Even if the Sox do make the postseason (and that’s no longer a certainty), their rotation is in trouble. No one seems to know exactly when Josh Beckett will be back. Clay Buchholz will almost certainly not be available until postseason, if then.
Assuming Beckett will be there, the team will have to settle for John Lackey as the number 3 starter. Though his ERA never seems to fall under 6, he does have some postseason experience. Pressure is an important factor. Older fans remember Oil Can’s performance in game 3 of the series in 86. Starter number 4 is a crapshoot right now. Though Erik Bedard has pitched well lately, my vote is for Tim Wakefield. I think he is an asset when the going gets tough. He would have won his 200th the other night if not for a horrible performance by the bullpen. Wake his been in the postseason six times, including once with Pittsburgh. Though his performances have not always been successful (remember Aaron Boone in 03), I would take a chance with him rather than Bedard or (heaven forbid) Andrew Miller or Kyle Weiland.
One more thing. How can the team look so good one night and resemble the 1990’s teams of Butch Hobson the next? Youth is not the problem-this is a veteran team. It certainly has been a strange season.
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
