2012 Spring training

[Evangelion]

How much worse could our rotation be without John Lackey. It's a joke, but at the same time I'm quite serious. He was clearly that horrible, so any pitcher replacing him couldn't be that terrible. I expect Bard, Aceves, Padilla, and Cook. This team did win a large amount of games last year without Buchholz for the second half of the season and Lackey basically going out every fifth day giving up 5-7 runs. Also, 4th and 5th starters are not going to be dominate or, in most teams cases, decent starters. If they keep the team in the game, they're doing their job. Not like Lackey, who basically lost games by giving up 6-8 runs a number of times last year and got bailed out by the dominate offense.

I stick with Bard for the upside. Hopefully, if happens to falter, he can pick up his role in the bullpen again. Same applies to Aceves. Ideal situation to me is Cook and Padilla can break camp with 4/5 spot and handle their job and Aceves and Bard return to bullpen to sure up the bullpen even further. Though, Bard's upside is appealing. Not like Aceves can't handle starting either, but I don't see Cook or Padilla being of much use in the bullpen, especially Cook with no track record for the bullpen.

[Boston Boxer]

i wonder what we do when Dice-K comes back mid way through the season

[Mike D.]

i wonder what we do when Dice-K comes back mid way through the season

Probably not worth worrying about now...these things tend to work themselves out. Someone will get hurt and not pitch well, or he won't pitch well and won't push for spot.

[Dude Paskert]

i wonder what we do when Dice-K comes back mid way through the season

My fervent hope is that the staff is pitching so well at that point that Dice-K is only used to mop up...both in the occasional blowout wins and losses AND in the generally filthy men's rooms at Fenway during the other games.

[Boston Boxer]

rotation is set: Lester, Beckett, Buchholz, Doubront, Bard.

Serious questions in the pen. Bailey was suppose to throw yesterday and did not. Now there is talk of a forearm or elbow injury. With the Sox crack medical staff, who knows what the deal is.

[Dogdaze]

rotation is set: Lester, Beckett, Buchholz, Doubront, Bard.

Serious questions in the pen. Bailey was suppose to throw yesterday and did not. Now there is talk of a forearm or elbow injury. With the Sox crack medical staff, who knows what the deal is.

Apparently Bailey has a thumb injury;

http://www.bostonherald.com/blogs/sp...y-in-jeopardy/

No timetable as to how long he'll be out, Aceves or Melanson may close until he returns, though I think Bard would be better suited for closer, but we all knew the Sox were going to have Bard in the rotation so Aceves may make the most sense till Bailey returns.

Kudos to Doubrant for winning the 4th starter spot in the rotation, I think he earned it.

I imagine they'll see how well Bard and Doubrant do for the first month or 6 weeks, then if one or both aren't doing so well, they'll call up Cook and place Bard or Doubrant in the pen. Should be interesting to watch, hopefully they both do well and won't have to call Cook up.

[Boston Boxer]

just saw the Bailey update on the Sox v. Twins game on NESN. Doubront really pitched well and deserved it for sure. I am still worried about the bull pen and think Doubront and Cook makes more sense with Bard closing and Aceves in the pen as well. You are not looking for a 20 game winner from the #5 spot in the rotation...I think Cook/Padilla would be more than servicable as the #5 and Bard/Aceves makes the pen 100 times better.

either way, i am looking forward to the start of the season.

[Mike D.]

rotation is set: Lester, Beckett, Buchholz, Doubront, Bard.

I think they got this exactly right....even having Doubront #4 and Bard #5. With Bard in the #5 spot, it'll be a bit easier to manage his innings...I don't think they need a #5 the first 8-10 days of the season, for example, and if they can skip his turn a couple other times to get him more rest, it'll help manage his innings/workload.

Hopefully Bailey's thumb injury isn't serious and they can manage the back end of the pen with Melancon and Aceves. Having Cook in AAA in case Doubront or Bard pitch poorly the first 6 weeks or so or there is an injury is a nice cushion they didn't have last year.

[SwissRedSoxFan]

I think they got this exactly right....even having Doubront #4 and Bard #5. With Bard in the #5 spot, it'll be a bit easier to manage his innings...I don't think they need a #5 the first 8-10 days of the season, for example, and if they can skip his turn a couple other times to get him more rest, it'll help manage his innings/workload.

Hopefully Bailey's thumb injury isn't serious and they can manage the back end of the pen with Melancon and Aceves. Having Cook in AAA in case Doubront or Bard pitch poorly the first 6 weeks or so or there is an injury is a nice cushion they didn't have last year.

Love it! Doubront was expected in the rotation a year ago, when he came into ST out of shape. Good he did it at least a year later rather than never. As far as I'm concerned he should have no innings limit at all. When Bard reaches his limit you can still put in Padilla, Cook or Aceves. Padilla was very close to the rotation I think. I was positiley surprised the way he pitched. And besides: I'm an Eephus-pitch-fan....

Positive projection for Doubront 2012: 180 innings, 4.65 ERA, 1.35 whip, 7 K/9.

If Bailey goes down, I'm concerned about the pen though.

[Mike D.]

I'm hoping they're smart about Bard's useage, so he doesn't "hit his innings limit". Not like the Nationals are doing with SS, "He'll go 160 innings and then get shut down".

By pitching him in the #5 spot, they should be able to skip him a few times due to the schedule and/or rainouts. A "phantom" DL spell with Cook, Padilla, or Aceves taking the spot for a couple weeks wouldn't shock me, either. You don't want him at his innings limit in July, because this team has intentions to be a playoff team, and you want your best pitchers on the mound in October.

[Boston Boxer]

Bailey needs surgery on his injured thumb...are you @#%* kidding me!!! I say we HAVE to move Bard into the pen as the closer. Padilla/Cook as #5. Probably will not happen, but it seems like a no brainer to me.

what will probably happen is Aceves or Melancon will close. Hopefully this is not a sign of things to come. Nothing worse than starting the season without a closer

[SwissRedSoxFan]

Bailey needs surgery on his injured thumb...are you @#%* kidding me!!! I say we HAVE to move Bard into the pen as the closer. Padilla/Cook as #5. Probably will not happen, but it seems like a no brainer to me.

what will probably happen is Aceves or Melancon will close. Hopefully this is not a sign of things to come. Nothing worse than starting the season without a closer

Wow, how can you need surgery on your thumb. And they said he would be fine...

[Therwil Flyer]

Holy crap, the pen has now officially become the biggest concern. Bailey's surgery will apparently include his ucl and he's out till the all star break! So, not only do the Sox not have a closer but neither do they have the kind of bullpen ace (which is probably the more important role than closer anyway) they had in Bard last season.

I think they have to at least think about moving Bard back to the pen although all indications are the will go with Melancon/Aceves and give Bard a shot in the rotation.

Not good. Not good at all.

[Boston Boxer]

yup, just read it will be Aceves as the closer. I think he will do a great job, but the rest of the pen is shaky IMO

[Mike D.]

The news on Bailey isn't good, but I'm glad the team isn't moving Bard back to the pen. They really need to give him a chance to start. If he can be an above average starter, that's WAY more valuable to the team than going from an average closer (Aceves, Melancon, Morales, etc) to an above average closer.

Closers are wickid overrated!

[Mike D.]

Holy crap, the pen has now officially become the biggest concern.

I'd argue that's a good thing. The pen is the place where it's easiest to add, remove, or move around players until you get the desired result. That's much harder in the lineup or rotation.

I think every team has bullpen concerns. The Sox need to start playing some real games and see what they have in some of those less proven arms. This is the chance for the Bowdens, Thomas', Albers, and Atchisons to step up. If they don't, they'll be gone and someone else will give it a shot.