In my lifetime said:
And also trading him, just creates a huge hole in the starting rotation for next year. If EdRod doesn't experience the straight line upward trajectory that we expect from every prospect, the problem is of course exacerbated.
Whenever Clay is going good, and his trade value increases, people (you in this case but I'm not really picking on you….a lot of people say this) say that we can't afford to deal him because it would leave a hole in the rotation.
But when Clay is going bad, and he's a black hole in the rotation, people want him moved, but he has no trade value then.
We know at this point what Clay is - a tremendously talented but maddeningly and woefully inconsistent starter. When he's good Clay, he's dynamite, and if we knew he'd stay good Clay (including good health), of course we wouldn't want him dealt, especially because of his contract. But when he's bad Clay, he is just awful awful awful.
Unfortunately, good and bad Clay seem to take turns. Look at his career numbers:
2008 - 76.0 ip, 6.75 era, 4.82 fip
2009 - 92.0 ip, 4.21 era, 4.69 fip
2010 - 173.2 ip, 2.33 era, 3.61 fip
2011 - 82.2 ip, 3.48 era, 4.34 fip
2012 - 189.1 ip, 4.56 era, 4.65 fip
2013 - 108.1 ip, 1.74 era, 2.78 fip
2014 - 170.1 ip, 5.34 era, 4.01 fip
2015 - 93.0 ip, 3.68 era, 2.72 fip
I mean, he is ALL over the place. The only thing that's consistent about him is his inconsistency (and hence the title of this thread). I love having him at the back end of the rotation, where you can live with the ups and downs. But at the top of the rotation? He's no ace. No way, no how, even though he has ace-level talent.
If the Sox could get a really good return on him in a year where he's been good Clay, that's the time to move him.