Red Sox 2025 Starting Rotation

[Kimmi]

16 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

His k% and bb% and other peripherals are Clay Buchholz-esque. I feel gross for saying that, but I think that's where we are with Bello. Maybe he's a healthier Buchholz without the All Star ceiling? 

At this point in Bello's career, that's a fair comparison.  Bello has the stuff.  He needs to get out of his head.  I was hopeful that with the addition of Crochet, Bello would be able to settle into a more comfortable role in the middle of the rotation, but we haven't seen it so far.  We need Pedro to work his magic with Bello.

[mvp 78]

[mvp 78]

8 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

Was initially going to pitch for WOO, but rained out today.

[notin]

13 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

I am not sure why they insist Fitts be a starter…

[mvp 78]

12 minutes ago, notin said:

I am not sure why they insist Fitts be a starter…

What's your worry? He's had success in MLB. Has a starter's build and throws 4+ pitches. 

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

17 minutes ago, notin said:

I am not sure why they insist Fitts be a starter…

Maybe because the Sox' rotation right now consists of Crochet and Buehler rotating eyeballs at all the other starters.

[mvp 78]

Why are they continuing to develop Sandlin as a starter? That's a much better question. 

[drewski6]

Hurry back Kutter Crawford*

*2023 Crawford much preferred, but even 2024 Crawford would probably be an upgrade over whoever is the current # 5 starter.

[mvp 78]

20 minutes ago, drewski6 said:

Hurry back Kutter Crawford*

*2023 Crawford much preferred, but even 2024 Crawford would probably be an upgrade over whoever is the current # 5 starter.

Fitts will be back sooner. I think I'd rather him than Kutter too. 

Kutter would be fine in the pen? 

[drewski6]

1 hour ago, mvp 78 said:

Fitts will be back sooner. I think I'd rather him than Kutter too. 

Kutter would be fine in the pen? 

Even if you put Fitts over Kutter

Crochet
Buehler
Fitts

Dobbins

Bello

(weird spacing unintended)

But I dont think thats a lock it up 5, we got our 5.  Even if you get Houck back.  Its hard for me to not seeing the need for Kutter to start at least a few times once healthy.
 

[Old Red]

Is Bello the new long guy, or the new opener?🤭

[moonslav59]

Maybe Bello just needs some of ERod's luck (and run support.)

Too many pitches to just get through 4 IP.

[Nick]

Who is our starting pitcher for Sunday and Tuesday? Crochet should start on Monday. 

[Bellhorn04]

17 hours ago, Old Red said:

Is Bello the new long guy, or the new opener?🤭

Long opener.  It's a new one.

[Bellhorn04]

43 minutes ago, Nick said:

Who is our starting pitcher for Sunday and Tuesday? Crochet should start on Monday. 

Sunday-Buehler

Tuesday-bullpen game?

[Nick]

11 minutes ago, Bellhorn04 said:

Sunday-Buehler

Tuesday-bullpen game?

I completely missed on Buehler. Normal turn and he didn't throw very many pitches in his last start.

I guess we can go with Newcomb (as long as he doesn't have to come in and throw 80 pitches in relief, ugh)

[Nick]

Reminder

Age......Name......Team Control

25 Crochet 7 yrs of team control

25 Fitts 6 yrs of team control

25 Dobbins 6 yrs of team control

26 Bello 6 yrs of team control

28 Houck 3 yrs of team control

29 Crawford 3yrs of team control

 

 

[moonslav59]

Maybe Criswell gets a chance to start a game. He did well as a starer....

...way back in 2024.

[cp176]

I don’t mind being corrected but I listened to a good part of the first game today.  Looks to me like Dobbins, who I happen to like a great deal, got them in to the 5th inning.  He gave what a single and a double then got the hook.  77 pitches deep.  This whole concept of a pitcher not being able to make it through a lineup 3 times makes me sick.  If they are going to continue pulling big strong young pitchers like Dobbins after 77 pitches, just don’t cry about how over worked the bullpen is.

[moonslav59]

46 minutes ago, cp176 said:

I don’t mind being corrected but I listened to a good part of the first game today.  Looks to me like Dobbins, who I happen to like a great deal, got them in to the 5th inning.  He gave what a single and a double then got the hook.  77 pitches deep.  This whole concept of a pitcher not being able to make it through a lineup 3 times makes me sick.  If they are going to continue pulling big strong young pitchers like Dobbins after 77 pitches, just don’t cry about how over worked the bullpen is.

I don't disagree.

I will say, we do have an extra pitcher for the DBLHDR.

77 pitches is not a lot for a young pitcher, but he's only pitched over 72 innings, twice in his career, and never over 126 IP. At this rate, he may end up with 150, so maybe some caution is not a wild concept.

[cp176]

25 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

I don't disagree.

I will say, we do have an extra pitcher for the DBLHDR.

77 pitches is not a lot for a young pitcher, but he's only pitched over 72 innings, twice in his career, and never over 126 IP. At this rate, he may end up with 150, so maybe some caution is not a wild concept.

I’m not going to disagree with you or anyone else and I do understand the point.  But I think this team babies big strong young players.  Maybe it is time  to think about breaking these pitch count barriers that I think have to some extent have limited some really good strong young arms.  I understand the philosophy .  I just don’t like it.

[moonslav59]

41 minutes ago, cp176 said:

I’m not going to disagree with you or anyone else and I do understand the point.  But I think this team babies big strong young players.  Maybe it is time  to think about breaking these pitch count barriers that I think have to some extent have limited some really good strong young arms.  I understand the philosophy .  I just don’t like it.

I hear you, and not that these guys have been babied for so long, suddenly asking them to pitch 110 pitches in a game and 190+ IP would likely make their arm fall off.

[cp176]

8 hours ago, moonslav59 said:

I hear you, and not that these guys have been babied for so long, suddenly asking them to pitch 110 pitches in a game and 190+ IP would likely make their arm fall off.

Very sadly, I think that this is true.  I will say though that if your starters aren’t prepared to throw 100 pitches, no one should ever complain about them not being able to get through 6 innings nor should anyone ever even mention a bullpen being over taxed.  It makes me think that inning eaters like Giolito and dare i say Nick Pivetta are much undervalued.  

[moonslav59]

5 hours ago, cp176 said:

Very sadly, I think that this is true.  I will say though that if your starters aren’t prepared to throw 100 pitches, no one should ever complain about them not being able to get through 6 innings nor should anyone ever even mention a bullpen being over taxed.  It makes me think that inning eaters like Giolito and dare i say Nick Pivetta are much undervalued.  

Agreed, and I always felt Pivetta as underappreciated by Sox fans. He was our 4/5 starter who often pitched as well or better than many teams' #3 or even #2 guy.

[notin]

16 hours ago, moonslav59 said:

I don't disagree.

I will say, we do have an extra pitcher for the DBLHDR.

77 pitches is not a lot for a young pitcher, but he's only pitched over 72 innings, twice in his career, and never over 126 IP. At this rate, he may end up with 150, so maybe some caution is not a wild concept.

Teams also have 8 man bullpens nowadays, which makes reducing starter workload possible.  Most teams also carry 20+ pitchers on their 40 man roster, giving them quick access to even more depth.

The reduced workloads are not exciting, especially for those of us who remember 4 man bullpens and 1,000 IP from the rotation.  But unfortunately with the money tied up in SP, teams mitigate any risk as much as possible.  And for a pitcher, nothing is riskier than pitching.  (Ok, maybe base jumping.)  Especially with how hard pitchers throw today vs how they threw just 20 years ago, let alone 30-40 years ago…

 

[notin]

28 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

Agreed, and I always felt Pivetta as underappreciated by Sox fans. He was our 4/5 starter who often pitched as well or better than many teams' #3 or even #2 guy.

If Tim Wakefield was a first time free agent this off-season, he’d easily be worth a $25mill AAV.  
 

Radar gun readings lead to scholarships and signing bonuses.  But any kid learning to throw a knuckleball could be poised for a long and lucrative career….

[moonslav59]

4 hours ago, notin said:

If Tim Wakefield was a first time free agent this off-season, he’d easily be worth a $25mill AAV.  
 

Radar gun readings lead to scholarships and signing bonuses.  But any kid learning to throw a knuckleball could be poised for a long and lucrative career….

Wake was another one of my faves.

[mvp 78]

Newcomb traded to the A's for cash considerations. 

[TheSplinteredSplendor]

Red Sox Predicted to Trade Walker Buehler Ahead of Deadline

[mvp 78]