a700hitter

Here's how I see it: We entered the off season needing to fill 2 rotation spots. Here's what was done to address the situatioin: No major league starter (who was a full-time starter in 2011) was acquired. One of the top 2 pieces from the bullpen (Bard) was converted to starting despite no experience as a ML starter and a track record of failure starting in the minors. A minor league pitcher (Doubront), with no major record of accomplishment in the minors, was installed as the #4 starter. The two most reliable bullpen pitchers (maybe the top end of game tandem) was replaced with a largely unproven pitcher with no major stuff (Melancon) and a fragile injury prone guy who can't pitch more than 40 innings in a season. For depth, a bunch of broken down, over the hill relics were picked off the scrap heap-- Silva, Ohlendorf, Maine, Padilla and Cook. I think that sums it up pretty accurately. Others may feel differently, but I look at this plan, and I don't see a high probability for success. We can hope that this team rallies in the face of adversity, because Bennies moves have not improved this team. There was one good move made during the off season and that was the acquisition of Bobby V-- and Cherrington opposed that.

Be careful. You might get accused of wearing a tinfoil hat.

But none of those reports came from any reliable source such as a FO source. Bard expressed his desire to start in interviews over the off season.

Wilson got blasted in his only outing of the Spring. That's all I know about it.

I am saying this because going back to last August there were stories in the press that he wanted to get a chance to be a starter. In the off season, he was very clear about his desire to close. The Sox decided to give him the chance. There is no evidence that they reached the conclusion that he couldn't close. It is just not supported by any reliable reports.

Overpaid at $4 million.

I don't think this accurate. Bard isn't closing, because he has been pressuring the Sox for sometime to get the chance to start.

You were in agreement with a lot of us, because that's where a critical analysis led us. If this guy is going to miss 8-12 weeks, Cherrington needs to get another arm. If we didn't need one before, we need one now. We don't have enough quality arms.

Basically, we will not get even 40 innings out of this guy who is obviously made of glass. He pulled a lat during his physical and now a mystery thumb injury? Of course he still has an elbow hanging together by a thread. Is it any wonder that Billy Beane dumped him on us for trash like Josh Reddick.

If they need surgery, it could be named after him.

Just like the GM during the off season. :lol:

Cook had a good outing today against the Nats -- 5 innings 2 hits 1 run. He's a May1st opt out. Who will get bounced from the rotation if he stays healthy and gets called up?

The s*** died. Stop being so reactive and read the thread first. It died here: http://www.talksox.com/forum/735326-post9.html

I agree with this.

... or not use their pitching hands.

I would agree that it was better. Lester didn't have any lost seasons in what would have otherwise been cost controlled years.

I wouldn't count on that.

Lester had developed into an ace in his second full season of service. His 2008 and 2009 were unbelievable bargains. Bard already has more than 2 years of service under his belt and has never been a starter. I don't think the two situations are comparable. Lester was a guy who was developed initially as a starter and even after his rough spots, there were several more seasons of cost control.

Ha ha, U.N. remains obsessed with me! A700Hitter remains a must read, love him or hate him. VA, I apologize for the 3rd person reference, but it's not really a 3rd person reference when you think about it. A700Hitter is just an internet identity-- not who I am by a long shot. A700Hitter is whoever the reader has conjured up in his/her own minds, and none of it approaches the real person. Again, I apologize, because I know it is a pet peeve of yours.

That's not such a big bargain. I am not big on buying out a year or two of free agency for a pitcher by overpaying for control years. We bought out Buchholz's first year of FA and overpaid for 201--a lost season for Buchholz.