Moments after news broke that the Boston Red Sox had acquired Sonny Gray from the St. Louis Cardinals, the first question echoing across New England was: “He’s not really our No. 2 starter, is he?”
In October, when you look at the final four teams left standing, the so-called No. 2 starters are really 1As—guys who would lead the rotation anywhere else. Just look at the Dodgers, who set the bar for pitching depth.
kAm{6E’D 86E E9:D @FE @7 E96 H2J 7:CDEik^Am
kAmvC2J[ be[ 😀 DE:== 8@@5] %96 7@C>6C rJ *@F?8 CF??6C\FA—96 7:?:D965 D64@?5 😕 G@E:?8 😕 a_ab H:E9 E96 %H:?D—92D D92<6? @77 E96 “@7E\:?;FC65” =236= C646?E=J[ ?@E >:DD:?8 2 DE2CE 😕 EH@ @7 E96 A2DE E9C66 J62CD] {2DE D62D@?[ 96 H6?E `c\g H:E9 2 c]ag t#p] }@E 52KK=:?8[ 3FE 96 DE:== DECF4< @FE >@C6 E92? 2 32EE6C 2? :??:?8]k^Am
kAm!FE D:>A=J[ vC2J 😀 2 D:I\:??:?8 A:E496C[ H9:49 😀 >@C6 E92? q@DE@? 8@E 7C@> E96 >@E=6J 4C6H @7 7:==\:?D E96J EC@EE65 @FE =2E6 =2DE DF>>6C]k^Am
kAmpD<65 H96C6 vC2J 7:ED :?E@ E96 C@E2E:@?[ qC6D=@H 5@5865 DA64:7:4D 2?5 <6AE E96 7@4FD @? E62> :>AC@G6>6?E] qFE 7@C Sa_ >:==:@? @7 9:D Sbd >:==:@? D2=2CJ WH:E9 E96 r2C5:?2=D 4@G6C:?8 Sa` >:==:@? @7 9:D Sc` >:==:@? 8F2C2?E66X[ E96 #65 $@I 2C6 36EE:?8 @? vC2J E@ DE625J E96 C@E2E:@? C:89E ?@H—2?5 9@A:?8 E96 <:5D H:== 6G6?EF2==J 4=2:> E92E `q C@=6 369:?5 v2CC6EE rC@496E]k^Am
kAmz:5D =:<6 r@??@==J t2C=J[ wF?E6C s@33:?D[ 2?5 !2JE@? %@==6 7=2D965 AC@>:D6 =2DE J62C 2?5 @776C 9@A6 7@C E96 7FEFC6 H:E9 E96:C 6=64EC:4 DEF77] tG6? qC2J2? q6==@ EFC?65 9625D 2E E:>6D[ E9@F89 9:D $6AE6>36C 4@==2AD6—2==@H:?8 `d CF?D @G6C 7:G6 DE2CED 2G6C28:?8 ;FDE 7:G6 :??:?8D 6249—AFE 2 52>A6C @? 9:D 3C62<@FE]k^Am
kAm|2J36 96 H2D ;FDE H@C? 5@H? 3J E96 6?5]k^Am
kAmvC2J’D A2J52J C6AC6D6?ED 2? :?G6DE>6?E 😕 E9:D DE277[ 2 D:8?2= E96 $@I H2?E E@ 4@>A6E6—:7 ?@E 8@ 2==\:?] %96 CF>@C65 AFCDF:E @7 y@6 #J2?—F?56C E62> 4@?EC@= 7@C EH@ >@C6 D62D@?D—2AA62CD E@ 92G6 7:KK=65] {2?5:?8 #J2? H@F=5’G6 4@DE E@A AC@DA64ED[ >2J36 @?6 @7 E9@D6 J@F?8 2C>D[ 2?5 H@F=5 92G6 E@E2==J FA6?565 E96 DE277’D @FE=@@<]k^Am
kAmp E@A E9C66 @7 rC@496E[ #J2?[ 2?5 vC2J[ A=FD 2 >2CBF66 32E =:<6 p=6I qC68>2? @C !6E6 p=@?D@[ H@F=5 >2<6 u6?H2J[ 282:?[ E96 9@EE6DE E:4<6E 😕 }6H t?8=2?5 😕 a_ae]k^Am
kAmqFE E92E’D ?@E 9@H E9:?8D 92G6 H@C<65 😕 q@DE@? D:?46 |@@<:6 q6EED H2D 562=E E@ E96 s@586CD] ~C 6G6? E96 EC256 @7 #2726= s6G6CD]k^Am
kAm%9@D6 H6C6 7:?2?4:2= 564:D:@?D 7:CDE[ 32D632== 564:D:@?D D64@?5]k^Am
kAm%96J’G6 8@E E96 E:>6 2?5 C6D@FC46D E@ >2<6 2 3:8 >@G6 W>2J36 EH@X[ 3FE—=6E’D 36 C62=—E96J =@@< =:<6 E96J’G6 @?=J 8@E @?6 3:8 DH:?8 =67E] p?5 6G6? qC68>2? H@F=5 36 >@C6 @7 2 D:?8=6 E92? 2 9@>6 CF?]k^Am
kAm$@[ H:E9 @?6 3:8 255:E:@? =:<6=J @? E96 9@C:K@?[ E96 2CC:G2= @7 vC2J >2<6D E96 #65 $@I 36EE6C E92? E96J H6C6 J6DE6C52J] qFE :7 J@F H2E4965 6G6CJ A:E49 @7 E96 s@586CD\q=F6 y2JD (@C=5 $6C:6D =2DE >@?E9[ J@F @H E96J’C6 DE:== ?@E ?62C=J 8@@5 6?@F89]k^Am
kAmk6>m*@F 42? 6>2:= q:== qFCE 2E k2 9C67lQ>2:=E@i33FCEo628=6EC:3F?6]4@>Qm33FCEo628=6EC:3F?6]4@>k^2m]k^6>mk^Am