Masterson to bullpen and other changes i'd like to see

[Triboy16]

I like bucholz trying to find himself back as a starter and getting masterson some time at the bullpen. Masterson will be a really solid #3 starter next year

With that i still like the redsox get a reliable vet setup man and i'd give up for example some prospects we got, manny decralremen especially

Other changes i like to see is to put that bum lugo on the bench as a role player. Maybe he is just getting too old, but the lack of hitting plus the errors are hurting the sox

Joe Thurston as a 2b at pawtucket is hitting amazing. He can also play ss, i'd say give him a chance

[Chris]

I love moving Masterson to the Bullpen and bringing back Bucholtz.  As good as Masterson has been as a starter, he should be even better as a reliever, because his lack of a 3rd pitch won't hurt him as much.

I also expect them to go after more bullpen help...although there isn't too much out there I don't think.  And unfortunately, I don't think they will be benching Lugo anytime soon.

[Bankshot]

The best place for Lugo is on another team.  Lugo would be a lousy bench player.  Bench players are supposed to at least do something better than that starter, like play good defense.  He can't pinch hit because he's a terrible hitter and he can't be a defensive replacement because he a worse fielder than he is a hitter.  The only thing he can be is a $9million dollar pinch runner.

I like the idea of bringing up Buccholz and getting Masterson ready for the bullpen, where help is much needed.

I like the idea of trying out Thurston at SS.  He can't be any worse than Lugo, right?

[Roy Hobbs]

It's a move that had to be made, but I would have preferred to be able to keep Masterson in the rotation.  He's been one of the team's most effective starters this year.

[Chris]

It's a move that had to be made, but I would have preferred to be able to keep Masterson in the rotation.  He's been one of the team's most effective starters this year.

Although I can't argue too much about that, I think he had "beginners luck" written all over him with his success as a starter.  He has found a way to get away with a lot of mistakes, which tend to catch up with starters as teams see him for a second and third time.  Generally, relievers are able to hide these things more.

Don't get me wrong, I think he can be a very good starter in the future, I think he is still in mid-development.  By moving him to the bullpen, they can limit the lumps he might take later in the season, as teams start to catch on to him.  And then he can continue to spend the winter working on his changeup to come back as an even better starter next year.

Oh yeah, and the limiting of innings is also a major benefit, since if they kept him in the rotation, they would likely have to shut him down before the end of the season anyways.

[ma11l]

Very excited about this move happening.  Buchholz is one of my favorite players on the team and if he straightened himself out after his injury he can be a great addition to the rotation.  I think he has more to offer as a starter than Masterson, and vice versa.  I'm very excited to see him come out of the bullpen.

[nickagneta]

With that i still like the redsox get a reliable vet setup man and i'd give up for example some prospects we got, manny decralremen especially

Not sure what your grind with Manny Delcarmen is. Except for 4 appearances this year(Apr 24th, May 4th and the 2 appearances vs Tampa last week) he has a 2.10 ERA over his last 80 regular season appearances dating back to last June. He's 26, throws 98 MPH, has two devastating off speed pitches and is still maturing into his role. If he is traded or let go by the Sox he is a closer right now for 10 or more teams in this league. Get his last two bad appearances out of your head and get a real perspective as to just what he has been doing over the last 2 years.

Masterson is being sent to the bullpen because he is already at 60 IP between here and Pawtucket and they have him on an innings limit this year much like they did Buchholz last year. They don't want to have to shut him down for the postseason if he is needed, so the bullpen, where they obviously need some help, is the best place for him to be while still facing major league batters and helping the team.

If Buchholz does well and starts putting up some innings, watch for them to give him a 15 day DL vacation later this year. The longterm strength and development of these kids' arms are more important to the front office of the Red Sox than whether they finish in first or the wild card and they will not risk their health for a world championship. These kids are the core of the next 10 years of Red Sox dominance and the Sox are going to baby them at this young age.

If it was me, I give up on Hansen. I just don't see that he has put together a successful stretch, like Delcarmen has on many occasions over the last 2 years and I don't see that he ever will. I would put him and a big time minor league arm or two on the table for a AAA catcher that can contribute next year at some time.

And I honestly believe the middle relief will be fine. Does anyone realize the Sox have already played 3 10-game road trips and have played 50 road games, 2 in Japan, the most in the major leagues and have had big time problems putting a 100% healthy lineup on the field. Yet they have the 5th best record in all of baseball. That's a great job overcoming adversity and once Ramirez stops slumping and Ortiz returns healthy and with 39 out of their 67 games at home, the Sox future this year looks bright.

It's a slump people, let's not get ready to trade the whole team away and bring up every youngster in the minors just yet.

Remember this is 2008 not 1998. We don't panic anymore. Patience, baseball is patience. Didn't the 2004 ALCS teach us anything.

[Jon]

I like bucholz trying to find himself back as a starter and getting masterson some time at the bullpen. Masterson will be a really solid #3 starter next year

With that i still like the redsox get a reliable vet setup man and i'd give up for example some prospects we got, manny decralremen especially

Other changes i like to see is to put that bum lugo on the bench as a role player. Maybe he is just getting too old, but the lack of hitting plus the errors are hurting the sox

Joe Thurston as a 2b at pawtucket is hitting amazing. He can also play ss, i'd say give him a chance

At this point, I'd rather see them trade Lugo, eat some of the salary, and just bring back Jed Lowrie.  He was lighting it up when he was here earlier. 

Ultimately, I'm not super worried about things.  The baseball season is ridiculously long, and we're just past the halfway point.  4 games in baseball is like 2 games in basketball.  And 90 games in baseball is like 45 games in basketball.  I don't think anyone would be worried about the Celtics if they were two games off the pace 45 games into the season. 

The Sox haven't had Papi for over a month, Varitek and Ramirez are both in horrible slumps, Dice-K missed nearly a month earlier, Beckett had a slow start, Lowell missed two weeks, and they still the fourth best record in baseball, are leading the wild card, and are only 4 games back from the best record in baseball.  As long as they get healthy, they should overtake the Rays and probably win another World Series.  When Ortiz and Manny are healthy, they're still the best 1-2 punch in baseball.  Combine that with a playoff rotation of Beckett, Dice-K, Lester, and Wakefield, and I feel pretty good. 

[Robb]

Although I can't argue too much about that, I think he had "beginners luck" written all over him with his success as a starter.  He has found a way to get away with a lot of mistakes, which tend to catch up with starters as teams see him for a second and third time.  Generally, relievers are able to hide these things more.

Which is exactly why we don't need to deal for middle relievers.  I mentioned my thoughts on this in another thread.  Effective middle relief seems to always be young.  The shelf life of a good middle reliever feels like 2 or 3 years before they flame out or become a closer, and it seems like there are a lot more that flame out than become closers.  I say call some guys up, throw them at the wall and see who sticks.  With Varitek calling the games, the hitters won't have good books on the pitcher and that will be to our advantage.  The 2005 season I remember wishing the Sox would give Schills playoff starts to Papelbon because at least no one had seen him, but they'd seen Curt Schilling and knew he was hurt and knew he wasn't effective.