Post by seaver41 on Mar 22, 2007 15:56:07 GMT -5
CLEARWATER, Fla. -- The Red Sox announced a resolution to their much-discussed closer dilemma with a retro decision following Thursday's exhibition game against the Phillies: Jonathan Papelbon will return to the role he was so masterful in a year ago.
Julian Tavarez, who did a solid job in the rotation when given the chance in September, will take Papelbon's starting slot.
This, after a winter and spring in which the Red Sox and Papelbon both said numerous times that the hard-throwing right-hander would go into the season as a starting pitcher.
The reason Papelbon was moved out of the closer's role in the first place was for health reasons. Papelbon suffered a subluxation of his right shoulder on Sept. 1, 2006. Shortly thereafter, the Red Sox, citing advice from the medical staff, announced that Papelbon would be best suited, at least in the short term, to go back to starting.
With nobody emerging in a wide-open closing derby and Mike Timlin ticketed to start the season on the disabled list, perhaps the Red Sox got the medical clearance necessary to move Papelbon back to the bullpen.
The Red Sox drafted Papelbon as a starter in 2003. Until last spring, that was how the club viewed him for the long-term.
But things changed last Spring Training, when Papelbon impressed the brass so much in relief that he supplanted Keith Foulke as the closer in the third game of the 2006 season.
Papelbon responded by pitching his way on to the American League All-Star team. He finished the year 4-2 with an 0.92 ERA, which was the eighth-lowest in Major League history among pitchers with at least 50 innings.
Papelbon converted his first 20 save opportunities of the season and was 35-for-41 overall.
As for Tavarez, he seemed to become reinvigorated when Francona moved him to the rotation in September. The righty went 3-0 with a 4.01 ERA in six starts. He fired a complete game, 7-1 victory at Toronto on Sept. 22.
Tavarez, along with Timlin, Joel Pineiro and Brendan Donnelly, had been viewed as the four closing candidates for Opening Day. But all that changed with Thursday's announcement.
"If you ask me what I want to be, I'll tell you I want to be a starter because at least I know what day I'm going to pitch," Tavarez said in February. "I've always been thinking I wanted to be a starter since I started my career in 1992. I was a starter in the Minor Leagues also. If you leave it to me, I'd say I want to be a starter."
He now apparently has his wish, thanks to a game of role reversal with Papelbon.
Both pitchers seemed to be gearing up for their new -- and old -- roles on Thursday. Tavarez pitched 3 2/3 innings in a Minor League game back in Fort Myers, scattering four hits and allowing no runs while striking out four. He threw 63 pitches.
Papelbon worked in relief of Tim Wakefield in Boston's game against the Phillies.
Julian Tavarez, who did a solid job in the rotation when given the chance in September, will take Papelbon's starting slot.
This, after a winter and spring in which the Red Sox and Papelbon both said numerous times that the hard-throwing right-hander would go into the season as a starting pitcher.
The reason Papelbon was moved out of the closer's role in the first place was for health reasons. Papelbon suffered a subluxation of his right shoulder on Sept. 1, 2006. Shortly thereafter, the Red Sox, citing advice from the medical staff, announced that Papelbon would be best suited, at least in the short term, to go back to starting.
With nobody emerging in a wide-open closing derby and Mike Timlin ticketed to start the season on the disabled list, perhaps the Red Sox got the medical clearance necessary to move Papelbon back to the bullpen.
The Red Sox drafted Papelbon as a starter in 2003. Until last spring, that was how the club viewed him for the long-term.
But things changed last Spring Training, when Papelbon impressed the brass so much in relief that he supplanted Keith Foulke as the closer in the third game of the 2006 season.
Papelbon responded by pitching his way on to the American League All-Star team. He finished the year 4-2 with an 0.92 ERA, which was the eighth-lowest in Major League history among pitchers with at least 50 innings.
Papelbon converted his first 20 save opportunities of the season and was 35-for-41 overall.
As for Tavarez, he seemed to become reinvigorated when Francona moved him to the rotation in September. The righty went 3-0 with a 4.01 ERA in six starts. He fired a complete game, 7-1 victory at Toronto on Sept. 22.
Tavarez, along with Timlin, Joel Pineiro and Brendan Donnelly, had been viewed as the four closing candidates for Opening Day. But all that changed with Thursday's announcement.
"If you ask me what I want to be, I'll tell you I want to be a starter because at least I know what day I'm going to pitch," Tavarez said in February. "I've always been thinking I wanted to be a starter since I started my career in 1992. I was a starter in the Minor Leagues also. If you leave it to me, I'd say I want to be a starter."
He now apparently has his wish, thanks to a game of role reversal with Papelbon.
Both pitchers seemed to be gearing up for their new -- and old -- roles on Thursday. Tavarez pitched 3 2/3 innings in a Minor League game back in Fort Myers, scattering four hits and allowing no runs while striking out four. He threw 63 pitches.
Papelbon worked in relief of Tim Wakefield in Boston's game against the Phillies.
Something tells me this won't last all season. Nonetheless, I hope he achieves the same success.
