Closer situation in ..Boston?

[chalk61]

It would be cool if they replaced Tavares with Papelbon in the starting rotation and closed with Gagne.

Tavarez has been out of the rotation for just over a week now. Lester is starting and with Gabbard involved in the trade for Gagne, there is a spot open for Schilling who is close to returning.

Curt Schilling threw tonight for Pawtucket at Columbus in his third and probably last rehab start, and fared quite well once again. He went seven innings, giving up no runs on four hits with four strikeouts. He threw 77 pitches, 60 for strikes.

He now has thrown 15 scoreless innings for Pawtucket, allowing eight hits and striking out 18. Sounds pretty rehabbed to me.

So the rotation will be:

Schilling
Beckett
Dice-K
Wakefield
Lester

and the bullpen:
Delcarmen
Okajima
Gagne
Paps

Plus you have Timlin, Tavarez, Snyder and Lopez. I love the pitching but they really could have used a bat as well.

[Secret Avatar]

This looks like a fantasy mess but a cup-runneth-over in the Bosox bullpen. I can't imagine they'd move a guy as successful as Paps out of the closer role, but do you pay big bucks to get Gagne to set up?? Even if the move was designed primarily to keep him off the Yankees, they still now have two elite closers (and a very good setup guy in Okajima) but only one can be "the closer."

[Papelbon Fire]

I was trying to get down to the logic of this deal. Yes, Gagne will be a nice set-up guy for Pap's. But let's think into the future. Could this be a sign that the Sox won't be re-signing Schill this off-season and give Pap's another chance at the rotation, now that they could possibly have a closer in place with either Gagne or possibly Okajima (anything is possible). I'm just trying to make sense of this deal. Personally, I'm glad they didn't give up Pena & Delcarmen for J Dye. I like Pena cause he has Big Papi Potential (Yes, I believe so) & Manny Delcarmen is coming around as an arm with potentenial. Jermaine Dye is nice but now worth the value of these 2.

[Guzman24]

I was trying to get down to the logic of this deal. Yes, Gagne will be a nice set-up guy for Pap's. But let's think into the future. Could this be a sign that the Sox won't be re-signing Schill this off-season and give Pap's another chance at the rotation, now that they could possibly have a closer in place with either Gagne or possibly Okajima (anything is possible). I'm just trying to make sense of this deal. Personally, I'm glad they didn't give up Pena & Delcarmen for J Dye. I like Pena cause he has Big Papi Potential (Yes, I believe so) & Manny Delcarmen is coming around as an arm with potentenial. Jermaine Dye is nice but now worth the value of these 2.

Willy Mo = Big Papi Potential

Id say more like Kevin Mench

[Whisp]

a lot of boston's moves are "so the yankees can't." i wonder if that's the case here.

the new york times claims this was the reason

[quitesanemax]

They had the best bullpen in the MLB. I'm not sure why they did that move. They really needed a bat more at this point... Oh well, we'll see how it works out, I guess.

[akula]

Theo's fantasy team has Gagne and Papelbon and needs holds.

[ceLpH]

They had the best bullpen in the MLB. I'm not sure why they did that move. They really needed a bat more at this point... Oh well, we'll see how it works out, I guess.

I heard the Hansen and Willy Mo Pena for Dye trade went through but it obviously didnt... who pulled out?

[quitesanemax]

I heard a few different rumors about who they'd have to give to get Dye... in the end, I think the Whitesox were looking for more than the RedSox were willing to give. I wish they had pursued a few different avenues just in case that one fell through. They really need someone to replace Pena. Hes a good player if he is playing full time... but the RedSox do not have the spot to put him in there everyday... plus he really hurts them defensively. Its scary watching him out there in the outfield!