Back in 2005-6, Theo thought he had a surplus of pitching. So, he sent Bronson Arroyo to the C-Reds for Willy Po Pena. Sure could have used Arroyo since then. This year, we were supposed to have a surplus of pitching, too. Well, we have seen that a team can never have enough. Injuries and ineffectiveness and a 162-game marathon can take a pitching staff that looks good on paper and render it a paper tiger. Such has been the case this year for our 'Sox.
I hope the minor league development team continues to focus on developing pitching talent. With Wake getting long of tooth and uncertainty associated with Pap, Okey, R-Ram, and Delcarmen, we are going to need more talent, preferrably home-grown, not high-priced free agents and washed-up retreads.
It used to kill me to see GM Duquette bring in the likes of Pat Rapp, Mark Portugal, Steve Avery, and others to help Pedro. They never did. Duquette spent far too much time in the bargain basement and trying to rehab once great pitchers like Saberhagen who did have some good years with the 'Sox.
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So true. In Spring Training it seemed as though we had way too many pitchers. Of course a lot of those guys "starting" for us at the Fort went to Pawtucket when the season started. It's not as though we don't have good starters. We do. I know Buch and Wake didn't look like it this week, but there will be ebbs and flows in performance.
ReplyDeleteThe bullpen, on the other hand, is a hot mess. Delcarmen is worrisome every time he comes in. You just never know with him if he's gonna be on or not. It seems like Okie's best years are behind him. He was another spare part the Sox brought in so Dice-K would have someone to talk to. No one expected anything from him in '07 and he pitched great. His performances of late have been dreadful. I hear that he's quite the sushi chef off the field. When his pitching days are over, it sounds like he'll have a successful second career in another field.
Ram-Ram's another unreliable source. I'm still hanging my hat on "Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe." I can't understand the mentality of management. Why is Scotty even out there if he's never utilized? Too many dry humps. When he does get in, he's proven to be way more reliable than those other two. We need a reliever on par with him.
Bard's the bomb, but he's not bionic. Sooner or later, the wear and tear of pitching daily, sometimes longer than setting up, will catch up with the Sox. I just hope it's not during the run up to the post-season. If so, we're totally screwed.
I think Bowden could work out if he gets into a lot of games. Right now, he doesn't have the mileage for anyone to say he's a suitable answer. With the trade deadline fast approaching, Theo needs to get in gear on a reliever. Anyone know if Charlie Furbush can pitch in relief?
An addition to my earlier post. The Bowden Experiment has ended. Someone had to go so Beckett could be added. The ax fell on Cannon Fodder Bowden, who's probably on his way back east to join the PawSox in Toldeo. Swell. Instead of being a hot mess, the pen's simply become a mess. Good luck to Bow!
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