Pen-ding Future...
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by BoSox Buzz
www.bosoxbuzz.com http://bosoxbuzz.blogspot.com
As the trade deadline looms all is quiet on most MLB fronts. The game of position each team masterfully plays is coming to an end. Tomorrow will mark the trade deadline, and for the first time in years there are not many names to be readily available. As with most; teams are looking for relievers to help give them that shot in the arm for September and October runs.
One team that didn't figure to need that proverbial shot in the arm was the Boston Red Sox. It seemed as if they had the perfect situation with either Mike Timilin or Manny Delcarmen working the seventh, and then Hideki Okijima working the Eight; right on to Jonathan Papelbon shutting it down in the ninth. They have an astounding ERA of 2.74, they have only gave up 88 runs, and have pitched a combined total of 289 innings (lowest in MLB). So why is Theo shopping for an arm you ask?
It is simple, in big situations and small as evident in the last two games the Red Sox are still not a shutdown team! It is evident that the Sox needed a stronger seventh inning presence before the August-October months. But at what price and for what talent. The Red Sox I am sure would not like to mortgage there future by sending a couple of good pitchers for an aging and hurting Eric Gange, Octavio Dotel, or even a Demarso Marte.
I don't think the answer is in another arm, I will try to elaborate. The bullpen is good and were looking for veteran power to hold down a situational seventh inning. So to me if the Brendan Donnely can get healthy he would make sense in filling that roll. He was arguably having a very good year with the Red Sox and he has just a 3.05 ERA in 27 games and has not given up a HR this year and 19 Hits. He is comparable to the three pitchers the Sox are looking at...
Octavio Dotel: Has played in 24 games has a 3.91 ERA and has given up 3 HR, and 24 Hits. Eric Gagne: Has played in 34 games has a 2.16 ERA and has given up 2 HR, and 23 Hits. Demarso Marte: Has played in 43 games has a 1.38 ERA and has given up 0 HR and 19 Hits.
Now Gagne wants to be a closer with closer money, it doesn't make sense unless you look to put Papelbon in the starting rotation. Demarso Marte is going to also come at a very steep price, and is unproven in BIG situations. The fact is if Donnely can get healthy the Red Sox can solve what is not a very huge problem by not trading away anyone and saving money.
I know it is great to have arms but the Red Sox do have them and they can deliver. The seventh inning may be a roller coaster once in a while but I know 29 other teams would love to have that problem. And don't forget they always have TIM WAKEFIELD as a bull pen option!
The Red Sox have today off so no more posts until then!
-Peace and Happiness, GO SOX! Michael (webmaster/creator: www.bosoxbuzz.com)
