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Major
League Baseball Headlines -- Step into the batter's box daily to
receive updates on your favorite Major League Baseball (MLB) team.
Currently, the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees are locked in an
early season battle for first place, while teams like the Detroit
Tigers and San Diego Padres continue to surprise with good all-around
team play. Read about these stories and more by checking in frequently!
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Boston Red
Sox General Manager Theo Epstein, 32, may be the "boy wonder" when it
comes to assembling a good baseball team, but you have to "wonder"
about the "boy" not being able to create a competent bullpen.
Having been
through Mark Malaska, B.K. Kim, Mark Mantei, Chad Fox, Mike Remlinger
and a host of other opposites of Dennis Eckersley, there have been few
signs of "relief" in the Boston Red Sox bullpen. This vulnerability not
only puts a potential damper on this season, but it also creates an
incompatibility to, at this writing , one of the most remarkable young
pitchers in recent Major League Baseball history -- the emergence of
Jonathan Papelbon.
Possessing
an ERA well under 1.00 and with only one blown save in 21 attempts,
Papelbon appears to be one of those special pitchers that comes along
only a few times in a generation. Wise beyond his 25 years and with the
poise of a grizzled veteran pitcher, Papelbon has almost singlehandedly
held together a weak bullpen. Mike Timlin, although injured part of the
season, has also been a positive factor, also, using his guile, good
fastball and excellent control to create, with Papelbon, a dynamic duo.
Otherwise,
the bullpen is a mess, courtesy of Julian (Freddy Krueger) Tavarez,
Rudy Seanez, the aptly-named David Riske (just traded a few hours ago
to the Chicago White Sox for Javier Lopex) and other disasters that
bring back memories of Jim Burton, Dana Kiecker and Matt White. Younger
pitchers like Jermaine Van Buren, Manny DelCarmen and especially Craig
Hansen have true upside, but it would be unfair to count on them to
help turn the bullpen completely around.
True, the
starting rotation is no bed of roses either as the Red Sox cannot rely
on Tim Wakefield, Matt Clement and possibly David Wells (he's out with
a knee injury at a hefty age 43). Curt Schilling has been a blessing in
the number one role, and Josh Beckett, although inconsistent, is too
talented to be stuck in his current semi-rut. The Red Sox could have
really used Bronson Arroyo now, who is burning up the National League
on the Cincinnati Reds after being traded by the Sox for outfield
prospect Wily Mo Pena. The Sox couldn't move Clement because of his
salary and fragile soul, so Arroyo, who wanted to stay, got the ax.
That move has created obvious problems, as Arroyo could have been
valuable in the starting rotation or in a relief role.
Somehow, one
gets the feeling that Epstein will make a deal for a quality starting
pitcher around or after the all-star break (Dontrelle Willis,
perhaps?), unless a prospect like Jon Lester steps in and makes waves.
But the bullpen is the bigger concern. Who is out there that can go
beyond the basic cookie-cutter stiff? Can Epstein get a quality
reliever without giving up a prospect?
The only
upside to having an incomplete bullpen is that most other teams fall
into the same boat. Currently, the Red Sox' perennial nemesis, the New
York Yankees are in a similar situation with Scott Proctor,the great
Mariano Rivera doing well, but not much beyond that. The Yankees have a
distinct advantage, however, over the Red Sox, no matter how bad things
get (and they have, with all the injuries) -- they just know how to win.
Given
Epstein's track record in not obtaining quality relievers, the
challenge is on to rectify perhaps his greatest weakness as a general
manager. There has to be some relief in sight, however, or we'll end up
chanting the cliche we fear the most: "Just wait until next year."
Stay
up to date on America's Favorite Pastime by checking in frequently to
Eric's Wicked Good Boston Red Sox Baseball Corner and Major League
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