07-22-08 Felger and Haggerty talk Sox moves

It's a much interest and stuff the breakdown that game do you think so all capsule like there's maybe two or three things I think the using Papelbon in the eighth inning when they did get five votes was very interesting move no breads and yet now no faith at -- You'll probably that's about all night about the bridge in the setup guys did just jump over the river no bridge that's it. I mean you know. They were lucky and that's it wants kind of been you know a month or 21 situation where he was coming the all star break and he hadn't pitched since the All Star Games Papelbon was well rested. He could handle it can work and on top of that. He got out of the eighth inning with two pitches so he was you know -- a lot left in the tank going into the ninth inning. -- UC Okajima pitching warming up you know two guys on base the bases get load against Jon Lester. Zero -- Hideki right now that tells you which is we don't you think because we broke down he's been pitching well in July Okajima numbers in July are pretty good isn't even a run since June 27 and he he's been scored upon this month -- last acumen with runners in scoring position inherited runners got out of the situation. Which John found a lot of other people felt like was a good can -- Hideki Okajima. But it speaks the lack of faith in him in Manny Delcarmen crickets and all of these guys in and the fact they really really need to go out. In isolated date and have some faith and and it you're right it's a crapshoot when you get a reliever agreement the situation. But -- getting more more like either Justin passes and start doing this job gets them through the gate again agilent -- them in the outside and.

Well. The the good news was Jon Lester the way he pitch and he comes up at twelve daybreak and that. Again one of the strength to the Red Sox why I think there and it all the way to the end their depth of their starting pitching making given twelve days. Comes outlooks Russia goes in the eighth inning -- only a 103 pitches it seems as whole conversation we had just Dominic conversation about Lester how deep can go into games. As we go had been talking about that recently because he's really tightened it up in looks like a different guy absolute out.

he's averaging six and almost six and a half innings per start working deep into the seventh inning or more. And basically when you look at it now he's the number two starter on that team without question it's not Daisuke with the contract that he has and everybody thought because of the stuff who's going to slide into it. It's not Tim Wakefield certainly it's not clear buckles it's Jon Lester he's the number two that on -- nine straight games now without losing a game and is pitching solid everytime out in. You thought maybe last night would be and I were be too strong wouldn't have command of his pitches because of the long rest off. He came in and was just flying from the very beginning of the game didn't allow a runner to third base until the seventh inning just dominant stuff he's exactly the guy that they talked about him -- is transforming into in the offseason I'm convinced now.

You know I in this is -- he's proved that if you are but since his dominance off I still don't see him as a stuff guys in a lefty that throws pretty hard. And he's a dominant he's a dominant stuff now -- now he can hit.

9495 miles an hour as that strength back that he had in 2005 and previously in the minor leagues when he was absolutely dominating every minor league level that he went to it was a better prospect and -- abominable in double day. --

Well -- help Lamotte mariners' terrible terrible offensive team with the the fifth inning. Five pitches. Those those five there all strikes you strikes are put into play. And does so the Mariners are good matchup for him if you will because they were aggressive and swung at everything and that really helped Lester along but no bridge. You know you mention that got to go on find somebody we always or masters and one of the all right you have no faith that Okajima comes back in -- that guy well.

I think if that's the one guy that you're going to put it back in there I'd like to see him get one more shot at trying to get the -- was innings don't tell me you can do the job and can you know get lightning in a bottle one more time with -- Okajima and get a little more mileage on him before they. Give up something huge because he -- on McCadam he's on the west coast with in the it was out there right now so I'm sure he's getting -- pretty close to the horse's mouth. They've talked with that the Colorado Rockies like McCormick and they've talked about the Colorado Rockies about Brian Fuentes gave your mind out of ago -- some real baseball it. And apparently the Colorado Rockies immediately said we want -- buckles for Bryant went cellular -- yeah exactly you want radically buckles for a set up lefty even though. If you look at the numbers like this month Brian Fuentes has pitched seven innings no hits no runs thirteen strikeouts. While every -- he's been absolutely lights out this month I heard -- you're asking another closer comments that -- open but he's -- ball he's he's moved out of the setup -- government -- in the World Series last year was the closer during the playoffs he's bounced back and forth between the two of them so he had sent up and -- Eric -- where it's come and in doing something completely.

For limited a name. And I'll be totally out I know this guy only because these -- my pants teams that it. Flaming fantasy dork right -- me mate I'm shocked cheerfully as he noticed that flaming John Rusch is a closer with the Washington Nationals this guy. Is a horse or heard of him because he's closing for a team that doesn't win games he's. Has seventeen saves obviously just doesn't jump up but I I watch his -- pitch again because I'm up flaming fantasy dork like overnight it turned into this. And I got the package at home right you're picking up guys have been that the closer gets hurt he's elect the set -- it's going to slide into the -- your your right on top of that I'm not Skiles and but I -- night -- are -- I'll just put them through all the baseball games on the package of -- I go watch it right that's about it gotten -- but so I've watched this guy. This -- horse. This guy is a mule he's 611 big guy he throws hard he's only got seventeen saves was only had 22 chances again because he's. Pitching for the nationals but if you look at some of the numbers. It two point 98 ERA his batting average against which is obviously more important step relievers threw 32. He's thrown out forty. Here's the number that jumps out at me with John. 44 strikeouts in 48 innings which is good almost a strikeout an inning only seven walks so all. The guy throws strikes he throws hard. John route -- just a little name to keep in mind out there yet I think he'd be a good fit but you know what. I'm not going to tell you who's going to emerge. Among masters and I think they'll karma still and it -- even Hansen and -- thing he's doing on the rubber maybe it's Okajima maybe it's rush made it somewhat. I think that they figured out I think someone emerges I don't know what's going to be I think someone at the end of the day is going to be okay.

I think they're going to need that because I think right now if you talk to people around baseball and Theo Epstein has actually said this. The value for those setup -- the Rochus of the world that Brian Fuentes right and only say rush because Steve Phillips on ESPN game last night mentioned rough was available right and Damaso Marte all of these guys all the setup guys with with marte -- really only being lefty specialists specialists and went SP got McCann is like Okajima where presumably can get lefties and reddies out. The value for all those guys -- sky high and that the that the clay buckles wanting him for Brian Fuentes in the letter that I -- that's the kind of value the kind of asking price that you're getting for a lot these guys mean. Front -- this is a type a free agent and he's going to get to draft picks two high draft picks that for the Rockies if they stay in ride it out and let him go so you immediately have to come to them with something more than that. And right now it's not going to happen I think what the Red Sox are hoping and waiting for. Is -- going to ride out until July 30 July 31. And hope that the values drop down between now and then for like these guys asking prices when teams are getting a little bit desperate. For prospects help with what have you and maybe in that meantime over the next week ten days. Somebody will emerge or Masterson will get a good shot and we'll see that you'll be able to do the job or Okajima will continue to look more like the guys that they had last year as -- as in July. Because it's it's way too costly on the open market for relievers it's an issue but I think there --

Either way because of a sample what we saw last night the starting pitching that depth of the starting pitching the way they've rested these guys innings -- to be looked more often. -- the not the vast majority of times your starting pitcher on the Red Sox is going to be better than the guy across the way and that special when they get back home that's going to play into it too and I just. A -- impossible that they're going to fall out of this matter what the bullpen looks like I just think they're starting pitching. Two good.