When Tim Wakefield took the mound at Fenway Park for the first time in nearly two months on Wednesday night, most everyone in New England was watching. We all knew that this start would have big implications.
Especially for one Bradley Wayne Penny.
For Brad Penny, Wednesday night meant everything. With Clay Buchholz and Junichi Tazawa blossoming into full-blown major league starters, the Red Sox were running out of room to fit the 31-year-old into their rotation. Penny was on the verge of losing his rotation spot — and even his spot on the Sox' roster.
The selfish man in Brad Penny probably hated to see what happened Wednesday night. Wakefield was brilliant, pitching seven full innings against Chicago and allowing just one run on six hits and a walk. If there were any doubts about whether the old knuckleballer could still bring it for the Red Sox, Wake threw those doubts out the window. Chucked them like a 64-mile-per-hour knuckleball. Tim Wakefield the All-Star is back.
As he watched Wakefield dominate the White Sox, Penny had to have some doubts about his future in Boston. He had to think that this town wasn't for him anymore.
But there may also have been a selfless side to Penny. A team player who was happy to see an 11-game winner back in his club's rotation, and a guy who wanted to see the postseason, whether he ever made a start there or not.
While cutting Penny loose made sense at first glance, it might have been a mistake. Time will tell.
The Red Sox had been in this position before. They'd faced the problem of having too much pitching — two months ago, Penny himself called it "a great problem." But the Sox would always find places to put guys. Not just the minor leagues — whether it's a long-relief role, or the occasional spot start, or even the six-man rotation that Terry Francona employed to start the second half, this was a team that found ways to use capable pitchers.
Until Wednesday night. What we saw following Wakefield's start was a bold move from Sox GM Theo Epstein — he's sticking to his convictions, and committing to the five-man rotation the Red Sox currently have in place.
That rotation may or may not find smooth sailing the rest of the way to October. With these Red Sox, it's never easy to tell. For the immediate future, yes, Penny was out of the Red Sox' rotation. But that doesn't mean releasing him was the answer. The Red Sox know as well as anyone that having a contingency plan is always wise. If the injury bug should strike again, or if inexperience should catch up to one of the Sox' youngsters, the club needs to be prepared.
Maybe that's where Penny could have come in.
This roster move was not just an endorsement of a healthy Tim Wakefield. It was a nod in the direction of Buchholz, and of Tazawa. There's no margin for error left — if anything should go wrong with the Sox' current five, the team is asking for trouble.
Until Wednesday night, Penny was presumed to be the team's sixth starter. Now who fills that role? Is it Daisuke Matsuzaka, who's not only an injury risk but also sports a 8.23 ERA when healthy? Is it Michael Bowden, who pitched in the majors last Friday for the first time in four months, and got shelled to the tune of seven runs in two innings? The Sox had better have an answer.
On Sept. 1, major league rosters balloon to 40 players for the rest of the regular season. At that point, the Red Sox could easily have made room for everyone — Penny, Matsuzaka, Bowden, maybe a couple of minor leaguers to tag along as well. The more, the merrier.
Penny was days away from a guaranteed roster spot. Even if he wasn't staying in the rotation, he was assured of a spot in the Sox' top 40. But now, he gets nothing.
Tim Wakefield is back, but the Red Sox are one Penny poorer. We'll see if they can get by without him.
