The Bautista thread has turned into a thread about our bench depth, but I'm actually thinking we could afford to upgrade our SP depth, seeing as we traded Buchholz without getting a pitcher back as part of the deal like some of us had hoped.
The first six slots on the SP depth chart are set: Sale, Price, Porcello, Rodriguez, Pomeranz, Wright. That's a solid five-man rotation, plus a sixth guy who can be stashed either in the bullpen (Pomeranz or Wright) or in Pawtucket (Rodriguez). Good stuff.
As of this moment, the 7th and 8th starters are Henry Owens and Brian Johnson. That's...less good. I don't think anyone is eager to count on them to make more than a very occasional spot start.
But what's even more troubling is that there is nothing after them. Roenis Elias is out of options. Sean O'Sullivan is gone. I actually think Shawn Haviland might be the next man up?
I've argued elsewhere that we should get a better Josh Rutledge to fill out the bench and back up Sandoval. I think we also need a better depth starter to stash at Pawtucket. This person needs to fit two requirements: 1) have options (or be available on a minor league contract), 2) be better than (or at least as good a candidate as) Henry Owens and Brian Johnson.
We can acquire that person one of three ways: 1) sign one of these guys to a minor-league deal with a spring training invite and hope they're willing to hang out in Pawtucket, 2) sign a minor league free agent, or 3) acquire someone, perhaps in exchange for one or more of our out-of-options guys (Elias, Hembree) or back-end-of-the-40-man guys (Marrero, Brentz).
Anybody have a favorite? Anybody heard a rumor? Anybody comfortable with Henry Owens being two heartbeats away from the rotation?
The first six slots on the SP depth chart are set: Sale, Price, Porcello, Rodriguez, Pomeranz, Wright. That's a solid five-man rotation, plus a sixth guy who can be stashed either in the bullpen (Pomeranz or Wright) or in Pawtucket (Rodriguez). Good stuff.
As of this moment, the 7th and 8th starters are Henry Owens and Brian Johnson. That's...less good. I don't think anyone is eager to count on them to make more than a very occasional spot start.
But what's even more troubling is that there is nothing after them. Roenis Elias is out of options. Sean O'Sullivan is gone. I actually think Shawn Haviland might be the next man up?
I've argued elsewhere that we should get a better Josh Rutledge to fill out the bench and back up Sandoval. I think we also need a better depth starter to stash at Pawtucket. This person needs to fit two requirements: 1) have options (or be available on a minor league contract), 2) be better than (or at least as good a candidate as) Henry Owens and Brian Johnson.
We can acquire that person one of three ways: 1) sign one of these guys to a minor-league deal with a spring training invite and hope they're willing to hang out in Pawtucket, 2) sign a minor league free agent, or 3) acquire someone, perhaps in exchange for one or more of our out-of-options guys (Elias, Hembree) or back-end-of-the-40-man guys (Marrero, Brentz).
Anybody have a favorite? Anybody heard a rumor? Anybody comfortable with Henry Owens being two heartbeats away from the rotation?