Who is our opening day starter?

[Dojji]

Just curious what the consensus is. I can see good arguments for at least Sale and Porcello.

[S5Dewey]

Just curious what the consensus is. I can see good arguments for at least Sale and Porcello.

 

Interesting question. I can make a case for any one of the three, and even for any one of the remaining two for game #2.

 

IMO it's going to be David Price. He's the guy making the most money, put up 17 wins last year in spite of the rocky start, and frankly IMO he'd be the one who'd be the most offended if he didn't get to start game #1. Ya gotta take care of those egos!

 

Porcello seems to be a guy who sees himself as a supporting player, someone who doesn't have the need to be in the spotlight, but IMO he'd get game #2 because, after all, he IS the CY winner! - and has the most seniority of the three Aces. (and we do have three aces now).

 

Sale gets Game #3 by default, but I see him as being enough of a competitor that he'll be challenging the other two all season long.

 

I can see all three of these guys having competition between them, seeing who can outperform the others. Yep.. this could be a very fun season.

[moonslav59]

I'd kind of like to throw Wright in the middle of the big three just to mess with the opponents timing, but we start with a 3 games series, so putting Wright up secon is a stretch. Maybe...

 

4/3 Pitt (Sale)

4/5 Pitt (Porcello)

4/6 Pitt (Price)

4/7 @Det (Erod)

4/8 @ Det (Wright)

4/9 @Det (Sale +1 days rest) after a wright outing

4/10 @Det (Porcello)

 

We have another day off April 13th and 24th. that's 3 days off in the first 19 days. I think we start the season with 12 pitchers- maybe even 11.

[Hugh2]

You have to give it to Porcello. This will be his 3rd year on your team and he's coming off of a CY Young campaign.

 

If Sale is truly the ace of your staff it doesn't take much to move him to the #1 spot throughout the course of the season which is what I expect to happen.

[Spudboy]

Porcello because he had the best season for the Sox last year and won the Cy Young.

 

Otherwise I don't really care as it is just a ceremonial assignment at this point.

[notin]

 

Otherwise I don't really care as it is just a ceremonial assignment at this point.

 

Very true.

 

The bigger question is who fills out the fifth spot. Unlike me, I think Dombrowski and Farrell view Pomeranz as a starter. This leaves one spot for Wright, Buchholz and Rodriguez. Given that he has options and that teams don't necessarily need 5 starters as heavily in April, I do think the unpopular move of devoting ERod to Pawtucket to start the season is very likely. This leaves Wright and Buchholz with one spot and the other likely in the bullpen. ..

[S5Dewey]

Very true.

 

The bigger question is who fills out the fifth spot. Unlike me, I think Dombrowski and Farrell view Pomeranz as a starter. This leaves one spot for Wright, Buchholz and Rodriguez. Given that he has options and that teams don't necessarily need 5 starters as heavily in April, I do think the unpopular move of devoting ERod to Pawtucket to start the season is very likely. This leaves Wright and Buchholz with one spot and the other likely in the bullpen. ..

 

..and I will say that Tito at one time said he liked having Wake in the rotation because it disrupted the timing of the opposing hitters, often times for more than one game. Assuming that he knows more about baseball than I do (which I'm more than willing to concede ) having Wright as the 6th starter would put him just before our top starters, which could only be a good thing.

 

That would send Buch to the pen, something I see as a terrible waste of resources. However, we do have "too much pitching" and someone has to go there so it may as well be Buch in spite of the fact that I've been lobbying for him as a starter.

[moonslav59]

...and I will say that Tito at one time said he liked having Wake in the rotation because it disrupted the timing of the opposing hitters, often times for more than one game...

 

I wish I had saved my data, but I once did a 5 year study on games started after a Wake start and compared the ERA of that starter to his season ERA. There was a significant improvement in ERAs after a Wake start.

 

Take my word for it. It's true.

[sk7326]

1. Who cares?

2. Really it is about who does it matter to the most? I think Porcello as a hat tip to his remarkable turnaround.

[moonslav59]

1. Who cares?

2. Really it is about who does it matter to the most? I think Porcello as a hat tip to his remarkable turnaround.

 

Maybe we'd make it easier for Porcello to win by having him line-up with other teams' 3rd starter over the first 2-3 weeks of the season.

[Jack Flap]

Porcello because he had the best season for the Sox last year and won the Cy Young.

 

Otherwise I don't really care as it is just a ceremonial assignment at this point.

 

Agree on both counts.

[mvp 78]

Sale, but I'm not sure it matters all that much.

[Bellhorn04]

I honestly don't care. If we're placing bets I'd go with Porcello. As Spud said, it's pretty much ceremonial.

[mvp 78]

I can't believe they are opening the season against the Pirates. Damn you Selig...

[Bellhorn04]

We play the Cubs at Fenway the end of April.

[cp176]

Porcello = earned it

[vjcsmoke]

You know what I first voted for Sale. But thinking it over it should be Porcello. He's the reigning Cy Young so it makes it a much easier excuse to give him the nod without the other big pitchers getting jelly. It also sends a message.

Hey Rick was the top guy in the AL last year, you want to take that #1 spot, you gotta beat him out. Competition is open, but until then... prove you deserve to be #1.

[Kimmi]

Porcello deserves it, not only as the reigning Cy Young winner, but also as the longest team member out of the top 3 guys.

 

It may be nothing more than ceremonial to us, but I think it means something to the guy who gets the ball on Opening Day.

[notin]

Porcello deserves it, not only as the reigning Cy Young winner, but also as the longest team member out of the top 3 guys.

 

It may be nothing more than ceremonial to us, but I think it means something to the guy who gets the ball on Opening Day.

 

But if Sale doesn't get the start, he might take a pair of garden shears and destroy everyone's uniform. ..

[TylerD]

Porcello

[Kimmi]

But if Sale doesn't get the start, he might take a pair of garden shears and destroy everyone's uniform. ..

 

LOL Good point!

 

Seriously though, who does that?

[Emp9]

As long as he doesn't get all drunk and coked up and crash his speed boat into a pile of rocks, he can cut up all the throwback jerseys he wants.

[Kimmi]

As long as he doesn't get all drunk and coked up and crash his speed boat into a pile of rocks, he can cut up all the throwback jerseys he wants.

 

Obviously this would be much worse than cutting up jerseys, but that doesn't excuse his behavior.

 

When I heard the story, I thought it was a very childish thing to do, and flat out wrong. That hasn't changed because he is now on the Red Sox.

 

I'm not saying that I think Sale will be a problem. I don't think he will be. That was still a very whack thing for a grown man to do.

[iortiz]

Theorically you have to go with your best weapon. Sale on paper is your best arm.

[Slasher9]

I think we are supposed to wait for the all important Spring Training numbers before we set our rotation?

[Slasher9]

LOL Good point!

 

Seriously though, who does that?

 

a "me, me, me" prima donna. thats who. probably the same sort of guy that gets drubbed in a postseason start.....

[Slasher9]

btw - arent we paying someone $31MM (x 6 more years) to be our "Ace"? oh, nevermind.

surely he will opt out and we will have to find a way to replace his #4/5 stuff in the rotation. i hope we can do it for less than $31MM per.....

[Emp9]

btw - arent we paying someone $31MM (x 6 more years) to be our "Ace"? oh, nevermind.

surely he will opt out and we will have to find a way to replace his #4/5 stuff in the rotation. i hope we can do it for less than $31MM per.....

 

That would be awesome...

 

I think?

[notin]

a "me, me, me" prima donna. thats who. probably the same sort of guy that gets drubbed in a postseason start.....

 

The dumbest part of that whole thing with Sale was he complained that the throwback jerseys were uncomfortable and the White Sox were more concerned with marketing than winning, but he wasn't even pitching that day. So why was that jersey such an issue for him?

[a700hitter]

The Red Sox will be having a conference call today with Tick Porcello and season ticket holders. Any suggestions as to what I should ask him?