No to Koch starting.  Absolutely not.  It takes more than two pitches to be an effective starter.

Right, he barely has two and the best one of those two is being studied by NASA as a new launching system.

I liked Wite's Joe Borchard comment.

 

So true.

I barely remember saying that, but I do recall saying it nonetheless.

 

Hey, what can I say, I was thinking like the manager.

Hey guys I just read on Billy Koch's bio on Yahoo! Sports that he was originally a starting pitcher in the minors. I'm NOT AT ALL saying we should have Billy Koch in our rotation, but if worst comes to worst? I dunno it'd be very tempting to have Damaso take of the closer spot, and have a lineup of Buehrle, Colon, Koch. Wow. Power, Control, Power. I dunno I just sniffed a line of flintstones vitamins  haha.

If I recall Koch was drafted as a closer out of Clemson or Auburn and was a first round pick. I do think they converted him to a starter and then he hurt his elbow and was moved to the closers spot.

 

This is all off memory when he first came up with the Blue Jays, so I could be drastically wrong.

 

Also, I think the Sox have far better options then trying to move a guy that could be one of your best relievers to the rotation, especially when he hasn't started in who knows how long.

When did the ol' quote-in-quote thing come back.

 

 

I missed it.  

 

Oh and please lock this asinine thread. Koch a 5th starter? This guy is a f***ing toll.

Brando you'll love what will be out in the next version of the board. You can check posts and then quote multiple posters. It should be very simple and the updates have been pushed back, but I'm guessing right around the start of the baseball season that and a few other cool features will be added

It didn't.  This thread was resurected from '03.

I was about to inform someone who had said Colon was still on the team that they are stupid. I didn't realize the dates.

I was about to inform someone who had said Colon was still on the team that they are stupid. I didn't realize the dates.

ya i was thinking the same thing. i was like wow is that person a jackass or what cuz colon is not even on our team any more.

why f*** up a great closer to make a mediocre starter while losing a great closer?

Great Closer? Ouch CW you blew that one.

If I recall Koch was drafted as a closer out of Clemson or Auburn and was a first round pick.  I do think they converted him to a starter and then he hurt his elbow and was moved to the closers spot.

 

This is all off memory when he first came up with the Blue Jays, so I could be drastically wrong. 

 

Also, I think the Sox have far better options then trying to move a guy that could be one of your best relievers to the rotation, especially when he hasn't started in who knows how long.

Not that I advocate such a change, but for clarification........

 

Koch was a starter exclusively in the Minor Leagues. I am pretty sure he was a starter in college as well, but cannot say so for sure. I believe I recall seeing him start in the College WS. He was part of a Clemson staff that had three great pitchers. Ken Vining was one of the other two. I cannot recall the name of the 3rd pitcher.

 

Koch must have gotten hurt right after college. He was taken in the 1996 draft, but did not play that season, which could simply mean he signed late. But he only started three games in 1997, so my guess is the injury happened somewhere in that 96-97 time frame.

 

He came back in 98 and was again used as a starter, making 27 starts. In 99, he started 5 games in AAA and was then promoted to Toronto and immediately placed in the bullpen, where he racked up 31 saves. It is possible they were grooming him to be a closer but using him as a starter. The Blue Jays handled him quite differently. He jumped from Class A to AAA in 98 and made two starts there. He made 5 the next year in AAA and that is all of the time he spent above Class A before jumping right into the role of Major League closer. He did have 56 appearances for Toronto that first year, so it is possible he wasn't the closer right away, but with 31 saves you have to figure it wasn't too long before he was the closer.

Stewart, Diaz, Rauch, Heredia, Ginter, etc.

Jason, no mention of Loaiza??