Earlier today, Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine told reporters that Daisuke Matsuzaka could be back in the rotation as he recovers from Tommy John surgery. In the meantime, another BoSox pitcher is making a strong case for breaking camp with the club. More on that and other links out of the AL East..
- Right-hander Aaron Cook can opt-out of his deal with the Red Sox on May 1st if he isn't on the big league squad, but the veteran might punch his ticket well before that, writes Alex Speier of WEEI.com. Cook's deal with Boston is worth $1.5MM if he is put on the major league roster.
- Yankees GM Brian Cashman is keeping tight-lipped when it comes to the makeup of the club's rotation, but he is preaching patience when it comes to Andy Pettitte, writes Jeff Bradley of the Star-Ledger. For his part, the 39-year-old says that he plans on keeping to his schedule and joining the team around May 1st.
- MLB.com's Brittany Ghiroli likes Ryan Flaherty's chances of making the Orioles. The Rule 5 pick must be returned to the Cubs if he is not on the O's Opening Day roster.
I’d like to see Flaherty make the team, and show the O’s what they have. I went to hs with him and he can play 3rd, 2B and both corners so he could prove to be a valuable utility player for years to come!
Agreed.
I saw him play in high shool at Hadlock field and he was impressive in batting practice back then. Oddly enough the prospect everyone came to watch was the pitcher for the other team, Mark Rogers (who got drafted in the first round by the Brewers that year I think with the third pick. What ever happened to him.
Dude Rogers is still in the minors and I believe he got suspended for 25 games because he tested positive for a stimulant.
Flaherty go to 3B and the O´s should traded Reynols for a good SP
If I’m Valentine I probably start the season with Bard and Doubront in the #4-5 spots and give Bard the month of April to show that he can handle starting, and if he doesn’t do well I put Cook in the rotation at the end of April (just before his opt-out).
I would start Aceves and Doubront 4-5 Bard had a rough couple outings, hes more valuable in the pen. He can even close if Bailey get hurt which is fairly likely.
Wouldn’t Melancon close if Bailey got hurt?
so many people are overestimating aceves. he is not a starter. he is not even an elite reliever. he is very valuable in one role: swingman. he can eat innings when a starter melts down, give you a spot start in a pinch, and occasionally come in and put out a fire. most importantly, he can do most of that on back to back days because he has a rubber arm
starting him in the rotation over dobrount or almost anyone else is foolish. he is a big asset if and only if he is used as a swingman
Aceves has pitched better than both, putting him back in the pen would be an aful mistake that Valentine won’t make.
How Aceves has pitched for ~15 innings in spring training (against a lot of minor leaguers) is not enough to put him over those other guys. He was a lot worse as a starter than a reliever last year and was still outperforming his peripheral stats by a ridiculous amount.
The only reason I would give Bard a chance in the rotation is because he has the potential to be a dominant starter; Ace has the potential to be a kinda okay 5th starter. Doubront and Cook already are starting pitchers, and have shown a reasonable ability to succeed in that role.
Ohlendorf will be added to that mix in a few weeks also and pressure Cook and Doubront. Padilla was probably the front runner for the #5 spot coming into ST, but in my eyes, has dropped below Dounbront, Cook and maybe even Miller at this point.
He (Padilla) could have his ticket punched for Pawtucket already and like you wrote.. Cook have a reasonable chance at the #5, as could Doubront with Doubront moving to the pen and Cook being released if either one falters after 3-5 stars and Ohlendorf/Padilla strong at Pawtucket and their opt out dates.
Bucholz is another who has had a habit of faring better than his peripheral stats. Whether or not some pitchers bare down under pressure better? Who knows. Matsuzaka was another his 1st 3 seasons who was like that.
Buchholz has had peripheral stats about a run higher than his ERA the last couple years; Aceves had peripheral stats 2-2.5 runs higher than his ERA, that’s a huge difference. Also, even if Buchholz were to regress to his peripherals he would still be a 3.50-4.00 ERA starter, if (when) Aceves regresses he would be a 4.50-5.00+ ERA starter.
And I think Ohlendorf is a major long shot to push one of those guys out of the rotation (he has a career FIP of almost 5.00 in the NL central).
I had the misfortunate of watching half of Aceves starts in person last year, against the White Sox and Padres. He was absolutely brutal in both. Lit up against the White Sox, and threw something like 19 straight balls against the Pads, walked the bases loaded and even a couple of guys in if I remember correctly. They were standing there with their bats literally on their shoulders. I like Aceves in the bullpen. Time to see what Doubront can do.
Avceves has had the best spring of the 3
I saw tonights game. Cook has a nasty little pick off move. And with Boston’s infield defense cook could be quite the 4 or 5 starter ala Derek Lowe.
Spring training stats mean nothing.
True, but isn’t it generally where players compete for spots?
Yes, but they don’t win jobs solely based on spring training; their past has as much (probably a lot more actually) to do with it than a half a dozen spring training games do. Potential impact would have a lot more to do with it than spring training stats too; so all told, it would/should take a complete implosion by the guy with a better track record and higher potential for the guy with a worse track record and much less potential to supplant him (and the guy with the worse track record and lower potential would probably have to pitch out of his mind too).
I absolutely buy into the mantra that “you can never have enough pitching”. However, I’m not sure how happy I am about Pettite’s return.
a) It seems as if he’s guaranteed to have a rotation spot sometime in May. Let’s assume that Sabathia, Kuroda, Pineda and Nova are absolutely guaranteed a spot. Short of being absolutely disasterous or injured I can’t see Pineda or Nova not having guaranteed spots because they earned it based off of their 2011 seasons. So that leaves 1 spot for Hughes and Garcia to begin the season. What if the starting 5 are all pitching well, or at least good enough, to stay in the rotation? Do you tell Pettite there’s no spot for him in the rotation despite promising he would be a starter if he was called up and if not, how do you justify being demoted or moved to the pen to whoever he replaces?
Not to mention our AAA rotation is completely full, for the 2nd year in a row, with Bans, Bets, Warren, Phelps and Mitchell. And some of those, especially Phelps and Mitchell, have done nothing put pitch well thru the 2011 season, AFL and Spring Training? Do you trade one or two just for the sake of creating space?
I just see the possibility of bringing him back being an issue. I suppose it’s a nice luxury but I would not give him ANY favor simply because of his legacy to the team. if he’s not DECIDEDLY better than any of our #3-#5 guys then he shouldn’t get a spot IMO.
agreed, especially since he hasnt pitched in 1.5 years.
I’ve heard talk recently about Pineda starting the season in AAA to figure out why he’s lost velocity (I didn’t take it seriously until I saw Dave Cameron, who had been calling the concern nonsense all spring [and who is long time a Mariners fan], suggest it on FanGraphs yesterday), is there any talk of that from New York, or is he pretty much guaranteed a spot in the rotation to start the year?
No the only guarantees are CC and Kuroda. I’m pretty sure Nova despite spring struggles will start in the rotation. And many are saying with Hughes great spring so far he should be in, which probably puts Pineda in, unless they want him in the minors, then Garcia is in.
And now with Joba being out indefinitely (and most likely for the year), now makes me wonder if Hughes goes to the pen.
I would like to see Bard get another start to really decide if I think he belongs in the rotation or not. As of right now, his command issues are really concerning, but will putting him back in the pen mess him up (Joba case). It’s a tough decision for Bobby V, but I hope Bard can prove he belongs as the number 4 starter and let Cook take the fifth spot. In my opinion, Aceves is best suited in the pen because he can pitch 10-12 innings a week if he had to come in when starters are bounced early. He truly has a rubber arm.
Well, I haven’t heard anything about him not being in the rotation, simply that he could be moved back to the ‘pen, so until that decision is made he’ll continue to start this spring.
More AL East notes to add on (probably will be brought up here soon). Joba suffered a significant ankle injury and is out indefinitely. They mentioned he was playing with his kid, and a friend of mine told me he fell off a trampoline. He is most likely out for the year.
I hope everyone who was ready to anoint Aceves a starter based on his awesome spring stats is watching today’s game.
Thanks for reminding me they had a day game..I THINK… Just turned on
MLB.Com in time to watch what they said was his 3rd allowed blast to
sail over the baby green monster…
Edit:
As regards to your inquire on Aceves supporters in the rotation? My bet is it will be quiet as a mouse and hopefully we will see him in the BP where he belongs.
He looks horrible today.. His Calvin Schiraldi imitation…
Ha, yeah I missed the first innings and a half. Pretty glad I did. Also glad that it should stop people talking about how Aceves deserves to be in the rotation.
Also, Jenny Dell is no Heidi Watney.
She went to the…SFG????