Red Sox Report: Bard On Thin Ice

Monday, June 04, 2012

Scott Cordischi, GoLocalWorcester Sports Editor

Things are going well for the Boston Red Sox……unless you’re name is Daniel Bard.

Boston’s dominant reliever-turned-starter has not had the easiest of times adjusting to his new role. Sunday was another glaring example of this.

Daniel Bard

Bard lasted just 1 2/3 innings in Toronto giving up only 1 hit. The problem for Bard was that he walked 6 and gave up 5 earned runs.

As a reliever, Bard had a 3:1 strikeout to walk ratio. As a starter, it’s 1:1.

Bard talked about his recent struggles after Sunday’s 5-1 loss to the Blue Jays. "I think it's maybe we tried to turn me into a starter rather than take the same pitcher I was out of the 'pen and just move that guy to the rotation," he said. "It's all my fault, essentially, so maybe it's just a matter of getting back to what I had success doing in the past."

Exactly what Bard is referring to is anyone’s guess, but the biggest problem for him has been the fact that he cannot locate his best and most reliable pitch – his fastball. And until that happens, Bard will continue to struggle.

He has made it very clear that he would like to remain a starter for this team all season, but if he continues to struggle leading up to the All-Star break, it is very conceivable that Boston could look to Diasuka Matsuzaka or someone else to take his spot in the rotation and send him kicking and screaming back to the bullpen.

Then again, given the dominance of the Boston bullpen of late and Bard’s insistence on remaining a starter, maybe it’s not out of the question to send him down to Pawtucket to work out his issues down on the farm.

Whatever the case may be, Bard needs to get his act together soon or he will be on the receiving end of a move that he may not be in favor of.

NOTES:

-Despite Sunday’s loss to the Blue Jays, Boston did take 2 out of 3 in Toronto. At (28-26), the Red Sox are tied with the Jays for 4th place in the AL East just 3 games behind first place Tampa Bay. Boston is (16-7) in its last 23 games.

-Toronto’s Edwin Encarnarcion had to leave the game after being hit by Bard on the right hand. X-rays were said to be inconclusive so he will have more tests on Monday.

-Good news on the injury front for Boston as Dustin Pedroia proclaimed himself ready to play when the Red Sox face Baltimore on Tuesday. Pedroia has missed 6 straight games with a thumb injury.

-Outfielder Darnell McDonald also appears ready to rejoin the team after playing 6 games for the Pawsox.

-It has become widely known that the Red Sox are shopping Kevin Youkilis around before the trading deadline. According to the Boston Globe’s Nick Cafardo, both the Philadelphia Phillies and the Arizona Diamondbacks had scouts in Toronto over the weekend looking at Youkilis.

-Boston will play three games at home against Baltimore Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday of this week before they embark on a stretch of 15 straight games against National League teams. Boston will host the Washington Nationals for three, play three at Miami and three at Chicago before returning to Fenway for three against the Marlins and three against the Atlanta Braves.