I know there's a long way to go before the playoffs and anything can happen, but if the Sox make the playoffs, who do you have as a 4th starter and who do you move to the pen- El Duque or Contreras?

 

I like Contreras starting and El Duque in the pen. Even though El Duque has come up huge in playoff starts, I think Contreras is better suited to start. I like El Duque's makeup better to come in with men on and a 1 run lead better than Contreras. El Duque has had to battle basically every inning he has thrown this year because at this point he throws all junk.

I know there's a long way to go before the playoffs and anything can happen, but if the Sox make the playoffs, who do you  have as a 4th starter and who do you move to the pen- El Duque or Contreras?

 

I like Contreras starting and El Duque in the pen. Even though El Duque has come up huge in playoff starts, I think Contreras is better suited to start. I like El Duque's makeup better to come in with men on and a 1 run lead better than Contreras. El Duque has had to battle basically every inning he has thrown this year because at this point he throws all junk.

 

I think we shouldn't even be thinking about this yet. We've blown it the last few years, and we certainly aren't locks for the playoffs.

 

Secondly, we should decide who starts and who goes to the pen by how each starter is performing when the playoffs roll around. If both of those guys are rolling, it should be another starter that goes to the pen.

I think we shouldn't even be thinking about this yet.  We've blown it the last few years, and we certainly aren't locks for the playoffs.

 

Secondly, we should decide who starts and who goes to the pen by how each starter is performing when the playoffs roll around.  If both of those guys are rolling, it should be another starter that goes to the pen.

I am well aware that we have blown it before. If the playoffs started tommorrow, what would you do?

I think the team we are playing and the stadium we are playing in would help me make the decision.

I am well aware that we have blown it before. If the playoffs started tommorrow, what would you do?

 

It really depends on how each starter is performing at that time. If this were the end of the season right now, I'd put El Duque in the pen because he's been the worst recently.

Contreras would be a better starter AND a better reliever which is where the problem is. You can't let a guy with a 1.60 WHIP come in with inherited runners. I'd either start El Duque if Jose has a bad few months or I'd really look to swap El Duque for another starter.

Either way you look at it, it is going to be a tought descision. El Duque is great in the playoffs, and Jose is doing better right now. I would just flip a coin and what ever side it landed on would get to chose wether to start or go in the pen. I would most likely start Jose though.

Why even think about moving Jose to the pen right now?

I think we're just talking about it because 5 starters in the playoffs isn't necessary and its in fact impractical for the most part. It's an interesting question that has no easy answer. Plus Jose was great in the pen down the stretch in 03. THis topic has little to do with the regular season, which Jose has helped be successful so far

If we go into the playoffs with a guy who's started 33 previous postseason games (with a 16-9 record), and there's not some health-related reason he shouldn't be pitching, then he better be starting.

 

I'd put him in my playoff rotation ahead of any guy not named Mark Buehrle, assuming he's able to go and not totally falling apart or something like that. Whoever other than El Duque has the worst September goes to the pen.

If we go into the playoffs with a guy who's started 33 previous postseason games (with a 16-9 record), and there's not some health-related reason he shouldn't be pitching, then he better be starting.

 

I'd put him in my playoff rotation ahead of any guy not named Mark Buehrle, assuming he's able to go and not totally falling apart or something like that.  Whoever other than El Duque has the worst September goes to the pen.

 

I see where you're coming from, El Duque is money. But, it seems like he is ALWAYS having to pitch with runners on and almost any inning has the potential to turn into a nightmare. I think he would be better used getting the huge outs you need in the 7th or 8th inning. If anyone on the Sox can handle that pressure, its El Duque.