Moving past Papi and onto pitching

With signs of life from Ortiz, and a nice run for the offense all around, the questions have turned to the other problem facing the Red Sox at this moment. Though, if you ask any of the 29 other teams, it's not a problem, it's a luxury. That would be the starting pitching, which the Sox seem to have in spades. With the Sox inserting John Smoltz into the rotation on Thursday and, so far, keeping the rest of their five starters in that same rotation, there appears to be something strikingly like a six-man rotation going on.

Again, so far. This arrangement is not one that's going to go on for long, as manager Terry Francona admitted. It simply doesn't make sense for it to last the rest of the season, or even much beyond the All-Star break. And it might not even get that far. With Daisuke Matsuzaka scheduled to pitch tonight, carrying a 1-4 record and a 7.55 ERA into his outing, it is becoming difficult for the Sox to continue to carry him with so many other options, from the other four in the rotation to Smoltz to Clay Buchholz in Triple A. Could tonight be make or break?

But, as you're getting ready to watch Matsuzaka tonight and hoping it stops raining at some point soon, check out the other questions and answers in the mailbag. From pitching to catching, shortstops to clubhouse dynamics, we've got another varied sampling this week of Sox news and notes.

Can you update the mailbag? The last headline is from June 5th and it's about Ortiz' slump. As we both know, things have changed for Big Papi :)
Cam, Reading

A: You got it, Cam. The mailbag comes out every two weeks -- and today's the day for David Ortiz to yield to the pitchers.

If the Sox go with six starters and demote Bard, should they consider having a starter be available for middle relief on the day(s) that they would normally throw on the sideline? It seems to me, they run the risk of overworking the remaining five relievers without going this route, especially since Dice-K and Penny seem incapable of going beyond 5 innings.
John, Irvington, N.Y.

A: John, that is one of the major issues that comes with a six-man rotation. But the Sox at the moment have a 12-man pitching staff, giving them seven pitchers in the bullpen (Jonathan Papelbon, Takashi Saito, Hideki Okajima, Ramon Ramirez, Justin Masterson, Daniel Bard, and Manny Delcarmen). With a sixth pitcher in the rotation, the Sox would still have six relievers. Taking a pitcher out definitely makes life harder for the remaining relievers, which is another reason that the Sox won't go with a six-man rotation for an extended period of time. (The other problem is that they don't want to limit the starts by Josh Beckett and Jon Lester.) As John Farrell said a couple of weeks ago, while we discussed whether a six-man rotation would make sense for the Sox, "The other potential taxing issue could be on the bullpen. You're taking one more reliever out of the 'pen, putting them in the rotation. Now if we know for a fact every night we're going to get six-plus innings out of a starter, well sure, that makes all the sense in the world." Brad Penny has gone six innings in six of his last nine starts. That's not perfect, but it's not quite Daisuke Matsuzaka-esque. Matsuzaka is the real culprit when it comes to short starts on this team.

When Jed Lowrie returns healthy, will he be the answer for the Sox at short stop? Obviously Lugo is not, and Green has been a pleasent surprise but not the answer. If Lowrie is not the answer what is available in the market for a quality short stop. Me? I am hoping Jed Lowrie can be the answer this season and forthcoming seasons.
Jeff V., Marlborough, Conn.

A: With Jed Lowrie on the brink of returning to the Sox, the organization will give Lowrie every chance to prove that he can be the answer at shortstop. The timing is such that Lowrie will have some time to demonstrate whether or not he can be an everyday shortstop in the big leagues before the trading deadline. At that point the Sox can still make a change if necessary. The Sox have inquired on just about every available shortstop in the big leagues, and have determined that it's not quite worth it at this point when they have a potential candidate already in the organization, and potentially ready to take the spot. I think Lowrie did prove last season that he can be steady on defense at shortstop -- even after there were a lot of doubts from scouts about his ability to play the position in the majors -- and we have yet to see him at his best from the left side of the plate. While he's not going to be the second coming of Hanley Ramirez, he doesn't need to be. He mostly just needs to steady the position and audition to be a long-term solution, which Nick Green is not.

Hi Amalie. I was hoping you could shed some light on the Red Sox clubhouse dynamics. Since Manny left, it seems like everyone on the team gets along very well. However, do the players tend to break down into certain groups or cliques? Are there certain Red Sox players who have particularly strong friendships with other players?
Sara, Cambridge

A: Sara, there are always going to be certain groups of players that get along better than others. But overall, the Sox clubhouse seems to be a very integrated group, which is a credit to Theo Epstein's ability to build a good clubhouse atmosphere. I've been particularly impressed with the attention to chemistry demonstrated by a few players in particular: Justin Masterson, Mike Lowell, Brad Penny, Takashi Saito. Clubhouse dynamics often fall along the lines of the languages spoken by players, but these players make sure to talk to everyone, to include everyone, especially those players who might get lost because of their inability to speak English or Spanish or even Japanese. Saito, in fact, has told me that Penny brings players of different backgrounds together better than almost anyone he's ever seen. Often pitchers tend to hang out more with pitchers, especially the bullpen, and position players with position players, but there definitely does not seem to be the same clique-ishness or strife in the clubhouse that there might have been in the past, or that we've occasionally seen from other teams.

I am sorry always to be complaining about Red Sox underachievers, but when your newspaper runs a feature called "Don't Believe the Hype" that equates Dice-K with the Titanic and the Big Dig, it looks like complaining is the Globe-preapproved thing to do. Although neither Matsuzaka nor 'Tek nor Farrell nor Francona would ever likely confirm this, it looks like Dice-K's June 7 line against the Rangers [IP 5 2/3 H 10 R 5 ER 5 BB 0 SO 8] represents a failed experiment. The hypothesis being tested was, "If Dice-K stops trying to hit the corners and just throws the ball over the plate a little more, his stuff's good enough to overpower good major league hitting." But it wasn't. The question is, is there anything about his contract that would stop the Red Sox from sending him down to Pawtucket or Portland to, as they say, work on some things? He's an intelligent and self-aware pitcher -- maybe he'd want to do it?
Mark R., Fairbanks, Alaska

A: Want to do it? That's hard to say. There are very few major league pitchers who would want to be optioned to the minors for any reason, especially not as an admission that they're not performing up to their capabilities. But according to his contract, Daisuke Matsuzaka could be optioned to the minors with his permission. He's essentially treated like a player with five-plus years of service time, according to that contract as regards being optioned to the minors. He cannot go without that permission.

As someone who lives in Portland, I've had the opportunity to see a lot of the current stars of the Red Sox in person coming up with the Sea Dogs. I'm really excited to watch the track of Junichi Tazawa, who has been absolutely brilliant here. I was just curious if you could point out anyone in the low minors (A, AA) who the team feels holds a lot of promise and whose stock may be high in the organization. We all know the major prospects in Pawtucket and Lars Anderson here in Portland, but reading the minor league box scores and seeing all the names, I'm wondering if there's anyone to watch who we may see on the big team someday.
Ryan, Portland, Maine

A: Ryan, thanks for the question. I'm sure you've heard of Casey Kelly, who was the Sox' first pick in the 2008 draft. He has been extremely impressive as he starts the season as a pitcher. He'll switch to shortstop in the near future, to finish out the season once he's reached his innings limit as a starter. But he's up to Salem at this point, after going 6-1 with a 1.13 ERA in Greenville. He had two shaky starts with Salem, but his last start (on Monday) was back to the results he showed earlier in the season. Catcher Tim Federowicz has also been generating some buzz, even before he became a South Atlantic League all-star. He's been more than steady behind the plate, and has shown effectiveness with the bat. Other players to watch: left hander Nick Hagadone, who won't light up the scoreboard this season, his first back from Tommy John, but who is expected to have very good promise at the top of a rotation; first baseman Anthony Rizzo; pitcher Stephen Fife, and outfielder Ryan Westmoreland, who is coming off of shoulder surgery. There are, of course, many others. But these are just a few names to pay attention to at the moment.

Hey Amalie, how are things? So my first reaction when I saw Alex Cora got let go last year still holds true...dumb move. A player as versatile as Alex is always useful. How hard do you think Theo is kicking himself right now? Then I started checking his stats and such and he's batting .297 with one error in 21 games. Any chance the Sox try and bring him back? He's only on a one year contract but with Reyes' injury is a trade doubtful? Also found out that Cora once homered after an 18 pitch at bat thanks to your article, great stuff thanks.
Marcus S., Milton

A: The reason the Sox didn't bring Alex Cora back was that the club was set in the infield, with Jed Lowrie and Julio Lugo as their shortstop and utility infielder. Of course, that was then. The Sox obviously could have used Cora quite a bit this season, though despite his high error total, Nick Green has really been impressive filling in at shortstop after signing a non-guaranteed deal at the end of the offseason. There's no chance at this point that Cora could come back. The Mets need him in the absence of Jose Reyes, as you mentioned, and he's been doing well in his place with a .276 average. But I would count on the fact that the Sox don't need another backup shortstop right now. They have that. The team needs a starter, which it hopes will come when Jed Lowrie returns. Until then, it's Nick Green's job.

In typical Theo fashion, his wait and see attitude seems to have worked with the catching situation. The minor league system has a number of catching prospect doing well. Which one is the best hope for Tek's replacement?
Russ Gil, Verona, N.J.

A: The biggest catching prospect in the organization is Luis Exposito, but he has only gotten as far as advanced Single A. He's batting .283 with an .803 on-base plus slugging for Salem at 22 years old. Another catcher who has gotten quite a bit of buzz is Tim Federowicz, who was drafted last season out of North Carolina, and has been impressing at low Single A Greenville. But there don't appear to be any catching prospects terribly close to the major leagues in the organization. The Sox have plugged the Tim Wakefield catcher hole with George Kottaras this season, but there are definitely questions as to whether he's more than a backup in the majors, and he probably is not. The bottom line is that the Sox don't really have a viable alternative close enough to the majors to replace Jason Varitek when his contract runs out either after this season or after next (factoring in the player option in his contract).

I was wondering when the experiment with Julio Lugo will end and how. How many more years does he have on his contract with the Sox have with him?
Kamran S., Tampa, Fla.

A: The Sox have this season and one more on the four-year contract he signed before the 2007 season. The contract was for $36 million, at $9 million per year.

Amalie, I've noticed that some numbers of former Sox players are immediately used on current players after the prior owner has departed (e.g. Trot Nixon's 7 immediately became J.D. Drew's), while some sit on the shelf. Which leads to my question: Why is it that since '96, no Sox player has worn '21'? Has this number been unofficially retired by ownership? '5' went on a short hiatus until Rocco picked it up, but El Guapo's '34' was used immediately in '03 with no mourning period or time for reflection....What gives?
James, Portland, Ore.

A: It's mostly the decision of clubhouse and equipment manager Joe Cochran. But sometimes it's more about the players, who don't always want to take a number with the history of, say, 21. There's no particular ban on giving out No. 21. In fact, it's been offered to a couple of players, who have all declined to take it on. And while there is a waiting period with some numbers, brief or not, most of them are eventually given out again. No. 24 didn't stay around long, and No. 5, as you said, had its period on the shelf before Rocco Baldelli took it on. It's really all different with each number based on its history, based on who wants it next, or who doesn't want it next. Cochran's been doing this for a long time, and has a good feel for what he wants to do with the uniform numbers.

Hi Amalie, I am wondering why teams draft kids that have already committed to play at college? Can you explain how that works and why teams draft so many kids that they know are going to stay at school?
Karen, East Lansing, Mich.

A: Karen, commitments to colleges aren't always as hard and fast as they seem. Some prospects commit to a school because they truly want to go to college, and aren't going to even consider heading to the minor leagues before school. Some prospects commit to a school because they want to have a place to go if the money isn't quite right from the team that drafts them. It's a way to drive up the price by saying that the player isn't setting his sights entirely on a major league career yet, that the money has to be there to take him away from school. Teams often use later round draft picks on players that they think are nearly certain to go to college, with the hope that they can pry them away. You can get good talent in those rounds by trying to work your magic (and dollar bills) on prospects. Lars Anderson, for instance, had committed to the University of California-Berkeley when he was drafted in the 18th round by the Sox. The money (an $825,000 bonus) was enough to make him give up on college and head to the Sox.

Hi Amalie, I have just one question: how long before people start talking about Nick Green as a viable permanent starter at shortstop? Like everyone else, I just watched the Sox sweep the Yankees at Fenway park, and while Green has his flaws, I saw three things from him. One, I saw offensive production, even in clutch situations, that is at least comparable to Lugo. Two, I saw him field balls cleanly that Lugo would have let pass under his glove like a matador "ole"-ing a bull under his cape. Three, I saw Green turn those balls around quickly and make stronger, more accurate throws than Lugo is capable of, period. Case in point: the spinning throw Green made late in the third game to barely take out Jeter at first. Try out this mental picture if you can: picture Lugo making that play. You can't, can you? Me neither. Now, I don't know how Green stacks up against a healthy Jed Lowrie, because we've never seen a reasonable stretch of a healthy Jed Lowrie at the Major League level. However good he was when we thought he was healthy last season, he was playing with a broken wrist. That's both impressive for the past and encouraging for the future. So I don't know who wins in a Lowrie/Green contest. But I know that the Lugo/Green contest has already been won. Is the fact that Green took the field over Lugo in the Yankees series an indication that Tito knows it, too?
Eric P., Billierca

A: While Terry Francona has not come out and stated that Nick Green is his starter until Jed Lowrie comes back, the proof is on the lineup card. Green has essentially been the starter for a while now, and especially since Julio Lugo muffed a play in a Brad Penny start two weeks ago, on June 5. While Green has his faults defensively, he's become more and more comfortable at a position that is not his natural one. He's played far beyond expectations at shortstop, playing himself into a starter role above a player making about $8.5 million more than he is this season. But the Sox are waiting for Lowrie to return. At that point Lowrie will get his audition at the position, and will be given every chance to win the starter role back. As we know, these things are far from guaranteed, but Lowrie will get the opportunity. We'll now get to see what a healthy Lowrie can do at the position.

Isn't this the year Tim Wakefield should be seriously considered for the All Star team? Assuming he has a couple of more quality starts before the break he should merit heavy consideration. Perhaps you have to be an avid Sox fan to appreciate what he does, which is give you 6-7 quality innings almost every time out, and almost always seems to have the Sox "in the game" by the time he exits. He is one of my all time favorites for his unselfish attitude over the years as well as his performance. Let's hope he is on the All Star roster in July.
Chris M., Centreville, Va.

A: As I wrote in Wednesday's paper after Tim Wakefield's last start, I do believe that he should be considered for the All-Star team. If he continues to pitch as he has, he should merit consideration, though it's far from assured that he would warrant a spot on the roster. His ERA is a little bit on the high side (at 4.39), though he is also among only five players in baseball with nine wins at this point. Some of that credit goes to his teammates, of course, who have provided him with 8.34 in run support in the games he's pitched. But he's also second on the team behind Josh Beckett in quality starts, and really saved the team and the bullpen a couple of times back in April. He hasn't pitched as well as he did back at the start of the season, but he's been steady in pitching the Sox to wins. Quite the bargain at $4 million, and certainly in the conversation for the All-Star game, which would be his first.