MikeO said:
Stop it.That was a bad trade for the Sox. Arroyo is better than Jason Johnson, Lester, Wakefield, Wells and Clement! He would be your #3 starter. Even if you didn't want to start him, you put him in middle relief and he's better than Tavarez, and you put him in that spot.
Willy Mo doesn't make the Sox better and won't make any difference on where this team finishes.
If Boston DOESN"T win the world series and falls short because they don't have enough arms, this is the trade that killed them. Arroyo might benifit due to playing in the NL, but bottom line is he is having a big year! Can't spin that.
Please Arroyo was an average starter in the AL and has been for the 3 years he was there, don't make him out to be better than he is. Arroyo isn't better than Wakefield, I'm sorry and right now Lester is showing why Arroyo was traded in the first place. Realistically Arroyo is a 4th starter and would be if he were on the Sox, if everyone was healthy he wouldn't even be in the rotation. Everyone is overrated Arroyo a lot. Yes he's having a great year but no one would think twice about him if he was still on the Sox and if I said watch out for Arroyo you'd give me one of your famous head shake nos along with the guy laughing on the floor.
Wily Mo helped the Sox early in the season when he carried the team, you don't know what you're talking about. Plus Wily Mo is a good platoon for Nixon and in case any of the OFers go down with an injury he's a big bat they could use to replace in the line up.
If Boston doesn't win the World Series, it won't be because Arroyo isn't there. That's just a Red Sox hater remark. Last time I checked he wasn't Curt Schilling, Beckett or Papelbon who are the keys to the Sox chances.
And just to save anyone from saying how clutch Arroyo was for the Sox here are his post season stats:
10 games, 2 starts, 3 and 2 record, 17 innings pitched, 19 hits, 14 earn runs, 9 walks and 20 Ks, ERA of 7.41.
And here's his stats vs. the Yankees in the regular season:
8 games, 6 starts, no record, 39.2 innings pitched, 48 hits, 24 earned runs, 10 BB, 20 Ks, ERA of 5.45.