Running 2011 Baseball Thread, Vol. I: Dedicated to spnited

As long as he's already cleared waivers, there's no issue, right.

Teams put nearly their whole roster on waivers these days, both to make them available and to mask who they might really be looking to trade.

If they get claimed, you can just pull them back.

I think they're saying that Chen has already cleared. There'd have to be some other pitchers available who have already cleared as well.

 

See, that's what's so wild about it.

You might be passing over a pitcher that you'd then need in the play-offs if you win.

 

Barry Zito!!!!!!! I'm sure he made it through waivers just fine.

 

The incentive for the pitcher is the upside if he wins. 1) You get a lot of notoriety that your agent can probably use. It's easier to market the guy who won Game 163 than the guy who had a 4.50 ERA for Team X. 2) If you win, you're probably getting a playoff share, and in the wild dream scenario, a World Series ring.

Lackey is already pissed, and Wakefield is a long man in the playoffs if he does get in. Both are candidates to not be back next year, so I don't think you risk much if you do trade for a guy for just one game.

 

I don't think Lackey makes the playoff roster unless they need a long man in the pen, or if he actually does throw a gem in 163. Even if he pitched well in 163, you might not have him on the roster for the ALDS, since you probably wouldn't be able to pitch him until game 4 again at the earliest anyway.

 

The other thing floating around on the sports flash on Boston radio was that Clay Buchholz is available tonight if needed from the pen. Tough to see them going to him though unless it's an emergency, since there is no guarantees he'll have any sort of command or control after missing a couple of months. I think he's only been able to pitch a few simulated and instructional league games.

 

Hard to root for Lackey. Hard not to root for Wakefield.

 

Oh, yeah, forgot about that. They kinda do a pre-clearance pass late in the season don't they?

 

Lackey is earning $16M this season. They have to put him on the roster and get something -- anything -- out of him. They've already come this far and given him 28 starts.

 

Sunk cost fallacy.

 

So you're going to send him home now after letting him suck all year long?

Zito didn't make the postseason roster last year because there was no room for him. This team has a different set of problems.

 

I'm saying if he's not one of your 25 people who give you the best shot at winning the World Series, his contract this year means nada.