Well, where would he have pitched? It's unforunate Wang and Hughes got hurt - but do you really feel a healthy Lilly is better than a healthy Wang or Huighes?
480 innings in 4 years? Remove the first season, he's given:
132.2
28 (!!!)
103
If you think Pedro Martinez makes you a better team the last three seasons, while sporting an ERA over 4 in the NLE, then I don't know what to tell you.
Except, the bullpen was the position of strength for NY this season, and starting pitching was probably their weakest. Why deal one of the few MLB-ready starters you have for 1/2 a season of Fuentes?
Plus you have to be wary of an NL reliever making the transition to the AL. See Gagne, Eric.
Kennedy and what else, Gom?
Fuentes for Kennedy seems redundant when you got Marte for basically nothing, and isn't Marte signed for next season?
Hughes for the league minimum, when healthy, will provide better value than Santana at $20 million per in the ALE. Just my opinion.
And why would anyone say they wanted to be aggressive in free agency? Never start with your best deal in negotiations - never make your intentions known?
Depends on who they are. CC and Tex yes, Sheets no.
See above post.
Aside from Santana, what move should the Yankees have pulled the trigger on?
I have my questions as to if Santana would succeed as much as he has in the NLE, in the ALE.
I think he'd be worth the contract but by no means was it a slam dunk - Hughes could be as good as Santana.
Red Sox
1. Jacoby Ellsbury, CF
2. Dustin Pedroia, 2B
3. David Ortiz, DH
4. Kevin Youkilis, 3B
5. J.D. Drew, RF
6. Mark Kotsay, 1B
7. Jason Varitek, C
8. Chris Carter, LF
9. Alex Cora, SS
-- Paul Byrd, SP
Won't need to for the Weds. series.
10/1 - Beckett
10/3 - Lester/DiceK
10/5 - DiceK/Lester
10/6 - Beckett on normal rest
10/8 - Lester/DiceK on normal rest
Then again, there's the argument that if LAAoA takes the Wednesday series, you want Lester in Gm 2 because he'll be there for Gm 5 - in other words, two Beckett starts, two Lester starts, and a DiceK start instead of two Beckett, one Lester, and two DiceK.
I think the Reds will always struggle in that bandbox of a ballpark.
I'm going to say the Giants. If Zito rights himself that's the best staff in the NLW, and the division is terrible.
Lincecum is off the charts good, as good as the game has seen since Pedro in his prime.
This should be the lineup tonight:
Jacoby Ellsbury, CF
Jed Lowrie, SS
Jonathan Van Every, RF
Sean Casey, DH
Chris Carter, LF
George Kottaras, C
Alex Cora, 2B
Jeff Bailey, 1B
Kevin Cash, 3B
SCRUB LINEUP FTW
Doesn't Lester have fairly significant H/R splits?
[table]Pitcher|W-L|IP|ERA
Lester Home|10-1|109.2|2.54
Lester Away|5-5|94.2|4.09
DiceK Home|9-2|87.2|3.18
DiceK Away|9-0|76|2.37[/table]
I think you have to go Beckett, DiceK, Lester, 4th starter.