Red Sox Search For Third Ace In Deck: A Call To Arms

Welcome to the roller coaster known as the Boston Red Sox.

It seems that just a few weeks ago, members of Red Sox Nation were beginning to set up their lawn chairs on Commonwealth Avenue's parade route, as the Red Sox seemed poised to bring home their third World Series Championship in six years.

However, the recent free fall of the Red Sox to divisional rivals Tampa Bay and New York, along with inconsistency, have created a cloud of doubt in the Hub.

Going into the 2009 season, the Boston Red Sox seemed to have a great deal of depth at the starting pitching slot and were arguably considered the best pitching team in all of baseball.

The additions of Brad Penny and John Smoltz into the rotation, along with the continuing development of Justin Masterson, Clay Buchholz, and Michael Bowden, seemed to undoubtedly give the edge to the Red Sox.

Add these players in with aces Josh Beckett, Jon Lester, Daisuke Matsuzaka, and the veteran knuckle-baller Tim Wakefield, and one couldn't help but love this team's chances to stifle the Yankees', Rays', Angels', and Tigers' powerful lineups in the American League.

However, some things just fall apart.

Following a successful World Baseball Classic, Red Sox hurler Daisuke Matsuzaka went 1-5 with an ERA over eight and a WHIP over two. What's been best described as "arm fatigue" is blamed in large part on Daisuke's workload for Team Japan in their title defense.

The 28-year-old import has been working on building his shoulder strength back up in Ft. Myers, Florida.

In his 15th season of calling Fenway Park home, Tim Wakefield was on the fast track to a career year. He was 11-3 and named to the All-Star Game for the first time in his 17-year career.

However, a lower back strain landed the 43-year-old on the disabled list, and despite being close to ready to return to the rotation, back problems could possibly linger and draw a halt to Wakefield's recent success.

The John Smoltz experiment flopped, as the 42-year-old went 2-5 with the Red Sox with an 8.33 ERA, before being designated for assignment and clearing waivers. Although a role in the Red Sox bullpen may still be open for the 22-year veteran, his days as a starter for the Sox are simply over.

Currently after Josh Beckett and Jon Lester, the Red Sox's rotation features Brad Penny, Clay Buchholz, and Junichi Tazawa. While it seems that Clay Buchholz and Tazawa are progressing, they are simply not ready for the big time innings. It seems that come October, the Red Sox might be out of options for their postseason hopes.

Brad Penny, who signed a one-year deal worth $5 million with Boston in the offseason, has shown flashes of brilliance, but he's also shown a lack of durability and longevity on the hill.

Penny has yet to pitch a full seven innings in any of his 22 starts for the Sox. However, with the question marks surrounding the rest of the rotation in Boston, the pressure may be on Penny to step it up as a third starter.

Posing the question if Penny is to falter, who should the Sox rely on as their third ace in the deck?

The obvious choice, but perhaps long shot, is Daisuke Matsuzaka. Despite missing much of this season due to previously mentioned arm fatigue, the crafty right-hander is still a great asset to Francona and the Red Sox when healthy.

Keep in mind, Daisuke is coming off a season that he went 18-2 and worked efficiently when called up. If Matsuzaka is to return, it would take a monumental and unlikely turnaround to land him a spot on the postseason roster.

Next in line would be Tim Wakefield. The longest tenured member of the Red Sox and fan favorite, Wakefield's numbers come October are something of concern.

Wakefield is 5-7 with a 6.75 ERA in the postseason because the knuckleball has a tendency to be ineffective in the cold weather of October. Despite his current good stats, the back injury and poor stats later could keep the man known as Wake to limited innings.

For now, it appears as if the Red Sox will continue their search for a third ace to throw after Beckett and Lester, who continue to give the Red Sox strong performance after strong performance.

With Paul Byrd signed to a minor league deal, and as Wakefield and Matsuzaka continue their rehabilitation in attempts to return to a high level of play, now is the time for someone like Brad Penny or Clay Buchholz to show the nation what they can really do.