I’ll say it… the Red Sox over babied Clay Buchholz

The Red Sox decided not to trade for Rich Harden.

Why? Because they already had an ace caliber pitcher who is always hurt!

Clay Buchholz has a stress fracture in his back. I don’t think it is as bad as what Ralph Macchio had in The Outsiders, but just as destructive for the season.

Hasn’t that been the mantra this season?

Get Lester and Buchholz healthy and the Sox could win the pennant.

Now what?

Lester is healthy and looks good and Beckett has been solid.

Lackey has been winning, but how long will THAT last?

Andrew Miller is not the ace that the Tigers and Marlins thought he was. He’s a #5 pitcher.

Tim Wakefield is Russian Roulette.

And Eric Bedard will probably be in a full body cast by Labor Day.

The Red Sox pennant chances are no better than the Yankees, whose rotation we love to make fun of.

The Rangers pitching staff is miles ahead of the Red Sox and Yankees. I even put the Angels in front of us.

And I will say it. I can never rely on Clay Buchholz again.

I’ve been saying since 2007 that the Red Sox have been babying him.

They’ve been treating him with kid gloves to avoid injuries since he threw the no hitter. And what has he been since?

AN INJURY PRONE PITCHER!

Red Sox fans, ask yourself. If Buchholz were a Yankee, wouldn’t you be throwing him in with Phil Hughes and Joba Chamberlain as pitchers with ability but whose bodies have betrayed them.

And here we have Clay Buchholz. It’s his 5th big league season. He’s 26. And he has pitched 100 innings a grand total of one time in his career.

All the while he has been treated with kid gloves and all of that love and care has put him on the shelf AGAIN!

He’s another example of a babied pitcher. Instead of a reliable stud we have an injury prone frustration.

Any decent season the Sox get from Clay Buchholz MUST be considered a bonus from now on.

He is another pitcher ruined by kid gloves.

Why is Jose Reyes still a Met?

Seriously. What the hell?

Do the Mets think they have a shot at the Wild Card? If so, why did they deal Francisco Rodriguez and Carlos Beltran?

They are in rebuilding mode… then REBUILD!

They got a quality chip in exchange for Beltran. Imagine what they could have snagged from the Cardinals for Reyes. From the Angels. From ANY team that needs a spark in the shortstop position.

(I thought the Giants should have packaged for Beltran AND Reyes.)

They could have at least 2 players who if they aren’t big leagues ready now, they will be by 2012 or 2013.

And THEN when Reyes hit the open market, out bid everyone for him there. You could even say to him before the trade “No matter what happens this year, nobody is going to out bid us.” Wink wink.

They get the prospects AND they get Reyes for next year.

And yet here he is. Still with the Mets. I give the Mets tons of credit for keeping their nose above .500 and if they have a winning season, then color me impressed. There is NO WAY they are passing Atlanta or Philadelphia this year.

But they COULD be building a team for when Philadelphia’s age catches up to them (which could be in a year or 2.)

Reyes, Wright and Wheeler would be on that team. But for the love of Sid Fernandez, so could have a few other players!

Someone help me. Someone explain it to me.

I’m at a loss.

Ryan Ludwick and The Right Stuff

There’s a great moment in The Right Stuff that I thought about when I heard the Pirates dealt for Ryan Ludwick today.

When Alan Shepard climbed into the capsule, getting ready to be the first American into space, he saw there was a hand written sign placed on the capsule. It read “No Handball Playing In This Area.” Shepard saw it was placed there by John Glenn as a joke.

It was a lame joke and Shepard pointed that out to his rival. He thought Glenn was too squeaky clean not one of the boys.

Glenn for a moment is disappointed that his attempt at humor was rejected but then Shepard says “But I do appreciate it John. I surely do.” And they share a bond at that moment that was real and warmer than anything they had up until that part of the movie.

And it was the moment where all the animosity between the two ended. They had a common goal that was greater than their many differences. At that moment they were only compatriots.

It’s a great moment in a great movie.

So what the hell does that have to do with Ryan Ludwick being picked up by the Pittsburgh Pirates?

OK, in my analogy, John Glenn is the Pirates organization and Alan Shepard represents the Pirates fans. And the lame handball joke? That’s the trade for Ryan Ludwick.

Is it a difference maker?

No.

Will he lead the Pirates to the playoffs?

Probably not.

Will it be a forgotten move in a few weeks?

Probably.

But Pirate fans see the team TRYING to improve for the stretch run instead of shipping off the players that are any good.

That’s Shepard saying to Glenn “I do appreciate it. I surely do.”

For the first time in a long time, the Pirates are trying. They are giving a damn. And the team isn’t just pocketing the revenue sharing.

It’s a change in culture.

It’s the right stuff.

Watch the clip below… at 17:20 of the clip is the scene I am talking about.

And rent The Right Stuff. What the hell is the matter with you?