Red Sox Draft Tanner Houck, RHP, Missouri at #24 Overall

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That's from earlier in the thread/ last year, right? Castig mentioned on today's broadcast that the Sox changed his delivery to be a bit more over the top. He's still similar to Sale, but not quite so exact as he was last year.

The radio team were arguing pretty hard to keep him up & in the rotation, but he'd wind up maxing out his innings in the first half; he would either get an extended vacation mid-season and add some innings late in the season (if the Sox were looking at a playoff spot) or he can play through and Sale takes his place in the second half...
 

LogansDad

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I thought he looked great. That slider is going to be a weapon against lefties or righties, and he didn't melt down when the infield did what the infield does. Exciting to have him for the future.
 

pjheff

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Castig mentioned on today's broadcast that the Sox changed his delivery to be a bit more over the top. He's still similar to Sale, but not quite so exact as he was last year.
I was of the belief that the Sox had tinkered with his delivery (more over the top) after drafting him out of Missouri and had essentially allowed him to return to his original mechanics last year. I watched yesterday’s game and didn’t notice anything different except for more velocity (and the left side of the defense’s inability to make plays behind him).
 

mwonow

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God forbid we keep a pitcher who gets people out, when we have dreck like Richards and Taylor on the staff.
 

joe dokes

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God forbid we keep a pitcher who gets people out, when we have dreck like Richards and Taylor on the staff.
As far as him starting in MLB, I wonder if it's innings-related. He had about 100IP in 2019 and 20 last year. And if they have him relieve, then I suppose they're committed to that for the year. The league-wide picture will be interesting, considering that so many pitchers pitched so few innings last year.
 

Red(s)HawksFan

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As far as him starting in MLB, I wonder if it's innings-related. He had about 100IP in 2019 and 20 last year. And if they have him relieve, then I suppose they're committed to that for the year. The league-wide picture will be interesting, considering that so many pitchers pitched so few innings last year.
It's probably 98% controlling his innings and 2% service time manipulation. They're going to need all the arms they can muster to get through the year. If they can manage Houck through the first half so that they can let him loose in the second half (either in the rotation or in the bullpen), I think that's the prudent thing to do. They signed Richards, for better or worse, to be in the rotation. That's where he's going to stay until at least mid-May or so (longer if he's pitching effectively).

Houck only started the season on the roster because of the setback with ERod. He's back tomorrow, so Houck goes to make room. This shouldn't be a surprise to anyone.
 

DJnVa

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It's probably 98% controlling his innings and 2% service time manipulation. They're going to need all the arms they can muster to get through the year. If they can manage Houck through the first half so that they can let him loose in the second half (either in the rotation or in the bullpen), I think that's the prudent thing to do. They signed Richards, for better or worse, to be in the rotation. That's where he's going to stay until at least mid-May or so (longer if he's pitching effectively).

Houck only started the season on the roster because of the setback with ERod. He's back tomorrow, so Houck goes to make room. This shouldn't be a surprise to anyone.
Of course, he's still going to get innings in AAA, hopefully as a starter. But less intense innings and more control over days between starts and the like.
 

Red(s)HawksFan

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Of course, he's still going to get innings in AAA, hopefully as a starter. But less intense innings and more control over days between starts and the like.
Exactly. Easier to pull a guy on a strict pitch/innings count when the game is inconsequential, especially right now where the "games" are intrasquad scrimmages.
 

mwonow

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God forbid we keep a pitcher who gets people out, when we have dreck like Richards and Taylor on the staff.
So you’re ready to dump Richards after one start? Or make Houck a reliever full time?
As far as him starting in MLB, I wonder if it's innings-related. He had about 100IP in 2019 and 20 last year. And if they have him relieve, then I suppose they're committed to that for the year. The league-wide picture will be interesting, considering that so many pitchers pitched so few innings last year.
So, a couple of weeks ago, I suggested that Houck was a better option than Richards. @RIrooter09 noted (fairly) that one start wasn't really enough evidence to prove that Richards is bad, and @joe dokes added that Houck might be innings-limited in any case.

A couple of weeks later, it sure seems like Richards is actually bad. If the Sox are actually competing rather than bridging, his slot could certainly stand an upgrade.

Would Houck be a reasonable option in May? The innings issue that Joe Dokes called out is still real...
 

koufax32

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I expect Richards will have ""shoulder tenderness" or "elbow fatigue" or "general knee pain" really soon and we might see Houck back up. But Richards has skills that are worth working with
I was wondering last night how his stuff would play from the bullpen.