The Dice-K-Lackey Conundrum

After the rainout on April 13th, and the following off day, the Boston Red Sox have changed their starting rotation around yet again. Starting on Friday, the Sox will be sending out Clay Buchholz on Friday against the Toronto Blue Jays. Following Buchholz will be Josh Beckett on Saturday, then Jon Lester on Sunday. Monday, during the matinee game, will be Daisuke Matsuzaka - getting the start a full week since his previous outing. Following him on Tuesday in Oakland will be John Lackey, who is being skipped in the rotation.

The explanation being given is that Lackey has a lot of success against Oakland, and they want to make certain that he pitches there. While his numbers are, in fact, very good against the A's in Oakland (8-4 with a sub 3.00 ERA in 16 starts), if he was to have started on Friday, he would have faced them on Wednesday. Is it possible that the Sox are already trying to protect lackey from the chorus of boos that he will receive the moment he starts to implode again? That is the more logical reason.

Then there is Dice-K, who, in his last start, was more of a train wreck than Charlie Sheen. In two plus innings, he gave up seven earned runs on eight hits and two walks. Tim Wakefield, who is the other option as the number five starter, was slightly better, giving up five runs (four earned) in three and a third innings, while giving up six hits and walking one. If (when) Dice-K has another bad start on Monday, will Wakefield take his spot in the rotation? And how long will Wakefield be able to keep that spot?

The front of the rotation is now closer to what it should have been coming out of Spring Training. Lackey is better suited as the number four in the Sox staff. However, the fifth starter is going to be a position of flux throughout the year. In fact, the best option for that spot may actually be Felix Doubront, who would provide the rotation with a second lefty and is a favorite of manager Terry Francona. Based on how Dice-K and Wakefield have pitched thus far, expect Doubront to get his chance soon.

Long term, the Sox are free of Dice-K after next season, although it feels as though the organization wants to be rid of him as of yesterday. Should the Sox be languishing out of the playoff hunt come the trading deadline, one has to wonder if they will package him with a prospect just to be rid of him. Lackey, meanwhile, is signed through 2014 with a vesting option for 2015, so he will not be leaving any time soon. Should he continue to struggle, the question would then be what to do with him. Sox fans have seemingly turned on him already, and his penchant for finding excuses and refusing to take blame for his awful performances have accelerated the fan's disgust. Right now, he cannot be trusted at home, and that is not a good thing for a player receiving $15.25 million per year.

Right now, the best option would be to move Dice-K to the bullpen as a long reliever, insert Doubront, and let Lackey try to figure himself out. Re-aligning the rotation as they have is a good start, at the very least.