19 replies to this topic

[Savin Hillbilly]

As ST commences, the Sox have picked up yet another veteran pitcher of questionable health and/or effectiveness to provide the SP depth that was so obviously lacking last year. Obviously not all of them will make a significant contribution this year; perhaps none of them will. But it's also possible that one of these guys will turn out to be a key puzzle piece. Who do you think that is most likely to be, and why?

I'll start with a vote for Aaron Cook. He has always been more effective than he had any business being, and a GB pitcher is always a good thing to have at Fenway. At 33 and coming off an injury year, he's not someone I would want to count on to hold down a rotation slot for the whole year, but he seems like as good a candidate as any to give us a dozen or so respectable fill-in starts.

[Snodgrass'Muff]

I fat fingered my vote on my phone. Didnt mean to pick Silva. I was trying to vote for Cook for similar reasons to SB.

[Buzzkill Pauley]

I chose Padilla -- I'm hopeful he can give the Sox 100 IP at league-average, while bouncing between the bullpen and the rotation.

[Al Zarilla]

Padilla. Hated him coming inside so much and ultimately hitting Aaron Rowand in the face, but mebbe Sox can use a guy who'll throw inside and not worry about it. Pretty sure some of the Dodgers hitters didn't care for him also because they figured maybe they'd get retribution from somebody like Aroldis Chapman. Hope the crazy SOB can get and stay healthy.

[JakeRae]

I voted Padilla but I see him and Cook as pretty much equals in terms of the guys on this list. Padilla's stuff is more exciting, which is why he got my vote, but I can see both of those guys being solid 5th starters when healthy. I hope to never see Maine or Silva outside of a Paw Sox game. Ohlendorf is a bit more of a wildcard than anyone else on the list. He could be solid and he could be terrible. He definitely doesn't have the track record of Padilla and Cook in terms of sustained MLB success(ish).

[luckysox]

I thknk Padilla could be as effective as Aceves was last season in a similar role. But he'd do it with a mean streak and a Joker smile. I'm looking forward to him plunking Jeter more than once.

[nvalvo]

I picked Ohlendorf, basically because he's still young, which I hope will help him approximate his 2009-10 form.

I guess I'm saying I have low expectations for the whole group.

[soxfan121]

I also picked Ohlendorf. I could see him doing some really excellent research work for the baseball ops staff.

Oh, did you mean on the field? They are all coming off some kind of injury and coming from the NL to the AL East. Except Silva, who has an outside chance of sticking just in case there's a plan crash and the team needs to eat someone to survive.

[JGray38]

Never go full retread. I'll say Padilla- a long history of being about league average should be good enough to beat out the rest of the list. Hopefully he can fill the Julian Tavarez crazy SOB role.

[The Boomer]

Never go full retread. I'll say Padilla- a long history of being about league average should be good enough to beat out the rest of the list. Hopefully he can fill the Julian Tavarez crazy SOB role.

This suggests to me that we ought to compile a list of the all time craziest Red Sox pitchers. Oil Can Boyd and Bill Lee are in my top 5. Insane pitchers are a way of life for the Sox and are simply just fun to monitor.

[EddieYost]

This suggests to me that we ought to compile a list of the all time craziest Red Sox pitchers. Oil Can Boyd and Bill Lee are in my top 5. Insane pitchers are a way of life for the Sox and are simply just fun to monitor.

Julian Tavarez

[dbn]

I fat fingered my vote on my phone. Didnt mean to pick Silva. I was trying to vote for Cook for similar reasons to SB.

Ha, I did the same thing (accidently voted for Silva, but I would have voted Padilla) but don't have a phone excuse. I immediately wondered what other fool voted Silva.

[teddywingman]

I thought about it for a minute and decided not to vote. None of these guys seem much more likely than the others.

[Plympton91]

Padilla is the best pitcher of the bunch over a long stretch, has AL experience, and is currently healthy. That puts him at the top of the list for me. I am intrigued by Cook, because I think Colorado does things to pitchers that can't be measured, and so it wouldn't surprise me if he went back to being what he was a few years ago, which was very good. Ohlendorf also intrigues me, though I'm always skeptical of bad shoulders healing without surgery, so it seems like maybe he should be slated for the Aceves long-relief role to stay healthy.

[The Boomer]

Padilla is the best pitcher of the bunch over a long stretch, has AL experience, and is currently healthy. That puts him at the top of the list for me. I am intrigued by Cook, because I think Colorado does things to pitchers that can't be measured, and so it wouldn't surprise me if he went back to being what he was a few years ago, which was very good. Ohlendorf also intrigues me, though I'm always skeptical of bad shoulders healing without surgery, so it seems like maybe he should be slated for the Aceves long-relief role to stay healthy.

This article about Ohlendorff in SI about 2 years ago is also intriguing:

http://sportsillustr...65301/index.htm

If he washes out as a pitcher, I could see him joining the front office.

Edited by The Boomer, 17 February 2012 - 10:18 AM.

[Al Zarilla]

Nice set of what they're calling rare Larry Bird pix in there too.

[Savin Hillbilly]

A lot of people seem to think of Padilla as having established a higher performance level than Cook. I don't see that in the numbers. He has a higher K rate, but also somewhat higher walk and HR rates. He's kind of your classic mediocre power pitcher, while Cook is your classic mediocre sinkerballer. But they both seem about equally mediocre. Their career FIP and xFIP are within short, curly hairs of each other. So I gave the nod to Cook as being a little more stable, both mentally and, so to speak, diplomatically.

[Manramsclan]

I chose Padilla, mostly because he is the pitcher who most recently has the type of success in the big leagues that I think will translate to the Fens. (WHIP under 1.10 and K/BB ratio above 3 in 2010) In general, his peripheral stats are much better than any of these other options.

If he can come close to repeating his 2010 season I think we will be in good shape.

I really think Ohlendorf is going to end up in the bullpen.

[BucketOBalls]

I think the poll question should be "Which veteran SP pickup is most likely to hurt the Sox the least in 2012?"

Went with Ohlendorf, mostly just be different, although he's the youngest and probably has the best chance to stay healthy for a decent amount of time so he could end up helping in that way.

[JakeRae]

I think the poll question should be "Which veteran SP pickup is most likely to hurt the Sox the least in 2012?"

Went with Ohlendorf, mostly just be different, although he's the youngest and probably has the best chance to stay healthy for a decent amount of time so he could end up helping in that way.

But, if that's the question, I would have to select Silva or Maine as neither are likely to pitch in Boston. The player most likely to help the Sox is probably also the player most likely to hurt them since one of these guys is likely to start the season as the 5th starter.