2018 Starting Rotation Mega Thread

[mvp 78]

Thoughts regarding the Sox' starting rotation should go here.

@JMastrodonato

 

Steven Wright said it’s realistic he could be ready to go for the first series vs Tampa but he has to see how he recovers. 63 pitches today. Presumably in five days he gets to 80, that’s probably enough to feel good about him starting Game 4. His knuckleball needs work, he said.

 

Wright is such a huge wild card. He could be great like 2016 or he could be Charlie Zink.

 

ERod is taking good steps to getting back, but I wish he was ready for the first series. Pomeranz just doesn't seem to be a guy you can rely on to go a full season either. This shows why Porcello is kinda valuable IMO. Sale is great. Price could be great, but could also be done for the season after any pitch. Maybe Johnson can step up?

 

At least we don't have the spectre of Clay Buchholz looming over this rotation anymore.

[mvp 78]

@PeteAbe

 

Steven Wright went 4 innings vs, Balt. minor leaguers at Fenway South. 4 ER, 6 H, 4 BB, 1 K.

 

Then Kimbrel came in for an inning. 12 pitches, 10 strikes, 3 K

[moonslav59]

I'd probably give Wright 2-3 more starts before calling him up.

[Kimmi]

@PeteAbe

 

Steven Wright went 4 innings vs, Balt. minor leaguers at Fenway South. 4 ER, 6 H, 4 BB, 1 K.

 

Then Kimbrel came in for an inning. 12 pitches, 10 strikes, 3 K

 

 

Jason Mastrodonato

‏Verified account @JMastrodonato

17m17 minutes ago

 

I would describe the reactions by the Orioles minor leaguers to Craig Kimbrel’s fastball as astonishment, laughter and fear. Three batters faced. Three strikeouts. One guy did hit a foul ball.

[jacksonianmarch]

That’s surprising. Kimbrel’s fastball is impressive, but his slider is just dirty. Most minor leaguers can hit heat.

[Maxbialystock]

That’s surprising. Kimbrel’s fastball is impressive, but his slider is just dirty. Most minor leaguers can hit heat.

 

Is it a slider or a curve? And I completely agree it's effective--in fact, crucial, for the reason you state.

 

Last year Devers I think hit a dinger off your closer's 103 mph fastball or something like that.

[jacksonianmarch]

Exactly. Kimbrel can locate his heat and throw the slider where it cannot be hit. Knowing the slider is coming makes the heater even more powerful

[mvp 78]

@PeteAbe

 

Brian Johnson through 3 IP:

 

1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 K.

 

Ended the third by getting Judge on a double-play ball into a shift.

 

If Johnson can pitch well enough, he has a chance to stick around in the rotation for a while!

[mvp 78]

@ByChrisMason

 

Drew Pomeranz faced 9 batters in a controlled minor league game. 3 hits, 2 ER, 1 BB, 1 K. Threw 48 pitches, 27 strikes. Was feeling good physically afterwards.

 

@ByChrisMason

 

Pomeranz: "That's the first game I've been in in a long time. So that's honestly about the best I could have hoped for. I felt good... I threw 3 today, I'd imagine I'll push toward 4 next time and onward and upwards."

[mvp 78]

@EvanDrellich

 

Red Sox pitcher Steven Wright suspended 15 games for domestic violence policy violation, NBC Sports Boston has learned

 

I'm sure Jacko will make a post about this sooner than later.

[Spudboy]

With Wright gone for 15 games to begin the season it is particularly encouraging to see Johnson look good again today.

 

He threw 77 pitches today and never looked like he was in trouble. Against a real Yankee lineup.

[moonslav59]

15 days might be just about what Wright needed to be at 100% or so.

 

It doesn't hurt.

 

I guess we'll see Velazquez game 5.

[Maxbialystock]

@EvanDrellich

 

Red Sox pitcher Steven Wright suspended 15 games for domestic violence policy violation, NBC Sports Boston has learned

 

I'm sure Jacko will make a post about this sooner than later.

 

I will. If he was arrested for domestic violence and will have it hanging over his head (no further "incidents") until December 2018, he is scum. Assuming he rejoins the Boston team, I hope Cora uses him regularly as a pinchrunner.

[cp176]

BRIAN JOHNSON - might just be his time!

[moonslav59]

BRIAN JOHNSON - might just be his time!

 

He's always had decent stuff. Now, let's see it BRIAN!

[cp176]

With Wright gone for 15 games to begin the season it is particularly encouraging to see Johnson look good again today.

 

He threw 77 pitches today and never looked like he was in trouble. Against a real Yankee lineup.

 

I'm surprised that the jackman hasn't posted a response to you already. Imagine this - he has been trying to educate the likes of me with respect to how little spring training means. We all know those Yankmees weren't really trying. I think that it means quite a bit to Johnson though. He likely could be just what we have been looking for!!!

[Natick to NC]

I'd probably give Wright 2-3 more starts before calling him up.

 

Could we just stash him in AAA ? Please

[Natick to NC]

BRIAN JOHNSON - might just be his time!

 

This is what many here hope is exactly what happens ...love the high FB today he looked really confident .

[moonslav59]

Could we just stash him in AAA ? Please

 

So Velazquez can stay up?

 

I thought you judged players by ST'ing numbers.

[Larry Cook]

Pomeranz and Rodriguez will start he year on the dl. Wright to start the year on the suspended list.

 

Sale

Price

Porcello

Johnson

Velasquez

 

Very tough to strive with that rotation. Let’s hope the bats are hot for the first two months of the season.

[Spudboy]

Could we just stash him in AAA ? Please

 

I think he is out of options.

[Bellhorn04]

Pomeranz and Rodriguez will start he year on the dl. Wright to start the year on the suspended list.

 

Sale

Price

Porcello

Johnson

Velasquez

 

Very tough to strive with that rotation. Let’s hope the bats are hot for the first two months of the season.

 

It's not that bad.

 

We start out playing the Rays and Marlins - all the way to April 8.

 

And we have off-days on April 4, 6, and 9.

 

Plus we shouldn't be without Pomeranz for long from the sounds of it.

[notin]

It's not that bad.

 

We start out playing the Rays and Marlins - all the way to April 8.

 

And we have off-days on April 4, 6, and 9.

 

Plus we shouldn't be without Pomeranz for long from the sounds of it.

 

While the Sox early schedule is nice, that is a pretty bad rotation to start the year. Because as the season wears on, more pitchers get hurt than get healthier...

[notin]

Could we just stash him in AAA ? Please

 

No options left. He can do a rehab outing and then a decision has to be made...

[Bellhorn04]

While the Sox early schedule is nice, that is a pretty bad rotation to start the year. Because as the season wears on, more pitchers get hurt than get healthier...

 

I don't know - it's not a bad rotation if Johnson pitches decently and Pomeranz is back quickly.

[Bellhorn04]

Which is not to say I'm not aware that our rotation depth could be a problem over the long haul.

[moonslav59]

I don't know - it's not a bad rotation if Johnson pitches decently and Pomeranz is back quickly.

 

The real "ace-in-the-hole" could be ERod.

 

He's been nagged by this knee injury for years. Maybe the surgery will, once and for all, help him become the pitcher we all hoped he'd be.

[cp176]

I don't know - it's not a bad rotation if Johnson pitches decently and Pomeranz is back quickly.

 

If those 5 are our starters at the beginning of the season, I'm not sure that it is bad at all. Two potential aces at the top - who else has that. I expect Porcello to be what he is - a solid innings eating mid rotation kind of guy. I just like Johnson. If he is healthy, I just don't think that it is like throwing some bum out there just to fill a spot. I think that he can pitch. I'm not buying into what the negative Nellies are serving.

[notin]

I don't know - it's not a bad rotation if Johnson pitches decently and Pomeranz is back quickly.

 

 

Every team has a good rotation if the pitchers are healthy and pitch well. But the issue is - what happens when everything doesn't go your way?

[notin]

Which is not to say I'm not aware that our rotation depth could be a problem over the long haul.

 

At least I finally get why Dombrowski ignores pitching depth.

 

In his last 6 seasons in Detroit, he rarely had any pitching injuries. He only had one season where more than 6 starters started add many as 5 games. It looked like he put 3 or 4 starting pitchers on the DL in that stretch, which is a crazy low number for a team that has Drew Smyly... l