Yesterday's game went 17 innings and frankly, the Red Sox deserved to lose it.
I don't care how improved the Orioles are this year. Their bullpen threw a complete game shutout in Fenway. And one of the relievers was Kevin Gregg, who sucks.
And they put a position player on the mound on the road. That is the manager saying "It is better off in the long run for us to lose this game than burn another arm."
That was a white flag being waved by the Orioles and not only could the Red Sox not cash in, but they let first baseman Chris Davis come in as a pitcher and throw TWO shutout innings.
By the end of the game of course it was a battle between an infielder pitching (Davis) and an outfielder pitching (the Sox had to use Darnell McDonald.)
Do you know a good way to make sure you don't run out of pitchers?
Make sure your starting pitcher can give you more than 3 2/3 innings pitched!
Let's be honest about Clay Buchholz. This might be it. He might be done. It is early in the season but not THAT early. His next start will be in Mid May and his ERA is above 9.00.
He's letting up more than a run an innings and looking REALLY awful on the mound.
I know Red Sox fans are still banking on him being an ace in waiting. Well. We're waiting.
I know he came up as an explosive pitcher, throwing a no hitter in his second game and giving the promise of a right handed ace to go along with Jon Lester's left handed ace.
That was in 2007. That was 5 seasons ago.
I know he had a great 2010, won 17 games had the best ERA+ in the league and made the All Star team.
Do you know who also put up big numbers in 2010? Phil Hughes.
Sometimes a pitcher doesn't work out.
Sometimes a pitcher is overhyped.
Sometimes a pitcher displays some brilliance but then it fades away quickly.
Does Dontrelle Willis ring a bell?
How about Scott Kazmir?
Remember when Chien Ming Wang was the Cy Young runner up? That was 2006. Not that long ago. That same year Brandon Webb won the NL Cy Young. He's no longer in the bigs.
This might be what Clay Buchholz was. A pitcher who reached his potential briefly and then fell back to Earth.
Maybe he needs a change of scenery where the expectations will be lower.
Maybe he wasn't as good as people thought after a scouting report or 8.
Maybe he was babied and he is the Red Sox answer to Joba Chamberlain.
But one thing is for sure. Red Sox fans had better stop waiting for him to bust loose and become a superstar.
Right now he isn't even at "Merely awful."
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