Peter Gammons On Felger & Mazz: Getting Rid Of Lackey Would Be 'Stupid'
The Red Sox have begun cleaning house, sending the problematic Josh Beckett to L.A. in a historic trade over the weekend. Peter Gammons joined Felger & Mazz on Wednesday and was asked if getting rid of John Lackey might be the next step.
Gammons doesn't think so.
While Gammons admitted that Beckett "got his back against the wall so much, it just became destructive," he doesn't think Lackey is the same type of problem.
"I have a question to you -- why do you get rid of Lackey? That's stupid," Gammons said. "Nobody roots harder for his teammates and nobody has worked harder to get himself back than Lackey."
Gammons also added the Lackey has looked strong in his bullpen sessions.
"His stuff is so much better than it's been in the past two years," Gammons said. "This guys is in phenomenal shape."
The idea of dumping players who appear to be a problem was one Gammons disagreed with.
"It's always, 'Get rid of people, get 'em out of Boston.' And then you wonder, 'Well why aren't they good?' I thoroughly believe that Lackey's going to come back, and I think he'll be a 200-inning guy with a 3.80 ERA, which is an above average major league pitcher who can be a veteran on a staff."
Gammons also said the future plans for the Sox should begin with determining if they can sign Jacoby Ellsbury long-term,
