The Rotation The Next Three Weeks

Rudy's Curve

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With three off days in 11 starting Monday, the Sox have the ability to optimally align their rotation for the two Yankees series. Assuming they stay on schedule with Fister starting Sunday to give Sale an extra couple days, I'd like to see him skipped until they need a fifth starter against the Cardinals on the 15th. Here's how it would shake out (days rest in parentheses):

8/3 vs. CWS: Porcello (5)
8/4 vs. CWS: Rodriguez (5)
8/5 vs. CWS: Pomeranz (5)
8/6 vs. CWS: Fister (5)
8/8 at TB: Sale (6)
8/9 at TB: Porcello (5)
8/11 at NYY: Rodriguez (6)
8/12 at NYY: Pomeranz (6)
8/13 at NYY: Sale (4)
8/14 vs. CLE: Porcello (4)
8/15 vs. STL: Fister (8)
8/16 vs. STL: Rodriguez (4)
8/18 vs. NYY: Pomeranz (5)
8/19 vs. NYY: Sale (5)
8/20 vs. NYY: Porcello (5)

This keeps Fister away from the Yankees and has Pomeranz and Sale go both series. They'll need a fifth starter again on the 22nd in Cleveland, but I'd just prefer to see Fister go the 21st to give Rodriguez an extra day.
 

joe dokes

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And I think it lines up sale to go against nyy in early September, too, if I did it right.
 

Buzzkill Pauley

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And I think it lines up sale to go against nyy in early September, too, if I did it right.
I could live with the Red Sox not optimizing the rotation if it only was one series against the MFY affected. Pitchers, creatures of habit, blah blah blah.

But if optimizing the rotation means the best Sox starters face the MFYs for three different series over the course of one month, Farrell has to make it happen, regardless what compromising pictures Fister has of him and DDski.

With the race separated by only one game in the loss column, it would be inexcusable mismanagement for this not to happen.
 

joe dokes

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I could live with the Red Sox not optimizing the rotation if it only was one series against the MFY affected. Pitchers, creatures of habit, blah blah blah.

But if optimizing the rotation means the best Sox starters face the MFYs for three different series over the course of one month, Farrell has to make it happen, regardless what compromising pictures Fister has of him and DDski.

With the race separated by only one game in the loss column, it would be inexcusable mismanagement for this not to happen.

While I dont usually find Lauber to be a useful source of information......
http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/20240119/chris-sale-boston-red-sox-line-pitch-all-three-remaining-yankees-series

Farrell said Sale would stay on his regular turn during the next few times through the rotation to assure that he started one game in each series against New York, including Aug. 13 at Yankee Stadium on ESPN's Sunday Night Baseball. He would then pitch against the Yankees again Aug. 19 at Fenway Park and on Sept. 3 at Yankee Stadium.
 

richgedman'sghost

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I think Farrell is following your advice on the rotation Buzzkill Pauley. Good for him since it makes the best use of resources.

Sent from my SM-G920V using SoSH mobile app
 

Rudy's Curve

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Fister is starting Monday, per the team site. I'd rather see Porcello here, given that the Indians get another look at Fister from two weeks ago and a game against the Indians is more important than one against the Cardinals for potential HF. It also lines Fister up to pitch next Sunday against the Yankees, although they could just push him back with the off day Thursday and give him another start in Cleveland the week after.
 

Buzzkill Pauley

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Fister is starting Monday, per the team site. I'd rather see Porcello here, given that the Indians get another look at Fister from two weeks ago and a game against the Indians is more important than one against the Cardinals for potential HF. It also lines Fister up to pitch next Sunday against the Yankees, although they could just push him back with the off day Thursday and give him another start in Cleveland the week after.
Oddly enough, I kinda like this move, since it's much more likely the Indians see Porcello in the playoffs than Fister.

Unless the Astos totally collapse, the Sox are not going to get AL home field. So I'd rather take a chance on getting Good Fister in the games against Cleveland in the late regular season than give their hitters an extended preview of a guy they'll face in October's 2-vs-3 seed ALDS.
 

bosockboy

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Oddly enough, I kinda like this move, since it's much more likely the Indians see Porcello in the playoffs than Fister.

Unless the Astos totally collapse, the Sox are not going to get AL home field. So I'd rather take a chance on getting Good Fister in the games against Cleveland in the late regular season than give their hitters an extended preview of a guy they'll face in October's 2-vs-3 seed ALDS.
Well, they are collapsing. And we finish the season with 4 at home against Houston. #1 seed easily attainable.
 

nvalvo

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Well, they are collapsing. And we finish the season with 4 at home against Houston. #1 seed easily attainable.
Collapsing, perhaps, but they still are projected to 99 wins, down from 104, while we've been pretty steadily projected to 89-92.

So I don't know about "easily." They've banked so many wins that if they can just play .500 ball for the remaining 46 games they likely take the one seed with 94 wins. Their schedule contains too many games against bad teams that have already sold off key roster pieces for me to see that as likely.
 

Rudy's Curve

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Oddly enough, I kinda like this move, since it's much more likely the Indians see Porcello in the playoffs than Fister.

Unless the Astos totally collapse, the Sox are not going to get AL home field. So I'd rather take a chance on getting Good Fister in the games against Cleveland in the late regular season than give their hitters an extended preview of a guy they'll face in October's 2-vs-3 seed ALDS.
The Indians are going to see Porcello the next week in Cleveland anyways unless they use the off day Thursday to skip Fister against the Yankees. If Porcello started Monday, he wouldn't pitch in that series.
 

Buzzkill Pauley

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The Indians are going to see Porcello the next week in Cleveland anyways unless they use the off day Thursday to skip Fister against the Yankees. If Porcello started Monday, he wouldn't pitch in that series.
Sorry, I was proceeding under the assumption that even Farrell would skip Fister against the Yankees.

He may not do so, but it seems obvious that without Price the Sox have a classic 1-4+5 rotation, where the 1-4 always take their turns but the 5th guy gets skipped when off days make that possible, especially against tough same-division opppnents.