If the Red Sox are going to have a 5-man rotation in 2010, spring training will be a mini tryout for three starters. No one in their right mind would take Josh Beckett, John Lackey, or Jon Lester out of the starting rotation, so lets pencil them in. That leaves two spots for three pitchers; Wakefield, Buchholz, and Matsuzaka. Dice-K needs to prove that last season’s numbers were due to a thigh injury, Buchholz needs to stay consistent, and Wakefield needs to show his back problems are a thing of the past. If any of them has an abysmal spring they might find themselves in the pen to start the season. Matsuzaka is not a likely candidate for the bullpen so the team will find some sort of phantom injury if he is the one that struggles. Buchholz could end up back in the minors if he has a step backwards in his development. The most likely scenario is all three pitch well in the spring; leaving Francona and John Farrell with a tough choice. If this is the case it is likely the team will make Wakefield a spot starter until someone gets injured. This is not going to be a huge team distraction like having an NFL quarterback controversy, but it could ruffle a few feathers.
For more on this topic check out the links below:
Knuckled out of a role -Eric Wilbur
Odd Man Out? Not in Wakefield’s Mind -Ian Browne
Rank ‘Em: Red Sox rotaion -ESPN
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