Troubled Knees And Goodbye Graff And Bronson.
We have to face the real possibility that Keith Foulke might be in big trouble. The fate of our closer rests with the effectiveness, or not, of a lubricating agent being injected into both his knees, right AND left. It's not just the right knee now. The left has become cumbersome too. What if the pain never goes away? Who will be our closer? Jonathon Papelbon? He surely has the talent, but that is not where we want him to begin the process of being a full-time player for the team. How about young Craig Hansen? He certainly also has the talent, but he is so young. To catapult him into the closer's role now would not be right. I hope it does not become necessary. So we wait, and we hope that two troubled kness will respond to an inner application of WD-40 type liquid.
And another thing. It's a sure bet that Graffanino and one starting pitcher will be traded away this Spring. Who among the starters is the tastiest treat for other teams to gobble up like Thankgiving dinner? That's right, Bronson Arroyo, battered yesterday in the second inning of his short stint on the mound, I firmly believe, is seeing his last days in a Red Sox uniform. Of all our starters, I would miss him the least with the maybe exception of David Wells, who other teams would choke on if they gobbled. So it is here and now in Peter On Everything that I bid goodbye to the mediocre (ERA above 4.50) but colorful pitcher, who needs to bear down and concentrate rather than lazily throwing frisbees from the mound. So sorry Bronson. I know what the front office promised you when you signed your deal. Such is life.
A season of possible greatness now rests on two aching knees. Lets make the score modern medicine 2-aches and pains 0 in this contest. Please.
posted by Peter N @ 4:10 PM
6 comments
6 Comments:
Please change that so it reads, "Bronson will have a long, prosperous career with the Sox, improving his ERA to somewhere under three, and gathering a few more rings as well."
Thnak you.
Of course that is my hope, and that Wells will be traded instead. But with Clement owed $19 mill, he sure will be tough to move. And David Wells?? Just as tough, and I like him in our rotation. I'll bet you a buck I'm right, with an incentive clause that would bring the bet up to $1.33.
As annoyed as I am with "Tubby" (my friend Kelly's pet name for Wells), I'm not convinced that the Sox are positioning themselves for another trade. I just don't see the point. They were only considering trading Wells because he wanted the trade, not because they were hot to get rid of a pitcher.
Bronson might be a better deal for other teams, but he's also a better deal for the Sox. Why trade him for a bigger contract (or a lesser player)?
I disagree, in that Bronson will always give up 4 or 5 runs in a 6 inning stint. We are too deep in starting pitching, and it's just common sense that if the Sox do intend to trade a starter, bingo, Bronson is his name. Although I think our line up looks set. Watch out...bad vibes with Seanez and Riske. But it is early.
In 205 innings last year, Bronson gave up 116 runs, so " Bronson will always give up 4 or 5 runs in a 6 inning stint" is a TAD harsh, don't you think? :-)
And I don't believe you're ever too deep in pitching...which is another of the benefits of Bronson, he's a bullpen guy as well.
I don't see why the Sox would make any trade right now with the way the team has shaped up.
Too much talent around for Bronson's attitude and too many hits and runs off of him already. Bring up the sleepers from our farm system.
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