NakamuraRed Sox vs. Yankees Preview: Rotation (12/18/09 Update)
John Lackey: Well what do you know? The best free agent starting pitcher has now signed to a team. But the deal went rather unnoticed until it was official. General Manager of the Boston Red Sox, Theo Epstein, did a very good job on keeping the news quiet. For five years - 82.5 million dollars (16.5 million per year), the Red Sox have landed themselves a solid right handed fireballer. Once one of the strongest pitchers of the AL West, Lackey will make a transition to the East coast. Pitching for Red Sox nation, he'll also have to make another big adjustment. He's no longer #1. With Beckett and Lester already locked into the top 2 spots,
Lackey may end up being the #3 pitcher.
But no matter what way you look at it, the move helps Boston in a big way. Adding a pitcher like Lackey can never hurt you. And with health concerns in Daisuke Matsuzaka and Tim Wakefield, a workhorse like John is always useful. If we were to do the usual Red Sox vs. Yankees match up, Lackey would most likely be compared to AJ Burnett. So as of December 18th, 2009, this is what the Yankees - Red Sox rotation looks like.
Beckett vs. Sabathia - This is always a good match up. Two of the best going head to head. Late in the season, Sabathia may be better or more valuable due to his ability to pitch on three days rest. However, early on, this is pretty even.
Lackey vs. Burnett - This again is very close. Lackey is only half a year younger than AJ. To make things even more complicated, Lackey had a better WHIP and ERA. But Burnett is better in the K's department and had 2 more wins. Plus, the AL East is a much more fierce offensive force than the AL West. This almost too close to call. Both have had a history on the disabled list, so it may just come down to who can stay healthy.
Lester vs. Pettite - Well this is a no brainier. As good as Andy can be, Lester has made a label for himself. The label reads "Amongst the Best Lefties Today". Pettite is a great #3 starter. But Lester is an ace on almost any other team.
Matsuzaka vs. Joba Chamberlain - Both of these young right handers have the world to prove of themselves. Daisuke is a Japanese legend and has yet to let his best game show. And Joba hasn't been nearly as good as people had initially expected. But they're still young and have more potential than most fans can imagine.
Buchholz vs. Mitre - I'm going to have to go with Buchholz on this one. He had a strong second half and not to mention that MLB hitters had a .321 batting average on Mitre last season. Look for a huge improvement in the amount of strikeouts for Clay. Now that he knows how to get outs, he'll be mixing more of his pitches in ordinary situations.
Spot Starter : Wakefield vs. Aceves
Verdict: If these two teams met in the ALCS, it's anyone's game. Pettite's experience counts for more there. October will be a level playing field. But in the season, Boston has the advantage. The Yankees have a major weakness in depth. They can't have Sabathia pitch EVERY day. Pettite is aging and Chamberlain is still inconsistent. Mitre shouldn't be a starter on a team like the Yankees and Aceves isn't exactly a top of the line pitcher either. And what if, worst come to be, two pitchers get hurt? Do they bring in Phil Hughes to start? The Red Sox have options in Junichi Tazawa and Michael Bowden, but where do the Yankees go?
BETTER ROTATION: RED SOX
John Lackey
But no matter what way you look at it, the move helps Boston in a big way. Adding a pitcher like Lackey can never hurt you. And with health concerns in Daisuke Matsuzaka and Tim Wakefield, a workhorse like John is always useful. If we were to do the usual Red Sox vs. Yankees match up, Lackey would most likely be compared to AJ Burnett. So as of December 18th, 2009, this is what the Yankees - Red Sox rotation looks like.
Beckett vs. Sabathia - This is always a good match up. Two of the best going head to head. Late in the season, Sabathia may be better or more valuable due to his ability to pitch on three days rest. However, early on, this is pretty even.
Lackey vs. Burnett - This again is very close. Lackey is only half a year younger than AJ. To make things even more complicated, Lackey had a better WHIP and ERA. But Burnett is better in the K's department and had 2 more wins. Plus, the AL East is a much more fierce offensive force than the AL West. This almost too close to call. Both have had a history on the disabled list, so it may just come down to who can stay healthy.
AJ Burnett
Lester vs. Pettite - Well this is a no brainier. As good as Andy can be, Lester has made a label for himself. The label reads "Amongst the Best Lefties Today". Pettite is a great #3 starter. But Lester is an ace on almost any other team.
Matsuzaka vs. Joba Chamberlain - Both of these young right handers have the world to prove of themselves. Daisuke is a Japanese legend and has yet to let his best game show. And Joba hasn't been nearly as good as people had initially expected. But they're still young and have more potential than most fans can imagine.
Buchholz vs. Mitre - I'm going to have to go with Buchholz on this one. He had a strong second half and not to mention that MLB hitters had a .321 batting average on Mitre last season. Look for a huge improvement in the amount of strikeouts for Clay. Now that he knows how to get outs, he'll be mixing more of his pitches in ordinary situations.
Clay Buchholz
Spot Starter : Wakefield vs. Aceves
Verdict: If these two teams met in the ALCS, it's anyone's game. Pettite's experience counts for more there. October will be a level playing field. But in the season, Boston has the advantage. The Yankees have a major weakness in depth. They can't have Sabathia pitch EVERY day. Pettite is aging and Chamberlain is still inconsistent. Mitre shouldn't be a starter on a team like the Yankees and Aceves isn't exactly a top of the line pitcher either. And what if, worst come to be, two pitchers get hurt? Do they bring in Phil Hughes to start? The Red Sox have options in Junichi Tazawa and Michael Bowden, but where do the Yankees go?
BETTER ROTATION: RED SOX
