Did Pedro Martinez Allude To A Lack Of Leadership On The Red Sox Pitching Staff?
By Matt Dolloff, CBS Boston
BOSTON (CBS) -- One of the biggest catalysts for failure - and biggest drivers of success - for the Red Sox in recent seasons has been leadership in the clubhouse (or lack thereof), especially on the pitching staff. And based on recent comments from current team special assistant and pitching legend Pedro Martinez, the leadership in that department is once again lacking.
That's not to say Pedro came right out and ripped David Price or any other Red Sox pitcher for failing to lead; this is just where the cynical recesses of my mind wandered as I parsed his words. He said similar things to what we've heard for most of the season directly from Price, who signed a seven-year, $210 million contract with the Red Sox in the offseason. Price has shown flashes of his obvious "ace" ability but has been wildly inconsistent, has yet to really put it all together, and continually says he will "get better" - even after solid outings when it's not really necessary. As August approaches, Red Sox fans are still waiting for their ace (and leader) to arrive.
But is Price even capable of assuming that "ace" identity, the guy who not only dominates night in, night out, but leads his teammates behind the scenes and inspires them to be better? Hard to do when even he himself can't seem to get out of his own way - but Pedro expressed confidence in his ability to be that guy.
"I believe he's capable of it, and he has given a lot of signs that he's the ace that we all expect," Pedro told reporters on Tuesday. "I think, to be honest, he's going to be all right. It's just a matter of making the right adjustments and trying to make them as quick as possible."
The longer the season goes on, though, the less confident you have to be that Price is going to be that kind of player and leader on a consistent basis. And it gets more troubling when you read what Pedro had to say about the struggling Clay Buchholz.
"Bucky lost a little bit of confidence. That's what it looks to me like. Right now, he doesn't really have a path to follow," he said. "I think he's missing [Jon] Lester big time. He's missing [John] Lackey. He's missing probably relating to someone who is just like him and really understands him, also guys like David Ross, Jason Varitek."
Sounds like Pedro is referring to the 2013 season, his first with the Red Sox as a special assistant to then-GM Ben Cherington. That was the year that Lester and Lackey took over as the leaders of the pitching staff, Buchholz had the best season of his career, and, of course, the Red Sox shocked the baseball world by winning the World Series. Buchholz can't seem to figure it out in 2016, and Pedro believes it's because he doesn't have a Lester or Lackey type to hold him accountable and lead by example.
Shouldn't Price, the 31-million-dollar man, be that guy?
Say what you want about Price being unfairly criticized; he has allowed three earned runs or less in five of his seven losses. But his shaky, fidgety behavior on the mound and consistently sullen post-game press conferences don't exactly project the I-don't-give-a-rat's-patoot mentality that a true ace needs to possess to not only lead on the field but lead the staff in the clubhouse. Pedro clearly had it. Curt Schilling had it. Josh Beckett had it, when he cared. Lester had it once he took the reins.
Price isn't a bust. He's still the No. 1 starter on this team. I still have confidence that he will pitch well down the stretch. But at this point, it's fair to question whether he can be the fearless leader that the Red Sox pitching staff needs.
Pedro may sincerely feel that Price will turn it around, and Price certainly has the talent to do so, but he is questioning it nonetheless. If that makes me a troll or a hater, so be it. But you can't honestly tell me you're happy with how Price has pitched on the whole, or how he keeps acting after these games. At some point, you need to call for him to be a better pitcher and better leader than he has been overall. In a veiled, indirect way, I believe Pedro is making that call, and when a legend who knows what it's like to lead a staff and thrive in the role makes that call, you'd better start listening.
I hope Price is ready to listen.
Matt Dolloff is a writer for CBSBostonSports.com. His opinions do not necessarily reflect that of CBS or 98.5 The Sports Hub. Have a news tip or comment for Matt? Follow him on Twitter @mattdolloff and email him at mdolloff@985thesportshub.com.
