Earlier today we took stock of the Red Sox rotation, which will soon be overflowing with quality arms. Josh Beckett, Jon Lester, Tim Wakefield, Daisuke Matsuzaka and Brad Penny are about to be joined by John Smoltz. Clay Buchholz, Michael Bowden and Justin Masterson offer the Red Sox even more depth. But you can't adopt a nine-man rotation, so the Red Sox have to make some tough decisions. Here's what some are saying:
- Through his interpreter, Dice-K told Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports that he's not feeling 100%. Morosi says it's conceivable that Boston could put him on the DL when Smoltz returns.
- Jon Heyman of SI.com reports that the Mets, Phillies and Cardinals have interest in Penny. The Red Sox could simply deal him, as most have assumed they would.
- ESPN.com's Rob Neyer wonders whether the Red Sox would trade Smoltz instead. He wouldn't command as much as Penny, but it would allow the Red Sox to keep their rotation together.
- A six-man rotation sounds intriguing, but, as Sean McAdam of the Boston Herald notes, the team has two days off in the near future, making such an arangement less likely.
Lots of choices here for Boston. They can place Dice-K on the DL, trade Penny or Smoltz or just wait it out. What should they do?
