So we've all read Mazz's interview with OTM from the other day.

Here's his sidebar from today's Globe/blog thingy:

Tony's Top 5

Reasons to keep Justin Masterson in the bullpen:

5 The impact on Manny Delcarmen. As we learned last year, Delcarmen is far more effective in the sixth or seventh innings.

4 His stuff is better. As a starter, Masterson's fastball is in 90-92. As a reliever, he has touched 96. This gives Masterson the ability to induce K's and double plays.

3 The lefty issue. Unless or until he incorporates an effective changeup or split, Masterson will continue to be vulnerable against lefthanded batters.

2 Efficiency - or inefficiency. As a starter, Masterson's difficulties against lefthanded batters can inflate his pitch counts and shorten his outings.

1 The team would be better off. It may seem sad to say, but an effective late-inning reliever now may have more value than a mediocre, back-end starter.

On the whole, I agree that Masterson should stay in the pen. But this does seem inconsistent with the idea that Masterson is "the best of the lot" of Buch and Bowden. Unless he is implying that Buch and Bowden project as worse than "mediocre, backend starter(s)." Which I take serious issue with.