Buchholz Steals Pedey's Limelight - Start Talking Cy Young

Dustin Pedroia returned tonight after 7 weeks of injury to a standing ovation. It was even his birthday.

Ryan Kalish, a yet to be determined level of studly rookie hit a grand slam to break the game open.

But to be honest, none of that matters, because Clay Buchholz has been that good this year.

After going 7 dominate innings against a Halos team that simply can't score against the Sox, Buchholz has absolutely cemented himself in the Cy Young award talk.

Joe Murph and I had this conversation after his last start, we were concerned that he wouldn't have enough time to pile on some wins, and we agreed that he remains under the radar and won't get the "sexy votes" that David Price may (ITM note, how is that possible given the Boston/Tampa market differences?).

Tonight's game however, in my mind, put him square in the mix. At 14-5, a ridiculous league leading ERA of 2.36, a WHIP of 1.1, and the title of being the most consistent and valuable pitcher in the AL, how can this guy not get a ton of votes?

Also, have you ever seen a pitcher make adjustments as quickly and as well as Buchholz? Most prospects get lit up a bit, and it takes a few years to make adjustments before they reach this level of success, but Buchholz has essentially done it in one year.

He's matured to the point where he realizes he doesn't need to strike everyone out, in fact, he's among the league leaders in ground outs, which helps to keep his pitch count down.

Going into the season, if you would have told us a Red Sox pitcher was in the Cy Young discussion, many would have assumed Lester, maybe Beckett, possibly Lackey, but probably not Buchholz. See how much this guy has poured?

Imagine if Theo dealt this guy? (ITM note, at one point or another, all of us were ready to show him the door for a bat, admit it).

Now if we could ever get the Rays and Yanks to lose on the same nights as the Sox win, we'd be on to something.

Playoffs or not, Buchholz needs to be on the ultra short list for Cy Young consideration. Mark it zero, next frame.

One Down

A few thoughts following the Sox 6-3 victory over the Yankees in this first of a critical four game set:

- Gutsy performance from Buchholz. He was sharp throughout, but there were two moments where it looked like he was teetering on the edge: in the fourth inning, after Scutaro made the bad flip and put runners on first and second with nobody out, then again the next inning when he hit Jeter then gave up a first-to-third single to Swisher. It couldn't have been a pretty sight from the mound, staring at a slim lead, runners on the corners, and coming up Teixeira, ARod, and Cano. But both tight spots, Buch locked in and got out with minimal damage, the lead in tact. That was a gutsy stretch, and once he got through, Buch steamrolled.

- The small strike zone certainly seemed to favor the Sox. It was called consistent throughout the night. Vazquez needed a few gimmes, and when he didn't get them, he lost the zone completely. Good thing, too, because his breaking stuff was breaking hard. He had a thirty-mile per hour difference between the fastball and the curve - sick.

- From the New York broadcast, I just want you to know that Al Leiter is a big Buchholz fan and Michael Kay, whom Vicino can't help but like, is a charter member of the Ryan Kalish fan club. He just couldn't get enough. Kay called him "The Kid" over and over with such fondness you'd have thought Teddy Ballgame was out there. If the Yankee bullpen hadn't tracked down the home run ball, the Yanks announcing crew was going to have a fit. Strange, classy guy.

- I wish Marco Scutaro would drive in more runs. No to complain, I just love yelling out his full name when he does. It feels like something you'd exclaim upon making a great discovery. "Marco Scutaro, I've got it!"

- I really hope Teixeira doesn't start heating up. That lineup is ridiculous enough as is.

- When it was recalled that Kerry Wood once struck out 20 Houston Astros in a game (insane), I sadly had to think for a solid two minutes about whether the Astros still exist as a team. Have I fallen that out of touch with the NL?

- Joba has sure fallen out of favor in the Bronx. Velocity has just been so inconsistent, but it's still surprising to see him coming in to clean up the 6th inning in a 3 run game.

- Was Robinson Cano always this big? I know I'm supposed to be the one keeping track of the pinstripes, but I feel like that guy has put on twenty pounds in the last few months. Always had a bigger frame, I guess, but how can he keep playing middle infield at a high level? He does, and for the time being, he's one of the scariest hitters in baseball to boot.

- Speaking of size, is tomorrow's matchup the biggest, mass-wise, possible in the AL? Lackey v. Sabathia.

- Am I going to be this happy every time Mike Lowell crosses the plate the rest of the season? Man, I wish the guy well.

- Big, big weekend. ITM will be back for more tomorrow. Keep an eye out for the headlines from NY with your morning coffee.

Remember When People Wanted Wakefield in the Rotation Over This Guy?

Tied for the AL lead in wins (8-3),

Nearly leading the league with an ERA of 2.39,

5-0 in his last 5 starts, with a .99 ERA,

The Globe had the great stat this morning that since August of last year, he's 14-4 with a 3.38 ERA. Two months ago, people were arguing that Clay Buchholz should be held out of the rotation in favor of Tim Wakefield. How dumb do they look now? (same could be said for those of us (including myself) who wrote off Ortiz)

Right now (knock on wood), it's Clay Buchholz and David Price in a battle for who is starting the AL All-Star game. He's been that good.

Going into 2010 we all hoped Clay Buchholz would continue to progress and mature. Turns out, he's blown our expectations out of the water. Now, he's set the bar at a near irrational level, and us Bostonians are amazing at having irrational expectations.

Buchholz continued to add to his 2010 resume last night with his economical 101 pitch complete game shutout of the O's. If it wasn't for Lester's studliness, Buchholz would have to be Boston's go-to arm at this point (and he still may be).

In my mind, it's all about his confidence, and at this point, it's at an all-time high....leading to his outright dominance.

And for anyone who says we should trade him now should be hit over the head with a hammer and left for dead. He and Lester are the only arms keeping this rotation together.

A Solid Win With Great Pitching? Really?

(lately, he'll either strike you out or steal your laptop)

Maybe I'm confused since I was switching back and forth from the Sox to the Celts, but did our baseball team just have a quality win?

It might be their first of the year, great pitching, timely "hitting", a quiet 9th inning and decent defense.

Certainly fans can point to Beltre's 19th error of the season (which is a lot considering we were promised a guy who was so good on the hot corner that he doesn't wear a cup). One could also say Boston's lack of true hitting against Macrum was concerning, as well as their propensity of one run victories (six straight)....but I'll take it.

Buchholz essentially told the rest of the staff to man up, take their skirts off, and get on his back.....coming through with a huge performance to save Tito from putting JD Drew on the mound in the 7th. Buchholz's ERA? 2.19....see how much he poured???

To prove yet again that everything relates back to either Major League, Tommy Boy, or Spaceballs.....We need to assume Tito will be using the following quote in the locker room:

"You guys won today. You guys won yesterday, so that's two in a row. If you win again tomorrow, that's called a winning streak. IT HAS HAPPENED BEFORE"

Glad We Missed It

(is that Buchholz or Bronson Arroyo?)

Part of me is glad we returned from Ft Myers early enough to miss last night's game against the Twins......Ask me that again by the end of the day and I'll likely have a very different answer.

By now, most of you know Dusty sprained his left wrist diving for a ball in the bottom of the first. Sure, it's nothing to be truly alarmed about, but if I was there at the park I probably would have tried to join his wife and new born baby in the locker room to check on him.

All information seems to indicate he'll by 100 percent in a few days time. I don't doubt he'll be asking Tito to run him out there by tomorrow.

The real concern (if you can call it that in Spring Training) from last night's game is Buchholz. He couldn't get through two innings, not only getting hit hard, but also showing signs of a lack of mental toughness on the mound.

I'm in the camp of wanting both Dice-K and Buchholz at the end of our rotation this year, with Wake eating the long relief and spot start innings. Buchholz has yet to convince anyone he's ready for the assured starting role this spring.

He's let up 8 runs in just 6 innings to big league hitters to this point. My concern doesn't necessarily stem from the numbers themselves, but rather the apparent regression in mental toughness. If you read his quotes after last night's game, you can tell he was distracted by movement on the base paths and situational pitching. It resulted in not only a lack of focus, but also in multiple "spikes" of both his fastball and change up, as well as plunking two batters and three walks.

I know, it's early, he'll likely figure it out, talent will prevail etc, but if focus is an issue now, what happens when he's at Yankee Stadium in a big spot? You can't blame the current struggles on "working on pitches" or "just trying to get his work in".
Going into this season I, and many others, have high expectations from the guy people think/thought is the key piece in getting Adrian Gonzalez. While those expectations remain high, my confidence at this point may not.

He needs to find his July/August 2009 if he expects to continue making commercials for ESPN.

T-minus 10 days.

Adrian Gonzalez.....Yes?...No?...Maybe?

Days like today take years off my life. Really, the same can be said for everyday since the winter meetings got cranking.

Anyways, first, studly first basemen Adrian Gonzalez was "being targeted" by the Red Sox, in a matter of hours, miraculously, multiple sources were reporting that a deal of Gonzalez for Buchholz and Ellsbury would be finished before Christmas, still later, media outlets stated there was no chance in hell the Sox would package both of their young studs in a deal together....and now, WEEI is reporting:

"Multiple major league sources suggest that rumors of progress in talks between the Red Sox and Padres about a deal involving San Diego slugger Adrian Gonzalez have been dramatically overstated. One source said that there was nothing to the idea that trade talks are heating up."

All this, in one day? Give a fan a break for God's sake. Talk about a roller coaster of emotion....I'm sure people walking by my desk today saw me doing cartwheels, followed by biting my nails, and then crying.

Just think about what this man could do in Fenway Park. Honestly, 50 taters wouldn't be realm of possibility. Between A-Gon actually having lineup protection, seeing some good pitches to hit, and the friendly dimensions of Fenway....this guy would absolutely rake in Boston. Plus, have you ever seen anyone look more Mexican than Adrian Gonzalez?? Honestly, I'm not even kidding, it's amazing. I know he's from Cali, but he should win an award, it's impressive...

All that said, A-Gon for both Buchholz and Jacoby? I'm not 100 percent sold on that idea...talk about completely reshaping the franchise....thoughts?

My Bad

Let it be known throughout Red Sox Nation, tonight's terrible loss is on me, I take complete blame.

I had to do it, had to point out how unhittable Clay Buchholz has been, I believed I even used the phrase "Grienkie-like". I should have known better. Any Red Sox fan knows not to give a player, or their team too much credit, for fear of things getting screwed up...but I must not have listened well enough.

Clay Buchholz got absolutely shelled tonight. I'm pretty sure one of Toronto's taters actually hit my apartment building. Every single out was loud from a Jays team that is bashing the ball like the 2008 ALCS Rays all of sudden. Buchholz's velocity seemed down from the beginning, and all of his breaking stuff was catching too much of the plate. None of that mattered, after reading my previous ITM post calling him the second half team MVP, he never had a chance.

One bad start certainly doesn't label Buchholz as unreliable come playoff time, but it continues a concerning trend surrounding the Sox front line pitchers.

The Sox have now lost 5 straight while defining the term "backing into the playoffs". I almost hope the Rangers win later on tonight, so the Sox can earn it on their home field tomorrow night.

Sleep well Red Sox Nation, sleep well.

Boston's Second Half MVP

Three months ago, I'm sure Clay Buchholz didn't know which way was up. He had been mowing down minor leaguers while watching John Smoltz and Brad Penny struggle (for the most part) at the major league level. He knew he could be effective in the bigs, and other teams did too, which is why at the trade deadline he was one of the most coveted arms on the board.....

THANK GOD, Theo and company kept the asking price for Buchholz at an unreasonable level. You can point to Theo's failures this year (namely Smoltz and Penny), but you have to look at what a difference his in-season moves have made for this ballclub. V-Mart has lifted the offense out of the doldrums, and Gonzo has solidified the end of the lineup while contributing his masterful defense up the middle. The real prize however, was the deal that Theo didn't make. Keeping Buchholz close to his chest has paid the highest dividends, not only for this season, but perhaps in the long haul as well.

At the end of last year, his confidence had been defeated and character questioned, but Clay Buchholz has shoved it all back in everyone's face. I will freely admit that I was one of the many who was willing to deal Clay back in July. I was ready to accept dealing "potential young talent" for a "proven big league arm" or a "middle of the order bat".....turns out Theo got us both without dealing Clay at all.

The sample size may be somewhat limited, but what this kid has done over the last two months has exceeded every one's expectations. I don't care what you say, you didn't know he was going to be this good. His confidence is through the roof, teams have a limited book on him, and hitters are continually frozen by a change up that comes at you with the same exact motion as his mid 90's fastball. The Sox are 7-0 in his last 7 starts, he has the lowest ERA on the staff (3.21 (1.38 in September)), and if you back out two clunker games that appear to be exceptions to the rule, his numbers would be Grienke-like.

If you think about the second half MVP for this Red Sox team, many would point to J-Bay, V-Mart, or even Ortiz (leading the league in taters since early July), but the right answer is Buchholz. A 25 year old pitcher who has shown the entire league that he is far more than a flash in the pan arm who threw a no hitter only to never recover. Will he keep this up? Tough to tell. Odds are he'll come back to earth a little. Regardless, the consistency he's shown has put the league on notice: right now, the Sox have the best 1-2-3 combination in baseball, and they're ready for October.

Late September, Sox Win, Life Good

A good start to a long trip. Those first few miles of highway always seem to set the tone, and the Sox put them happily in the rearview with an efficient 3-1 win. Young Buchholz continued his progress, improving to 6-3 on the season, going six strong and giving up only 5 hits and one run, a hanging change to Luke "I've hit how many home runs?" Scott. Tonight marked Buchh's fourth win in five tries. During that stretch of five games, he's thrown 34 and 1/3 innings and given up only 6 earned runs. If that's not a case for the third playoff start, I don't know what is.

The Sox just seem to click in Baltimore - despite lingering under .500 on the road, they're 6 for 7 at the Inner Harbor. Tonight they only got three runs on the board, but they pieced together eleven hits and seemed in control on offense throughout the night. No surprise that it happened in Baltimore - Camden has uncrowned Coors Field this season for the highest stadium batting average, coming in at a cool .288 (Angels Stadium is 2nd at .282, followed by Kauffman and Coors tied at .277).

Jacoby and Kotchman provided much of the evening's firepower, along with a home run from Jason Bay, who swung his bat like it was a hot potato. Seriously, one second it was on his shoulder, the next it was halfway flung to the dugout and the ball was sailing into the bleachers. (A personal aside - I've watched many games from the Camden bleachers, but by far the best moment was when I offered my then-girlfriend to warming reliever Rich Garces, if only he would get three outs. El Guapo, as only El Guapo could, looked her over, opened the gate, turned back, shrugged, and hollered "okay." I rushed her to the train after, looking over my shoulder all that week.) Bay later left the game with flu-like symptoms, meaning no more crab cakes before tomorrow's games.

All in all another chilly victory. Someone should measure the correlation between cool-evening baseball and life happiness. Right now I'm thinking the numbers are gonna be off the charts. Another month or so of this and I might just be ready for the first three quarters of Patriots football and some Rasheed Wallace antics. I'll be a calm man. Autumn baseball is just good for the soul.

Should I Pump the Breaks on my Excitement?

Just a quick post here on something I'll be struggling with all day...am I too excited about the current state of the Red Sox?

Sure a 4 game wild card lead coupled with the return of Tom Brady and the Patriots has my tail wagging, but for some reason, I'm feeling the kind of confidence in this Red Sox team that gets me nervous.

This weekend, the entire league saw what they may have to deal with once the playoffs come around. Beckett, Lester, and Buchholz....Judging from Beckett's 5 inning performance Saturday night, we know he's not hurt. We're also well aware of his post season resume.

Sure the Rays are sinking faster than any team in history, save for the Mets (pick a year), and I'm still not 100 percent sold on Beckett being "back", but I gotta believe no team wants to face Boston in October right now.

If Beckett's previous struggles are any kind of question mark, then Jon Lester is the answer. 17 innings straight without allowing a run, on the absolute top of his game. I don't care what fat boy CC's record is in NY, Lester is the top lefty in the game right now. Write that down.

As if the idea of a healthy and on point Beckett/Lester 1-2 combination doesn't get you pumped for a playoff series, enter Clay Buchholz. Yes, there are a lot of unknowns here, but the fact of the matter is he's looked as good as anyone (save for Jonny on the Spot) over his past 4 starts. Consistent confidence and command is something we've been waiting for from Buchholz in the majors, and he appears to have it at the right time. The talent is there, if his confidence continues to snowball, lookout.

So the Dice-K start tomorrow night will likely come with a lot of hype, I'm sure excited. However, this team will be carried to and through the post season on the back of its starting pitching. Right now, you have to be excited about their chances.

This Just In, Buchholz is not Playoff Ready

Blogging from the third base line at Fenway with T Murph. The game has required a post saying that Buchholz must look better on TV than from the stands. His body language has been comparable to a 13 year old girl who just got dumped via text.

7 runs over 4 and 2 thirds is Brad Penny material. Way to sink our optimistic battleship Buchholz, now members of the ITM staff need to pay for a few more 9 dollar beers as a result.

Not ready for a spot in the playoff rotation quite yet...so does that mean our hopes rest on a Dice-K return?

Go Sox.

With Just a Hundred Pounds of Clay

I'll admit it. Clay had me pretty nervous. We held onto him like the crown jewels all through June and July, when his value was rising. The trade deadline came and went with interesting moves left out there, but we kept Clay. Our top-line righty of the future. Then Clay came out in his first start after the trade deadline and put up this line against Baltimore: 4 IP, 9 hits, 4 BB, 7 ER. So I was getting a little nervous.

Since then, Buchholz has stood firm against some of the best competition in the league, and with each start he's providing more and more assurance. First it was the start against Sabathia and the Yankees. He took the loss, but went 6 full, giving up only 2 ERs. Then there was Verlander and the Tigers, at the time Buchholz's best start of the year - he went 7 and gave up only 2 ERs. Yes, walks were a problem in both - walking 5 and then 3 - but he was out there working hard, getting out of jams, and wracking up innings.

The player's progress continued last night, when Clay went up against the ace to end all aces, Roy Halladay. And this time he walked only one man. And he went 6 innings, scattering 6 hits and giving up only 1 run.

Even more importantly, he was finally commanding. He was throwing 4 seamers consistently at 95 throughout the night, his 2 seamer was on the outside corner, and he was mixing in curves and changes. While the latter two pitches are generally considered his best, we've all seen him use them as a crutch maybe a little too often since the call-up. Last night he was going after guys with the gas, and actually seemed to have enough to put the hammer down. The star of the night had to be the late movement on the fastball.

This was more the Clay Buchholz that we'd been preparing for all year. If he can carry this momentum forward, it would go a long way in a rotation that is suddenly a serious concern as the playoff push settles in.

If pressed, there's really only one explanation you can come up with - it was the baserunning. Is it possible that the Rangers pinch-running incident was so embarassing that he's lost a bit of ego and is just out there pitching in the moment? Almost certainly not, but dammit, it's late August, we need to start making up some BS about karma. Kevin Millar's not gonna do it for us.

The Return of Jon Lester

Around this time last year Jon Lester was 2-2, he finished 2008 on a 14-4 tear with an era of 2.97.

This year Lester has been unable to replicate last years overall success. Before yesterday's start Lester's' era was above 6 and he'd given up 10 home runs. Lester hasn't been terrible by any means, he does seem to be plagued by 1 bad inning each start, highlighted by a fastball Justin Morneau destroyed last week.

Despite giving up a home run to Alex Rios yesterday, Lester scattered 3 hits and 3 walks while striking out 12 in 6 innings of work. One criticism of yesterday's start is that Lester was only able to go 6 innings as his pitch count climbed to 115 pitches.

The pitch count not withstanding, Lester looked great yesterday. His fastball was consistently 95-96 and he was hitting every spot, seemingly putting the ball where ever he wanted. Marco Scutaro struck out looking on a curve ball on the outside corner his first time up, his second time up he waived at it going down on strikes again knowing it was going to be a strike regardless of his pathetic swing.

Has Lester turned the corner? Sox fans sure better hope so. I'm not going to rip the guy if he finishes 11-12 on the year with an era around 5 (I'll save that for Dice K), but if the Sox want to get into the playoffs and do some damage, Lester has to pitch like he did yesterday against Toronto.

That goes for the entire starting rotation. We are at about the 1/3 mark of the season and the Sox starting 5 hasn't lived up to expectations. Certainly the early struggles of everyone except for Tim Wakefield has made it difficult to climb back, however there are signs of improvement.

Beckett has shaken off some rough starts and strung together 3 good outings improving his record to 5-2 and his era to 4.60. That's not great but it serves as a microcosm for the rest of the starting rotation. As Tony Mazz wrote today the starters era is 3.57 in the last 15 games; if the offense could time things up with the pitching the Sox might have won a few more of those games.

Somehow Brad Penny is 5-1 with an era of 5.63, and even Dice K didn't look as bad in his first start coming off the DL, although it was still tough to watch those 5 innings.

What's ahead for the Sox pitching, Clay Buchholz and John Smotlz. You have to believe that Theo Epstein is devising a plan to get Buchholz up with the big club sometime this summer. Smoltz is scheduled to come off the DL and start come the middle of June, the 16th I believe.

Brad Penny can't be traded until after June 15th, the day before Smotlz is eligible to return. Might Theo try and deal him to another contender in the National League looking for some depth in their starting rotation? It wouldn't surprise. I'm not expecting the world back for Penny either, making room for Buchholz or Smoltz might be good enough.

I'll certainly be watching Lester's next start very closely, Saturday night against the Rangers, to see if he can string together back to back good outings. Lester has been saying that he feels good in each start and that he's close to where he wants to be, maybe he got their Sunday.

All Hands on Deck

Clay Buchholz threw another gem down in AAA this morning, going 8, giving up 0, and striking out 10. Over his last 35 innings, he's given up only 4 runs, struck out 37, and walked 10. He is, in short, dominating. And Mike Hazen hasn't minced words on what he's seeing: "He's upholding his end of the deal. He's putting the pressure on and forcing his way. It's a long baseball season. Something's going to happen."



Which raises the question. What, exactly, is going to happen, and when? This week, the hot stove has suddenly warmed a bit, and rumors have been whispered around the league that the Sox might soon consider shopping an arm or two. Which means it's our duty as Sox fans to begin the debate early, and flog this dead horse until he's really dead.



The proposition isn't ridiculous, even this early. The Sox have the worst starting rotation ERA in all of baseball (yes, in all of baseball), yet are considered to have a glut of arms. And the thing is, the worst of the bad numbers have come from what we would generally consider the surest things, and the least touchable players: Beckett, Lester, and Daisuke. Penny has been average, Masterson has been better than average, and Wakefield has been outright good.



This puts the Sox in an unusual position, but not a completely unfavorable one. No one in the organization thinks that the dry spell for the 1-2-3 arms will last all season, meaning no one would likely be quaking at the thought of relying on Beckett, Lester, and Daisuke for their wins. Meaning that the Sox best performers are relatively expendible at precisely the time when their trade value is on the rise. Add into that counterintuition that John Smoltz is due to be back in June (but is a highly unlikely trade chip) and Daisuke will soon be off the DL (as early as next week).



So, the situation comes down to this: is there any combination of Buchholz, Masterson, Bowden, Bard, and Penney that you wouldn't mind trading right now? At what price? How many arms do we give up? Just one? Two?



To my mind, the rumors starting to turn up are just that: rumors. The Sox have learnt their lesson well on starting pitching, and are more likely to live with overkill than risk a shortage. But what about Brad Penny. That's the one that gets me. Might there be any takers out there? A relatively cheap, veteran arm? He's shown that the injuries are no longer hampering him. Even if he's not going to be the ace he once was, he could be a solid middle of the rotation guy for some NL contender, and at the right price. Might the Sox be willing to move him even if just for some more outfield backup? That would still leave them with Beckett, Lester, Daisuke, Wakefield, as well as Masterson, Buchholz, and Smoltz. A backup plan, but not a glut.



So keep in mind the rumors have already started swirling, and that was before Buchholz's last two starts. And like our personnel guru said, the kid is forcing his way. "It's a long baseball season. Something's going to happen."

What to do about Buchholz....

Clay Buchholz has done everything right this spring. He's been lights out on the mound to the tune of a 0.45 era, he's worked hard both mentally and physically to get past the nightmare that was last season, and he's played well with the media, answering each question with Patriot-like responses focused on the greater good. So the queation becomes, what do you do with the 24 year old?

Buchholz (outside of my boy Daniel Bard), has been the most impressive arm for the Sox this spring. He's put in the time at the gym and on a shrink's couch to prepare himself for a successul run at the big leagues. But simply put, the red sox, right now, don't need him in Boston. With Brad Penny most likely in the 5 hole and Smoltz showing signs he'llbe back sooner than later, Buchholz, through no fault of his own, appears to be the odd man out. Which immediatley brings up the topic of value. Save for just after he tossed a no hitter, Clay's value has never been higher, and some in Red Sox Nation think it's time to maximize that value via a trade for a young catcher or perhaps even more.

If I'm Theo, (which would be awesome) I surely explore theopportunity, but the old saying still holds true...you can never have enough pitching. So unless they can somehow land Hanley (with additional specs obviously), Buchholz should spend a significant amount of time in Pawtucket (which is beautiful this time of year), continue to build his physical and mental confidence, and look forward to a bright future pitching at Fenway...which could be sooner than later based on injuries and needs. Buchholz needs to build consistency and efficiency on the mound, something that shouldn't be tested underthe Fenway lights until we're absolutley sure he's ready.

All that said, I want to hear other opinions on this topic, anyone believe we should deal him at a high value for someone like Salty orTeagarden? Do we have enough studly arms on the way up through the farm system that we can afford the risk of moving him? Let's all playTheo for a few minutes....

PS: I just typed this up on my blackberry as I'm currently stuck on a plane facing delays while trying to get to Buenos Aires...that's dedication right there!

Buchholz Looking Confident

Many in Red Sox nation are not expecting much out of Clay Buchholz this season. Most believe he'll start the year in Triple A, especially given the current level of pitching depth as a result of off season acquisitions and other young talent. That said; the still skinny pitcher, who looks like he's closer to 12 than 24, had his second straight solid performance, going two innings, not giving up a run and allowing just one hit.

After the game, Buchholz sounded confident in his abilities and ready to put last year's difficult season completely behind him: “There’s no doubt in my mind I know I have the physical ability to do anything I want to do in this game. It’s a lot harder than a lot of people think it is as far as the mental side of the game. That’s where I had to build a lot on this offseason, talking to people and listening to what their past experiences were as a big leaguer back in the day or even now guys on this team. It was a struggle for last year but at the same time I learned a lot from it and I definitely know when I get in a certain situation this year I’ll know what I need to get through.”

Throughout the off season, Buchholz saw a sports psychologist to help him move beyond a difficult year and focus on the mental challenges he faces on the mound. In what is a very small sample this spring, it seems to have worked. Buchholz appears comfortable and more confident on the mound. Let's hope they tell Pedroia to not zing Clay too hard about seeing a psychologist...because you know he's dying to jump all over him about it.

Most believe Clay will start the season in Triple A regardless, and barring any injuries, I can't say I disagree. Building on some of this momentum will only help in his long term development. The question I have in my mind however, is that if Buchholz continues to improve and throw well, do the Red Sox try to move him at a high value come the trade deadline this summer? I think it'll depend on injuries and offensive production. Anything can happen from now until late July, but early signs point to an improved Clay Buchholz, which is certainly not a bad thing.

Clay Buchholz, Now or Never?

Talking with a buddy of mine last week about the Red Sox catching situation we wondered if the Sox are going to attempt to trade for a young catcher, Jarrod Saltalamacchia of Texas was our focus. After signing Brad Penny and John Smoltz for this year the Sox have pitching depth, however all we ever hear is that Theo Epstein is hesitant to deal his young starting pitchers. That prompted my buddy Chris to pose the question; "Is Bucholz more Jon Lester (be patient and he'll become what we expect) or more Craig Hansen (young, looks great but just not gonna get there)?"

Jon Lester was drafted in the second round by the Red Sox in 2002. Lester quickly moved threw the minor league system, being called up in June of 2006. Lester pitched well in his rookie year starting 15 games, winning 7 and losing 2 with an ERA of 4.76. Lester's biggest problem was throwing strikes, I distinctly remember a lot of full counts and early exits for him. In 2007 Lester averaged 5.25 innings/start and in 2006 it was 5.4.

In 2008 Lester started 33 games, with a 16-6 record and a 3.21 ERA. Lester pitched 210 innings, averaging 6.4 innings/start with 2 complete games. He figured it out.

Craig Hansen was drafted by the Red Sox in 2005 with the 26th pick overall, first round. He made his major league debut later that season, going on to make 4 appearances. In June of 2006 Hanson was called up to help a struggling bullpen; Hansen did little to add any 'relief' to the situation, ending the season with a 6.63 ERA . In 2007 Hansen spent the entire year in Pawtucket with an ERA of 3.86, however he was never called up to pitch for the big club.

Hanson was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates along with Brandon Moss as part of the deal that sent Manny Ramirez out of town at the 2008 trade deadline. Hansen never figured it out.

Clay Buchholz is staring his Red Sox future in the face as he enters spring training this season. Buchholz is a highly revered prospect and his name swirls with any trade discussion, however to this point Theo has yet to deal him.

Everyone remembers Buchholz's no hitter against the Baltimore Orioles in September of 2007, the game was a look at the future ace of Boston's pitching staff. However 2008 was not a good year for Clay, he started 15 games with a 2-9 record and an ERA of 6.75. The Sox were 3-12 in games Buchholz started, and the synopsis of his season was a late August start against the same Baltimore team he no hit; Buchholz only lasted 2 1/3 innings and was sent down to double A Portland after the game.

Like Lester and Hanson, Buchholz was drafted early by the Red Sox. (Buchholz was the 42nd pick overall, a sandwich pick the Sox received for losing Pedro Martinez to free agency.) Is this the year when Buchholz figures out what he's doing wrong on the mound and adjusts to the hitters in the major leagues?

Francona admitted that perhaps the Sox rushed Craig Hansen in the big leagues, Lester was given time to work through his control problems and turned into one of the best pitchers in baseball. Will Buchholz recover from the change in his release point and remember how to throw his lights out change up again?

It's been rumored the Texas Rangers want Buchholz for catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia. Does Theo sell high on Buchholz and hope Saltalamacchia develops into one of the best catchers in the game to replace Jason Varitek; or does he wait to see how Buchholz performs to start the season and move him at the trading deadline? Option 3 would to keep Buchholz, continue to develop him and hope he finds his no hitter form again.

I don't know what's going to happen with Buchholz, but from everything I've heard about Saltalamacchia, he's got the potential to be the real deal. I suspect if Theo hasn't pulled the trigger on a deal for him yet involving Clay, Theo and his boys must still be really high on Buchholz coming into this year.

Regardless of what happens Buchholz is looking at a fork in the road. Is he going to follow Craig Hanson down the road of pitching mediocrity or take the road traveled by Jon Lester and become one of the aces of the Red Sox?

Clay Buchholz, Now or Never?

Talking with a buddy of mine last week about the Red Sox catching situation we wondered if the Sox are going to attempt to trade for a young catcher, Jarrod Saltalamacchia of Texas was our focus. After signing Brad Penny and John Smoltz for this year the Sox have pitching depth, however all we ever hear is that Theo Epstein is hesitant to deal his young starting pitchers. That prompted my buddy Chris to pose the question; "Is Bucholz more Jon Lester (be patient and he'll become what we expect) or more Craig Hansen (young, looks great but just not gonna get there)?"

Jon Lester was drafted in the second round by the Red Sox in 2002. Lester quickly moved threw the minor league system, being called up in June of 2006. Lester pitched well in his rookie year starting 15 games, winning 7 and losing 2 with an ERA of 4.76. Lester's biggest problem was throwing strikes, I distinctly remember a lot of full counts and early exits for him. In 2007 Lester averaged 5.25 innings/start and in 2006 it was 5.4.

In 2008 Lester started 33 games, with a 16-6 record and a 3.21 ERA. Lester pitched 210 innings, averaging 6.4 innings/start with 2 complete games. He figured it out.

Craig Hansen was drafted by the Red Sox in 2005 with the 26th pick overall, first round. He made his major league debut later that season, going on to make 4 appearances. In June of 2006 Hanson was called up to help a struggling bullpen; Hansen did little to add any 'relief' to the situation, ending the season with a 6.63 ERA . In 2007 Hansen spent the entire year in Pawtucket with an ERA of 3.86, however he was never called up to pitch for the big club.

Hanson was trade to the Pittsburgh Pirates along with Brandon Moss as part of the deal that sent Manny Ramirez out of town at the 2008 trade deadline. Hansen never figured it out.

Clay Buchholz is staring is Red Sox future in the face as he enters spring training this season. Buchholz is a highly revered prospect and his name swirls with any trade discussion, however to this point Theo has yet to deal him.

Everyone remembers Buchholz's no hitter against the Baltimore Orioles in September of 2007, the game was a look at the future ace of Bostons pitching staff. However 2008 was not a good year for Clay, he started 15 games with a 2-9 record and an ERA of 6.75. The Sox were 3-12 in games Buchholz started, and the synopsis of his season was a late August start against the same Baltimore team he no hit; Buchholz went 2 1/3 innings and was sent down to double A Portland after the game.

Like Lester and Hanson, Buchholz was drafted early by the Red Sox. (Buchholz was the 42nd pick overall, a sandwich pick the Sox received for losing Pedro Martinez to free agency.) Is this the year when Buchholz figures out what he's doing wrong on the mound and adjusts to the hitters in the major leagues?

Francona admitted that perhaps the Sox rushed Craig Hansen in the big leagues, Lester was given time to work through his control problems and turned into one of the best pitchers in baseball. Will Buchholz recover from the change in his release point and remember how to throw his lights out change up again?

It's been rumored the Texas Rangers want Buchholz for catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia. Does Theo sell high on Buchholz and hope Saltalamacchia develops into one of the best catchers in the game to replace Jason Varitek; or does he wait to see how Buchholz performs to start the season and move him at the trading deadline? Option 3 would to keep Buchholz and continue to develop him and hope he finds his no hitter form again.

I don't know what's going to happen with Buchholz, but from everything I've heard about Saltalamacchia, he's got the potential to be the real deal. I suspect if Theo hasn't pulled the trigger on a deal for him yet involving Clay, Theo and his boys must still be really high on Buchholz coming into this year.

Regardless of what happens Buchholz is looking at a fork in the road. Is he going to follow Craig Hanson down the road of pitching mediocrity or take the road traveled by Jon Lester and become one of the aces of the Red Sox?

Hanely Ramirez, Oh What Could Have Been

According to a report issued last night by Jon Heyman and Tom Verducci, after losing out on the Mark Teixeira sweepstakes to the hated Yankees, the Sox called the Marlins to discuss the idea of bringing Hanley Ramirez back to Boston. The 2006 rookie of the year is signed at a major discount through 2014, and the Red Sox saw him as an alternative source of offensive firepower after missing out on Tex.

The Marlins reportedly listened to the Red Sox, but needed to be completely blown away by an offer to truly consider moving their young franchise shortstop. Reportedly, the Marlins had the most interest in Jacoby Ellsbury and Clay Buchholz, but needed more to seal a deal. Boston mentioned they were happy with Jed Lowrie at shortstop and would have used Ramirez in center field.

Ramirez is a major offensive threat at the plate but somewhat of a liability at short. It is expected by many that he will eventually move to roaming the outfield, most likely center field to utilize his speed. A deal that included Ellsbury and Buchholz alone seems too good to be true, and since the Marlins know the Sox are in a somewhat desperate position to match some of the Yankees off season moves, they would have likely needed additional big name prospects (Bowdin, Lars Anderson, Masterson etc).

At present time, the thought of seeing Hanley in a Red Sox uniform in 2009 is nothing more than wishful thinking by RSN. The talks were short and appear to have ended... I hated writing this post in past tense....but there is nothing wrong with holding out a little bit of hope and optimism.....I've already had daydreams of Hanely doubling home Dusty with a line drive double to the gap. News like this is similar to showing a 7 year old kid a brand new bike to play with but not giving it to him. I almost wish I didn't hear about this....unless Theo somehow gets them back to the table....

Tonight's lineup....no Tek or Drew

Here is tonight's lineup...it certainly has a different look given injuries and Tek's day off (with no game tomorrow Tito is getting him two days of rest).

1. Jacoby Ellsbury, RF
2. Dustin Pedroia, 2B
3. David Ortiz, DH
4. Kevin Youkilis, 3B
5. Jason Bay, LF
6. Jed Lowrie, SS
7. Jeff Bailey, 1B
8. Coco Crisp, CF
9. Kevin Cash,
C-- Clay Buchholz, SP

• I've discussed Tek's absence with a few people and I appear to be in the minority on not liking his day off today. He is finally starting to swing a good bat and Tito takes him out of the lineup. I understand he needs the rest but he and Clay Buchholz both need the confidence. (insert Tito's saying of it's a marathon not a sprint here...but there is something about him and Clay both in dire need of getting on a role that makes me think he should be in there)

• Looks like Julio Lugo will return by Sept. 1 given his progress from a quad injury.....you're right, who cares. Go Jed.

Go Sox.