Five Easy Pieces

Found this picture while over at The Remy Report, and once I got past how cool it looked, this popped into my head: Are you telling me that Mike Mussina, Andy Pettitte, Chien-Ming Wang, Kei Igawe, and Carl Freaking Pavano are better than these 5 guys?

Come to think of it, after Mariano Rivera, does the Yankee bullpen have anything on the Red Sox 'pen? New York has Kyle Farnsworth, Scott Proctor, some cat named Colter Bean, and Luis Vizcaino to fill the void between the starter and Rivera. Mike Timlin, Julian Tavarez (this could be reaching: see me in June), Hideki Okajima, Manny Delcarmen, Craig Hansen, and Brendan Donnelly are just as good, if not better.

I know I'm biased, but come on: you have 2 genuine World Series heros in Beckett (2003 Marlins vs. the Yankees) and Schilling (2001 Diamondbacks vs. the Yankees, 2004 Red Sox, 'nuff said.) Two young stars in the making in Papelbon and Matsuzaka, and the wily veteran in Wakefield. If I'm a manager, I'd take my chances with those 5 in a heartbeat.

Prediction for the records of the Red Sox starting pitchers next year:

Schilling 20-9

Beckett 21-11

Papelbon 16-10

Matsuzaka 15-7

Wakefield 14-12

Yeah, I'm riding the Beckett train until it derails, but I honest to God think he has it in him. Pap and Daisuke may be a stretch, but that's OK: it's still Spring. A guy can hope, right? As for Schilling, you don't think a man with the pride he has, with the will and desire to prove EVERYONE wrong, would love nothing better than to win 20 games and say "Screw you. I told you so". I'm not betting against him.

2 weeks from tomorrow he gets the first chance to prove 'em all wrong. I ain't gonna miss it for the world.