Boston Red Sox pitcher Daniel Bard decided during the offseason that the time was right to transition from reliever to starter. Bard knew about John Lackey's surgery and Tim Wakefield's free agent status and saw a place for himself as a starter.
"I told Ben [Cherington] when I heard [John] Lackey was having surgery and [Tim Wakefield] is a free agent, I saw two openings in the starting rotation," said Bard, who initially was a starter as a Red Sox minor leaguer. "The last two years I haven't said it much, but in my own head, just watching the guys in this league that have had a lot of success in a starting role, I just felt like I could do that. I've got as good or better raw stuff as them. I try to keep myself in good shape. I felt like everything I have at this point, that I could have success in that role. So, I told Ben that. (via WEEI.com)
However, once Jonathan Papelbon signed with the Phillies, Bard figured his dreams of being a starter were over.
But it turns out they feel pretty strongly about me trying to be a starter, and I do, too. So, as of right now, that's how it stays."
Bard has a career 2.88 ERA in 192 games (197 innings) playing for the Red Sox.
For more coverage of the Red Sox visit our team page or our blog Over The Monster.