Boston Red Sox: Just How Long Will Daniel Bard's Rotation Leash Be?

The Boston Red Sox start to the 2012 season hasn't gone exactly to plan.

Going into the season, Boston had to do its best to get off to a good start and through its first six games, the Red Sox have only come out on top in one of them; a comeback victory over the Toronto Blue Jays.

One of the biggest questions going into spring training and then into the season was the transition of Daniel Bard into the starting rotation. Bard worked the entire spring to increase his pitch counts enough that he would be able to last five or six innings during the regular season.

Everything was going according to plan until closer Andrew Bailey had to get thumb surgery that is going to keep him out of at least half of the season. Bobby Valentine named Alfredo Aceves the interim closer and Mark Melancon has also seen time late in games.

The Red Sox starters haven't reached their full potential but the bullpen has really gotten hit hard in the opening week. In 18.1 innings of work combined, the bullpen has an ERA of 5.89, allowing 12 earned runs and 22 hits. Relievers also have accounted for two losses and two blown-save opportunities.

Bard was good in his first career start but couldn't come up with a win. He lasted five innings, throwing 96 pitches, and allowed five earned runs on eight hits while striking out six and only walking one.

This issue upon Bobby Valentine is when to finally accept that Bard cannot be a starter and should return to fill the void at closer.

I was a fan of moving Bard into the starting rotation, even after hearing the news of Bailey's injury. If the Red Sox are smart, they should wait until Bard has started at least 10 games to get a good enough sample size on how his starting pitching is. He could turn out to be the best starter they have for all we now.

A very realistic date for a possible switch would be when Daisuke Matsuzaka is healthy enough to return to the big leagues. Once he's ready, he will be coming back into the rotation and someone will get the axe, most likely being Bard or Felix Doubront. 

If Boston's bullpen struggles continue, it would make sense that Bard move back once Matsuzaka returns. If Bard struggles in his first handful of starts, a move could come even quicker.