Heyman With Gresh & Zo: No Rift Between Bobby and Ben
CBS Sports' MLB Insider Jon Heyman joined 98.5 The Sports Hub's Gresh & Zo for his weekly call on Tuesday, breaking down all the latest drama coming from the Boston Red Sox.
Leading things off were Daniel Bard's comments prior Monday night's 6-5 win over the Twins. Bard was temporarily back in the bullpen after having his Sunday start rained out, but was adamant that he couldn't help all eight guys pitch better. Did Bard create a little drama in the pen with those comments?
"He probably should have held his tongue a little bit on that," Heyman said, adding that Bard wasn't really calling out the other his fellow pitchers. "(He is) kind of suggesting the other guys are pitching terrible, but we knew the guys were pitching terrible... it's the truth. I like to hear the truth more than anything else."
In his latest post on CBSSports.com, Heyman said the bullpen debate could lead to some conflict between Bobby Valentine and Ben Cherington. Is there already a rift between these two, and will Bard's role make it worse?
"I think there isn't a rift between Cherington and Valentine," said Heyman, "but I think this is the potential issue; more than Iglesias versus Aviles or Lavarnway on the team. The real issue is the pen versus the rotation and I think Bobby favors that pen, and can see a path that keeps Bard in the pen where as the front office wants him back in the rotation."
"Neither Valentine nor Cherington said this to me, but just knowing them and seeing how things are going and seeing a little of Valentine in spring training -- and the look on his face -- I think he's been concerned about the bullpen from the beginning," Heyman said of Valentine. "Bobby is a bullpen guy; I know this from covering him for the Mets."
"He thinks that 2/3rds of the games are deciding in the final three to four innings and he's always favored the pen as a way to make your pitching staff strong," said Heyman. "I think the front office -- typical of a lot of front offices --they favor the rotation because the majority of the innings will be pitched by the starters."
Roche: Keep Bard In The Pen
Also, what has Heyman heard about the Valentine-Mike Aviles spat in Spring Training? And how does he see Roger Clemens' latest perjury trial ending? Hear that and more with Baseball Insider Jon Heyman!
