Penny, Bard set to join Red Sox
Late last evening (slash early this morning...), the Sox announced that they'll be welcoming a pair of new faces into the clubhouse: free agents Brad Penny and Josh Bard.
Both will be here on one year deals, with Penny's starting at $5 million and possibly worth a total of $8 million, and Bard's of the non-guaranteed, $1.6 million dollar variety.
Not exactly along the lines of the huge money being tossed around by the Yankees, but Theo's never been one to overreact hastily to moves made by other teams (thankfully) and over-commit money and years to guys that don't deserve it. The Sox picked up a couple of decent to good free agents at need positions and did it on the cheap, relatively speaking.
Looking at each move individually, the Penny signing will easily end up being the better of the two signings. The former Dodger and two-time All-Star put on a clinic on how to implode as a starting pitcher last season, going 5-2 with a 3.19 ERA over his first 7 starts, only to finish the year with a 6-9 record, 6.27 ERA, 1.63 WHIP and a meager 51 Ks in just 94.2 innings pitched. Discouraging numbers indeed, but after finishing the season on the 60-day DL and with his rehab on his sore right shoulder expected to be successful, he should be at worst a serviceable fourth starter (with Wake currently penciled in to the five spot). I also like this move because it allows Masterson to stay in the 'pen and Buchholz to get a bit more time in the minor league ranks. Those of you hoping for a return to 2006-07 form might be a bit disappointed, but at 30 years old, Penny should still have a lot to offer. I stop short of calling this "low risk, high reward" because $5 to $8 mil would hardly classify as "low risk," but this will clearly be the more impactful of the moves, so it should be woth it in the end. Plus, he's probably still boys with Beckett and Lowell from their Florida days, so that's kind of cool I guess.
The Bard signing might not even end up panning out, but it offers them a little more flexibility as they can now actually slot someone into the catcher slot on the MLB roster if the unthinkable happens and Tek jets (remember, Kevin Cash left for New York, New York after being non-tendered by the Sox at the end of the season...). Everyone throwing out the idea that Bard is here as a long term solution and that the Sox will now let Tek walk can put those fears to rest right now: Bard is little more than an insurance policy, as we learned when he was with the club for all of 7 games in 2006. He hit .202 with 1 homer and 16 RBI in 178 plate appearances with the Padres. In two seasons prior with San Diego, he hit .338 (2006) and .285 (2007) in 93 and 118 games, respectively. Unfortunately for the Sox, he can't catch the knuckleball (10 passed balles in 06), minimizing his value. This move alone won't help get the Sox to where they want to go, but they needed at least one body at the position at this point and they got it. No qualms with this move, unless they faily to make a subsequent move to find their 4 or so game per week starter (likely Tek).
Both will be here on one year deals, with Penny's starting at $5 million and possibly worth a total of $8 million, and Bard's of the non-guaranteed, $1.6 million dollar variety.
Not exactly along the lines of the huge money being tossed around by the Yankees, but Theo's never been one to overreact hastily to moves made by other teams (thankfully) and over-commit money and years to guys that don't deserve it. The Sox picked up a couple of decent to good free agents at need positions and did it on the cheap, relatively speaking.
Looking at each move individually, the Penny signing will easily end up being the better of the two signings. The former Dodger and two-time All-Star put on a clinic on how to implode as a starting pitcher last season, going 5-2 with a 3.19 ERA over his first 7 starts, only to finish the year with a 6-9 record, 6.27 ERA, 1.63 WHIP and a meager 51 Ks in just 94.2 innings pitched. Discouraging numbers indeed, but after finishing the season on the 60-day DL and with his rehab on his sore right shoulder expected to be successful, he should be at worst a serviceable fourth starter (with Wake currently penciled in to the five spot). I also like this move because it allows Masterson to stay in the 'pen and Buchholz to get a bit more time in the minor league ranks. Those of you hoping for a return to 2006-07 form might be a bit disappointed, but at 30 years old, Penny should still have a lot to offer. I stop short of calling this "low risk, high reward" because $5 to $8 mil would hardly classify as "low risk," but this will clearly be the more impactful of the moves, so it should be woth it in the end. Plus, he's probably still boys with Beckett and Lowell from their Florida days, so that's kind of cool I guess.
The Bard signing might not even end up panning out, but it offers them a little more flexibility as they can now actually slot someone into the catcher slot on the MLB roster if the unthinkable happens and Tek jets (remember, Kevin Cash left for New York, New York after being non-tendered by the Sox at the end of the season...). Everyone throwing out the idea that Bard is here as a long term solution and that the Sox will now let Tek walk can put those fears to rest right now: Bard is little more than an insurance policy, as we learned when he was with the club for all of 7 games in 2006. He hit .202 with 1 homer and 16 RBI in 178 plate appearances with the Padres. In two seasons prior with San Diego, he hit .338 (2006) and .285 (2007) in 93 and 118 games, respectively. Unfortunately for the Sox, he can't catch the knuckleball (10 passed balles in 06), minimizing his value. This move alone won't help get the Sox to where they want to go, but they needed at least one body at the position at this point and they got it. No qualms with this move, unless they faily to make a subsequent move to find their 4 or so game per week starter (likely Tek).
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