Rusney Castillo

[moonslav59]

I'm not sure ANYONE thought O'Sullivan was even a depth option in the offseason. The 5th spot in the rotation by committee approach worked. The approach that didn't work was investing in Buchholz and not replacing ERod when he went down.

 

How easy was it to "replace" ERod? And with who?

 

It was obvious Sox management felt between Kelly, Buch, Owens, Johnson, Elias and Wright, we'd end up with 2 decent starters. We ended up with one that is doing great and zilch after that. I guess we shouldn't complain, since Wright has been a miracle, but we still are in need of another starter due to ERpd's injury.

 

One can easily argue that planning for injury would have been nice, but the fact remains. We need a starter.

 

[Bellhorn04]

DD has done a pretty s***** job with the rotation, as far as I'm concerned. He spent a boatload of resources, and somehow managed to trade away the team's best starter in 2015 for practically nothing. If he hadn't got a miracle out of Steven Wright, this team would be in the basement of the AL East.

 

I understand the criticism, but the Legend of Wade Miley needs to be put to rest. He's just another stiff.

[User Name]

I like Miley, but he has a 5.28 ERA in a much better stadium for flyball pitchers, and a weaker division.

[Slasher9]

he's likeable. and the grass is always greener. but having wade on our staff would not really fix our woes.

[mvp 78]

I like Miley, but he has a 5.28 ERA in a much better stadium for flyball pitchers, and a weaker division.

 

Maybe he'd pitch better if Vazquez was catching him?

[Maxbialystock]

Interesting how quickly and completely this thread stopped being about Castillo, who certainly does not need a thread of his own.

[Jack Flap]

I know most people disagree with me, but I never felt like he really got a fair shot to play with the team. I thought he should have been our starting left fielder to start the season.

 

This move looks like it's going to be a real bust. Unlike the Pablo signing, this one is on Ben, IMO.

 

I tend to agree, as you know... at least that he didn't get much of a chance in the major leagues. He basically had two solid months of playing time in Boston -- August 2015, which was very good, and September 2015, which was very poor -- plus a few games in Sept. 2014 and a few other random call-ups where he mostly rode the bench. He was slated to be the starting LF until he lost the job based on spring training results, which I never put much stock in. It almost makes one wonder if there is more to the story here.

 

His Triple-A results really haven't helped his cause, though, and for me are more alarming than anything he's done or hasn't done in the majors. When JBJ lost his job and was demoted to Pawtucket, he raked all season long and basically forced them to give him another shot (and thank the gods he did); unless Rusney can find a way to do the same, I feel like his Red Sox career may be over.

[oldtimer]

Got to give DD and the Sox brass credit. They are demonstrating they understand the concept of a sunk cost this season. Between Clay, Pablo, and Castillo they aren't afraid to take away guys jobs regardless of their salary. I suspect Hanley would be benched too if he was performing horribly.

 

Cherrington loaded the Sox up with Castillo, Craig, Rameriz and Sandoval. Only Hanley is doing anything and certainly is not the power bat they expected. Lets not take any more players at high dollars who are questionable or past their prime. Pitching is expensive, both in minor league players and salaries and having large unproductive contracts on the books limits what can be done.

[illinoisredsox]

I tend to agree, as you know... at least that he didn't get much of a chance in the major leagues. He basically had two solid months of playing time in Boston -- August 2015, which was very good, and September 2015, which was very poor -- plus a few games in Sept. 2014 and a few other random call-ups where he mostly rode the bench. He was slated to be the starting LF until he lost the job based on spring training results, which I never put much stock in. It almost makes one wonder if there is more to the story here.

 

His Triple-A results really haven't helped his cause, though, and for me are more alarming than anything he's done or hasn't done in the majors. When JBJ lost his job and was demoted to Pawtucket, he raked all season long and basically forced them to give him another shot (and thank the gods he did); unless Rusney can find a way to do the same, I feel like his Red Sox career may be over.

 

Bradley also brought that elite defense that gave them a reason to keep giving him a chance as well, not to mention the age difference.

 

I'm assuming the professionals were seeing things that us armchair types would not pick up on. Maybe he was refusing to take coaching advice. Heck, for all we know, his bat had slowed down even further. It's been pretty well reported he was having trouble hitting fastballs and they aren't talking about the Kimbrel/Chapman type when they say that. Let's face it, if you can't hit an average major league fastball and you don't bring something else special to the table, they are going to find somebody who can.

 

Rumor has it there was a big worm party held at Fenway when he was sent down earlier this year and an even bigger bash Saturday night when they heard he had been waived.

[Spudboy]

Cherrington loaded the Sox up with Castillo, Craig, Rameriz and Sandoval. Only Hanley is doing anything and certainly is not the power bat they expected. Lets not take any more players at high dollars who are questionable or past their prime. Pitching is expensive, both in minor league players and salaries and having large unproductive contracts on the books limits what can be done.

 

Yes. By all means, close the barn door.

 

I'm not attacking you, I am in agreement.

 

This situation will be very difficult to maneuver out of without spending a s*** load of money and prospect chips. And it was unnecessary.

 

Welcome to talksox.

[Bellhorn04]

Interesting how quickly and completely this thread stopped being about Castillo, who certainly does not need a thread of his own.

 

Yeah these threads tend to veer off onto a completely different set of tracks sometimes...such are forums, I guess.

[a700hitter]

he's likeable. and the grass is always greener. but having wade on our staff would not really fix our woes.

He's likeable? I am not having tea with any of these guys, so likeable never factors into it for me.

[Slasher9]

He's likeable? I am not having tea with any of these guys, so likeable never factors into it for me.

 

yes. he's likeable. easy to root for.

so i guess you have never thought or typed "Clemens is a jerk". and had that factor into whether or not you would want them on your team? (Clemens is only being used as an example please feel free to insert arod, braun, harper, boggs, buchholz, paul oneill, Joba).

how about...for most Red Sox fans Wade Miley was easy to root for. is that better?

[a700hitter]

yes. he's likeable. easy to root for.

so i guess you have never thought or typed "Clemens is a jerk". and had that factor into whether or not you would want them on your team? (Clemens is only being used as an example please feel free to insert arod, braun, harper, boggs, buchholz, paul oneill, Joba).

how about...for most Red Sox fans Wade Miley was easy to root for. is that better?

I always thought Clemens was a jerk, yet I always wanted him on my team. Whether they are jerks doesn't matter to me. I thought Price was a jerk on the Rays, and I love handing him the ball. I am not criticizing you for wanting to like players, but that is not important to me. Likeability, might be a problem for a team's PR department, but it means squat to me. Jim Rice was never very likeable, neither was Ted Williams.

[Slasher9]

that's how i felt about Lackey. i hated him. i used to hope that he would give up 10 runs every start and then we would come back in the late innings and win 11-10.

[moonslav59]

His Triple-A results really haven't helped his cause, though, and for me are more alarming than anything he's done or hasn't done in the majors. When JBJ lost his job and was demoted to Pawtucket, he raked all season long and basically forced them to give him another shot (and thank the gods he did); unless Rusney can find a way to do the same, I feel like his Red Sox career may be over.

 

Well, the Sox have given some players a shot even after recent struggles in AAA. Understood, the circumstances were different as we were out of contention, but Travis Shaw as having a horrible season (.249/.318/.356/.674) in Pawtucket last year, and he was handed a FT role on the big club. He also had a pretty bad second half of 2014 at Pawtucket: .254/.329/.410/.739.

 

I feel there must have been something more than just performance issues at AAA that led to the DFA. Maybe a big part was trying to get his contratc off the luxury tax budget, but maybe there's more.

 

[a700hitter]

that's how i felt about Lackey. i hated him. i used to hope that he would give up 10 runs every start and then we would come back in the late innings and win 11-10.

In the stands, I would have been very confused by you.

[Slasher9]

In the stands, I would have been very confused by you.

 

i know. my hate was deep. and of course stupid.

[a700hitter]

i know. my hate was deep. and of course stupid.

I used to mock his horseface, but I rooted for him.

[Kimmi]

I tend to agree, as you know... at least that he didn't get much of a chance in the major leagues. He basically had two solid months of playing time in Boston -- August 2015, which was very good, and September 2015, which was very poor -- plus a few games in Sept. 2014 and a few other random call-ups where he mostly rode the bench. He was slated to be the starting LF until he lost the job based on spring training results, which I never put much stock in. It almost makes one wonder if there is more to the story here.

 

His Triple-A results really haven't helped his cause, though, and for me are more alarming than anything he's done or hasn't done in the majors. When JBJ lost his job and was demoted to Pawtucket, he raked all season long and basically forced them to give him another shot (and thank the gods he did); unless Rusney can find a way to do the same, I feel like his Red Sox career may be over.

 

I agree, it's hard to promote someone when he's not producing in AAA. But I also agree that he shouldn't have lost the starting job based on spring training. As you suggest, it seems that there is more to the story.

[Kimmi]

that's how i felt about Lackey. i hated him. i used to hope that he would give up 10 runs every start and then we would come back in the late innings and win 11-10.

 

I never really understood the hate for Lackey. Then again, I don't get the hate for Pablo either.

[Jasonbay44]

Lackey badly underperformed his first two years, was injured his 3rd year and made a lot of money during that time to do absolutely nothing positive and was a huge douche as a person, which is why he was hated. I personally don't hate him, he helped the Sox win a world series and I was pissed when he was traded. However, I don't blame people who disliked him.

[Maxbialystock]

i know. my hate was deep. and of course stupid.

 

I didn't hate him, but had you said so back then, I would probably have said I could feel your pain. And of course we were both wrong. He was good at LA and he was more than good after tommy john surgery, like he had a new lease on life. He was terrific in 2013 and one of the keys to winning it all. Wasn't he the one who beat Verlander in a crucial 1-0 game in the ALCS?

[Kimmi]

Lackey badly underperformed his first two years, was injured his 3rd year and made a lot of money during that time to do absolutely nothing positive and was a huge douche as a person, which is why he was hated. I personally don't hate him, he helped the Sox win a world series and I was pissed when he was traded. However, I don't blame people who disliked him.

 

As with Pablo, there were/are a lot of assumptions made about the type of person Lackey is. What I've heard about him from his teammates suggest that he is not the terrible person that some people think he is.

 

That said, I can certainly understand being frustrated with the way he pitched for the first part of his contract.

[Jack Flap]

Well, the Sox have given some players a shot even after recent struggles in AAA. Understood, the circumstances were different as we were out of contention, but Travis Shaw as having a horrible season (.249/.318/.356/.674) in Pawtucket last year, and he was handed a FT role on the big club. He also had a pretty bad second half of 2014 at Pawtucket: .254/.329/.410/.739.

 

True, but Castillo seems to be so deep in the dog house that I think he'd really have to set the world on fire in Triple-A to get another shot at this point (short of every other outfielder on the depth chart getting hurt). It's amazing how they seem to have completely lost interest in him since March.

 

I agree that there very well may be something deeper going on here.

[Jasonbay44]

As with Pablo, there were/are a lot of assumptions made about the type of person Lackey is. What I've heard about him from his teammates suggest that he is not the terrible person that some people think he is.

 

That said, I can certainly understand being frustrated with the way he pitched for the first part of his contract.

Pablo isn't a bad person, the hatred for him is mainly due to his performance and work ethic, or at least his eating habits.

 

Lackey is actually a douche, I've heard from numerous people who've met him he is a douche, and just the way he acts he's always come off as one to me as well, similar to Papelbon. Lackey used to yell at his teammates after errors and not in a "good" way, but in a "you f***ing suck" way. Which I didn't like at all, you don't do stuff like that. I don't think Pablo/Lackey are really comparable as people. But what it comes down to for both guys is performance. If a guy isn't performing, especially while being paid a lot, they aren't going to be very well liked by that fanbase.

 

Edit: This is a good article describing why he is a douche and why people disliked him.

 

Even at his best, John Lackey isn't the easiest player to root for. He is a self-described "*******" on the mound. He treats every base hit and borderline call against him as a personal slight, cursing like he just discovered someone keyed his car. He yells at teammates and paces angrily after any misplay. He seems aware of the fact that these actions don't paint him in the best light, but he doesn't appear to make any attempt to change his behavior. His reaction to the chicken-and-beer scandal, in which he called the reports "retarded," didn't help things either. All of these unlikable traits may have helped to further alienate fans from a player they didn't want to begin with, but the only thing that really made people dislike John Lackey was the numbers. If the Red Sox gave Gandhi $82.5 million and he posted a 5.26 ERA in two years, he too would feel our wrath.

http://www.overthemonster.com/2013/11/4/5065214/john-lackey-red-sox-hero-a-revisionist-history

[a700hitter]

We are already around $20 million in the hole with Castillo with nothing to show for it.

[Spudboy]

We are already around $20 million in the hole with Castillo with nothing to show for it.

 

This little hemorrhage is going to be protracted.

 

Maybe we should just stop talking about him.

 

It's depressing.

[southpaw777]

I have a question. Not sure it was asked yet....

Like Allen Craig, Castillo has cleared waivers and can be taken off the 40 man roster. If he is in AAA a certain amount of days does his paycheck count on the MLB payroll?

I was of the understanding that Craigs $$ is obviously paid to him but doesnt count on the MLB payroll...

Does anyone know 100% for sure either way or even if there is a rule for this certain situation?

[SoxHop]

Pablo isn't a bad person, the hatred for him is mainly due to his performance and work ethic, or at least his eating habits.

 

Lackey is actually a douche, I've heard from numerous people who've met him he is a douche, and just the way he acts he's always come off as one to me as well, similar to Papelbon. Lackey used to yell at his teammates after errors and not in a "good" way, but in a "you f***ing suck" way. Which I didn't like at all, you don't do stuff like that. I don't think Pablo/Lackey are really comparable as people. But what it comes down to for both guys is performance. If a guy isn't performing, especially while being paid a lot, they aren't going to be very well liked by that fanbase.

 

Edit: This is a good article describing why he is a douche and why people disliked him.

 

 

http://www.overthemonster.com/2013/11/4/5065214/john-lackey-red-sox-hero-a-revisionist-history

 

I couldn't stand Lackey for exactly the reason stated. He'd be getting shelled on his own account, then one of the fielders would make an error and he'd start yelling at them. He always yelled at his fellow players.

 

I did read how the other players liked him, I have no idea why. In fact he was the player I have disliked the most on the Sox since I've been following.

 

I lost it watching the 2013 WS when Farrell came to take him out of the game and Lackey wouldn't stop yelling at Farrell.

 

Strange story....... A buddy of mine ran a bar where Lackey came into for a few nights. He said he was fairly shy around women and had no confidence. One night Lackey kept asking my buddy if he thought a gal at the bar might be interested in him and should he take a chance. My buddy was like "dude, you are a major league pitcher, of course so".