Motives Behind Buchholz’s Start May Not Be So Innocent

Clay Buchholz will trade in his “P” cap for the big league “B” on Friday night. If you want to take manager Terry Francona’s explanation at face value, the move was made simply to align the rotation after the All-Star break.

“We wanted to line everybody up and not have anybody leave [for the All-Star break] and have to tell [John] Smoltz, ‘Watch the All-Star Game and if Wake [Tim Wakefield]
pitches, you throw a side after the game,’” Francona said. “That just
didn’t make a lot of sense. We’re trying to incorporate rest, trying to
keep everybody kind of on a consistent [schedule].”

Francona, who made the announcement following Sunday’s win, was
convincing as usual — just as he was in mid-June, when he said the team
would consider a temporary six-man rotation. That decision, of course,
lasted all of two days before Daisuke Matsuzaka was placed on the disabled list for the long term.

So believing that Buchholz is simply being promoted to the majors to
help organize a schedule of rest for a team that has four days off just
doesn’t seem right, especially considering the reports that two Toronto scouts were watching Buchholz pitch for Pawtucket on Sunday.

Add in the fact that Buchholz’s start will be in Toronto, and it’s enough to raise an eyebrow or two.

For starters, making the announcement the day before the All-Star break is akin to resigning as the governor of Alaska the Friday before July 4 weekend.

Also, the explanation that the team doesn’t know how much or how
little their pitchers will throw in Tuesday night’s All-Star Game is
dubious at best. Josh Beckett, who pitched a complete game on Sunday, likely won’t throw at all, while Tim Wakefield
will likely go two innings at the most. Two innings from your
knuckleballer on a day that he’d probably throw a side session anyway
is hardly cause for realignment.

The fact is that the Sox have had too much pitching all year, as
evidenced by Buchholz’s extended stay in Pawtucket. With the trade
deadline approaching, the team is realizing that it may not get another
opportunity to let the league see what Buchholz can do in the bigs. And
with Roy Halladay on the market, it would make sense for the Sox to give Buchholz a start.

Does that mean a deal involving Buchholz and Halladay is imminent?
Hardly. But it does mean the Sox are ready (and hopeful) for Buchholz
to show some success in the majors.

“He’s very important to what we’re doing obviously in the future,”
Francona said. “I don’t know that we would ever just [call him up as a
reward]. I just think it lines up real well. It should benefit him and
us.”

How the Sox will benefit will be the kicker. Buchholz could benefit
by moving to a team that has a spot for him in the rotation, while the
Sox could benefit from adding an arm or a bat before the deadline. Or,
both parties could benefit if another pitcher — say, Brad Penny — were to be on the move.

All that, of course, could be looking too far ahead. Buchholz, who
went 3-10 with a 6.24 ERA in the Show after throwing a no-hitter in his
second career start, is not guaranteed to shine against the Blue Jays.
He also might not get another chance, with the Sox having a scheduled
day off on July 23.

So what exactly does the promotion of Buchholz mean? The only people
who know for sure have offices at the corner of Yawkey Way and
Brookline Ave. But it’s safe to guess that it’s for more than
establishing a rest schedule.

That just doesn’t line up.