The Red Sox may have filled the most obvious hole on their roster today by agreeing to a minor-league deal with Lyle Overbay, according to Rob Bradford of WEEI.
I was all ready to line up joke after joke about Overbay being old (36) and always hurt, but really on a minor-league deal this is a solid move. He's a patient hitter (career OBP .353 vs. AVG of .270) with plenty of experience and doesn't cost anything.
He's not a great defensive player: He hasn't had a positive dWAR since 2007, and let's be honest, when was the last time you saw a 36-year old who was a strong defender? But given the Sox' specific situation, he should fit in well -- somebody who can play adequately in all facets. And, again, he doesn't cost anything, so who cares?
Overbay should battle Mauro Gomez for a roster spot, and worst case spend time in Pawtucket until the inevitable Mike Napoli injury strikes.
