Roche: Lackey Will Need Tommy John Surgery... At Some Point
BOSTON (CBS) - Amazing how much panic sets in around here when the Red Sox go through tough times. The Sox dropped 6 of 7 in Interleague play and we get "the sky is falling mentality" around here.
I admire Terry Francona for the way he handles things. He's as honest as he can be with the media while staunchly protecting his players. It's got to be a hard thing for him to do. And, despite the fact that there are indeed many more important things going on outside of the Boston Red Sox in life, he still is on the hot seat on a daily basis. Plus, he's scrutinized for every move he makes and every lineup he chooses.
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Meanwhile, it couldn't have been an easy thing for Francona and Theo Epstein to let Mike Cameron go. Cameron was a true professional in every sense of the word, but was struggling mightily. Cameron genuinely cared about the game and his teammates. Yes, I know how bad he was struggling at the plate and in the field, but it's still not an easy thing to say good-bye to a guy who has put in that much time in the game.
Read: Sox Designate Mike Cameron For Assignment
As for other things...
--Jon Lester continues to prove he's the ace on this staff. His outing Thursday in Philadelphia was important to the club in a lot of ways. He simply seemed determined that he wasn't going to let his team lose. And, he has the filthy stuff to go out and back that up.
--John Lackey doesn't need Tommy John surgery... right now. Lackey has elbow ligament issues and will probably need the Surgery one day. Could be next week, next month, or next year... but it will come some day. That's why the Red Sox have a clause in his contract that says Lackey must give the Sox a 6th year at the MLB minimum salary if he needs TJ surgery at any point during the five-year deal. With that said though, just by the way he's respected by his fellow pitchers, you know he's been battled through arm issues pretty much since he signed here.
--Kevin Youkilis is a warrior. He's had recurring ankle issues, but won't say down for long. Again, what makes this team go is the way Youkilis and Dustin Pedroia grind it out on a daily basis on and off the field.
--And, finally... yes, you can say that the Mike Cameron was one of the worst free agent signings in the Theo Epstein administration.
