It bubbles up

Eric D. Schabell
Contributing Writer

It seems someone in the Red Sox management team is sitting up in their Fenway offices, rubbing their hands together while looking over the Red Sox pitching staff plans for 2013 and thinking, "I love it when a plan comes together!"

While in 2004 the Red Sox were able to run the entire 162 games regular season schedule with just a 5 man starting rotation, this year the Red Sox have already used 9 different starting pitchers. This number could easily climb if the Red Sox keep burning through their staff with extra inning games like this week in Baltimore.

The plan was crafted very carefully, with a focus on having enough depth to handle the eventual injuries that were sure to crop up during this seasons campaign.

The Red Sox pitching staff has stepped up each and every time to fill the gaps when needed.

Not the least of the bunch, we watched Alfredo Aceves make his second emergency spot start for the Red Sox. He is turning into a fix it all tool for the manger to throw into the breech whenever the need arises.

Over the last two and a half weeks the Red Sox emergency starters have gone 3 - 0, over 17 innings with a combined ERA of 2.11, and allowed only 4 earned runs.

Alfredo Aceves seems to be making his presence known in the way he should after being banned to the minors, by quietly putting his work on the mound out there for all to see. I am very glad to see him getting back on track, it is a joy to watch him making hitters look silly with that wicked curve ball of his!

It has to be nice to see that early season pitching plan coming together. I can almost see them in Fenway leaning back and watching their pitching talent bubbling up to accept the challenge.

Post a comment or via twitter @ericschabell with your thoughts.

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