Home-Run Javy
Big-Inning Javy
Jav "Yourself a Hanging Breaking-Ball" Vazquez
The Peripherals Man
Whatever you want to call him, please don't let it be "starting pitcher". Many people argue that Vazquez peripheral stats (K's, WHIP) suggest Vazquez' high ERA is the result of bad luck. These people are stupid.
I, for a long time, was a stupid person. But I have seen enough. I am now convinced Vazquez is just unable to get outs in pressure situations. And not only does he seem to give up hits (many with 2 strikes on the batter) in big situations, he has a knack for giving up punch-in-the-gut home runs.
If you can trade Vasquez for a reliever and a prospect, do it. I've heard others argue that you can't trade Vazquez for only a reliever and a prospect because the Sox had to give up a starter, reliever, and their number one prospect to just to get him.
But it doesn't matter what it we gave up for Vazquez, as that's a sunk cost. Get whatever you can for him now.
The trade with Arizona certainly looks bad now, especially as we already had McCarthy ready to take over the fifth spot of the rotation in the spring. I was against the trade at the time, but I knew what Williams was thinking. But it hasn't worked out and it's time to move on.