Boston Red Sox: Time to Trade Clay Buchholz
By Ron Juckett
Teams are assessing Clay Buchholz for possible trades. Is there anything left in the Boston Red Sox pitcher’s tank?
Scouts are looking at Boston Red Sox pitcher Clay Buchholz. Yes, the enigmatic starter could prosper in the right situation.
A quick look at his numbers suggest otherwise. With a record of 3-8 and an ERA of 5.90, conventional wisdom says the 31-year-old oft-injured pitcher is done. A red-hot prospect who never lived up to his promise.
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And you would be right to feel that way and wrong at the same time. Confused? Red Sox Nation understands. In pitching himself out of the starting rotation this year, one thing became crystal clear. Buchholz and Boston need a divorce.
There have been many villains over the years at Fenway Park. Bucky Dent, Gerald Williams and Don Zimmer come to mind. Boston has had players not liked by fans, goodness even Carl Yastrzemski and Ted Williams felt the wrath of the Fenway Faithful. The honest and deep hatred for Buchholz, however, is unprecedented. He is wrongfully reviled.
It did not use to be that way. Buchholz no-hit the Anaheim Angels in his second career start back in 2007. He was the next in line of great Red Sox pitchers behind Jon Lester and Josh Beckett. Like Lester he was a homegrown product, giving him a special spotlight.
By 2010 he was a 17-game winner, earning a trip to the All-Star Game and a sixth place finish in the American League Cy Young voting. Then injuries caught up with him.
After a mediocre 2012, Buchholz started 2013 like a house on fire until an injury cut his season in half. With a 12-1 record and ERA of 1.74, Boston saw his potential turn into results. He was never the same pitcher again.
Perhaps he rushed back to join Boston’s pennant chase, or the pressure of pitching at Fenway got to him. Whatever the reason, the more he relied on rubbing pine tar on his arm for bite, the worse he became. In 2014, the ERA ballooned to 5.34. The cheers stopped then turned to boos. One bad inning, always one hung pitch blasted into the seats.
The Buchholz on the mound this year is a beaten man. His shoulders slump, the breathing labored as he searches the floodlights for serenity. He knows the bad inning will come and doubles down until a fastball hangs and is crushed.
Boston says he is fine. Buchholz says he is healthy. His problem is between the left and right ear, the crowd has stripped his confidence.
A change in scenery to a team needing him to produce would be good for him. Even going to a bad squad and getting away from the negativity surrounding his every start would give him, and a fresh set of eyes, a true sense of where he is now.
During his ten years in Boston, Buchholz has done himself no favors, yet you have to feel for a guy who in the eyes of the fans can do no right.
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The best move now is to give him the freedom to find his game as Boston can no longer offer it.