Can Buchholz Contribute Now?

August 17, 2007 @ 16:00:00

By Eliott Wolbrom
Edited by Ryan Dodson

As is synonymous with this time of the baseball season for most clubs, the Boston Red Sox featured their top pitching prospect, right-handed starting pitcher Clay Buchholz as part of a day-night doubleheader with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Buchholz, who has an 8-3 record with a 2.15 ERA in the minor leagues this season, has been red-carpeted by many fantasy owners believing that Buchholz is a legitimate real-deal prospect stud who will give their teams some added adrenaline down the stretch. Buchholz was averaging nearly 13 strikeouts per nine innings in 22 games in the minors this season. He had 164 strikeouts in 117 combined innings in the minors and is widely regarded, as not only the best Red Sox pitching prospect, but arguably the best pitching prospect in all of baseball.

Buchholz had mixed results in his first start. His curveball was hanging a lot, and hitters keyed in on his fastball. He allowed eight hits, three walks and three earned runs in six innings while striking out five. It was good enough to get the win though.

The lowdown on Buchholz is that he has a low-to-mid 90s four-seam fastball, a two-seam fastball with superb movement, a slider, great command with his changeup and a hard 76-81 mph 12-to-6 curveball that has hitters buckling at the knees. He mixes his pitches very well, and can use any one of his pitches as his "out" pitch. Further, he has a very respectable pick-off move and pitches very well in the big spotlight. While Fenway Park will certainly give Buchholz the stage he likes, it is unclear whether he will be a mainstay in the lineup. There have been unconfirmed preliminary reports that Boston Red Sox pitcher Jon Lester will be sent down to the minors after his last two poor starts, to make room for Buchholz; but as stated that is unconfirmed at this time. Red Sox fans hope and pray that Buchholz is this generation's Roger Clemens.

The big question that astute fantasy owners now face is whether to waste a waiver claim or an add/drop on Buchholz. First starts aren't true indicators of a pitchers success, as was the case with Clemens back on May 15, 1984 when he surrendered five runs on 11 hits in 5 2/3 innings in his debut against the Cleveland Indians, or that of Red Sox reliever Jonathan Papelbon, who gave up three runs on four hits and five walks in 5 1/3 innings. The Red Sox are not going to make a definite decision on Buchholz based on his first start, but look for Buchholz to secure a rotation spot next season. His stuff is too good to pass up. If your team is sitting pulse-less in pitching categories, he is definitely worth dumping mediocrity for, especially in AL only leagues and most certainly in keeper leagues. It is not suggested to go and make a really big move for him as of yet, but with the third-best offense in baseball behind him, Buchholz - who once faced six teammates in an intra-squad college game and struck all of them out without one batter even fouling off a pitch - is someone who should not be passed on if you can afford to take a chance on him.

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Eliott Wolbrom
Eliott has been with KFFL since 2007.

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