Thursday, March 26, 2009

My boy Clay

Adam Kilgore from El Globe:
"SARASOTA, Fla. - Clay Buchholz has been perhaps the most impressive Red Sox pitcher this spring, a fact he reinforced yesterday...

"Buchholz lowered his ERA to 0.46, more than nine runs fewer than his spring ERA last year. He has struck out the same amount of batters (15) that's he allowed on base in 19 2/3 innings. He has been a revelation.
But because of the Sox' loaded pitching staff, Buchholz knows it's possible he will begin the year in Triple A Pawtucket. He accepts that. Yesterday might have marked the final start Buchholz makes with the Red Sox this spring. No matter where he starts, Buchholz knows the past month has righted his career."


Forwarding this article generated this response from "Sam Spade":
"It's going to be a short stay in Pawtucket for him. Penny is going to be a bust."

To which I replied:
They’ll ride Penny until Smoltz is ready (Jun-ish). When they each blow through two failed attempts at consistency or health, Clay will be brought in. He may get a start or two for the big club along the way in the interim.

They’ll need another pitcher, too, though. Clay will be the backup for Penny and Smoltz, but it’s also likely that one or more of the others will have a spell of bad health. They may look to Masterson to fill that role. But I’d expect Bowden and Tazawa to get some spot starts. At least I hope so. The thought of bringing back Paul Byrd after he clears one of those league calendar marks does NOTHING for me. At all.

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