Just four days before the beginning of the 2012 Major League Baseball season, Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine has finally settled on his starting rotation. The final decision came down just moments ago on who the 4th and 5th starters would be.
Here is a look at our Boston Red Sox starters this season – and a quick look at their pitching numbers from last season. (Please take note that Felix Doubront’s pitching numbers are his minor league stats from last season and Daniel Bard’s pitching stats are all from relief appearances) You can study stats with the best sports books.
1. Jon Lester – 31 GS, 15-9, 3.47 ERA, 182 SO, 75 BB, 191.2 IP
2. Josh Beckett – 30 GS, 13-7, 2.89 ERA, 175 SO, 52 BB, 193 IP
3. Clay Buchholz – 14 GS, 6-3, 3.48 ERA, 60 SO, 31 BB, 82.2 IP
4. Felix Doubront – 18 GS, 3-5, 3.96 ERA, 74 SO, 26 BB, 77.1 IP *
5. Daniel Bard – 70 G, 2-9, 3.33 ERA, 74 SO, 24 BB, 73 IP **
* Minor League pitching stats
** All relief appearances
Felix Doubront also made 11 relief appearances for the Red Sox in 2011, amassing a 6.10 ERA, with 6 SO and 8 BB in 10.1 innings pitched. Time will tell how the back end of this pitching staff will fare over the course of a 162-game season. We can only hope that Lester, Beckett, and Buchholz mentor Doubront on how to be a big league starter while also helping Bard make the transition from reliever to starter.
What do you think about the Red Sox rotation for this season? Have your say in the comments section below!