Whats most important to us this year? Giolito proving he is what he is? Keuchel being what we paid for? Lopez figuring it out? Cease taking the sophomore leap? Gio being more than a fifth starter? Kopech coming back from tommy john to fulfill his prospectual status? Big Boss Ross becoming the best story in baseball history?

All of the above?  

Either of Lopez or Cease would be my pick (went with Lopez). If we're a playoff team, I'd be willing to bet one (or both) had an all-star caliber year

1 hour ago, Heads22 said:

Whats most important to us this year? Giolito proving he is what he is? Keuchel being what we paid for? Lopez figuring it out? Cease taking the sophomore leap? Gio being more than a fifth starter? Kopech coming back from tommy john to fulfill his prospectual status? Big Boss Ross becoming the best story in baseball history?

Props to you Alex for knowing who the real/original Gio is. 

While Giolito taking a step back would hurt, main thing we need to know is we do have competent depth this year. Would be much better to have to find clear upgrades next few years, not merely a starter

I really think Kopech is a stud and will be a top 10 pitcher in the MLB.  I choose him.

I think in this baseball era, health is the major concern. We see so many starting pitchers battling problems.  Spring training has opened  and we will start to hear more Severino stories as the weeks go on. Going north w your intended staring 5 is the first  major victory of the season. 

Never just one, hopefully it's a  whole bunch that step up and reach their potential

Why are we limited to just one pick? If only one thing happens in that list then this is doomed anyway.

These 4 need to happen for us to 'truly rock it':

1) Giolito continues to be an ace

2) Lopez becomes a #3

3) Kopech returns to form

4) Cease makes a leap

The right answer is Giolito just because he was a legit TOR starter last year and bare minimum we need to finish the season with two guys we feel confidently can be the #1 & #2 of this rotation going forward.  After him, we need at least one of Kopech or Cease to take a massive leap forward. As much as depth is important, we should be able to cover the back of the rotation between Lopez, Dunning, Rodon, Lambert, Stiever, Gonzalez, or even one of Cease or Kopech if they fail to progress.  The top of the rotation is far more critical because Jerry isn’t going to sign a starter beyond a Wheeler type contract and we probably won’t have the ammo to trade for one.

Varnell gonna come up and fuck up the majors.

1 hour ago, SCCWS said:

I think in this baseball era, health is the major concern. We see so many starting pitchers battling problems.  Spring training has opened  and we will start to hear more Severino stories as the weeks go on. Going north w your intended staring 5 is the first  major victory of the season. 

I agree. The medical staff should be compensated more for their time and efforts! ?

 

Of course I am a little biased.

Everyone is important and anything can happen and the floor for any Pitcher is TJ and season end but IMO the biggest thing is giolito repeating. He has tremendous upside but don't forget that he was the worst starter in baseball in 2018 so there is some risk for regression.

If he proves that the changes he made stick and he is a 5+ WAR ace (or at least 4) that would be huge for the sox.

They also need Keuchel to be good but really with him 190 innings with a 4 era would be fine with that offense.

A lopez breakout would be a nice bonus that could make them a division winner but giolito is really a key who alone could make the difference between post season and no post season.

If the question is essentially about who is the make or break piece, I think the answer is Kopech. I think we all know that if Giolito doesn't repeat or we don't get at least a 3 starter out of Keuchel, this team isn't going to make the playoffs. So the question is who is the guy who could push the team into serious playoff or even division title contention? To me, that's Michael Kopech. If Kopech can come back and become what he showed flashes of pre-TJ, that's gives the team 2 aces to ride into and through the postseason along with this offense.

I always figure picking the guy who might be at risk to lose his starting job first is the one I'd like to break out so that would be Lopez.  There's no way to know who's capable of being very good but Lopez has at least proven he is durable so far.  He is the least likely to break out or most likely to be mediocre to bad so I'll bank on Kopech and Cease getting better and Giolito remaining good .