October 15, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Zack Greinke (21) pitches the first inning against New York Mets in game five of NLDS at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
Samantha Riley: Out of those three, I would have to go with Greinke. Cueto has been inconsistent since joining an American League team and Price’s postseason record is truly dismal – although I will admit that this record is not entirely his fault. Greinke is extremely reliable, in his prime, and has pitched successfully in both the AL and NL. It was a close call between Greinke and Price, but I went with Greinke because he ultimately has more experience and he has just been getting better and better over the past few years.
Many are worried about Grienke’s mental stability and his ability to handle being the ace of the Boston Red Sox, but being the ace of the Los Angeles Dodgers is not that much different.
Drew: Greinke’s prior mental issues are concerning, and all due respect to Samantha, pitching in LA is nothing like the cauldron of Boston and anything but success will create more pressure than he can handle.
Stephen Little: Another thing to note is that Greinke has relationships with two members of the Red Sox front office; Allard Baird and Brian Bannister. Indeed, he has widely credited Bannister for helping him understand and use sabremetrics in his pitching. The presence of both could potentially help make Boston a soft landing.
Sean: Interesting point. Greinke’s relationship with members of the Red Sox front office may help draw him to Boston, but how much of an effect would they have on his ability to handle the pressure once he got here? There is risk in signing any of these pitchers, but Greinke’s noted battle with anxiety and depression is a glaring red flag.
Next: Cost matters