Let Me Throw it Out There

I totally agree. He himself keeps saying that he wants more time out there. So give him a game. What will we lose? I mean, we could lose either way, but maybe he'll be a success.

Just like Wake taking the ball late in Game 3 of the ALCS and taking lumps for the rest of the staff, having Foulke step up into the rotation sends a message to the other guys that you do whatever it takes for the team.

It would also give him room to experiment a bit more with his pitches to see where he can make a fix.

There was a time when he had the stamina, but he doesn't any more. He's a reliever now who is used to a one inning appearance. A pitcher will usually take an entire winter to train if he knows he'll be making the jump from the bullpen to the rotation. I predict that he'd probably be able to put up 2 innings.

Besides, that wouldn't screw us out of a closer for one night, it'd use him up for at least a week. He'd have to take some time off before the start to prepare and then he would need to rest up for a few days before he could pitch again.

I don't like the idea.

... I like anything that puts Timlin in more critical relief situations than Foulke.  

One of the things that has stuck with me in my multiple veiwing of "Faith Rewarded: The Historic Season of the 2004 Boston Red Sox" is that Theo said (which i though was complete and total bull at the time) "In signing Keith Foulke we knew that we didn't just sign one of the best closers in baseball, but one of the game's best pitchers." Now that you metion the idea of him going to the starting rotation, i can sort of believe what Theo said. Foulke (as we have seen) has thrown 50 pitchs in an outing and looked fine (by fine i mean he did not look like his arm was about to fall off, when ever your closer pitches 50 pitches in an inning, you know there is trouble...) Giving him a start would be an interesting idea.

Foulke has started in almost ten years. The preparation is completely different for a starter and after he starts he's done for the next 4 days or so. That means we'd have Timlin as the closer for all those games. Timlin's good but he also has problem with giving up home runs. I don't think that would make me feel any better about the last inning.

Also, Foulke has two pitches. If you think he's doing poorly when these guys get one look at him a night, think how they'll start teeing off on him the second and third time through the lineup.

Trust me. Foulke will get back on target. He'll be fine. Back away from the ledge.

Aside from the Fact that Foulke would have to completely change his routine for a few days leading up to his start, then only be able to throw around 5 innings, and then be out of comission for about 4 days, it's a bad idea because mentally the role is so different.

It's very unlikely that Foulke would use such an opportunity to build momentum. His approach to every hitter would be different; as a closer the goal is perfection - get three outs before anyone can score, but as a starter it's ok to give up a few runs, and it's bout getting out of jams with as little damage as possible. If Foulke gives up two runs through 5 innings that is a solid start but it would probably hurt him mentally, if anything. If he goes perfect for 5 innings it might make him feel great, but he was pitching under completely different circumstances, perhaps with a solid lead or at least with little pressure to be perfect.

It's really, flat-out, an awful idea, and far more likely to be the day Keith Foulke never recovered from, than the day that sparked his rejuvenation.

Now I have, and it both intrigues and terrifies me.

why risk our closers health just to give him more time or get him out of a funk. he is a professional and will get out of his pitching slup in no time; plus, if we pitch him, we have to make timlin a closer for more than just one day. folke will be out for at least 3 days to recover. nice try, but i dont think it will work.