I don't think it's THAT much of a downgrade at all. Your talking about Wake and Matsuzaka vs Bucholz and Tazawa, essentially. The 4th and 5th starters. Who says Wake wont be back fresh for the playoffs? Beckett, Lester, Penny, Wake and Bucholz for the playoffs? I'll take that all day and twice on Sundays. Infact, their starting pitching has been their biggest strength during these tough times. The sox are healthy and guys are heating back up at the plate. Over the last four games Bay and Lowell in particular. Martinez will be the dh soon and when Youk gets back I fully expect the sox to bounce back from this rough patch. All the Yankee fans pounding their chests are in for a surprise. Just watch.
The last time the sox won the whole thing they rode their 1+2 punch and solid performances by dice k through the whole thing. Penny is more than capable of flanking stud performances by Beckett and Lester in the playoffs.
I guess it comes down to you believing in your SP and me thinking it's pretty average, as currently constructed. All that gets thrown out in the playoffs, of course, when anything can happen. As for the rest of the season, though, it could be tough. Penny is now the #3, which IS actually a big downgrade.
As for Buchholz, I always said he should have been given the #5 spot out of ST. The sox could have covered him with their original 1-4. Sign Smoltz, fine. But not Smoltz AND Penny, which cost Buchholz significant MLB experience.
This next road trip could define the season for the sox. They're playing teams that are contending for the WC, and the sox have a negative .107 OPS differential on the road than when at Fenway.
ALSO BODY: If you'd rather respond by just posting pictures of any women you may have photos of from your Italy trip, instead of actually discussing baseball, that's quite all right.