Ted's Army: The Voice of Red Sox fans

Your Morning Dump...where there is Hanrahan skepticism

Every morning, we compile the links of the day and dump them here... highlighting the big storyline. Because there's nothing quite as satisfying as a good morning dump.

Hanrahan’s sub-3.00 ERA and batting average allowed of .187 were supported by an unusually high strand rate and low BABIP, two factors that will make it difficult for Hanrahan to replicate his 2012 season in 2013. 

His percentage of baserunners stranded (89.7 percent) and BABIP (.230) both ranked in the top five among NL relievers with at least 50 innings last season and were far removed from his career averages of 75 percent and .306. 

Though Hanrahan had an above-average strikeout rate in 2012, his walk rate jumped from six percent in 2011 to 14 percent in 2012 (fifth-highest in MLB) and his groundball rate fell by nearly 15 percentage points over the last two seasons. 

This combination of statistics partly contributed to a 4.45 FIP (an ERA estimate based on strikeouts, walks, and home runs allowed), which ranked 118th out of 134 relievers with at least 50 IP. 

ESPNBoston | Reason to be wary about Hanrahan

Projections for how good Joel Hanrahan will be for Boston go all over the place. The advanced stats say he might be overrated, at least based on last year. The scouts say when everything is right, his slider is basically unhittable. The doctors say much of his trouble last year can be attributed to injury.

I don't find myself being all that concerned either way. I don't think he'll be a disaster. This isn't a Mark Melancon situation, where you have a pitcher of a certain talent level that just can't handle the atmosphere. And I don't think this is Eric Gagne either, where a pitcher has lost it, changes leagues, and will be even worse.

We don't need Hanrahan to be Mariano Rivera. Contrary to what Larry Lucchino will try to tell you, this team is not likely to be a serious competitor. Sure, if everything breaks right they could be. But what are the chances of that? What are the chances Dustin Pedroia and Jacoby Ellsbury stay healthy and perform at their talent levels? What are the chances Jon Lester returns to form? Clay Buchholz puts together a complete season? John Lackey and Ryan Dempster both stay healthy, can handle the AL East, and eat some innings? That all the bullpen efforts work out?

To me, the chances aren't good. We may be heading into 2013, but the focus should still be on 2014. And since Joel Hanrahan likely won't fit into the 2014 picture, due to his impending free agency, I'm only concerned with him being good enough to be an attractive trade chip at the deadline. Hanrahan and Koji Uehara, both signed to one-year deals, both with significant levels of performance at the deadline, would be great additions to any contender. And the Sox could use either or both of them to help bolster 2014.

Herald | How it all went wrong

Your Morning Dump...Where we are still trying to forget 2012

Every morning, we compile the links of the day and dump them here... highlighting the big storyline. Because there's nothing quite as satisfying as a good morning dump.

During the course of the 14-year run of the TV drama “Dallas,” the events from one entire season were erased, revealed as merely a bad dream after the show’s creators opted to change direction.

The Red Sox can relate.

For the past two months, the Sox have operated as though they’re content to pretend the majority of this year never happened. Can you blame them? The decision to hire Bobby Valentine to lead them out of the mess of September 2011 proved to be an abject mistake, a 308-day managerial misadventure that produced daily melodrama, a lack of direction and 93 losses, more than any Red Sox team since 1965.

And now, as the calendar flips to January, ownership and the front office would have everyone chalk up 2012 to a figment of the imagination. Valentine is out of sight, having quietly receded to his hometown of Stamford, Conn. The Sox rarely mention his name, especially since they replaced him with John Farrell, whose first goal has been restoring normalcy to the clubhouse and repairing any collateral damage his predecessor left behind.

Herald: Sox try to put nightmare behind them

It is a slow Red Sox news day. We know the Red Sox are trying to forget the 2012 season. They have been trying to forget it since August. We would like to think it was a bad dream, but  it wasn't, and the Sox are moving on.

In other news, Ugueth Urbina is out of jail...that's, uhmmm, good...

The rest of the links:

Herald: Strong case for Schilling | After prision release, former Sox closer Ugueth Urbina returns to baseball | Sox: A look back, a look forward | A Ballot Initiative | Ugueth Urbina working out with Caracas Lions, hopes to return to MLB

Your Morning Dump... Where Bard has a lot to prove

Every morning, we compile the links of the day and dump them here... highlighting the big storyline. Because there's nothing quite as satisfying as a good morning dump.

"I haven't really thought about how it affects my situation," said Bard of the Hanrahan acquisition. "I know I have a lot to prove coming into spring training, and I'm getting ready for that. Obviously my goal is to get back to the role I held for two or three years, setting up or better. Whatever I earn, that's my goal. 

"I was a little bit surprised. Having Bailey already here makes our team better without a doubt. You bring a proven, successful power arm in the late innings, that's always going to make your team better. I think we were going to have a good bullpen without him, and now he just will make it better."

The return of Farrell is just part of what Bard considers solving the mystery of '12. There is uncovering what went wrong, and when it went wrong, during his nightmarish season, along with how he might alter the approach in the coming year.

WEEI - Rediscovering Daniel Bard: Reliever is ready to offer Red Sox a not-so-subtle reminder

That's a very good, lengthy article from Rob Bradford discussing the entire Bard situation.  I highly recommend checking the whole thing out.

Bard is really a wildcard on this Sox team.  No one has any idea what to expect of him coming into this season.  He could revert to the 2011 Bard, or lob 89 MPH fastballs down the middle and no one would be surprised.  This really could go either way.

But it's clear that Bard, and most Red Sox fans, are hoping that the return of Farrell is the cure-all for whatever his problems are.  Bard talks about Farrell being able to watch him pitch and figure out what he needs to work on to get back to his former self.  I have no idea what kind of relationship these two had when Farrell was the pitching coach, so maybe it will be that easy.  Doubt it, but it's possible.

If Bard can get back to anywhere close to his former self, he'll not only give Boston another solid arm in the bullpen, but even more versatility to make some trades.  If the Sox are not contenders this year (spoiler alert: they won't be) Cherington should be able to flip at least two of these guys and continue building for the future. 

But first, let's just get Bard to not be awful.

Rest of the links:

Herald - Reviewing a busy week for the Red Sox | After prison release, former Sox closer Ugueth Urbina returns to baseball | WEEI - Why is this draft pick so important to Red Sox? | ESPN - Sox Hot Button: How much better?

Your Morning Dump... Where the Gang has yet to solve the Mike Napoli situation

Every morning, we compile the links of the day and dump them here... highlighting the big storyline. Because there's nothing quite as satisfying as a good morning dump.

Here’s what we know for certain about Mike Napoli: He is not a member of the Red Sox.

That’s one of the few facts at our disposal in a story that has seen the principals journey deep underground and basically off the grid, leaving the rest of us to nibble at the periphery in search of clues.

It has been more than three weeks since the Red Sox reached agreement on a three-year, $39 million deal with Napoli, who was clearly their No. 1 target in free agency.

Now comes word, via Jen Royle of SBNation, that the Red Sox are actively engaged with free agent first baseman Adam LaRoche, a 33-year-old coming off a better year than Napoli, but who also will require draft pick compensation in the form of the Sox’ second-rounder (not to mention that accompanying portion of the Sox’ bonus pool).

So what are we to make of all of this? Considering how aggressively the Red Sox pursued Napoli this winter, it’s safe to say they’re making every effort to sign him. The fact that they haven’t flat-out walked away suggests they believe the deal can be salvaged, and that Napoli will not, in fact, turn into another Mike Lowell or A-Rod and suffer a debilitating hip injury.

Herald - Time to solve this Mike Napoli mystery

Perhaps I'm in the minority here, but I'm not getting too antsy over the Napoli situation.  Maybe because it's still December and baseball season seems like it's light years away, but I have no issues with this dragging on.  Take your time boys.  Get it right.

Although, seeing Adam LaRoche's name get tossed into the ring does give me pause.  Hey! Look! Another left-handed hitter!  Just what we need!  LaRoche is a guy who's bounced around and has been fairly 'blah' everywhere he's been, minus a few bright spots.  One of which just happens to line-up in his walk year, at the age of 33, when he can get his last decent MLB contract.  Thanks, but no thanks.  I'll wait on Napoli.

If Napoli never materializes (maybe he finds a new suitor, or the Sox get scared off), we are going to be in some trouble at first.  But I'd rather suffer through a season of some sort of Saltalamacchia-Mauro Gomez hybrid than see the Sox throw $40 million at Adam LaRoche.

But before we start worrying about all that, let's let the Napoli situation play itself out.  In any other season, where the Sox are legitimate contenders, this would be a crisis.  But there's truly no rush here.  Not now.  Let's just sit back, enjoy the last few days of 2012, get ready for our New Year's celebrations and re-visit this contract next year.  Time is the one thing we have right now.

Rest of the links:

Herald - Stephen Drew can help Sox, self in ’13 | Globe - Mike Napoli remains a priority for Red Sox | Red Sox shortstop Stephen Drew wants to be his own man in Boston | CSNNE - Report: At least one team contacts Napoli |  Hideki Matsui announces his retirement |  Report: Red Sox in contact with Adam LaRoche | WEEI - Pedroia: Iglesias upset by Drew signing | Why Stephen Drew, Scott Boras are bullish on 2013

Your Morning Dump...where Farrell has it all figured out.

Every morning, we compile the links of the day and dump them here... highlighting the big storyline. Because there's nothing quite as satisfying as a good morning dump.

John Farrell is wasting no time bringing order to the Red Sox.

On the same day the team acquired Joel Hanrahan from the Pittsburgh Pirates, the new manager informed Hanrahan’s fellow two-time All-Star closer Andrew Bailey that he will enter spring training as a set-up man.

The decision was more about what Hanrahan does well than anything Bailey has done poorly, and Farrell felt it important to be up front with both players from the get-go.

“(Hanrahan’s) performance pretty much speaks for itself,” Farrell said. “This is a multi-year All-Star closer. We went into the offseason with the goal of improving the team however we could. We didn’t go in precisely looking to add a closer, but the Hanrahan addition to a strong bullpen makes it that much stronger as we stand here today.”

Herald: Manager's decision: Bailey to set up 

Well that didn't take long! Farrell doesn't want to have a competition at Spring Training, he's making everyone know what their roles are now so they can use Spring Training to prepare in that role.

This decision is more due to Hanrahan having better stuff to be a closer, his fastball & slider are incredible, a huge reason he's close to averaging 10 K's per nine innings over his career. Bailey could be used as a solid set up man.... unless he gets shipped out. I would actually hope he stays and just adds to the depth of quality pitchers in this bullpen. Bailey is due for a bounce-back year and could thrive in the set up role.

Hell if Daniel Bard can re-emerge as a decent seventh inning option... (what? crazier things have happened!) Even if that doesn't happen, the bullpen is set up to be a source of strength for this team and unlike last year, actually hold some leads this season. 

Rest of the Links: Globe: Farrell names Hanrahan closer | Melancon had "no regrets" | Herald:Sox recall 1st dose of Hanrahan | CSNNE: Sox have been talking to Adam LaRoche | Holt a good addition | WEEI: What we learned about Hanrahan deal | Farrell tells Bailey Hanrahan is the new closer | Farrell: Bailey 'a pro' on new role | Schilling belongs in HoF

Hanrahan deal is official

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So much for no news today. The Red Sox and Pirates have finalized the trade for Joel Hanrahan.

The Red Sox got their closer for Christmas -- okay, a day later -- as they officially acquired Joel Hanrahan from the Pirates on Wednesday as part of a six-player trade.

The Sox sent two of the players they acquired from the Dodgers in last summer's salary dump -- first baseman/outfielder Jerry Sands and infielder Ivan De Jesus -- to Pittsburgh, along with pitchers Mark Melancon and Stolmy Pimental. In addition, the Sox acquired infielder Brock Holt in the deal.

Pretty good deal if you ask me. They took Mark Melancon!! Jerry Sands isn't projected to be much of an impact player in the majors, and we saw Ivan De Jesus go 0-for-8 with 6 K's at the end of 2012 with the Sox.

Getting a slightly better infielder in Brock Holt in addition to Hanrahan seems like a good deal, even if Hanrahan is going to be a free agent in 2014.

I can't wait to see what they do with Andrew Bailey.

Your Morning Dump...Where there is nothing going on

 

Every morning, we compile the links of the day and dump them here... highlighting the big storyline. Because there's nothing quite as satisfying as a good morning dump.

Not much going on today.

Hope everyone had a Merry Christmas!

Your Morning Dump...where the Hanrahan deal won't be complete for a few days

Every morning, we compile the links of the day and dump them here... highlighting the big storyline. Because there's nothing quite as satisfying as a good morning dump.

However the Red Sox do not anticipate completing a trade before Christmas, according to a team source.

ESPN's Jim Bowden tweeted that the Sox would send minor league pitcher Stolmy Pimentel and first baseman/outfielder Jerry Sands to Pittsburgh. Multiple industry sources indicated to ESPNBoston.com that the Sox could include pitcher Mark Melancon, in addition to Pimentel and Sands, in return for Hanrahan.

ESPNBoston | Red Sox close on Joel Hanrahan

Looks like we need to hold our horses a bit on this Hanrahan deal. It's been weirdly reported -- names leaked out one by one a couple of days ago, and then everything froze. It sounds like a framework is there and we're about to have a new closer.

I'm conflicted. On the one hand, Hanrahan has had a good run of success. This is not the same as the Melancon deal, where we're acquiring somebody who scraped together a couple of good months. 

We also have a glut of players on the 40-man roster, so there is a procedural element to this. We could free up some space for young players rising through the ranks, or through more acquisitions.

That said, I'm leary of trading assets for relievers (the Melancon deal, which I initially supported, being a cautionary tale). 

The best part of it to me is that the Red Sox continue to bolster their ability to make deadline deals. While I do believe the Sox will be a competitive team this year, I don't believe they'll be a contender. The best-case scenario, in my opinion, is that we are 8-10 games out in July and decide to be a seller, and move Hanrahan, Koji Uehara, and other such spare parts for prospects. We could really bolster the farm system by moving some of these short-term assets to contenders.

Globe | Sox-Pirates still working on Hanrahan deal | Herald | New guy boost for Bard? | WEEI | Ross: 'Don't know why' Sox took approach 

Your Morning Dump...Where Ross gets what the Sox didn't want to give him

Every morning, we compile the links of the day and dump them here... highlighting the big storyline. Because there's nothing quite as satisfying as a good morning dump.

Cody Ross signed a three-year, $26 million deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks in a deal that came together Tuesday when the D-Backs brass got together and decided to target the Scottsdale, Az. resident.

Ross said he never got back to the Red Sox or any of them teams interested once the Diamondbacks put together their offer.

On the Red Sox he said, “I don’t know what happened but we could never agree on terms. They thought I’d come back no matter what because they thought I loved playing there. And I did. Who wouldn’t love playing at Fenway Park? I just wanted a fair deal. I told them what I wanted. I wasn’t trying to break the bank. They weren’t willing to do it.”

Major League sources indicate that the Red Sox were trying to re-sign Ross for two years, but Ross was seeking a three-year deal at between $21-$31 million the figures that comparables Josh Willingham and Michael Cuddyer signed with the Twins and Rockies respectively last offseason.

Globe: Ross on Sox: We could never agree on terms

I was surprised that Cody Ross signed a 3-year, $26 million deal with the Diamondbacks. Since the Red Sox were actively trying to sign Ross and the process had taken so long, I assumed he was looking for something in the range of $15 million+. Just over $8 million over 3 years doesn't seem like something the Red Sox would pass up on. Just look at the other contracts brought in by Cherington and the Sox.

I wish I knew the terms that the two sides couldn't agree on. I would assume the Red Sox didn't want to give him 3 years due to his age and possible injury concerns. Ross seemed fine when he came off the DL in 2012 when he fractured a bone in his left foot, but there could be something lingering. Whatever it may have been, the Sox couldn't sign him and we have to look elsewhere for that vacant right field position. He is going to tear it up in Arizona, which is one of the most hitter-friendly parks in the majors.

On Page 2, What is the deal with Napoli's hips?

Sox complete trade for Hanrahan

The Red Sox have acquired closer Joel Hanrahan from the Pittsburgh Pirates.

All the details aren't in yet, but it looks to be a 6 player swap (2 to Boston, 4 to Pittsburgh).

MLB Trade Rumors has some details:

The Red Sox and Pirates have agreed to a deal that will send Joel Hanrahan to Boston, according to Jim Bowden of ESPN.com (on Twitter).  Jerry Sands and Stolmy Pimentel will go to Pittsburgh in the swap and there will be more players involved in the deal.  There will be two more players headed to the Bucs in the deal, according to Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com (on Twitter).

Hanrahan, 31, pitched to a 2.72 ERA with 10.1 K/9 and 5.4 BB/9 in 59 2/3 innings for Pittsburgh last season. He earned $4.1MM and projects to earn $6.9MM through arbitration next year. Hanrahan is scheduled to become a free agent after 2013.

The big take away here: Iglesias gets to stay, and the Sox didn't have to give up too awful much in this trade.  Sands looks promising, but he wasn't in the organization long enough to grow any attachment to him.  Pimentel may still have a bright future, but struggled mightily in double-A last season.

It'll be interesting to see who the final two players the Sox have to surrender will be.  But it's not Iglesias, and it probably won't be any of the top-tier prospects or they would have already been named as a cornerstone of the deal.