ROTATION
The Red Sox staff is number one in the American League in pitching. Just let that roll around a bit – this is like Kim Kardashian winning an Oscar. How do you stay number one with the loss of Steven Wright and David Price?
The starters are ranked number one and Chris Sale certainly has the pitching creed to tweak that number, but don’t dismiss under the radar, Eduardo Rodriguez. E-Rod has been a favorite since he came on the scene a few years ago and teased with his potential. Now he apparently “Gets it” and is following a similar path that Jon Lester did with Boston.
Rick Porcello will not win a Cy Young Award – either this season or in his entire career. Was 2016 a pitching anomaly? For me it was and Porcello is what he was expected to me – a solid middle of the rotation contributor. What tosses me into a quandary is Drew Pomeranz. Each start with Pomeranz is the Forest Gump box of chocolates. If Price returns to reasonable career performance standards this rotation will continue to be memorable in a positive way.
First 50 Grade – A-