The only important Sox news to come out of the Winter Meetings (in Mexico City, of all places) was the acquisition of righthander Ray Culp from the Cubs in return for minor leaguer Bill Schlesinger. It would turn out to be a steal for Dick O'Connell. Culp would give the Bosox four solid years in the rotation while Schlesinger's major league career consisted of one game.
Culp, a former Phillies "bonus baby", won 14 as a rookie in 63 and again in 65, but his career had been up and down. The Phils traded him to Chicago in 1966 where he was a mediocre 8-11.
Culp's presence on the Sox, especially in 68 and 69, helped save the team from dropping deep into the second division. But when the trade was made, Dick Williams and the Sox were projecting him as an addition to an already strong staff. Asked where Culp would rank in the rotation, Dick answered "number 2, 3, or 4. It depends how Jerry Stephenson and Gary Waslewski do. I figure Culp among the first four." Gary Bell, who had been a starter and reliever in 67, was not mentioned by Williams- there was talk that he was in Dick's famous doghouse after a poor start in the World Series.
Little did O'Connell, Williams or Sox Nation know that in 1968, much of the Sox rotation would permantly implode. Every Boston fan over 55 knows how Jim Lonborg went skiing the week after Christmas and tore knee ligaments. He would never be the same pitcher, though he played 15 years in the majors with the Sox, Brewers, and Phillies. In 68 he plummeted to 6-10 with a 4.29 ERA. Second starter Jose Santiago had a 9-4 record in 18 starts when an elbow problem destroyed his career- he would never win another major league game. Stephenson, son of a Sox coach, never came close to expectations, finishing 2-8 in 68 before going to Seattle. Waslewski would go 4-7 and eventually bounce around the majors for six years, ending his career with an 11-26 record.
The Sox were lucky that Culp, Bell, and another newcomer, Dick Ellsworth, would be healthy and able to start. After all the injuries and disappointments, Culp emerged as the top starter at 16-6 and 2.91. Ellsworth was right behind him at 16-7 and 3.03. Back starting, Bell finished 11-11. Due in large measure to these three, the team was at least respectable, finishing fourth at 86-76.
Other problems would plague the 68 team- Tony C missed the entire season, George Scott fell to an incredible .171, again unable to hold his weight down. Joe Foy plummeted to .225 and was gone at the end of the year.
As often in Red Sox history, it all came down to pitching. Outside of 67, they always seemed a starter or two away.
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