Thank god for Justin Masterson
Posted on August 22, 2008
Filed Under 2008 Season, Prospects |
Theo Epstein may end up looking like a genius again. The non-waiver trading deadline was full of rumors and speculation about the Red Sox and their need for bullpen help. Epstein said that help would come from inside the organization but the majority of analysts laughed and waited for another Gagne-esque trade to happen. The deadline came and went without a single deal being made to add a reliever.
So what did Theo Epstein mean when he said help would come from within? He meant Justin Masterson. The 23 year-old righty has a 2.25 ERA in 16 IP as a reliever. In those sixteen innings he has allowed 13 hits and only walked 2 hitters while striking out 18.
Masterson was converted from a starter in the middle of a season. There aren’t words to describe how tough of a transition that is, and he’s done it wonderfully. He has cut down his walks, and can pitch without over thinking each situation. It’s obviously a good thing that he doesn’t need to worry about setting up hitters because all he has to do now is throw the ball. The other key to his success is that his weakness (pitching against lefties) won’t come up as much because Francona will likely use him in match-up situations.
With Justin Masterson, I see a definite fixture in the bullpen for the next couple years. The kid is impressive and I can’t wait to see what he can do next year when he gets the whole offseason to prep for reliever work.
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