Daniel Bard's decline: What happened? Posted Jun 6, 2012 It all made sense on paper. The best pitchers should throw the most innings. There's no doubt that Daniel Bard was one of Boston's best pitchers in recent seasons. He wanted to be in the rotation, and the Red Sox had a slot to fill. Except it's never that simple. Bard's transition to starting pitcher has taken him from a relief ace to the minor leagues. (ESPN.com)