SB Nation - Ramon Ramirez

Minor League Update -- 12/14/09

Ben Buchanan — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 14:52:25 -0000

Columbian Winter League

Reynaldo Rodriguez: .296/.375/.467

-Numbers are on the rise again.

Dominican Winter League

Fabio Castro is the first in a string of recent acquisitions playing in the Winter Leagues. It's been a while since he's pitched, so he may be done. Managed a 2.47 ERA in 44 innings, striking out 36 and allowing 16 walks. Certainly not a bad resume.

Jose Capellan: .2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 2 K – 3.75 ERA, 10:24 K:BB, 1.83 WHIP

-It's amazing how low his ERA is giving up a walk per inning...

Mexican Pacific League

Another newbie in Minor League FA Darnell McDonald, but he hasn't played since November 1^st. .854 OPS on the season, which is pretty much in line with his AAA-lifer status at age 31. Entirely a depth move.

Robert Coello: 2.1 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 1 HR, 3 BB, 3 K – 3.29 ERA, 46:24 K:BB, 1.28 WHIP

Puerto Rican Winter League

The new guy here is Angel Sanchez, a 26-year-old defensive specialist SS with no bat.

Aaron Bates: 5-14, 2B, 3B, 5 K – .315/.373/.481

Reymond Fuentes: 1-3, K – .182/.250/.227

-I'm honestly sort of surprised the Sox are playing him here. It seems like it's just a good opportunity to ruin confidence.

Angel Sanchez: 7-15, 2B, K, SB, CS – .324/.385/.412

-Based on his lifetime numbers, this is the best you're gonna see him at.

Sydney Winter League

Boss Moanaroa: 3-5, 3B – .417/.500/.611

Moko Moanaroa: 1-3, 2 BB, 2B – .294/.429/.382

Venezuelan Winter League

More new faces here in free agent signing Edwin Moreno and waiver acquisition Ramon Ramirez. Moreno hasn't pitched in 3 weeks or so. 3.12 ERA, 16:6 K:BB, 1.27 WHIP in 17.1 innings.

Yeiper Castillo: .1 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 1 K – 3.86 ERA, 7:10 K:BB, 1.63 WHIP

Ramon Ramirez: 5 IP, 11 H, 9 R, 8 ER, 3 BB, 7 K – 7.02 ERA, 15:5 K:BB, 1.74 WHIP

-A less-than-stellar introduction.

Plenty of Movement in the Minors

While the Red Sox' front office has been largely quiet as far as major league moves are concerned, Baseball America says they've been plenty active on the minor league front. Over the last few weeks, the Sox have re-signed reliever Fernando Cabrera and shortstop Gil Velazquez, and added relievers Bob McCrory and Edwin Moreno, shortstop Angel Sanchez, and outfielder Darnell McDonald. As is usually the case with free-agent signings, these all appear to be depth moves with only a few guys having any chance to impact the big league club at all.

To counter the additions, the Red Sox released reliever Jason Blackey, outfielders Jered Stanley and Sean Danielson, and catcher John Otness.

Rookie Program Invitees Anounced

WEEI has the Red Sox' list of players attending this year's rookie program. The program is half-baseball, half-life, with players learning how to cope with the various issues that come up with working in the MLB. The program is typically reserved for those players the Red Sox expect to see in the majors within the next year or two.

A few things of note. Ryne Miller sneaks in as sort of an organizational sleeper pick after throwing around 100 good innings between Salem and Portland last year, posting a 2.76 ERA with a 97:31 K:BB ratio. Not bad for an undrafted free agent who had an ERA over 5 in '08. The invitation of Casey Kelly speaks to Theo's prediction of his getting on the major league radar fairly soon. Jose Iglesias is attending (along with best bud Luis Exposito), probably as much to help with his cultural transition as professional.

Red Sox Lose Jimenez, Zerpa to Rule 5 Draft

Chris Province Traded for Boof Bonser

Don't Overlook Holes In The Red Sox's Bullpen

Randy Booth — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 11:00:17 -0000

More photos » by Charles Krupa - AP

Who's going to help set this guy up in 2010?

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While people debate who should play left field for the Red Sox in 2010 (it's a heated discussion if you haven't jumped in on it yet), there are still other problems to be solved.

One is who will play third base if Mike Lowell is traded. Perhaps that is the biggest issue after the left field question mark, but No. 2 is important as well: who's going to be in the bullpen next season?

Sure, talking about bullpen arms isn't sexy like talking about power-hitting left fielders. But it's an important factor in the equation. After all, the effectiveness of the Red Sox's bullpen last season was one of the reasons they made it into the playoffs. The Red Sox's core six relievers -- Jonathan Papelbon, Hideki Okajima, Manny Delcarmen, Daniel Bard, Ramon Ramirez and Takashi Saito -- combined for a 3.07 earned run average in 363.1 innings.

Now, however, one of those relievers is gone (Saito), one proved very ineffective toward the end of the season (Delcarmen), one began to crumble underneath his workload (Ramirez) and Billy Wagner, who was a late-season acquisition, is calling Atlanta his new home.

With the Red Sox's current roster, here are the locks for the bullpen:

Jonathan Papelbon, closer
Daniel Bard
Hideki Okajima
Ramon Ramirez
Manny Delcarmen

Let's say the Red Sox go with 12 pitchers on the roster, with seven of those coming in the bullpen. Right now the Sox are looking at two empty bullpen spots. Looking at internal options, who fills the spots?

Scott Atchison
A recent acquisition, Atchison provides more depth. And if the Sox have him on their Opening Day roster, he either a) blew the team away in spring training or b) there's plenty of injuries. The latter is more likely. So, if Atchison is in one of these two spots, we better hope it's because he's fantastic in the spring.

Boof Bonser
Bonser is the most likely candidate as he can both start and relieve. If Bonser is on the Red Sox's Opening Day roster, it will most likely be in a long reliever type role. If the Sox are getting blown out -- or better yet, blowing a team out -- Bonser can come out of the 'pen and pitch some good innings. It will also make for an easy transition if he needs to start any games.

Michael Bowden
Bowden is in an interesting stage right now. He's proven he can play in Triple-A. He's ready for something bigger and better than that, but he hasn't had much success at the Major League level. He also hasn't had a lot of time to prove himself, either. The Red Sox don't have a spot in the starting rotation for him, but he could fill a Bonser-like role if he wants to be a long reliever. The Red Sox could also try and convert him to a reliever if need be. Bowden wants to stick in the bigs; this may be the best way for him to do that.

Fernando Cabrera
Cabrera was quite dominate for the Pawtucket Red Sox in 2009. He struck out nearly one batter per inning while opponents hit just .208 against him. His WHIP was a nifty little 1.12 in 55.1 innings. His callup to Boston, though, didn't go as well. He gave up five runs in 5.1 innings, but he did strike out eight batters. Small sample size doesn't sway in his favor, but the 28 year old still can offer the Sox a decent bullpen arm.

Fabio Castro
Castro is historically a starter, but could see bullpen action -- if the Red Sox get desperate. He doesn't struck out many batters, but he walks a lot. Oh, and he gives up a lot of hits, too. So basically, he's not going to do much for the Sox unless he can figure out those three problems first.

Ramon A. Ramirez
The other Ramon Ramirez. RamRam II has a great history against lefties -- a .218 batting average against in more than 270 innings -- but that might be the only thing he has going for him. He's a decent arm but like Atchison, shouldn't sniff the bullpen unless there are some serious issues already.

Dustin Richardson
Perhaps the sleeper of the group, Richardson made his name in 2009. After a rough 2008 season (he racked up a 6.33 ERA in 106.2 innings of work for Double-A Portland), Richardson came out and made easy work of his competition last season. He struck out 80 in 63.1 innings to start the year in Portland before a promotion to Pawtucket. He worked just 10.2 innings in Pawtucket, but he allowed just two runs and struck out 17. Between Portland and Pawtucket, he held batters to a .191 batting average against. He had a cup of coffee late in the season for the Red Sox (he gave up three hits and a walk in 3.1 innings). Perhaps the impressive 2009 will get Richardson a foot in the door come February.

The names aren't sexy, but they have arms that could potentially work within the Red Sox's bullpen. Of course, these are only internal options. We haven't looked at the external options yet, which don't give off many good vibes either.

What do you think? If you had to choose one of these internal options to be in the Red Sox's bullpen, who would you pick? Would you rather have an experienced pitcher like a Cabrera or Atchison, or a younger arm like Richardson? Should the Sox look in free agency rather than these internal options? Are there any trades you'd like to see the Sox make?

Poll

If you had to choose one internal option for the Red Sox's bullpen, who would it be?

11/4 - Red Sox National Pedro Day

bs.uf15bosox9bears23 — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 10:00:14 -0000

I declare it so. I don't care that I don't have the authority to do so, in my world, it's officially Pedro Day again in the Nation.

Game 6 script perfect for [Pedro] Martinez - The Boston Globe

Oh, man, this is going to be SWEEEEEEET: it's the first time that we've had a really good reason to not care what logo is on Pedro's cap since he left us. In fact, more than just one reason...

Jim Donaldson: 27 reasons to root against the Yankees - The Providence Journal

In case anyone was leaning towards Mazz's crazy side.

Now, in more directly related news:

Red Sox pitcher Buchholz prepared to play mind games - The Boston Globe

Sounds like he's maturing. I would absolutely love to see Buch prove me wrong and become the ace that replaces Beckett as Lester's partner in crime. Also, we're pretty damn spoiled to be able to talk about phasing one of a pair of aces out with another one. Of course, we'd be rotten to keep all three, right?

Valuing Josh Beckett - Yawkey Way Academy

Going against popular opinion here; an argument FOR signing Beckett to a relatively large extension.

After the jump, more links, likely in rapid fire mode, because it's hard to focus with it being a national holiday and what not.

Tito says splitter is key to Papelbon’s success - The Bottom Line

Pitch F/X'd. But if Tito knows this, why isn't Paps acting on it? Perhaps Farrell and Tito are having a bit of disagreement?

Is Johnny Damon a fit in Boston? - The Bottom Line

Not unless a lot of stuff doesn't go our way.

Red Sox Tasked With Finding Bench Coach, Role for Jason Varitek - NESN.com

Envision one of those Saturday morning cartoons where the cat gets its punk head beat in by the mouse (sorry, dog person here). Now imagine the shaking vision view from the cat's perspective, where everything is in multiples, and slowly stabilizing into one solid picture. The bench coach role and Jason Varitek are like that, to me - and no, I didn't get my head beat in by a rodent. Unless I did, and I just can't remember...

The Batter's Box Quiz 2 - NESN.com

Boredom kill. First one is beyond obvious, even to someone who apparently lost a fight with a mouse.

Should baseball expand replay? - Extra Bases

Yes. If the fairweather fans don't like it, they can go spend their money on something that will instantly gratify them - microwaveable pasta.

BoSox AFL Update - Fire Brand of the American League

Uh oh, USG's got competition. Well, maybe. I still prefer to see all the stats laid out along with the story.

2010 Red Sox Preview: Catcher - Yawkey Way Academy

Interesting point about the gain from a full season of Vic starting. Maybe we don't need to worry about losing out on Bay if we go after Holliday after all?

Negative Team WAR - 2009 Edition - Beyond the Box Score

Hey, we sucked the second least!

Patience Is A Virtue: Looking Back At The Ramon Ramirez Trade - Bleacher Report

So while visions of trading for Adrian Gonzalez, Miguel Cabrera or Felix Hernandez dance in our heads, it's important to note that even the smallest trades can become impact moves. A one-for-one deal in December can pay dividends in July, even if it doesn't involve sexy names or big contracts.

Pretty good article, actually. Every once in a while, BR surprises me; would be nice to see more authors using better stats in their articles though. Oh, wait, that's pretty much what most SB Nation users do. Seriously, it's amazing how this network seems to filter fans down to the most intelligent and committed (not always both though).

Regressing UZR toward the Fans’ Scouting Report - Inside the Book

The comments section is where the meat is here - lots of good points about considering the connections between stats before deciding to regress one to another, among other things. If anyone wants to use the formulas they present to project, say, Ells, be my guest. If not:

Trade Market: Center Fielders - MLBTradeRumors.com

I really hope Ells can develop an eye for reading balls off the bat, but there are some options available.

Adrian Gonzalez Trade Talks - MLB Daily Dish

Might as well help out another SB Nation blog.

Links, comments, favorite Pedey stories - let it all out.

Dissecting the Red Sox Roster: Pitching

Ben Buchanan — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 11:01:09 -0000

More photos » by Elise Amendola - AP

Make no mistake, Jon Lester is the current and future ace of this Red Sox staff. Sorry, Beckett, but it's time to pass the torch. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)

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I was originally going to post this the day we lost-I had written it as something of a therapeutic exercise-before I realized that this might be a "the body is still warm" situation. I thought that fit with the title. Anyways, we've all had time to cool off, time to grieve, and I think it's about time we move on. The stove is warming up, so let's get right to work, starting with a player-by-player review of the current and free-agent bound Red Sox. Who's going, who's staying, and who has trade value.

Daniel Bard: As a young, cost controlled player, Bard provides an immense positive for the Red Sox in the pen. Groomed as a closer throughout his career, Bard may not be ready yet, but he certainly gives the Sox flexibility in the event that Papelbon does become a sought-after commodity, both in the decision to act on a potential trade, and in the pieces they may get back, since they would not necessarily need a closer in return.

Josh Beckett: In the final year of his contract, Beckett actually has a lot to prove. Beckett has largely been living off his 2007 reputation with the Sox. While he was by no means bad this year, his 4.03 ERA in 2008 is not what we expect of an ace-type pitcher, nor is his 3.86 this year. Looking further into the stats, he's giving up quite a few more walks and homers, and striking out fewer of late too. This has lead to a steadily rising FIP from 3.08 in 2007 to 3.24 in 2008 and 3.63 in 2009. His tRA has also risen dramatically from 3.09 in '07 to 4.57 in '09. Ultimately, the Sox cannot approach Beckett's free agency with the idea that he's a necessary commodity. 2 years ago this idea might seem ridiculous, but as is Beckett may be a very replaceable pitcher for the money he will want.

Clay Buchholz: With his salary in check and his potential finally starting to show, Buchholz should be a valuable part of the Red Sox for years to come, whether as a future ace that many project him as, or as a solid #3 man. The real question with Buchholz is what his trade value is. There haven't been many trades mentioned throughout this last year that haven't involved the young hurler, but it seems that the Sox and potential trade partners just cannot agree on his worth. While his much-improved showing during this regular season may have raised his stock, it's still questionable whether the rest of the league sees him as being worth as much as the Sox feel he is. I doubt the Sox deal him unless he gets value near that of a potential ace.

Paul Byrd: The Byrd man is gone, possibly for good. After getting no interest from anyone until the Sox were forced to sign him due to injuries and poor results from FA signings, Byrd may even choose to go out on his own terms and retire. Either way, there are better options for the Sox in the offseason.

Manny Delcarmen: Around the trade deadline, the Sox had a great chance to get value for Delcarmen. Now they'd be lucky to get any trade offers. Even with a good start to the season, teams would need to see prolonged success to believe in him. Given the talent he's got, it would be smart for the Sox to keep him on as a low-leverage bullpen man if the rest of the pen gives them the option, and then trade him the second a team shows significant interest. He's still under team control for a number of years though, so it's not a big risk (yes, I know, low-risk high-reward is a crap buzzword right now).

Jon Lester: Not much to say here. He's our ace, he's young, he's under team control for many years. He's one of the most definite of the Red Sox' pieces.

Daisuke Matsuzaka: Much has been made of Daisuke's difficulties with the management and coaching staff of the Red Sox. And certainly the Sox can't be happy with him after he all-but-sacrificed his season with the team to pitch in the WBC. He is young, he isn't too expensive (well, not now after the posting fee) and he does have plenty of ability, but there are many questions as far as Daisuke's future is concerned. If Daisuke recommits himself to the team this offseason, then perhaps the Sox will recommit themselves to the idea of the Wunderkind Daisuke. But if the Sox can get good value on him, despite their weak bargaining position, they may jump at it, even if it does mean hurting their position in the Japanese prospect market.

Hideki Okajima: Okajima will be entering his first year of arbitration-not free agency-and as such is likely not going anywhere anytime soon. However, Sox fans do have to question how good Oki is going to be from here-on-out. 2009 was a down year for Oki, as his ERA rose to 3.39, though his peripherals were largely unchanged. He lost a few strikeouts, and gave up 2 more homers (though, when you're giving up 6 on a year, that's not a small deal), but his HR/FB% was up similarly, and his BABIP was up too, suggesting it might be some luck. The fear has to be that the league has figured out Oki and his bizarre delivery. In this case, only time will tell. If Okajima can return to form, it'd be a significant boost to the Red Sox' pen.

Jonathan Papelbon: After blowing up to end the season on a horrible note, plenty of Sox fans were calling for Paps' head. The post-loss fervor seems to have died down, but the idea is still out there. Papelbon has not been as good as he was in 2007, though he has by no means been bad, average, or even just above average. Let's make no mistake, he's one of the games best. However, the Sox are going to lose him one way or another in a couple of years, and Daniel Bard certainly has the stuff to replace him soon, if not now. Ultimately, it seems likely the Sox very quietly inform the league that his name is out there, and then if someone decides to overpay for a relief pitcher due to the "closer" title, give it a long, hard look.

Ramon Ramirez: Another cost-controlled pen arm, Ramirez started the season hot but struggled as the year went on. While his 2.84 ERA is still very low, his high walk rate and middling strikeout rate lead to a high FIP and ERA. If Ramirez can return to early-season form next year, he'll be a valuable part of the pen. If he returns to being a guy they can't trust in late innings, though, the organization will have to choose when to cut and run.

Takashi Saito: Saito is an interesting case. The team holds a $2.5 million option on him, and while his tiny ERA would seem to make this an easy decision, there are many things that suggest otherwise. The first is that his peripherals are universally worse. His K/9 are down, his BB/9 up, his HR/9 up. His FIP and tRA have risen tons compared to his career averages, and he seems to have lost his ability to induce ground balls. The team has also shied away from using him in pressure situations, and if he's only gonna pitch blowouts and 6^th innings than he's likely not worth the money it would take to keep him-especially if his numbers regress towards what his process suggests they should.

Note: South Coast Ghost correctly points out that the option is actually worth quite a bit more, as Saito fulfilled all his incentives for remaining on the active roster, as well as two for innings pitched. This brings the option value up to $6 million with $1.5 million in incentives remaining to be had. If it was a tough call for Sox management before, it's even harder now.

Billy Wagner: To the Red Sox, Wagner represents draft picks. Beautiful, beautiful draft picks. A type-A free agent, Wagner will net the Sox the top draft pick of any team that signs him, and a supplementary pick after the end of the 1^st round-assuming he doesn't retire. While earlier, it was questionable whether the 38-year-old Tommy-John patient would garner enough interest for a team to sacrifice a pick, 26 strikeouts in 16 innings should turn a few heads, not to mention a 1.72 ERA. The Sox have already agreed to pass on Wagner's $8 million team option, and it seems unlikely he will accept arbitration if the Sox offer it, since his reason for demanding they pass on his option was his desire to close. In essence, the Sox have a chance to recycle Carter and Lora for first-round talent. Now that's a deal.

Tim Wakefield: As per usual, Wakefield outperformed his 4 million dollar option, and as usual it would be foolish of the Sox not to pick up his contract if he's willing to come back. But given his status as a perpetual injury risk, the Sox had also better be sure they have a back up ready. If he chooses to call it a career, then it will be the end of a long and fruitful career that set the bar for loyalty.

Note To Self: Read Brandon Kruse Before My 2010 Drafts

raygu — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 13:00:31 -0000

More photos » by Chris O'Meara - AP

2 months ago: Tampa Bay Rays' Ben Zobrist lines a second inning RBI single off New York Yankees pitcher CC Sabathia during a baseball game Friday, Oct. 2, 2009 in St. Petersburg, Fla. Rays' Jason Bartlett scored on the hit. Catching for the Yankees is Jorge Posada. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

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I know what you are saying. Who in the world is Brandon Kruse. Brandon Kruse writes for Ron Shandler's Baseball Forecaster. A few days ago, I was flipping through my 2009 Baseball Forecaster and stumbled upon his article titled: "Speculating on Breakouts-1". Kruse looked players who had a Rotisserie value of $10 or less the prior year and who met all of the BaseballHQ filters for their respective breakout profile. Had I read this article before my 2009 drafts I could have had a few sleeper hitters who had breakout years in 2009. Here is who he wrote about-9 players in all:

1. Brian Anderson (OF, CWS)

2. Erick Aybar (SS, LAA)

3. Manny DelCarmen (RP, BOS)

4. Joe Mather (OF, STL)

5. Martin Prado (MI, ATL)

6. Ramon Ramirez (RP, KC)

7. Seth Smith (OF, COL)

8. Eugenio Velez (2B/OF, SF)

9. Ben Zobrist (SS/OF, TB)

Well, it's obvious not everyone on this list had a breakout season, but a few really standout. Ben Zobrist had a huge breakout season going 27-91-91-17-.297. Can he duplicate his performance in 2010?

Martin Prado had a nice breakout season as well. He took over the 2B job from soon-to-be-traded 2B Kelly Johnson. In 450 ABs, Prado went 11-49-64-.307 with 38 doubles.

The Rockies Seth Smith had a breakout season also. In 335 ABs, he went 15-55-61-4-.293. Those numbers project to around 25 HRs and 85 RBIs if he played everyday, which could happen should Colorado were to deal RFer Brad Hawpe in the offseason.

In his first year as a full-time starter, Erick Aybar went 5-58-70-14-.312 in just over 500 ABs for the Angels this year. He is one of the reasons why SS Brandon Wood rides the pine when he gets called up to the big league club.

Everyone looks for sleeper picks before their drafts. I suggest taking a look at Kruse's article in the 2010 version of Shandler's Baseball Forecaster before your drafts in 2010.

Poll

Will Ben Zobrist duplicate his 2009 performance in 2010?

Yes, he's Chase Utley Lite.

27 votes

No, he will regress a little bit.

47 votes

74 votes | Poll has closed

Manny Delcarmen scary bad in second half

Randy Booth — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 18:51:11 -0000

More photos » by Kathy Willens - AP

8 months ago: Boston Red Sox's Manny Delcarmen delivers a pitch in the eighth inning of the Red Sox's 3-1 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies in a spring training baseball game at Brighthouse Field in Clearwater, Fla., Sunday, March 29, 2009. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)

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It's no secret that Manny Delcarmen has struggled as of late, but the numbers are pretty shocking when you compare his first and second halves:

After a solid first half in which Delcarmen posted a 2.41 ERA, he had a fairly horrific second half, notching a 7.27 ERA. What happened?

"I don't know," Delcarmen said. "I just really don't know. One pitch would be 94 or 95 and another one would be at 90. I can't remember the last time I was that low. I'm working with [pitching coach John] Farrrell, trying to figure stuff out."

Terry Francona is still trying to figure out if Manny Delcarmen is going to be on the postseason roster. The combination of his car accident Saturday, plus his ineffectiveness, is going to make the decision tough. Here are the pitchers that should be locks for the ALDS:

That's 10 pitchers right there. That leaves Delcarmen, Paul Byrd and, potentially, Michael Bowden fighting for another spot or two (depending how the Sox want to go). Matsuzaka should be the long man in the ALDS, so Byrd and Bowden wouldn't be needed in those roles.

It seems to me that there will be room for Delcarmen, unless he really does suffer setbacks from the car accident.

Your turn: if you had to choose from those three, who would you want on the ALDS roster?

Poll

If you had to choose one as your last pitcher on the ALDS roster, who do you pick?

Manny Delcarmen

71 votes

Paul Byrd

85 votes

Michael Bowden

42 votes

Do I have to choose one?

47 votes

245 votes | Poll has closed

Boston Bats Come Alive as Sox Squash Orioles 11-5

Ben Buchanan — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 03:06:48 -0000

More photos » by Rob Carr - AP

2 months ago: Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Jon Lester throws to a Baltimore Orioles batter during the fourth inning of a baseball game, Saturday, Sept. 19, 2009, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Rob Carr)

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On a night when Jon Lester did not have his best stuff, the Red Sox' bats came alive to give him all the support he needed.

Against a team he traditionally dominated, Lester was shaky, and often seemed bothered by the condition of the mound. Commentator Dennis Eckersley observed he looked generally uncomfortable throughout much of his start. While giving up 10 hits including 2 homers would usually result in a few more runs, Lester managed to avoid serious damage, letting only 3 Orioles cross home plate and recording the quality start.

David Hernandez, the Orioles starter, had a pretty similar night. 7 hits, 3 walks, and a home run added up to 3 runs over 6 innings. But it wasn't the Orioles' starter that would give up the game, but their bullpen and defense. Matt Albers would give up 2 runs while recording only 1 out. Alberto Castillo fared even worse, facing 3 batters and giving up a hit to each. Finally, Bob McCrory would put the game well out of reach with a little help from Ty Wigginton, whose error would allow Victor Martinez to reach base in the 8^th. 4 batters, 2 homers, and 5 runs later the Red Sox were firmly in control.

The Sox' offense came from all kinds of places, with every starter recording a hit. Josh Reddick put the Sox up early 2-1 with a 2-run homer in his first at bat, David Ortiz had 2 doubles, Mike Lowell went 3-4, and JD Drew went 3-5 with a double and a 3-run shot. Even Brian Anderson managed to knock one out.

There was some mild drama in the 9^th inning as Manny Delcarmen would fail to record an out, offering up 2 homers to the first 2 batters he faced and then walking the next 2 men. Ramon Ramirez would come in to clean up after him, getting a pop out and a double play while giving up only a walk.

Red Sox Nation will get its second look at the recuperated Daisuke Matsuzaka tomorrow after a good start against the Angels. The Orioles counter with Jason Berken, who Sox fans might remember for his last performance against the team when he gave up 7 hits, 2 walks, and 6 runs before exiting with 1 out in the first on August 2^nd. Hopefully the Boston batters will have as much success when they go for the sweep tomorrow.

Dayton Moore's Off-Season Trades Have Started To Look Mildly Less Terrible

royalsreview — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 18:14:11 -0000

Thanks to some mild struggles (or non-awesomeness really) from Ramon Ramirez in Boston and a typical Leo Nunez implosion in Florida, Dayton Moore's two major off-season trades don't look quite as terrible as they did around the All-Star Break.

Alright, actually, 90% of this is just ole Leo's struggles, but hey, you wanted more positive analysis.

Let's not be mistaken here: both trades are still failures. They may have been justified gambles, but each failed to pan out. The trades added $9 million to the team payroll, along with directly encouraging additional spending on Kyle Farnsworth, Horacio Ramirez, and Jamey Wright. The bullpen got more expensive and worse, and for their troubles, the Royals got 49 games of Coco Crisp and a player with negative value in Mike Jacobs.

However, we can now consider these trades as only a seven or an eight on the failure scale, instead of a ten.

	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	K	SB	CS	AVG	OBP	SLG
2009 - Mike Jacobs	115	388	38	91	16	1	17	55	35	114	0	0	.235	.301	.412

	W-L	G	GS	CG	SHO	SV	BS	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	K	ERA	WHIP
2009 - Leo Nunez	4-5	68	0	0	0	21	6	62.1	52	28	28	12	23	56	4.04	1.20

October 31, 2008: Leo Nunez traded to Florida for Mike Jacobs

Team leadership has not shied away from voicing their disappointment regarding Jacobs's performance in 2009, which is a little strange because it has been little different than what he's done throughout his career. He's lost some singles, but his ISO and HR/FB numbers are mostly in line with his career numbers. Mostly, he's just had a non-career year, which has caused him to lose playing time, which has made his counting stats look even worse.

So how has this trade started to look better?

First, the Royals have done an admirable job keeping Jacobs off the field. He's only played 112 innings with a glove this season, which has mitigated some of the damage he does to a baseball team. As such, his WAR total is "only" a terrible -0.3. Yes, that's awful for a guy you voluntarily added to your team. Yes, that's awful awful for a guy you are paying $3.25 million for. Sure. Still, it could have been worse. Imagine if Jacobs was playing first full-time and not posting his highest walk rate since 2006.

Secondly, Leo Nunez, after a nice start, has fallen apart in Florida. In his last 49 games, Nunez has posted a 5.10 ERA, in the National League, in a pitcher's park. As such, Nunez's WAR total for 2009 is -0.7. He's been worse than Jacobs. Of course, Leo's also making the league minimum. Although he's set to be arb-eligible for 2010 (I think) he's still likely to be cheaper than Jacobs will be.

Trade Verdict: Trash in, trash out. After the trade, I speculated that Nunez might have been on the precipice of "getting it" or turning a corner or whatever. That didn't really happen. Nevertheless, Jacobs has been just as lame as we predicted. We're bummed out by the low OBP, the team brass sees lower RBIs and strikeouts (or whatever they look at) but the result has been the same. When a guy's value actually goes up when he plays less, because he's a net negative, well, that's literally the definition of a sub-replacement level player. The trade could have been worse, had Nunez panned out in Florida, but at the moment, it's only a two out of three failure: Jacobs is bad and Jacobs took the roster spot and the salary of a potential player who could have easily been better. Maybe the most horrifying thing remains unchanged, as the Jacobs acquisition continues to reveal how the team's Major League talent evaluation is broken.

	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	K	SB	CS	AVG	OBP	SLG
2009 - Coco Crisp	49	180	30	41	8	5	3	14	29	23	13	2	.228	.336	.378

	W-L	G	GS	CG	SHO	SV	BS	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	K	ERA	WHIP
2009 - Ramon Ramirez	7-4	61	0	0	0	0	3	61.0	51	20	19	6	27	48	2.80	1.28

November 19: Ramon Ramirez traded to Boston for Coco Crisp.

Thanks to good defensive numbers and the fact that his season ended shortly after a hot streak, Coco's WAR for the season stands at 1.3. Coco was walking like crazy during his two months as a Royal and there's a reasonable case to be made for the fact that Coco's defensive numbers would have likely declined a touch as the year, that he didn't play, dragged on. Coco's salary for 2009, one of the highest on the team at $5.75 million, wasn't a complete waste, at least from a strict WAR perspective. Nonetheless, the Royals traded for a player with injury history, and that player with injury history got injured. Bad luck!

Meanwhile, Ramon Ramirez, has not quite flourished in Boston. He's been good, and would still be the best non-Soria reliever on the Royals. He's slumped mildly after a hot start, and has posted a 0.5 WAR in a deep Boston bullpen. He's been good, but he hasn't been quite as awesome as he had been in 2008.

Trade Verdict: Considering that Ramirez is making the league minimum in 2009 and arb-eligible for the first time in 2010, he figures to be a cheap bullpen option for a team that doesn't need cheap players for a few more years. Crisp, meanwhile, faces an unclear future with the Royals, who continue to look for other options in centerfield. Instead of solidifying a position of need, Crisp was just another player who was briefly slotted in. For 49 games of Coco Crisp, the Royals gave up four salary-controlled seasons of Ramon Ramirez. The odds are extremely small that the Royals will win this trade, but hey, at least they didn't lose it immediately!

The Royals would do well to swallow their pride and part ways with Coco Crisp and Mike Jacobs in 2010, effectively turning the page on these two fall of 2008 trades. If it is any consolation, we can now be pretty sure that the Royals only traded away one cheap & effective reliever, not two. Leo Nunez, we now nominate you for Dayton Moore's 2009 off-season MVP.

The Clutch Mart is Open! Victor Leads the Sox to a Win

Ben Buchanan — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 04:43:30 -0000

More photos » by Steven Senne - AP

3 months ago: Boston Red Sox's Victor Martinez, right, watches the flight of his three-run double as Baltimore Orioles catcher Matt Wieters, left, looks on in the seventh inning of a baseball game at Boston's Fenway Park, Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2009. Martinez hit the double off Orioles pitcher Danys Baez. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

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Pinch hitting with 1 out and the bases loaded, all Victor Martinez needed to put the Sox on top was a sacrifice fly. Instead, he took the first pitch he saw —a fastball begging to be hit —and smacked it to the foot of the monster for a bases clearing double.

Martinez' double capped another strong offensive night for the Red Sox, who managed 15 hits and 5 walks in the 7-5 win. In the first inning, Jason Bay put the Sox on top 2-0 with a 2-out base hit. Then, in the 4th, the Red Sox scored perhaps their most unusual run of the season. Mike Lowell reached first on an error after a low throw from 3rd baseman Melvin Mora bounced out of Ty Wigginton's glove, and then stole 2nd base as Varitek took a pitch in the dirt on a hit-and-run attempt. Varitek, 0-for-his-last-14, then doubled him in. The Sox would add another odd run in the 6th, then down 1, as Dustin Pedroia scored Joey Gathright (pinch running for Jason Varitek) from 3rd after bouncing a pitch off of pitcher Matt Albers. Every Sox starter recorded a hit except Alex Gonzalez.

Paul Byrd managed to keep the Sox in the game, dancing around 6 hits, 3 walks, and a ton of hard-hit balls to limit the Orioles to 2 runs over 5 innings. Manny Delcarmen pitched disastrously, loading the bases on 2 hits and his own fielding error before issuing a 4-pitch, bases-loaded walk to Brian Roberts. He recorded only 1 out. Ramon Ramirez allowed another of Delcarmen's runners to score on a single by Felix Pie before averting further harm by sitting down the next 2 batters on strikes. Billy Wagner had yet another 2 strike out inning in the 7th. Daniel Bard would strike out two, but allow the tying run to come to the plate by giving up a single and a walk before Jonathan Papelbon ended the 8th with a 1-pitch out. Paps would again induce some Drama, allowing a run to score in the 9th and again having the tying run come to the plate, but recorded the save on a Ty Wigginton pop-out.

The Sox stay 2 games up in the wild card race on the Texas Rangers, who blew out the Indians 10-0. Tampa Bay is coming to Boston for the two teams' final series of the season, while the Rangers host division rival Seattle.

The Free Agency Free 2013 Boston Red Sox -- Bullpen

Ben Buchanan — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 15:14:45 -0000

More photos » by Elise Amendola - AP

Daniel Bard: The likely centerpiece to any future Sox Bullpen (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)

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Starting Pitching

Today, we move on to the bullpen.

The only obvious name for the team is likely Daniel Bard. He's young, under team control for a long while, and oh yeah, he's really good. Papelbon will probably have left for "greener" lands, while Saito is gone due to age. Hideki Okajima seems to have found a nice fit with the Red Sox so far, and if he continues to perform I don't see why the Sox would let him go. He's not exactly a power pitcher, so it's questionable whether 4 years would hurt him that much, but for now I think I'll give him the benefit of the doubt. Ramon Ramirez and Manny Delcarmen will both come up for free agency at the same time. I would tend to think they sign only one of them, but the pen is often the hardest part of a team to predict on a year-to-year basis. For now, let's say they tire of Delcarmen's consistent inconsistencies, or try to get closer-value for him in the NL, and keep Ramirez.

From there, the Sox farm system is not exactly well stocked in relief arms, but there are some names of note. Alex Wilson, while currently on the path to being a starter, has a lot of signs of being a bullpen arm down the line. With limited secondary pitches except for a slider which, depending on the scout, is either a plus pitch or one which won't get MLB level players out, Wilson's repertoire is not exactly the kind to throw three times through the lineup. Also, Wilson's fastball, once clocked in the upper 90s, is now sitting middle-low post Tommy John Surgery. A relief role could help him reclaim his zip.

Dustin Richardson is a somewhat older lefty (25 in AA) trying to reinvent himself as a reliever, and the early returns have been very good, as his ERA has shrunk from an ugly 6.33 to an impressive 2.31. There are some serious caveats, though. While his K:BB ratio isn't too bad at exactly 2 due to very nice strikeout numbers, at some point enough has to be enough with walks, and at nearly 5.7 per 9 innings, he's likely reached that point. Also, for a pitcher with a 2:1 flyout to groundout ratio, his number of home runs surrendered is suspiciously low. For what it's worth, his peripherals are far superior against lefties, so if nothing else he can likely make it as a LOOGY.

The Sox' ninth round draft pick this year, Kendal Volz, is also a player to watch. Though his numbers during college have been unimpressive, during his 2008 time closing with Team USA he showed he had incredible stuff. If the organization can get him back to his old form (and the $550,000 signing bonus would suggest that they at least think they can), he could be an integral part of the pen for years to come.

Other than that, the names are limited. There's always Javier Lopez trying to get back up from AAA, and countless struggling starters who could see the pen as their best chance to make it big (see: Kris Johnson). And, of course, since not all of the young starters in the system will have a place in the rotation, there will likely be a Justin Masterson type pitching long relief and getting spot starts. I would theorize that the most likely guy to be there in 2013 would be a Stephen Fife, but that's more of a shot in the dark than anything else.

Relief pitchers are by nature difficult commodities to judge. Any given season is a small sample size, they are particularly prone to overuse and massive fluctuations from year-to-year. They're shuttled around in trades as add-on pieces and afterthoughts despite the fact that a good pen can make or break a team. Looking at the Sox' farm system, it seems like the position may have been somewhat overlooked in past years, as the Sox have focused almost entirely on starters pitching-wise. None-the-less, the situation a few years down the line does not look exactly desperate.

2013 Free-Agency Free Red Sox Bullpen:

RHP: Daniel Bard (Closer)

RHP: Alex Wilson (Set up)

RHP: Ramon Ramirez

RHP: Kendal Volz

RHP: Stephen Fife (Long relief)

LHP: Hideki Okajima

LHP: Dustin Richardson