when he comes in out of the pen.

 

This interests me. Yes I agree that a knuckleballer shouldn't be brought in for relief especially when people are on base. The chance of past balls are to great.

 

But a super backup long man role such as Wright seems like a role that could be useful. So those games where you know the starter isn't going to make it, call in Wright to carry the game though with his just about 4 ERA. With our offense, I think this could work. I know that role is unorthodox, but it would be interesting to play around with. And otherwise they are just going to sit him unless a started gets hurt. I don't think they have much trust in him, otherwise we would have seen him more last year.

[Elktonnick]

I think Wright in the bullpen both as a long man or as a spot starter is an excellent role for him. The big advantage to knucklerballers is they are innings eaters.

[Dojji]

It would be a good role for him if he could function in it. His performance in relief so far suggests otherwise.

 

Put Wright in the rotation and he's a good #5, which is all we really need of him, and he still has his inning burning qualities and puts them to perhaps better use. I think Wright is a very good bet to outpitch Joe Kelly over 160 or so innings and again, I expect Wright to be in a position to challenge Kelly for his rotation spot if his Spring goes well.

 

In the bullpen there's just too many situations you can't easily use him due to the passed ball problem, and it's not like he's so great a reliever in other aspects that that liability isn't a consideration.

 

And when are you going to use him? When's your perfect go-to-the-knuckleballer situation? When a starter gets chased? When a starter gets chased there's men on base far more often than not, and very frequently that man is in scoring position having, for example, hit a bases clearing double that just opened up the inning against us, or having been walked there by a starter who's lost his command. That's exactly the situation you don't want Wright coming into

 

So what do you do? Finish out the inning with another reliever and bring Wright into a clean inning? Congratulations, you've used Wright's durability to do 2 relievers' job with 2 relievers.

 

I think Wright in the bullpen only makes sense as a starter-in-waiting who can quickly fill a rotation slot in case of injury. Knuckleballers seem to stretch out from relief to starting more easily, or at least Wake always did. That's a valid reason to have him in the pen. If you use him as a full time reliever you're wasting him, and you won't get very good relief innings anyway. It's like the Pirates using Wakefield in the pen -- it makes less sense the more you think about it.

Edited January 22, 2016 by Dojji

[SoxHop]

It would be a good role for him if he could function in it. His performance in relief so far suggests otherwise.

 

Put Wright in the rotation and he's a good #5, which is all we really need of him, and he still has his inning burning qualities and puts them to perhaps better use. I think Wright is a very good bet to outpitch Joe Kelly over 160 or so innings and again, I expect Wright to be in a position to challenge Kelly for his rotation spot if his Spring goes well.

 

In the bullpen there's just too many situations you can't easily use him due to the passed ball problem, and it's not like he's so great a reliever in other aspects that that liability isn't a consideration.

 

And when are you going to use him? When's your perfect go-to-the-knuckleballer situation? When a starter gets chased? When a starter gets chased there's men on base far more often than not, and very frequently that man is in scoring position having, for example, hit a bases clearing double that just opened up the inning against us, or having been walked there by a starter who's lost his command. That's exactly the situation you don't want Wright coming into

 

So what do you do? Finish out the inning with another reliever and bring Wright into a clean inning? Congratulations, you've used Wright's durability to do 2 relievers' job with 2 relievers.

 

I think Wright in the bullpen only makes sense as a starter-in-waiting who can quickly fill a rotation slot in case of injury. Knuckleballers seem to stretch out from relief to starting more easily, or at least Wake always did. That's a valid reason to have him in the pen. If you use him as a full time reliever you're wasting him, and you won't get very good relief innings anyway. It's like the Pirates using Wakefield in the pen -- it makes less sense the more you think about it.

 

Very low expectations from Kelly then? Can't say I disagree with you though.

 

I wish we got to see more of Wright last year. From what I've seen, if he is our number 5 we are about mediocre.

 

Yea, throwing him in to rescue a starter would be a matter of timing. Probably very difficult to call when you need to see if a starter can manage his way through trouble.

 

I'd think he could do long relief if he knew it was his role. I'm guestimating that his bad relief stats are due to him being thrown in to short relief stints. Which I think he is the wrong tool to use at the time. Make his role long relief and I think he could shine. I guess other than a great long relief you have a number 5 that may or may not be better than other pieces you have, and where he will just linger like the lingering knuckleballer he has been.

[Kimmi]

I'm thinking that the team would probably be better off with Kelly in the pen and Wright as our 5th starter, but with the way that Kelly pitched down the stretch last season, I think the team has to give him another try as a starter. If he falters as a starter, the decision to move him to the pen should be made fairly quickly.

[Elktonnick]

I am happy with all the love for Wright. While I agree that Wright would make an excellent nbr 5 starter. However, I am being a realist in the sense I don't see Farrell beginning the season with him there. Since he is out of options, I see him making the 25 as the long man and spot starter. So I see it as the reverse, Kimmi. Given Kelly's velocity, I see that Farrell will go with the "safe" choice of giving Kelly the initial opportunity to stay in the rotation. Edited January 22, 2016 by Elktonnick

[Kimmi]

I am happy with all the love for Wright. While I agree that Wright would make an excellent nbr 5 starter. However, I am being a realist in the sense I don't see Farrell beginning the season with him there. Since he is out of options, I see him making the 25 as the long man and spot starter. So I see it as the reverse, Kimmi. Given Kelly's velocity, I see that Farrell will go with the "safe" choice of giving Kelly the initial opportunity to stay in the rotation.

 

Well, I think we agree on that. Because Kelly pitched so well at the end of the season, the Sox are going to give him a shot at being in the rotation. Wright will start out in the pen.

 

It would be really great if Kelly could repeat and sustain the success he had at the end of last season.

[SoxHop]

I would say if Kelly does as well as he did the last part of the season, with the addition of Price, this year we would win the ALE. Kelly would be that number two everyone wanted DD to get. Heck, during that stretch he was pitching like an Ace.

 

It's a tough call with him. I was in the camp of making him a reliever, but a 9 game stretch I don't think can be considered a fluke and I think you have to see if you can get that back.

 

Kelly's upside is much better than Wrights...... much much better. I think it's worth the gamble on Kelly.

 

I'm glad we do have Wright though. He's good insurance in case someone falters.

[Elktonnick]

I would say if Kelly does as well as he did the last part of the season, with the addition of Price, this year we would win the ALE. Kelly would be that number two everyone wanted DD to get. Heck, during that stretch he was pitching like an Ace.

 

It's a tough call with him. I was in the camp of making him a reliever, but a 9 game stretch I don't think can be considered a fluke and I think you have to see if you can get that back.

 

Kelly's upside is much better than Wrights...... much much better. I think it's worth the gamble on Kelly.

 

I'm glad we do have Wright though. He's good insurance in case someone falters.

 

In many respects Kelly has the same issues as does Buchholtz. Both have the tools to be highly successful. IMO both Kelly and Buchholtz's problems are mainly between their ears. Or as Yogi Berra is purported to have said, "Ninety percent of this game is half mental"

[Bellhorn04]

In many respects Kelly has the same issues as does Buchholtz. Both have the tools to be highly successful. IMO both Kelly and Buchholtz's problems are mainly between their ears. Or as Yogi Berra is purported to have said, "Ninety percent of this game is half mental"

 

Here's what you do with Buchholz and Kelly:

 

1) Put Buch in the rotation and Kelly on the phantom DL until the end of June.

2) At the end of June, trade Buch and bring Kelly off the phantom DL to replace him in the rotation.

 

[mvp 78]

DUMBrowski is not going to put Wright in the rotation over Kelly. I think Wright will last through spring training and then will be DFA'd to Pawtucket unless there is an injury to a starter.

 

I'm not saying this is the right move. I'd personally rather have Wright in the rotation than Kelly, but would put Johnson ahead of Wright.

[cp176]

I hope that Wright gets a chance to play the role of a starter this year. it would be nice to see what he actually could do over a longer period of time than we have seen so far. With the way things have gone for Buchholz and Kelly, he could very well get that chance. That being said, I really don't want to see a knuckleballer coming out of the pen any more than most everybody else. Once again though, every team needs someone who can come in in long relief and at least mop up in the games that don't go the way you want them to. In a significant situation, I would hate to see him used in relief.

[SoxHop]

If Kelly, Buch and E-Rod together fire on all cylinders, we have a crazy good rotation.

 

This team does have some real potential for greatness.

[SoxHop]

I hope that Wright gets a chance to play the role of a starter this year. it would be nice to see what he actually could do over a longer period of time than we have seen so far. With the way things have gone for Buchholz and Kelly, he could very well get that chance. That being said, I really don't want to see a knuckleballer coming out of the pen any more than most everybody else. Once again though, every team needs someone who can come in in long relief and at least mop up in the games that don't go the way you want them to. In a significant situation, I would hate to see him used in relief.

 

It's too bad they didn't start him more last year before he got hurt to see what he could do. They had the opportunity.

[User Name]

There's that word again, the "P" word, potential. That's a word is greatly associate with Murphy's Law.

 

I'm cautiously optimistic about this team though. And I'm specially excited to see the OF play this year.

[Bellhorn04]

My #1 fantasy for this year is that JBJ can put up an OPS of .725 or more. That would be an enormous boost to the team.

[Station 13]

If Kelly, Buch and E-Rod together fire on all cylinders, we have a crazy good rotation.

 

This team does have some real potential for greatness.

 

You just need 1 guy to overachieve behind Price. That might be enough to win the East. I'm counting on E-Rod and even Clay to do that.

 

Kelly needs to be consistent, and be a good back end starter with potential for more. I'm not sure if any teams has a 5th starter who has a 100MPH fastball.

[Dojji]

I wish we got to see more of Wright last year. From what I've seen, if he is our number 5 we are about mediocre.

 

No, if he's #5 he earned it because of a combination of last year's performance as a starter, and a very strong Spring

[SoxHop]

No, if he's #5 he earned it because of a combination of last year's performance as a starter, and a very strong Spring

 

Spring..... last years spring?

 

He definitely was the ace last year the first half. But that was his ceiling I believe hovering just close to a 4 era. I dig Wright as a piece waiting in the wings if or when or when almost surely someone goes down. But I think you have to go with Buch, and Kelly cause when they are good, they have shown they are top notch, not just adequate, they are top 10 of the league starters when they are on.