Bellhorn04

I agree with the first sentence, but I see no reason to think he's not going to come back and pitch. The recent reports are all positive. If he wasn't progressing I think we'd know it.

Jeez, let's not start threads like this unless they're real.

Thanks. Here's an excerpt from one of the articles you linked. Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports March 6, 2019 Red Sox starting pitchers cleared for spring debuts By Matt McCarthy, 985TheSportsHub.com Chris Sale, David Price, Nathan Eovaldi, and Rick Porcello are all set to make their spring training debuts in the coming week as the Red Sox cautiously work to get their top four starting pitchers ready for the regular season. The Red Sox have avoided using their starters in Grapefruit League action up until this point in an attempt to manage their workload. The decision came after the team used Price, Eovaldi, and Porcello heavily in both the rotation and the bullpen last October. Sale, meanwhile, is coming off a shoulder problem that limited him at the end of last season. The word 'caution' in various forms appeared in several of the articles. My main takeaway from the articles is that the team was very concerned about the impact of the postseason run and the fact that the starters also pitched those high-stress innings out of the pen. I don't see it as some brilliant new-fangled scheme to have these guys peak later in the season. I see it primarily as an attempt to preserve their health.

That's nonsense, Fred. I'm as aware of Restgate as anyone here. I used the term a lot. We also used the term Leongate (thanks Slash). I'm here just about every day talking about these things. I'm not disputing the facts that the Red Sox dictated a lightened spring workload for Sale, Price, Porcello and Eovaldi. What I'm questioning is the alleged purpose of that lightened workload and the magnitude of it.

Well, that's your opinion and you're entitled to it. But you're a s***** reader.

I'm not making up s***, I'm just asking for some actual links to quotes and stories. That's pretty standard procedure isn't it?

I honestly haven't seen the quotes.

That's exactly what I was trying to say. It couldn't make much difference either way.

No, I didn't miss the point. You just didn't read the posts by Kimmi and moon that I responded to.

Could be. But I don't think Cora thought 4-6 innings less in spring games was going to make the pitchers stronger down the stretch this year. It's a pretty small difference, no?

I don't see how 4-6 less innings in spring games could possibly have such a big impact one way or the other. Sale and Porcello are struggling this year, it's as simple as that. And Sale has had a lot of things going on with him since last July.

Can any of us actually answer that?

I think the moral high road in baseball has been washed out. It still irks me that the Yankees profited heavily off Chapman's DV issues by robbing the Reds and then turning him into Gleyber Torres. One of Cashman's finest moments, some might argue! And the Astros took advantage of the Jays' moral dilemma with Osuna. (Admittedly I'm just trying to stir up crap on the All-Star Break.)

Good for Verlander. Let's see if some other players speak out on this.

So the better he pitches, the less conflicted the sentiments?

We will have a closer fairly soon, Eovaldi.

I agree.

Yes, he and Kimbrel overpriced themselves, so that's kind of a different story.

They're not 'pampering' Price IMO. They're worried about his elbow.

I think you're right.

Unless they're facing Jake "I'll put a dent in his skull" Arrieta. (See story about him and Todd Frazier.)

Maybe it's all Rocket Ball Phobia, jung.

Red Sox pitchers actually lead baseball in strikeouts. But that's a major FWIW.

BUFFoone!

Now that's kind of a silly one.