Bard to Start, Should Aceves Follow?

Daniel Bard appears to be the perfect teammate; willing to do whatever the team needs of him in order to win.  Whether it be as a setup man, closer or starter, Bard is open to any option.  We’ve now learnt that he’ll get his chance to join the rotation this spring as manager Bobby Valentine stated that he would be prepped as a starter.

While it’s not a guarantee that Bard will slide into the rotation, it does appear to shed some light on the situation.  Bard will be given every chance and training regime to take his game to the starter level.  Let’s hope that the Red Sox brass follow suit and continue to build the bullpen with the assumption that Bard won’t be available for the ninth inning.

But there is another bullpen rock that has been whispered to possibly become a starter, Alfredo Aceves.  His versatile role last season made him one of the most valuable pitchers the Red Sox had.  Whether it was a spot starter during the first few months, a shut em down set up man to keep the game within reach or that reliable arm to work the seventh before turning it over to Bard and Papelbon, Aceves was lights out in every situation.

So with one valuable bullpen piece getting the chance to start, should  Aceves be given the same opportunity and fill out the starting rotation?

Short answer, no.  Especially at this point of the off season when the Red Sox don’t have a clear cut closer.  Sure Bard could be that guy, but what happens if he goes into Spring and dominates the scene and is given the number four starting position.  The bullpen, an already depleted one at that, will look worse than the paper bag princess.  Aceves could turn into the closer, but for argument’s sake, let’s pretend that Cherington makes a move or two and secures a legitimate closer.

So hypothetically, the Red Sox have a closer and Bard is in the rotation.  What do you do with Aceves?  His starts last year were just short of brilliant. Who could forget that historic game against the Chicago Cubs, remember the one with the bee-keeper jerseys the Red Sox were wearing in honor of the 1918 World Series?  Ya, those were pretty bad, but it didn’t bother Aceves.  The Mexican native hurled five innings, allowing just one earned run on three hits, taking a no decision.  He did what he needed to do for his team, give them a chance to win.

Or how about one start earlier, beating the Detroit Tigers after pitching six innings of five hit ball again only allowing one run.

But his best work was clearly out of the bullpen.  Sure he had a record of 10-2, but only because he was the recipient of many tight situations that he managed to prevail in, allowing very few runs and again, giving the Red Sox the chance to inflict some damage with the bats en route to victory.

Last August Aceves appeared in 12 games amounting to 15.2 innings of work.  The result? How about a microscopic ERA of 1.15 with an outstanding WHIP of 0.89.  In almost 16 innings, all in relief, Aceves would strikeout 17 batters while walking 5.  He went 2-0 that month and even managed to convert a save in Kansas City after he worked 3.2 innings, throwing 45 pitches.

See where I’m going with this yet?

The month of September when so many Red Sox pitchers were an atrocious and the team stunk, Aceves was one of a few who continued to shine.  12 appearances that equaled 25.0 innings of him on the mound.  When the collapse was complete, Aceves finished the month with a 1-1 record, a 1.80 ERA, a WHIP of 1.12 and struck out 20 despite walking 10.

Who could forget the second last game of the year when Aceves came on in the fifth and pitched 3.2 innings of work, allowing just one earned run on three hits and securing what would be the Red Sox 90th and final win of the season.  For one more night he gave his ball club a chance to make it to the postseason.  For one more night his club had the chance to play for something.  For one more night, Alfredo Aceves gave his teammates an opportunity.  That’s about all you can ask for in a relief pitcher and Aceves did just that time in and time out.

For the season, Aceves would finish with an ERA of 2.61, the best of any relief pitcher on the Red Sox last season.  He would finish with a WHIP of 1.11 only behind Bard and Papelbon for third in relief pitchers.   He also had a career best WAR rating of 2.9.

To put Aceves in the rotation would, in all likelihood be bullpen suicide.  Bobby Jenks is in the land of the unknown and Andrew Miller, Felix Doubront and Kyle Weiland haven’t earned a damn thing let alone a chance to join the bullpen band.

Aceves has proved he is the one steady hand that still remains from a dismantled bullpen (Bard aside).  When looking at his career numbers it’s hard to fathom why the Yankees let him go.  In 240 career innings, mainly all relief, he has a career ERA of 2.93 and a WHIP of 1.083.

To put it mildly, he’s just too valuable to take out of the bullpen.  If Bard sticks in the rotation and it’s a big “if” then at least you have the comfort knowing that you’ll have Aceves to work the eighth inning, should a defined closer be brought in.  Judging by the amount of innings that Aceves was able to shred through last year, making him the closer isn’t the answer either.  This, dare I say, bullet proof utility man has a spot where he’s most valuable; he’s the setup man and he’s pretty damn good at it.

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