Schilling to start, Timlin to close

[Providence A's]

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2139124

meh, loud mouth got what he wanted

[Fishercat]

Oh please. He has more value as an SP than a Closer due to the sheer number of innings extra he can pitch. He was acceptable in the closer position for this crappy bullpen (ok, it's Timlin and two sidearmers, hardly a pen) and now he has a rehab-esque start v. KC.

[BoSoxForever]

I like this move. Not a bad team to warm up with... Timlin should be a better closer than Schilling was (although, I wasn't really too bent about his effort).

But Clement, Arroyo, Wakefield, and Schilling as a rotation is just fine in my opinion. Hopefully Foulke isn't too far away now, and using Timlin as the closer will allow us to put Foulke in as the set up guy for a bit, to get innings that aren't as critical as the ninth.

Seems to me to be the right move at the right time.

[bwitty24]

They should just put schilling in in the 6th or 7th and have him close out the game since he can pitch so much...like once every few games instead of 1 inning

[Providence A's]

oh please? Seems like you're the only one who thinks he's physically ready. AL scouts reportedly say he's not physically ready to start...time will tell. I don't think you can go by his start against AA KC...unless he gets hammered and then it will prove the point that he's not ready.

[Fishercat]

I'm saying oh please because whenever you talk about the Red Sox, you love to add that snide remark to bash a Sox player. It happened with Clement, it happened when Schilling accepted the role as a closer, it happens when he moves back to the rotation. For being willing to talk about the team this much, you sure hate them.

I never said he was physically ready and I don't think he is, his fastball is still in the low 90's at best. I'll trust the Red Sox judgment here. If they believe that Schilling starting + Bullpen Replacement is better than Papelbon Starting + Schilling Closing, that's their opinion and they can go with it. As I said, he's more valuable as a starter than as a closer, and I still feel he wasn't that bad as a closer.

This is his first start in 4 months, I'm not going to judge him on this positively (due to the team he's facing) or negatively (his first time going past two innings in months), I just hope he does well and I stand by what I said earlier.

[Providence A's]

people aren't allowed to talk about things they don't like? I thought we lived in America, well at least I do anyway...

Schilling will hold one of the few keys to the Sox postseason hopes. Foulke also holds one...and to a lesser degree Nixon. I wouldn't be worried about the hitting, but the pitching is a whole other story

[Fishercat]

The pitching will be the reason they don't make the playoffs (and yes, ask me right now, I am not sure they'll make the playoffs.) The offense is the strongest in baseball, but with 5 #3 SPs and 3 capable pitchers in the pen (one of which can't beat righties, a second who can't beat lefties), that isn't a winning team. I think they've played above their heads and they will fall a bit, we'll see.

I'm just saying the snide comments are unnecessary.

[Providence A's]

he's loud mouth because he never shuts up and over 2 weeks ago told the Boston Globe he wanted to start instead of pitch out of the pen, so now he gets what he wanted...there was no need for him to go to the Globe, was there?

And Clement cried about making the ASG, and he's been horrible since (1-1 with an ERA of 6.52!). He should focus more on pitching and not meaningless awards.

[bwitty24]

don't listen to providence...he is a flip flopper...I bet that when schilling starts doing well he will shut up. Look what he did with bashing beane in the beginning of the season. Now he is Beanes best friend or wants to be.

[Providence A's]

you have me confused with another A's fan because I didn't make a thread saying I hated Beane or make a thread saying I love Beane...

[bwitty24]

Every A's fan hated him in the beginning and love him now

[Fishercat]

You know, he kind of got hit in the head, maybe that threw him off a bit. It's absolutely feasible. Or maybe he's keeping up that trend that I didn't think would happen from Chicago (fine, rockin, gloat time) by struggling in the August/September months. Crying is a gross exaggeration.

So, because he answered a question honestly (I have my doubts he'd seek out a Globe reporter to tell him/her that he wanted to start), he's a loud mouth. I agree he's a loudmouth, but answering questions honestly isn't something to kill him about. Funny enough, Bledsoe said that keeping Tom Brady over Drew Bledsoe was a mistake for the Patriots, and people applauded him for that flat out lie or, at best, ignorant comment. I can easily see him going in for an interview, and the reporter asking "So, Curt, would you rather start or close".

[bwitty24]

I just want to add to the bashing

Its fun providence lol.

[bwitty24]

The bottom line is Curt Schilling has to get back to being a starter. He sucks in the pen so it's pointless to put him there. Whether or not he has good outings in his first few starts back, Schilling has to be on the mound if the Red Sox want to even have a CHANCE in beating the more superior YANKS