TwitterExperiment Over
5 Jun 2012
Daniel Bard was optioned to AAA today, ending, I hope, his run as a starter.
I’ve said since day 1 that I didn’t like this idea. You can read about it here, here and here. Not to pat myself on the back, as this had disaster written all over it. Bard was a failed starter in the minors and in spring training. Why did anyone think this outcome would be different?
I’m not sure what they have in store for Bard at AAA, but let’s hope it is to get his confidence back and to put him back in the pen where he can dominate. That’s where he’ll make his money.
As for the Red Sox, not bad of late. They aren’t in last place alone anymore. Tied with the Blue Jays in last at 2 games over .500, the Red Sox are only 3.0 games out of first. Either the AL East is really tough, or it really stinks.
What is great is that things have settled down quite a bit and Bobby Valentine has been left to manage his team. Gone, for now anyway, are the distractions and I think the players are just playing baseball. Will Middlebrooks has added some excitement and Felix Doubront is the best starter on the team at the moment. A youth movement of sorts. Speaking of the rotation:
ERA in 2012
3.75 – Doubront
4.26 – Beckett
4.79 – Lester
5.24 – Bard
6.58 – Buchholz
4.06 – AL Average
Yikes. Overall, a mess, but much, much better since May 1. The team ERA for March/April was 5.54, 3.93 for May and 3.12 thus far in June. Things are headed in the right direction.
If Bard is done as a starter, expect either Daisuke Matsuzaka or Aaron Cook to assume starting duties. I’d put Matsuzaka in the mix first as he’s pitched in Boston before and presumably has more to his fastball than does Cook. Not sure it is a big deal either way.
Looking ahead, we should start to see the injured troops getting back to good health. Carl Crawford and Jacoby Ellsbury are probably candidates for an early to mid July return while Cody Ross might be sooner. Andrew Bailey is likely an August return and Bobby Jenks might not return at all.
Orioles at Red Sox this week.
Jun 07, 2012 @ 08:13:10
Dice K to the rescue!
Jun 11, 2012 @ 15:52:16
The Braves retired John Smoltz’ number this weekend. Despite his injury plagued time with the Sox I think he could still pitch better than Bard has been pitching as a starter. Screw him (that he is pissed at being sent down) and the horse he rode in on. Either make him the 8th inning guy again or …
Jun 13, 2012 @ 20:23:18
Two things have always fascinated me about Smoltz.
First, he was a 22nd-round pick and look at what he became!
Second, he was a 22nd-round pick with a 5+ ERA at AA ball when he was traded by the Tigers. Do they really deserve the beating they have taken over the years for trading him? (And it’s worth noting as well that Doyle Alexander went 9-0 for Detroit after the deal before getting shelled in the playoffs. But, without that 9-0, they don’t win the AL East.)
Jun 14, 2012 @ 07:31:14
what people don’t remember about Smoltz unless you were in Atlanta, he struggled mightily in the first half of a bunch of seasons early in his career and had good 2nd halves. They enlisted a shrink for him that worked with him and wore a red sweater and was visible in the stands when he needed a reminder on whatever they worked on (focus?). Was quite the story in Atlanta those first few years of his big league career.
He was the chosen one with “great stuff if he ever figures it out” while Glavine was the smart one with lesser stuff. then they got Maddux and voila, one of the best staffs ever…oh year, guy named Avery was pretty good for a few years, especially in the postseason. I’ve got a ball signed by him somewhere.
Jun 14, 2012 @ 07:32:58
http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=886&dat=19911022&id=pFdLAAAAIBAJ&sjid=u30DAAAAIBAJ&pg=6677,4089769
Jun 14, 2012 @ 10:00:17
I think I knew that once, but forgot it in the past 20 years.
It still amazes me that with all that pitching they couldn’t win a second World Series.
Jun 14, 2012 @ 10:37:10
yep, talked about on sports talk often. Not like they had chumps hitting either.
Jun 14, 2012 @ 12:04:58
That’s a big part of why 1996 was so special to me. To fall behind 2-0 in that series and then comeback against that quality of pitching was amazing.
Jun 14, 2012 @ 12:38:57
next you’ll be campaigning for Leyritz’ number to be retired…seriously? That series was on it’s way to being over until that shot off Wohlers. The Braves bullpen was a mess most years in the 90′s. From Wohlers to Rocker.
Jun 14, 2012 @ 17:47:00
Seriously what? They beat Glavine in Game 3, Smoltz in Game 5 and Maddux in Game 6. It wasn’t the bullpen that lost those three games.
Jun 14, 2012 @ 18:00:56
just saying they would have been up 3-1 with all the momentum, that homer changed everything, that and the bases loaded walk to chicken man by Avery.
Jun 14, 2012 @ 18:34:02
“Momentum is tomorrow’s starting pitcher”- Joe Torre
Jun 14, 2012 @ 22:39:47
I am having a hard time with your reasoning, BL. Maybe that series was on the way to being over until Leyritz’ shot off Wohlers. So what? Does the home run somehow count less because Leyritz wasn’t one of the the guys who was “supposed” to be the big hero, like, say, Martinez or O’Neill or Williams? Do we take the victory away from the Yankees because they supposedly got “lucky” to “steal” the momentum? The Yankees earned that World Series victory. David Cone put it best: the Yankees beat the Braves at their own game — they outpitched them, Talking about the starting pitching here, obviously. The Yankee bullpen was indisputably superior to the Braves bullpen that year. Which, by the way was one reason the Yankees “deserved” to win. And oh, by the way, if the Braves bullpen was such a mess all those years than why exactly did they “deserve” to win more than World Series in that stretch? Check it out: Game 3: Cone outpitched Glavine. Game 5: Pettite outpitched Smoltz. Game 6: Key outpitched Maddux. Also, although it was not at all expected, that year was the beginning of the dynasty — I frankly feel that the 1996 team was better than you’re giving them credit for. I’ll bet people felt the same way when the A’s beat the Reds in ’72. The A’s weren’t “supposed” to win, but they did and that was the beginning of three World Series titles in a row. And no, nobody is looking to retire Leyritz’ number, any more than Bobby Thompson’s, or Bucky Dent’s for that matter.
Jun 15, 2012 @ 07:16:47
Greg – settle down a bit, nothing I posted was attacking. Sure I poked fun at Leyritz because he wasn’t a big/longtime contributor.
Peter and I were just having a friendly back and forth, but yes, the Braves were talented enough to shoulda/coulda won in 91, 92, 96
Jun 15, 2012 @ 12:39:42
BL — Fair enough. A little friendly back and forth. That’s cool. And I’ll give you the coulda in 96. But not the shoulda . . .
Curious on your take on the 96 NLCS. The Cards were up 3 games to 1. Maybe they coulda/shoulda won, no? Just sayin’ . . .
Jun 15, 2012 @ 20:59:53
I think any team up 3-1 in any sport shoulda.