Ogie Oglethorpe wrote:
RFDC wrote:
Ogie Oglethorpe wrote:
RFDC wrote:
Why would you give up Dunning for a mid 30s pitcher whose best days are behind him?
It's a win now move. Sox will still have the room to add salary if they need to address pitching with free agency and they also project Crochet as a starter ala Sale.
When it came to a big game, the Sox had no confidence in Dunning, that tells you he's expendable for a team trying to win.
I get win now moves, I just dont think Lynn is that guy right now. I would say there is a really good chance Dunning has a better year than Lynn.
Dunning's ceiling is a #4. Lynn is an ace today and finished 6th in Cy Young voting last season. Lynn won't have to be an ace though as that's Giolito's job. He'll be the best #2 in the AL.
This is the proper analysis. I like Dunning. He is going to be a low cost starting pitcher for the Rangers for the next five years. They will be happy with him. My guess is that he will always be in the 3.8 to 4.2 area and you will never let him see a hitter for a third time.
The big thing I see is the Sox need a guy ready to be a starter for 162 games who has been playoff tested. Dunning is going to be on an innings count this year. So will Cease and Kopech. Furthermore, all three are still in the developmental stages of their career. You can't have that for a team with playoff aspirations.
The Sox HAD to find an upper half of the rotation starter for this year. This would have pushed either Cease, Kopech or Dunning to the minor leagues. Out of those three, Dunning is the obvious guy.
I think the Sox still need to find one of those starters you take a flier on, because Cease and Kopech will be limited in innings. There are some good options out there. I like Rich Hill in that type of role.
Now, Lynn is gone in a year, which stinks. However, the Sox have another wave of starting pitchers rising as well. Steiver is the most obvious and I would have rated Dunning even below him in terms of guys I'd be ok with losing. Lynn gives them the ability to spend a little more at the closer position or RF, which are their two other glaring needs.