Changes in the Red Sox rotation prove Dave Dombrowski has confidence to win now
COMMENTARY
Twenty-one to two never felt so good.
Call it a reaction to the embarrassment of a fortnight ago, but something has happened with the Boston Red Sox.
Since the infamous drubbing at the hands of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim on July 2, the Red Sox are 8-2, including winners of six straight, their longest winning streak of the season, broken up by Yankees starter Mashahiro Tanaka Sunday night.
President of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski is busy making trades, and his team is seemingly reacting in a manner that shows they deserve his confidence in trying to win now.
Welcome to Boston, Drew Pomeranz.
Welcome back, Eduardo Rodriguez.
If there was anything more encouraging about the Red Sox’ search for consistency from their starting pitching staff, the deal for Pomeranz — a National League All-Star who could prove to be another semblance of Dombrowski’s lightning in a bottle evaluation of hurlers — was one-upped by Rodriguez on Saturday, returning to the form that suggested he might be the team’s No. 2 starter back in spring training before his knee went kaput.
So, the fact that Rodriguez was getting a post-All Star start after going only 1-3 over six starts with a stratospheric 8.59 ERA was not only a surprise, but a seemingly questionable decision at the very least.
Of course, Rodriguez had his best start of the season, allowing only four hits and one run in New York over seven innings. Suddenly, the Red Sox finally have a No. 4 starter on the way this week with Pomeranz coming over from the Padres, and a No. 5 guy in Rodriguez, who was supposed to be the No. 2, but they’ll take it.
As for the issue of Rodriguez tipping his pitches, well, it’s probably wait and see.
“Yeah. Everything is going good now,” Rodriguez said.“Not thinking at all if I was tipping. My slider is much better. I can locate it for strikes. I used it a lot. I’m not thinking mechanics, I’m just throwing it. Throw strikes and get better and better every day.”
Of course, there’s also the possibility that the addition of Pomeranz and the re-emergence of Rodriguez could mean the end of Clay Buchholz’s time in Boston.
OK, so don’t expect a boatload of tears, and frankly, it’s difficult to assess just what Dombrowski could find for Buchholz’s services on the trade market. Manager John Farrell has placed him back in the bullpen, where’s served in a sort of no-man’s mop-up role at times this season.
“He’s aware that his spot on the pitching staff is in the bullpen until changes are deemed necessary,” Farrell said. “He’s going to pitch in multiple innings when those opportunities arise.”
It’s not a statement exactly brimming with a ton of confidence.
Pomeranz was 8-7 for the Padres, with a 2.47 ERA. He led NL pitchers this season in batting average against (.184) and has surrendered zero earned runs in seven of his starts, tied for most in the majors.
“He’s a good pitcher,” Dombrowski said. “He’s grown over the last few years. He’s a very good pitcher, as shown by him pitching in the All-Star Game. Has three quality pitches, really changed the mix of his pitches. He has a premium above-average breaking ball, he has a fastball that he knows how to use, he gets it up to 94, but he changes speed on. He’s added a cutter.”
It’s that cutter that seems to have the Red Sox believing that Pomeranz may turn into a better pitcher than the guy who s a career 22-31 over six years with Colorado, Oakland, and San Diego.
“Sometimes it takes time for guys to find themselves,” Dombrowski said. “He found himself in the bullpen with Oakland. He actually, if you look at his numbers the last couple of years, he pitched well. This year he just took it to another level. We like his ability, we like his age, he’s 27 years of age, coming into the prime years of his life.”
The cost was steep, in 18-year-old Anderson Espinoza, a kid that some have compared to Pedro Martinez in his ability level. But he’s 18 years old. Heck, by the time he morphs in Martinez, the Padres won’t be able to afford him anyway and the Red Sox can just get him back in a few years down the road.
But after this weekend, the starting rotation, so bereft of a back end, has added an All-Star pitcher, and a guy who people think should one day be an All-Star.
The Red Sox may not be complete just yet, and Dombrowski is making sure to let the team know that winning now is the priority.
See what a 21-2 blowout can do?
Morning runs around Boston
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