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Sunday, December 28, 2008

FOX: Rosenthal - Red Sox close to adding Penny to rotation

Free-agent right-hander Brad Penny and the Boston Red Sox are close to agreeing on a one-year deal, according to a major-league source.

Penny, who would be in the Red Sox’s starting rotation, will have to take a physical and the two sides are still working out the language of the contract.

Penny, 29, struggled last season with the Dodgers, going 6-9 with a 6.27 in 17 starts and two relief appearances. He was shut down in September and placed on the 60-day disabled list with a sore right shoulder.

NTNgod Posted: December 28, 2008 at 10:19 PM | 44 comment(s) | Login to Bookmark
Related News: General, Boston

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1. pep21 Posted: December 28, 2008 at 10:32 PM (#3039252)

Hopefully he can get his fat arse in shape and have a productive year if healthly.

2. Matt Clement of Alexandria Posted: December 28, 2008 at 10:45 PM (#3039253)

All New England has been waiting for the next Wade Miller.

3. greenback

Posted: December 28, 2008 at 10:53 PM (#3039254)

I thought that was Matt Clement.

4. OCD SS Posted: December 28, 2008 at 11:02 PM (#3039258)

After crying poor when being outbid on Teixeira, I hope the prospect of signing a guy named "Penny" strikes everyone else as humorous.

5. Chase Utley, Shooty's Favorite Robot (Joey Belle) Posted: December 28, 2008 at 11:03 PM (#3039259)

Matt Clement was the next Pete Schourek.

6. JB H Posted: December 28, 2008 at 11:36 PM (#3039269)

These signings are so annoying as a fan. First we get to hear the phrase "low risk, high reward pickup" innumerable times. Then we get to read four updates a week about his rehabilitation, or his start in Pawtucket, or his aggrivated oblique. The payoff is 40 innings and 24 runs allowed over 8 starts in July and August before he gets shutdown

7. JB H Posted: December 28, 2008 at 11:38 PM (#3039270)

Which isn't to say I think it's bad signing :)

The other annoying transaction: drafting high school players. I don't wanna wait 3 years before finding out if he's even a prospect

8. Hugh Jorgan Posted: December 28, 2008 at 11:38 PM (#3039271)

will have to take a physical and the two sides are still working out the language of the contract.

Is language a euphemism for turns at the buffet table? As in "still working out how many goes at the buffet Penny is allowed each day...

Great, so my team goes after another reclaimation project in the Wade Miller, Matt Clement, Bartolo Colon mold...hmmm...
Anyone seen Russ Ortiz, maybe we can go for him next....

9. Phil Coorey, You Won't Posted: December 28, 2008 at 11:38 PM (#3039272)

I think it's worth the risk

10. Matt Clement of Alexandria Posted: December 28, 2008 at 11:39 PM (#3039273)

These signings are so annoying as a fan. First we get to hear the phrase "low risk, high reward pickup" innumerable times. Then we get to read four updates a week about his rehabilitation, or his start in Pawtucket, or his aggrivated oblique. The payoff is 40 innings and 24 runs allowed over 8 starts in July and August before he gets shutdown

Signings like this are the primary reason why Sons of Sam Horn exists.

11. JB H Posted: December 28, 2008 at 11:45 PM (#3039275)

I forgot the worst part: sometime within Brad Penny's first ten innings as a Red Sox, I will have convinced myself that he's going to be a healthy 120 ERA+ SP the rest of the year.

12. greenback

Posted: December 28, 2008 at 11:50 PM (#3039278)

These signings are so annoying as a fan. First we get to hear the phrase "low risk, high reward pickup" innumerable times. Then we get to read four updates a week about his rehabilitation, or his start in Pawtucket, or his aggrivated oblique.

There also are the expected return date paragraphs, which always paint a rosy picture. Then if it looks like Injured Pitcher will be ready in July, he's just like a deadline deal.

13. Matt Clement of Alexandria Posted: December 29, 2008 at 12:10 AM (#3039280)

Just a note re: 3, 5, 8, and my partial namesake.

Clement was signed to a guaranteed multi-year contract as a theoretically healthy, durable pitcher. He was projected to be ready for opening day 2005 and he was. Among Schourek, Miller, Colon, Penny, he is the one of these things that is not like the others.

14. rlc Posted: December 29, 2008 at 12:12 AM (#3039281)

So with all the concerns about weight, I guess people think the Red Sox are being Penny wise, pound foolish...

15. Scott Kazmir's breaking balls Posted: December 29, 2008 at 12:15 AM (#3039282)

I've been on this site daily hoping the Red Sox would make a significant FA signing this offseason. I'm still waiting.

16. Darren

Posted: December 29, 2008 at 12:36 AM (#3039291)

Colon: 39 IP, 118 ERA+
Miller: 91 IP, 92 ERA+

These deals have worked out okay, not great or anything. The hope, of course, is that one of these guys pays off big. Penny doesn't seem like he's been all that great, but his Marcel/James projections put him at around 4.00 ERA and 120 IP in the NL. That's mid-4s in the AL, which is plenty good for a flyer to fill out the rotation. I'm not optimistic but there's a chance.

17. TFTIO who can remember his past lives Posted: December 29, 2008 at 01:22 AM (#3039305)

Penny always make me sing this song to myself.

18. Good cripple hitter Posted: December 29, 2008 at 01:33 AM (#3039307)

Penny always make me sing this song to myself.

On the plus side, it's unlikely that Penny will go bad due to ergotism.

19. The Kids Are Enright (1k5v3L)

Posted: December 29, 2008 at 01:40 AM (#3039309)

With Schilling, Colon and Ponson no longer on the roster, the Red Sox wanted to have a guy in the clubhouse who really cleans out all the leftovers at the buffet table. Lazy, fat and injured starters must be the new market inefficiency.

This development does beg the question though: does Alyssa Milano start dating Red Sox players now, or does she move onto another Dodgers starting pitcher? Given the current LA rotation, methinks Kershaw just got another present this Christmas.

20. Jose Can You Seabiscuit Posted: December 29, 2008 at 01:40 AM (#3039310)

I like this move well enough. I think he'll be more productive than Colon or Miller were. What bothers me is I assume this means we are no longer in on Ben Sheets (if we ever were) and even allowing for the contractual differences that would be in play I'd rather have Sheets than Penny.

21. Dave Spiwak Posted: December 29, 2008 at 01:42 AM (#3039311)

Red Sox close to adding Penny

If I've learned one thing this off-season, it's that this means Penny's about to be signed by the Yankees.

22. TFTIO who can remember his past lives Posted: December 29, 2008 at 01:44 AM (#3039313)

On the plus side, it's unlikely that Penny will go bad due to ergotism.

Of course, it's also highly unlikely that he'll go through the AL like a pavement saw.

23. Vaux, A.B.D. Posted: December 29, 2008 at 01:48 AM (#3039317)

Rotoworld says the Boston Herald says $5 million guaranteed. What a waste of money.

24. Darren

Posted: December 29, 2008 at 02:01 AM (#3039320)

AROM projects his value at $6.1 M. Sounds like a fair contract.

25. Darren

Posted: December 29, 2008 at 02:10 AM (#3039323)

According to the Globe, it's $5 mil guaranteed with $3 mil. incentives, which seems to fairly surround his value. It also says they're close to signing Bard for $1.6 M (hooray!).

26. The Kids Are Enright (1k5v3L)

Posted: December 29, 2008 at 02:15 AM (#3039326)

Bard's deal is not guaranteed? Will he be catching Wakes? Or just the claps?

27. Darren

Posted: December 29, 2008 at 02:26 AM (#3039331)

You joke about Wakes, but that presents a real question. If Wake is in the rotation, then they simply can't have Bard catching him (it was a nightmare). But if Wake's in the pen, they're going to have a very hard time shifting around to make it work.

28. philly Posted: December 29, 2008 at 02:30 AM (#3039333)

You joke about Wakes, but that presents a real question. If Wake is in the rotation, then they simply can't have Bard catching him (it was a nightmare). But if Wake's in the pen, they're going to have a very hard time shifting around to make it work.

I'm not sure you saw it, but a month or so back someone at SoSH - don't remember who and it doesn't matter a random anonymous poster is not a "source" - but fwiw that person claimed that Wake is more seriously hurt than was publicly aknowledged and was seriously thinking about and perhaps leaning towards retirement.

In theory, bringing in a veteran starter on a guaranteed deal, signing a catcher who can't catch him, etc - could be looked at as signs that the Sox are thinking about life without Wake.

29. OCD SS Posted: December 29, 2008 at 02:42 AM (#3039336)

Or life without Tek.

30. Famous Original Joe C Posted: December 29, 2008 at 02:43 AM (#3039338)

31. Darren

Posted: December 29, 2008 at 03:43 AM (#3039354)

Philly,

Found that rumor with some googling. Here's what the SOSH poster, bd11, wrote:

A source close to the team who I trust told me yesterday that Wake's shoulder has really been bothering him and he is seriously contemplating retirement. The source has been wrong on rare occasions but is usually dead on. Has anyone else heard anything about this?

Obviously losing Wake would be a big blow considering his salary and undeniable usefulness as a fifth starter. However if Wake retires it might make the Sox more of a player in the free agent market and would free up Wake's 4-5m per year in salary. Obviously it would be in the team's best interests to keep this info quiet for as long as possible so free agents and potential trade partners would not feel as though they could exploit this hole in the rotation. It also could make it less likely that the Sox would peddle Bowden or Buchholz for one of the Texas 3. Not trading for one of the Texas 3 could result in Tek becoming a tad more attractive to the FO. If this report is true there could be a ton of ramifications as I just illustrated.

Sounds sketchy, but that would be a big bummer. Wakefield is a tremendous value at $4 mil/year.

32. catomi01 Posted: December 29, 2008 at 03:59 AM (#3039359)

there's also the possibility that they could just let bard learn how to catch him...knuckleballs are obviously tough on a catcher, but come on now, the guys a professional...once upon a time mirabelli had to learn how to do it.

33. Darren

Posted: December 29, 2008 at 04:07 AM (#3039361)

That's not a plan I'd want to bank on, having seen how well he did a couple years ago.

34. Rough Carrigan

Posted: December 29, 2008 at 05:02 AM (#3039377)

Didn't someone once show that Bard had *barely* any more passed balls per innings of Wakefield caught than Mirabelli did that year? IIRC, had Bard had one fewer passed ball he would have done as well in that respect as Mirabelli.

35. Biff isn't really an apt handle anymore Posted: December 29, 2008 at 07:04 AM (#3039415)

Maybe Bard will do better than a 53 OPS+ this year.

36. Designated Sitter (GGC) Posted: December 29, 2008 at 12:03 PM (#3039438)

With Schilling, Colon and Ponson no longer on the roster, the Red Sox wanted to have a guy in the clubhouse who really cleans out all the leftovers at the buffet table.

C'mon, levski. Ponson was on the other evil AL East team.

37. TVerik, AKA Snoopy Snoopy Poop Dog Posted: December 29, 2008 at 12:24 PM (#3039439)

If Penny pitches an inning for the Red Sox, that is an impressive importing of World Champion Marlin pitchers playing in The Rivalry.

Pavano
Beckett
Burnett
Penny
Tavares (was gone in 2003, but was on the team in 2002)
Urbina

Also, I'm waiting to see a clever headline writer talk about how the Sox shop at JC Penney while the Yanks shop at Nordstrom or something.

38. RB in NYC (Now with New Running Goal!) Posted: December 29, 2008 at 12:27 PM (#3039441)

Didn't someone once show that Bard had *barely* any more passed balls per innings of Wakefield caught than Mirabelli did that year?

That can't possibly be right, Bard had 10 PB in Boston, and caught 53 innings. Mirabelli had 11 PB, but caught 400 innings. Obviously not all of those innings were by Wake, but at the those per inning rates Bard would have had 75 PB in 400 innings.

39. The Kids Are Enright (1k5v3L)

Posted: December 29, 2008 at 02:28 PM (#3039472)

C'mon, levski. Ponson was on the other evil AL East team.

I can't tell my evil empires apart any longer.

40. Designated Sitter (GGC) Posted: December 29, 2008 at 02:39 PM (#3039477)

'Salright. I get my NL West teams mixed up sometimes.

41. The Kids Are Enright (1k5v3L)

Posted: December 29, 2008 at 02:48 PM (#3039483)

'Salright. I get my NL West teams mixed up sometimes.

It's hard to tell them apart in the proverbial primordial soup of sewage.

42. I am Ted F'ing Williams Posted: December 29, 2008 at 06:03 PM (#3039664)

Signed for dollars on the Penny.

43. tfbg9 Posted: December 29, 2008 at 06:04 PM (#3039666)

Wakefield is a tremendous value at $4 mil/year.

Yes. But no more playoff starts.

On Bard: I've seen a few quotes from media that refer to Bard's 2008
as injury-ridden. His non-Petco 2006, 2007 OPS's:
.946,.842! Very nice little signing.

How's his overall defense regarded? Anybody got a line on it?

44. Shooty: Applying to be Fearless Leader

Posted: December 29, 2008 at 06:08 PM (#3039671)

How's his overall defense regarded? Anybody got a line on it?

Isn't the perception that he's just awful back there? I may be confusing him with someone else, though. I'll check...

edit: Yeah, he's pretty bad. B-Pro, at least, doesn't like him. He was pathetic throwing out runners in 2007, but that seems an aberration compared to 2006 and 2008.

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FOX: Rosenthal - Red Sox close to adding Penny to rotation

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