Not everyone thrilled with Boston's pitching depth - MLB

It’s a wonderful problem to have when you’re blessed with too much
pitching. In fact, you could argue that it’s no problem at all. That
it’s impossible to be blessed with too many competent hurlers. The
Boston Red Sox are testing that theory.

The Red Sox already have a rotation consisting of Jon Lester, Josh Beckett, Daisuke Matsuzaka, Brad Penny and Tim Wakefield.

And on top of that, John Smoltz is set to come off the disabled list
soon. Smoltz reportedly offered to take a bullpen role, but management
is having none of that. They certainly don’t need a closer, and view
Smoltz as a valuable postseason asset as a starter.

Clay Buchholz is getting restless in Pawtucket

So what should Boston do? Tony Massarotti does a great job breaking down the likeliest possibilities, ranging from putting Dice-K on the DL (seems like a good idea), to moving to a six-man rotation (unlikely).

While Theo Epstein and Terry Francona decide what to do, they might
be interested to hear what Clay Buchholz has to say about the matter.

Buchholz apparently is getting tired of dominating Triple-A hitters at
Pawtucket, and while he stopped short of demanding a trade, he’s
starting to sound a little restless.

“Whenever they come to a problem they seem like they find a way to
fix it without me being in the picture. It is what it is. It’s
frustrating at times but I’m going out every fifth day here, trying to
help this team win and trying to get better every day I go out. …

“I want to be in the big leagues and I do want to go somewhere where I’ll be able to play and pitch every fifth day.”

Buchholz has a case, as does his teammate Michael Bowden. If not 100
percent major-league ready, the pair are certainly running out of
things to accomplish in the minors. Their numbers at Pawtucket:

Buchholz: 4-0, 1.75 ERA, 0.82 WHIP, 15 walks and 59 strikeouts in 67 innings.

Bowden: 3-3, 2.48 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 22 walks and 42 strikeouts in 65 1/3 innings.

In contrast to Buchholz, Bowden sounds content for now to remain lost in the logjam.

“I’d rather stay in the minors an extra year or so to play for Boston, to play in Boston at Fenway with that group of guys.”

I wonder how long Bowden will keep singing that tune.

CARSON CITY, Nev. — The Nevada Senate adjourned Thursday without voting on a financing bill for a proposed $1.5 billion Las Vegas Strip stadium for the Oakland Athletics, extending the special legislative session into the next week amid negotiations over whether to contribute $380 million in public funding to the project.

The measure can still be amended by lawmakers, and if it passes the Senate it would still need approval from the Assembly before going to the desk of Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo, who has expressed support for it. Both the state Senate and Assembly are adjourned until Monday.

In a hearing that began Wednesday and stretched into the early morning hours Thursday, lawmakers peppered tourism officials and a representative from a firm partnering with the ball club with questions about the feasibility and benefits of financing such a deal.

Public funds for the stadium would mainly come from $180 million in transferable tax credits and $120 million in county bonds. Backers have pledged that the creation of a special tax district around the proposed stadium would generate enough money to pay off those bonds and interest. The plan would not directly raise taxes.

The A’s would not owe property taxes for the publicly owned stadium. Clark County, which includes Las Vegas, would also contribute $25 million in credit toward infrastructure costs.

A’s representatives and some tourism officials say a deal would further grow Las Vegas’ developing sports scene and act as an economic engine, but a growing chorus of economists and some lawmakers warn that the project would bring minimal benefits for the hefty public price tag.