Sayonara

There has been a lot of talk recently throughout Red Sox Nation concerning what to do with six healthy starting pitchers. As John Smoltz joins the rotation next week, Terry Francona and John Farrell have to decide what to do. Here's the obvious; Josh Beckett, Jon Lester, and Tim Wakefield are not going anywhere. Brad Penny has been mentioned in trade talks but has responded by being spectacular in his last two starts. He answered many people's questions.

Dice-K has not responded well. Last night, he attacked the strike zone early and got rocked. Then he decided to try and in Farrell's words became too "fine". Even last year's 18-3 mark was not without its high wire act; pitching in and out of trouble. Dice-K has not provided the answers the Nation is looking for. Not to digress but one needs to ask how was it that he was so dominant in the World Baseball Classic for his home country of Japan?

Options? As part of the Scott Boras negotiated contract, Dice-K cannot be sent to the minors without the player's approval. He also possesses the only no trade clause on the team. Francona mentioned this nugget in a recent interview, it takes He Who Is Not Fooling Anyone up to 45 minutes to get ready to pitch. I guess the bull pen is out of the question. A six man rotation would limit Beckett and Lester to roughly six or seven less starts this year. Do we really want Dice-K to start (Sox are 2-5 when he does) 12 games that would normally go to Beckett and Lester? As Whitney Houston once said; "Hell to the no!!"

So what can be done? It comes down to effectiveness. The other 25 guys on the roster, management, coaches and fans deserve to from the team to be given the best opportunity to make the playoffs. Right now, this guy is not it. Maybe, someone comes up with an oblique/shoulder/elbow/buttocks strain and could use a skip in the rotation. Maybe the 42 year old Smoltz breaks down. Even if any of this happens, wouldn't Clay Buchholz be a better option? He has been tearing up the Triple A International League.

Dice-K does not deserve another start. The Red Sox have better options presently on the roster and in the minors. My guess is the team throws him on the DL with some sort of mystery ailment for two weeks. After that, is anyone's guess.