In several pieces (here’s the ESPN Boston one) over the last couple days, it has been made clear by Tim Wakefield that he expects to serve as a full-time member of the Red Sox rotation. Coming off of back surgery in October, he expects to enter spring training healthy. This is a situation that is going to have to be resolved one way or the other. Josh Beckett, Jon Lester and John Lackey aren’t going anywhere and it’s difficult to imagine Daisuke Matsuzaka not being in the rotation. All indications are that the club is moving forward with Clay Buchholz as a long-term, permanent member of the rotation as well. So… where’s the give? Where’s the solution. Something’s gotta happen. I don’t see any way that Wakefield doesn’t open the season in the bullpen (barring injury). Anyone have any thoughts?
11 Comments to “Tim Wakefield to be full-time member of the rotation?”
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[...] Tim Wakefield opens the season in the starting rotation. Wakefield made his feeling about deserving a spot in the rotation known recently, feeling he’s paid his dues over the past [...]
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Unfortunately, I think the Sox are going to test Wake's professionalism this season. They can afford to start him as the "long man" and make him a starter if/when Dice-K or Buchholz struggle, but until that happens, Wake is the odd man out. I agree Evan, I just don't see another option.
Similarly, Mike Lowell remains on the roster with no position. He too will be asked to take a back seat unless they find a suitor during ST…
Bottom Line: As a "player's manager" Tito is going to have daily headaches trying to keep everyone happy this season.
Why is Wakefield always made to "prove himself" worthy of the starting rotation? For obvious reasons, Lackey, Lester, and Beckett are starters. Daisuke? What has he done to "prove himsel?." Bucholz? What has he done since his no-hit game?
It is between those three that the fourth and fifth starters will come.
The third will be in the bullpen to start the season or as a spot or sixth starter. There is no reason why the Sox can't have a 5/6 person rotation. Last year, when we had the old hands (Smolz, Penny, etc.) there was plenty of work for everyone… then came the injuries… then we were hurting for starters…
Tito will get the job done… I suspect Daisuke and Bucholz will be in the rotation and Wake will get at least 15 starts (injuries, needed rest, rain outs, double headers, etc.)… Personally, I have ALWAYS liked the idea of Wake in the bull pen for early and middle innings (3-4 innings)… he will get plenty of wins…
THERE IS NOTHING IN THAT ARTICLE where Tim Wakefield talks about his RED SOX ALL TIME wins record… NONE…. he has always said its not about the money, as indicated by his perpetual option… He is a consumate ball-player and has earned his bucks over the past 20 years… There is not one mistake in anything he said… In print, perhaps it comes off as ego-centric, but after 20 years (14 for the sox), he deserves at least a modicum of respect…
I would rather see Wake as a starter, and I'm sure he'll get plenty of starts this year… just not at the beginning of the season. They can't throw Buchholz in the pen since it would screw with his development as a starter right at the point where he's about to emerge. If Dice-K doesn't put himself back together I can see him being bumped from the rotation. But Wakefield is the obvious choice because he's been a reliever in the past. It's too bad for him since he's definitely earned his place on the team, but Wake is a professional and he's in it for the long haul. And remember that You Can Never Have Enough Starting Pitching.
This comes up every season, but this really is a good year for some version of a 6-man rotation, with 6 in the Pen. Reality Check: One of those 6 will occupy the 7th slot in the Pen, even if he is not used out of the Pen. One of those six will, via spot starting, actually be the 6th man in the rotation. So, why not just make everyone happy and call it a 6 man rotation (assuming everyone starts the year healthy.)
It's a tough April, starting with Beckett, Lester, Lackey vs. NYY. A travel day to KC (Daisuke, Buch, and why not Wake). Then it gets rough with only one day off from the 12th to the 28th. In those 16 games, Wake could pitch twice more, at Baltimore and TB, then Balmore again on the 1st. That's good use of a recovering Wake.
The Sox will have gotten through April with a still rested pitching staff, goading each other on, having a blast, and everyone having worked out the kinks. Eventually, someone will get injured or sick, but the Sox will have gained a month in which all six starters worked themselves back into shape and remain healthy. If they can push that health through May, they will still be rested & sharp with 1/3 of the season already gone, and Bowden & Tazawa starting to pound on the door. Now 8, not 6, ready, healthy SP looking towards October.
This, by the way, lets SP go later into games with higher pitch counts, saving the pen. Finally, my research seems to show that Beckett, Matsuzaka, Wake do better with extra day rest. I didn't get to the others, but Buchholz would stay stronger thru his first full season. Lackey does have a health centered long contract. Why not go for team, rather than individual, wins?
Send 4-Inning K to the bullpen until he can prove he can pitch like a grownup. If he somehow manages to do so, then worry about the rotation. Wake has nothing to prove: the other guy has to prove he even belongs on the regular roster.
Still a long way to go until the season, and Wakefield, Beckett, Lackey, and Dice-K all have injury histories. I would actually be surprised if this was still an issue when Opening Day comes around. If it still is, then it's clear Wakefield will have to be the odd man out. If he wants to simply be released (unlikely), then the Red Sox could at least show him that courtesy. Otherwise, though, this is just a part of getting old in baseball. He is not one of our top five pitchers, so he should not be in the rotation. I don't like the idea of a 6-man rotation because it lessens the amount of starts for our Big 3 (Lester, Beckett, Lackey). Overall, if we somehow stay healthy until opening day, i hope Wakefield just stays as the long man, understanding that he will probably get his starts eventually anyway.
The way I look at it is, if you want a spot in this rotation, you come to camp and earn it. Competition is a good thing. The first 10 days of the season we only need 4 starters anyway because we have three off days in 10 days. The opening day starter is ready to pitch in the 4th game of the year on regular rest. Then it goes 15 games, off day, 13 games, off day, 30 games, off day. That's right, 30 games in a row and then on the 13th of June, finally a day off. That's the month stretch when we may need a sixth man to lighten the load. We all know rain outs can change things. But just earn your way onto the team and come to play every day and things will work their way out.
I am also looking forward to seeing who earns the final two spots in the bullpen. Competition is good. The cream will rise to the top and Tito has always been good at talking to his players so they don't get blind sided with surprises. Show up at camp in shape and ready to play.
And this year we start with the pinstripes. How can you not love this game…
Edit: 30 games in a row is wrong. I missed May 31st, so it's 17 days, day off, and then 13 days and then a day off on June 14th.
The point is, we won't need a fifth starter until April 18th. If Wake and Dice-K come to camp ready to play, I can see Buchholz in Pawtucket, with his last option year being used, for four or five starts before he pitches in Boston. Unless someone gets hurt and goes down..
The Red Sox have pretty much adopted their own variation of the six-man concept. They don't have a true, constant, six-man rotation; but they clearly would prefer to have at least six major league-quality starters available. It's good insurance against pitcher injuries, for one; but even without any injuries, the Sox like to give their starters plenty of rest in midseason so the top guys will have some gas left in the tank for the playoffs.
Wake's the most likely swing man. For one thing, he's done it before. For another, at his age, he's unlikely to stay healthy through 200-plus innings. (The last time he pitched 200 innings was five years ago.) It's better for the team — hell, it's better for Wake himself — not to subject him to the strain of a full season in the rotation. It could add a few years to his career, should he choose to continue pitching.
Well stated as usual. I agree.