Originally, I was going to title this post the genius of Will Venable, but I didn’t want to come off as ironic or sarcastic (can one be both?). However, I’ve come to praise the Sox manager, not bury him.

The idea of openers ruffles my feathers to the point of making a game almost unwatchable. I fear that the seven-inning start has gone the way of Choco Taco. I don’t think the practice is sound when managers call on mediocre to crappy relievers to open the game. If your opener has a +4.5 ERA, you are asking for trouble. I think an opener who allows a run in the first inning is almost worthless-especially if he only goes one inning.

While I haven’t scrutinized every game the Sox have played, he hasn’t resorted to that, that often. Most importantly, he has gotten all of his players to buy into what he’s selling. Guys don’t seem to be hung up on titles and roles or spots in the batting order.

Getting back to the title of the post, he’s had to mix and match a group of veterans and guys making their ML debuts. He’s gotten the most out of a handful of players that may have peaked this season.

He’s also done a nice job of changing the batting order and lineup, far better than the multi-millionaire across town. The Cubs famously overrated their young players, but nobody has called them out for that.

Whatever a manager’s strategy or style is, players have to perform. No matter how brilliant a decision is, the players make managers look like geniuses or Terry Bevington/Jim Essian.

While Venable and the Sox pitchers have made this work to date, I prefer the traditional starter of my youth.