Brian Johnson called up

[Darnell's Son]

Good point. It was really an inefficient use of the 25 and 40 man rosters.  

They may have felt, since the bullpen got a lot of usage the day of Buchholz's start, that they needed an arm that could go long distance if needed, and they knew that Johnson was Buchholz's replacement anyways, so they just brought him up.

 

[benhogan]

They may have felt, since the bullpen got a lot of usage the day of Buchholz's start, that they needed an arm that could go long distance if needed, and they knew that Johnson was Buchholz's replacement anyways, so they just brought him up.

Hinojosa, Noe Ramirez, "AAA relief innings eater" probably could have filled that role. Send that warm body back down after the Yanks series, call up positional depth for the Angels series till Brian Johnson is called up to make his start on Monday or Tuesday.
 
Probably nit picking, but definitely a more efficient use of the roster.

 

[keninten]

Maybe they just didn`t want him pitching in the All-Star game.

 

[absintheofmalaise]

Cuzittt let's us know what to expect from Brian Johnson when he finally pitches for the Sox. With music!

 

[HomeRunBaker]

 
So why is it that Johnson was called up prior to the break?

Johnson's start on July 20 will be only his second start since his June 24th start. That's a long layoff for a command type pitcher......any pitcher for that matter.

 

[Red(s)HawksFan]

Johnson's start on July 20 will be only his second start since his June 24th start. That's a long layoff for a command type pitcher......any pitcher for that matter.

 
A long layoff that may be necessary if they want him to be a regular contributor through the end of the season.  He's at 86 innings for the season so far, and with 73 games left in the season, if he gets, say, 12 starts at about 6 innings each, that's another 72ish innings for a total in the 155-160 range.  That'd be a reasonable step up from the 143 innings he threw last season in Salem and Portland, and should leave a little bit in the tank should they manage to make the post-season and need him there.

 

[The Tax Man]

Cuzittt let's us know what to expect from Brian Johnson when he finally pitches for the Sox. With music!

 
At least there's some excitement tonight as Brian Johnson gets his first start. The season is very likely over for the team but the progression of the young players is incredibly important. I wrote today about how the Sox top prospects and young MLBers have been performing extremely well - that's encouraging. 

 

[soxhop411]

“@JMastrodonato: Brian Johnson packing up and Noe Ramirez is still in uniform so it appears as if Johnson is heading back down to AAA”

 

[jscola85]

 
A long layoff that may be necessary if they want him to be a regular contributor through the end of the season.  He's at 86 innings for the season so far, and with 73 games left in the season, if he gets, say, 12 starts at about 6 innings each, that's another 72ish innings for a total in the 155-160 range.  That'd be a reasonable step up from the 143 innings he threw last season in Salem and Portland, and should leave a little bit in the tank should they manage to make the post-season and need him there.

 
Johnson has a huge frame and was able to up his 2013 workload by 60+ innings in 2014.  Additionally, it's fairly common to up a guy's workload by ~15-20% in the minors, which gets him up to ~165-170 innings for 2015 and poised to at least theoretically push towards 200 in 2016.  
 
Setting all that aside, if the team wants to limit his innings, why not just shut him down in September or have him pitch in Boston in September out of the bullpen?  Putting him on ice in the middle of the year was completely bizarre to me, especially by then throwing him into his first MLB game after that layoff.

 

[j44thor]

This sucks, I have tickets for Sunday and was hoping to at least see the Fenway debut of Brian Johnson. Instead I get to see Steven freaking Wright. ESPN should be embarrassed to have made that the Sunday night game.

 

[Bob Montgomerys Helmet Hat]

I don't understand the move.  Why not give Johnson a couple more starts, on regular rest, and see what happens?  They pretty much know what Wright is, why not get a better feel for what Johnson is?

 

[MuzzyField]

Apparently this team has more Masterson to showcase... Priorities!

 

[Red(s)HawksFan]

I don't understand the move.  Why not give Johnson a couple more starts, on regular rest, and see what happens?  They pretty much know what Wright is, why not get a better feel for what Johnson is?

 
The explanation given was they didn't want to leave the bullpen short to call Kelly up (since the alternative was optioning Ramirez or Ross, or DFAing Masterson I suppose).  I don't think it's necessarily an indictment of Johnson or a vote of confidence in Wright, just a consequence of not having starters going deeper into games of late.

 

[KillerBs]

It is a consequence of not wanting to cut Masterson. A few more innings of Justin in the pen is 2015 is surely worth jerking around Wright and Johnson for another 6 weeks. Deep depth/conserving the assets after all.

 

[jscola85]

 
The explanation given was they didn't want to leave the bullpen short to call Kelly up (since the alternative was optioning Ramirez or Ross, or DFAing Masterson I suppose).  I don't think it's necessarily an indictment of Johnson or a vote of confidence in Wright, just a consequence of not having starters going deeper into games of late.

 
If they are prioritizing Justin Masterson over Brian Johnson, I am now at a full no-confidence vote for this front office.

 

[HomeRunBaker]

 
If they are prioritizing Justin Masterson over Brian Johnson, I am now at a full no-confidence vote for this front office.

The priority over the next week is to get Masterson on the mound and hopefully gain something of value in return if he is effective. Johnson can get a start in Pawtucket then return shortly thereafter....no harm, no foul.

 

[HriniakPosterChild]

If they are prioritizing Justin Masterson over Brian Johnson, I am now at a full no-confidence vote for this front office.

 
Sorry, that ballot box is already overflowing.

 

[Wake's knuckle]

C'mon... they are punting on this year and hoping that if Masterson gets a good start or two in before the deadline they can get something for him.

 

[Papelbon's Poutine]

That would be a tough bet considering they have him in the bullpen.

 

[j44thor]

The priority over the next week is to get Masterson on the mound and hopefully gain something of value in return if he is effective. Johnson can get a start in Pawtucket then return shortly thereafter....no harm, no foul.

What can we get if we package him with Craig?

 

[jscola85]

What can we get if we package him with Craig?

 
BJ Upton?

 

[jscola85]

The priority over the next week is to get Masterson on the mound and hopefully gain something of value in return if he is effective. Johnson can get a start in Pawtucket then return shortly thereafter....no harm, no foul.

 
Actually, there is harm, because there's literally zero chance Masterson has any trade value, even if the Sox pay 100% of the freight.  He's cooked, and it seems everyone but this FO knows that.

 

[HomeRunBaker]

 
Actually, there is harm, because there's literally zero chance Masterson has any trade value, even if the Sox pay 100% of the freight.  He's cooked, and it seems everyone but this FO knows that.

There are always teams looking for bullpen arms and even if the return is to dump a couple million of salary while picking up the rest that is better value than saying, "He's toast, he's worthless, we're not even going to attempt to showcase him despite teams wanting bullpen arms." So.....where's the harm?

 

[j44thor]

There are always teams looking for bullpen arms and even if the return is to dump a couple million of salary while picking up the rest that is better value than saying, "He's toast, he's worthless, we're not even going to attempt to showcase him despite teams wanting bullpen arms." So.....where's the harm?

There are probably 60 AAA relievers that can provide the same value Masterson can which is zero.  The Sox aren't going to save millions, at best they will save the prorated vet min unless the Sox want to bundle Masterson with a C level prospect just to rid themselves of the contract.
 
Teams are always looking for effective bullpen arms, Masterson is one of the worst pitchers in baseball this year.

 

[alwyn96]

Getting back to Johnson, was anyone else a little underwhelmed by his stuff? Sure, that big loopy curveball is nice, but I was under the impression he was getting the FB in there around 90-91 and touching the mid-90s on occasion. I'm not sure he broke 90 the whole game, sitting around 87-88. His control was a little off which he can hopefully recover, but in general he looked a little more back of the rotation than I had hoped. Maybe that was just a thin coating of rust and nerves, but there wasn't a ton of stuff there.

 

[BosRedSox5]

I thought he looked okay, and history has proven you don't have to throw especially hard to get hitters out. He got absolutely hosed in the boxscore though. I thought he did an excellent job, but that play on the stolen base at second really screwed him over. I was encouraged by what I saw.

 

[nvalvo]

Getting back to Johnson, was anyone else a little underwhelmed by his stuff? Sure, that big loopy curveball is nice, but I was under the impression he was getting the FB in there around 90-91 and touching the mid-90s on occasion. I'm not sure he broke 90 the whole game, sitting around 87-88. His control was a little off which he can hopefully recover, but in general he looked a little more back of the rotation than I had hoped. Maybe that was just a thin coating of rust and nerves, but there wasn't a ton of stuff there.

There isn't. He touches 90, sits 88.

But look through his minor league game logs. The dude gets on tears where he goes months without allowing more than two runs in a start.

 

[alwyn96]

There isn't. He touches 90, sits 88.

But look through his minor league game logs. The dude gets on tears where he goes months without allowing more than two runs in a start.

 
Oh yeah, I've been following him statswise for a while. The dude crushed AA last year and has been totally solid in AAA this year. Maybe his mechanics were a little off the other night, and it took something off his fastball. It's not impossible to succeed with an 88 MPH fastball (Koji, obviously) but there aren't too many guys who can pull it off and the ones who can tend to be crafter older guys.

 

[j44thor]

He is touted as a back of the rotation guy with the ceiling of perhaps a #3.
Still there is value in a number 4/5 starter making pre-arb salary.

 

[mfried]

 
Oh yeah, I've been following him statswise for a while. The dude crushed AA last year and has been totally solid in AAA this year. Maybe his mechanics were a little off the other night, and it took something off his fastball. It's not impossible to succeed with an 88 MPH fastball (Koji, obviously) but there aren't too many guys who can pull it off and the ones who can tend to be crafter older guys.

Significant that Koji would never go through a lineup a second time.  Johnson's curve is very good, but (remember Pascual) he needs another weapon.

 

[P'tucket rhymes with...]

Significant that Koji would never go through a lineup a second time.  Johnson's curve is very good, but (remember Pascual) he needs another weapon.

He has a four-pitch repertoire, but none of them are stellar.  He's smart and when he has good command he's impressive, although I suspect some of his success at the minor league levels is attributable to his smarts and pitch variety being ahead of his peer group.  How well that translates to the major league level remains to be seen.

 

[Plympton91]

There isn't. He touches 90, sits 88.

But look through his minor league game logs. The dude gets on tears where he goes months without allowing more than two runs in a start.

 
So did Dave Eiland and Abe Alvarez.

 

[Plympton91]

He is touted as a back of the rotation guy with the ceiling of perhaps a #3.
Still there is value in a number 4/5 starter making pre-arb salary.

 
Sure there is, except the Red Sox have about 8 of these types of guys, can't use them all, and have massive holes at the top of the rotation and the back of the bullpen.  They need to either start converting these guys to relievers--the ones with reliever stuff (Kelly), not necessarily Johnson--or find a way to make a quantity for quality or a "proven vet" for lottery ticket trade to maximize the value there.

 

[nvalvo]

 
So did Dave Eiland and Abe Alvarez.

 
They were also worth a shot. I'm not proposing buying out Johnson's arb years. 

 

[tbrown_01923]

 
Sure there is, except the Red Sox have about 8 of these types of guys, can't use them all, and have massive holes at the top of the rotation and the back of the bullpen.  They need to either start converting these guys to relievers--the ones with reliever stuff (Kelly), not necessarily Johnson--or find a way to make a quantity for quality or a "proven vet" for lottery ticket trade to maximize the value there.

 
I really liked the curve, and remember coming away thinking that it would play as a lefty in the pen - so I have that as a floor.  I also thought he was right around the plate and would have benefitted from some of those Christian Vazquez calls from last season.  To me, he still has a that upside of a 3 starter.  There is an opportunity for an incremental increase in command, and an a potential increase in framing to start getting some of those off the corner calls to look the other way.  I want to see a little more - and I don't know why it wouldn't be this season.
 
I have seen enough of kelly, and am glad they moved on from last years trifecta of Renaudo, Webster, and De La Rosa.