Enough Already

Once again, John Lackey got pummeled Monday afternoon, giving up seven runs in 2.1 innings against Toronto. With a MLB-worst 7.47 ERA, the question now becomes: how much longer can the Sox stick with Lackey?

When General Manager Theo Epstein lured John Lackey to Boston with a gargantuan five-year, $82.5 million deal in December of 2009, Red Sox Nation couldn't help but rejoice over the possibility of a lights-out starting rotation for years to come.

At the time, Lackey had just capped off another successful season on the mound for the Los Angeles Angels, going 11-8 with a 3.83 ERA in 2009.

Known as a tough-minded, right-handed ace who never misses a start and eats innings like Pac-Man mowing down on dots, Lackey gained enormous fame in 2002 when, as a 23-year-old rookie, he held Barry Bonds and the Giants to just one run over five innings to win Game 7 of the World Series.

From then on, Lackey became the face of the Angels. From 2003-2009, Lackey won at least 10 games each season. In 2007, he enjoyed a career-year, going 19-9 with a 3.01 ERA. Before signing with Boston, Lackey had compiled an impressive 102-71 overall record with the Angels.

However, in his first season in Beantown, Lackey was mediocre at best. Despite raking in $18 million in 2010, the 6'6'' righthander went 14-11 with a disgusting 4.40 ERA.

Regardless, Lackey got a free pass. Baseball lifers kept telling us that with a year under his belt, Lackey would return to form in 2011. He would adjust to the pressures of playing in Boston. He would pitch like he used to when he was wearing an Angels uniform.

So much for popular opinion.

After getting absolutely shelled by Toronto on Monday afternoon (2.1 innings, 9 hits, 7 earned runs on Independence Day, no less), Lackey's tenure with the Sox may have reached a breaking point.

Simply put, he has become a liability.

Lackey now has a 5-8 record with an absolutely absurd 7.47 ERA, the highest of any starting pitcher in baseball.

To make things worse, Lackey isn't even expected to be an Ace. With Jon Lester, Josh Beckett and Clay Buchholz entrenched as the top three starters, the pressure is off Lackey to lead the rotation. And, with a potent Red Sox lineup leading the league in runs, he doesn't even have to pitch well to win. He just has to keep the Sox in the game long enough for the offense to explode.

But now, he can't even do that.

As much as we love Theo, even the Brookline wiz kid isn't immune from bad signings. Remember Julio Lugo? Edgar Renteria? And to some extend, J.D. Drew?

Heck, Theo even traded for Byung-Hyun Kim and Eric Gagne.

In the end, Lackey may go down in Sox folklore as the worst free-agent signing in club history, simply because of the exorbitant amount of money owed to him.

So where do we go from here?

Sure, Terry Francona can continue to run Lackey out to the mound every fifth day, but how much longer can this train-wreck of a starting pitcher go on?

Because of his massive contract, Lackey is utterly untradeable. So that leaves either a delegation to the bullpen or a smoke and mirrors trip to the DL.

Either one works for me, as long as Red Sox Nation never has to endure another agonizing John Lackey start again.