The time has come, the Walrus said, to talk of many things...

I tracked the game today enough to know that Clay Buchholz was gone after just 3 2/3 innings pitched, another embarrassment for the Sox starting staff. This time, the bullpen also poured on the proverbial gasoline, and, look, we just can't expect our offense to score 9 runs every game like they did yesterday. Clearly, our problem is pitching. Especially starting pitching. And not just one pitcher, but most of them.

So, I asked Twitter, Someone please explain why all eyes *shouldn't* be turning toward our new pitching coach at this point...?

Here were the responses:

@kdawg1313: because the old one wasn't so fantastic last year either.

@SpellingQueen: That's what I've been thinking too!!!!

@heybarto: i would... but then after lester's outing in cleveland i realized it's not the pitching coach... it's the pitchers...

@xLindsay46: And because he's not the one missing location on fast balls and throwing hanging breaking balls, pitchers are.

@HunterFelt: It's a 7 1/2 game sample size, and mostly veteran pitchers.

@SnarkInfested: I think we should kidnap John Farrell when he's here next week.

@ryantomorrow: That's what I'm saying.

@benshoff34: because he didnt sign john lackey and we all knew deep down that Buchholz was on borrowed time last year

Okay, then, Twitter, I replied in turn. What gives with the pitchers? Especially Buch? He is NOT this bad...

At which point I had an interesting discussion with Imaginary Friend @HunterFelt in which he concluded Buch seemed to be struggling with some of the same mental / focus issues he's had in the past, a condition he ominously dubbed "Remlinger Syndrome."

As Hunter had also said earlier, it's still the dreaded Small Sample Size (don't they sell pills for that on the Internet?), but I just can't shake the feeling that Something is Up with the pitching, especially the starting pitching, so far this year...but just what is it?? (Note to comedians in the audience: I do not consider "they suck" a valid answer. The jury's still out on Beckett and it's always out on Daisuke, but the top three guys are better than this.)

Thoughtful thoughts still welcome, of course.

Comments

[vickie]

I have to go with the jury is still out largely. Lester pitched well in his second start, and he's a notoriously slow starter.
I think he is the least of our concerns though, as he is an established pitcher, who competes for the CY every year.
Lackey also had a poor first half last season, and there is the part where I don't think he's really that great a pitcher. At best he's a fourteen to fifteen game winner, but he's a horse so that's something. News to Red Sox nation, paying him a ridiculous amount of money does not make him a better pitcher. Although he does have one of the most annoying habits that a person can have. He never takes responsibility when he pitches badly. If Lackey said, I pitched poorly today, I wouldn't have such disdain for him, but he never admits it, and that's infuriating.
Buchholz had a amazing season last year. Good enough that we forget his prior season of ups and downs. Perhaps good enough that we forget how young he still is. He'll come around but probably won't be as amazing as he was last year.
Beckett is beginning to concern me. He seems to have lost a few mph from his fastball and perhaps he's in that transition stage where he either learns how to pitch with his head and not his cannon of an arm, and hasn't quite caught on yet.
Daisuke is Daisuke. He is one of the slowest working, most infuriating pitchers ever. Although the same applies him as does Lackey. Paying him a lot of money will not make him a better pitcher. Although I would rate him higher than most number 5 guys. If he ever learns to stop nibbling and just throw the damn ball, he will be a serviceable number five and perhaps even a passable number four. But the season is young, and most pitchers don't hit their stride until May. the secret is them not digging us into a hole we can't recover from. Although this is the AL east, and that hole isn't very big here.
I still like our starters, and don't blame Curt Young, although he is used to dealing with very young kids, and mostly ground ball pitchers, and not power pitchers, so maybe he will have to change his approach too.

[Sarah]

can I just say one name that may be the source of our pitching problems?....saltalamacchia.

[Pcon]

I don't necessarily think it is anything that Curt Young or Saltalamacchia are doing or not doing, but I do think the addition of two new pieces of the puzzle to the pitching staff can create a feeling of discomfort. Not because either of them are bad at what they do (who am I to judge that) but because they are new and different and pitchers thrive on familiarity and what works for them. Clay has now stated on two occasions that it is hard to get comfortable with a new catcher and Beckett last night with Tek was a good example of what can go right when you are comfortable. Not that I think the new additions are the sole reason for our starting pitching not doing so well but I think it could be a factor.