Veteran Pitchers Everywhere
The week after the trade deadline is always fun. The waiver wire rumors may lack the intrigue and publicity of their free trading big brother, but the amount of movement we saw this week, specifically with veteran pitchers. Here’s a recap of the frenzy.
After Sidney Ponson’s latest effort, the doughty cousin of Radhames Dykhoff was designated for assignment by the Royals. ERA can and does lie and probably did Ponson in more than anything. Ponson’s FIP was a decent a 4.69, eons better than his 7.36 ERA. No word yet on whether Ponson has cleared waivers or if louche behavior played into the transaction.
The Yankees signed Russ Ortiz for added depth meanwhile the heir to that position, Brett Tomko, was signed by the Athletics. Much like Ponson, Ortiz is the sufferer of a poor ERA and figures to spend more time in Triple-A than the majors. Tomko is an interesting addition if solely due to the tidbit that if he reaches the majors this would be his fourth California-based team to do so with, leaving only the Angels. Here’s hoping Tony Reagins hands him a contract during the winter.
Not to be outdone by their bitter rivals the Red Sox re-added Paul Byrd. I’m not entirely sure why, since the Red Sox have a surplus of young starters close to the majors, including that guy Clay Buchholz. Byrd has familiarity with the team and all that goodness, but it still seems odd given the Red Sox’s refusal to find consistent starts for Buchholz or Michael Bowden.
Joe Nelson’s time in the majors dates back to 2001. Since the often-injured journeyman has made trips to the show with Boston, Kansas City, Florida, and currently with Tampa Bay. Somehow a minor league option remained on Nelson’s book and the Rays exercised it this past weekend. Nelson had been ineffective at best since transitioning to the American League.
Oh yeah and Mike Koplove was traded to the Mariners. I’m not sure anyone else can top that.
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Good point about Byrd. At this point, the last thing they need is another past-his-prime veteran to add depth to the back of the rotation. The back of their rotation is very deep; it’s the front that needs more depth.
What do you think about Smoltz’s continued struggles? I know you wrote the earlier article about him being better than his results. (I’m not trying to be obnoxious — I’m genuinely curious. And no, I am not a Red Sox or Braves fan, but I do like Smoltz.)
Agree that Byrd is a strange move. Not saying we’re there yet, but when it was time to start wondering about Buchholz? It’s torture watching that guy pitch with men on base. It’s a good thing Buchholz and Mike Hargrove are from different generations, that match-up would have created a half-hour at bat with men on base………
sorry that should have said ‘but when is it time’ in the first line, nice grammar on my part……….
Byrd was signed because Smoltz, Penny, and Buchholz have been disasters so far and Bowden can only really cover one of them.
Agreed. Bowden has not really shown that he is ready in AAA either. Compared to last year his strikeouts are down and his walks are up. He pitched one mlb game last year and one mlb game this year. I don’t think this is the best time to give him his first MLB string of starts.
“Welcome to the Bigs, by the way, Smoltz, Penny, and Buch haven’t been able to do it but you better.”
The Byrd signing is great. He pitched average ball for the Sox last year. If he can do that again this year he would be an upgrade over Smoltz and Buch atleast.
I agree. Smoltz right now has been the king of why K/BB isn’t perfect.
Who cares if you throw strikes and occasionally miss bats when the times you don’t miss bats, you offer fat ones?
That being said I would not be against them bringing up Bowden as long as he was on a short leash. Pull him at the first sign of trouble sort of thing.
I just don’t want to sacrifice the long term plan of Bowden to help with the short term wins this year.
Koplove? Will the Nat’s now sign Mark Brandenburg to a minor league contract?
I’m not entirely sure why, since the Red Sox have a surplus of young starters close to the majors, including that guy Clay Buchholz.
Perhaps it’s because they don’t actually have a functional surplus?
That Bowden isn’t in the Sox rotation right now is a pretty telling statement on what the Red Sox themseleves thing about Bowden, his stuff, and likelihood of succeeding at the major league level. Same for Tazawa to a lesser degrett. All year long from the winter hot stove on we’ve heard over and over about the Sox embarrassment of riches with pitching. People keep persisting in believing this. But that they are signing Paul Byrd with the aims of putting him in the major league rotation (rather than AAA filler) says a lot about what they think of their own young talent resources.
Don’t use them, don’t trade them, it’s like a hobby, collecting young pitchers for the sake of collecting them?
Well, Tazawa’s up with the team now after DFA’ing Smoltz. Could be up as an insurance policy if Penny and Buchholz continue to suck and if Paul Byrd can’t get it done.
“Byrd has familiarity with the team and all that goodness, but it still seems odd given the Red Sox’s refusal to find consistent starts for Buchholz or Michael Bowden.”
Buchholz has been in the rotation since mid-July. Starts don’t get much more consistent than that.
On a different note, the reason Bowden likely hasn’t been called upon is because he hasn’t exactly blown the world away in AAA. Walks are up, K’s down. The Sox likely don’t want to thrust this young guy who’s showing some struggles in AAA into their rotation right now, especially given the way they’ve sucked recently.
They were probably going to need them both, anyway, and will clearly need them both now, one to take Masterson’s spot in the pen and the other to take Smoltz’s spot in the rotation. Tazawa was available to pitch sooner.
adam mills has won 8 straight starts for the redsox AA team