Sox Are Closely Monitoring Is Clay Buchholz!

The All-Star Game break is officially over, which means it’s time for the Boston Red Sox to get back to work.  The Sox are entering that critical “make or break” point in a team’s season.  Since not only are there only 74 games left in the MLB season, but the July 31st trade deadline is vastly approaching.  Now Boston, who currently sits a top the AL East with a 54-34 record, it’s their time where they can make their move, and widen the gap between them and the rest of the East. 

But the Sox must play the right cards, and play them perfectly.  And it looks like that’s what starting to happen as the Sox will be looking closely at a few players over the next 2 weeks.  They’ll be looking to see who fits with their system, who doesn’t, and go from there.  The Sox will be doing all this and much more, as they make their decision on getting the right personnel who fit this team.

One player the Sox are closely monitoring is Clay Buchholz!  That process begins tonight as Buchholz takes the mound for the Red Sox as they open up the second half of of the season in Toronto.  This just might be the start of the final “interview” for Buchholz as a member of the Sox.  As the Sox will evaluate and use his performance to help them determine if they want to keep him.  Or part ways with him and try and move him before the trade deadline.

There’s been plenty of talk about Buchholz and his future with this club.  It seems everyone has an opinion on it.  Personally I don’t care if he stays or gets traded, and here’s why.  He’s 5-10 since making his debut with Boston back in 2007.  In 07 it looked like he had a promising future in the making, he was sharp, had great command, and who could forget the no-hitter he threw in September of 07 verse the Baltimore Orioles.

Then with expectations high entering the 2008 season, he fell flat on his face.  He was down right horrible on the mound, the league had no problems figuring him out, as evident by his 2-9 record.  Which he compiled in 16 starts before being demoted to the minors.  Now comes 2009 which he starts in the minors and he’s looking like his dominant old self again.  He starts the minor league’s All-Star game, and came dam close to tossing a perfect game early in the year.

It’s all looking great for his return to the majors, except the log jam the Sox have on starters.  Which the Sox are currently working on figuring out.  One thing he still needs to learn is how to control his mouth, as he had a bout of mouth-in-foot disease a month or so ago.  When he decided it was wise to shoot his mouth off in the media, about the team needing to either call him up or trade him.

Hey Clay here’s a little tip, you haven’t earned the right to talk like that, if I were you I’d be dam happy the Red Sox gave me a second chance to prove myself.  You had a good end to 07, but you sucked last year in 08.  Let your performance on the field do the talking for you, not your mouth!  Since you clearly haven’t earned that right yet as a ball player. 

One last thing Clay, when you take the mound tonight, go out there and pitch like it’s your career that’s on the line.  Essentially it is, your career in Boston anyways, a good performance will help keep you in a Sox uniform.  While a horrible one just might be enough for the Sox to decide “enough is enough” and start dangling you as trade bait!