| Christopher Reina. 9th January, 2009 - 11:24 am
 After losing out on Mark Teixeira, the Red Sox struck back at the Yankees and Rays who have both improved their clubs this offseason by signing John Smoltz and Rocco Baldelli to low risk, high reward deals.
Smoltz will earn a base salary of $5M with the opportunity to earn another $5M via bonuses while Baldelli will earn $2.25M if he remains healthy for 2009.
The 20-year veteran made just five starts in 2008 because of a shoulder injury that needed surgery in June, but he had a 2.57 ERA in those 28.0 innings, which followed three very good injury free seasons between 2005 and 2007 since he returned to the Atlanta starting rotation.
He's as competitive as anyone and an excellent athlete, so there is little doubt that he will give the Red Sox quality innings when he's healthy. But how healthy can a 42-year-old man be when he's just had major shoulder surgery?
It is so rare for a player to remain with a single team these days, and if ever there was a time for someone to take a hometown discount, it probably should have been Smoltz this offseason. I am not at all judgmental on money matters, but I hope Smoltz chose Boston because there is a better chance to win that second ring and pitch in his sixth World Series than anything else.
But moving on.. the transition to the American League and Fenway Park in particular will be interesting to follow throughout the season. Smoltz has a 4.22 ERA in 140.2 innings against the AL, but he hasn't given up an earned run in 20.2 Fenway Park innings.
Curt Schilling made the NL-to-AL switch at 37 and that resulted in a 3.26 ERA, 203 strikeouts, a bloody sock, and the end to an 86-year drought.
Boston's drought sits at just one, but Smoltz should give the Red Sox a great shot in the arm in June when he's ready to pitch again assuming they need him in a rotation that will also include at one point or another Beckett, Lester, Matsuzaka, Masterson, Penny, Wakefield, and Buchholz.
The Red Sox are not relying on Smoltz to get them into the postseason, but he is a nice affordable insurance policy, and his career 2.65 postseason ERA will be incredibly valuable and would replace Wakefield in that 'other playoff starter' category.
Additionally, he is a cheap alternative to Derek Lowe who will cost more annually and also be a lengthier contract, and he doesn't represent any added benefit to Boston in October.
Grade for Boston on Smoltz: A-
Rocco Baldelli's mitochondrial disorder has been mysterious and has affected his career in too many ways to properly count.
As Boston's fourth outfielder, Baldelli will see a lot of left-handed pitching, which should inflate his season averages as his career splits are .296/.347/.494 and .276/.316/.427 against righties.
He also can play all three outfield positions and is unlikely to be much of a downgrade from Jason Bay, J.D. Drew, or Jacoby Ellsbury should any of them miss time due to injury.
His career numbers at Fenway Park are a relatively modest .722 OPS, although he does have four homers in 91 at bats.
Fenway fans are sophisticated enough to be patient and encouraging with him, and they will also love yelling out 'Rocco' as much as they enjoyed 'Pedro', so that's the cherry on top for them.
Grade for Boston on Baldelli: B+
- Chris Reina is the executive editor of RealGM |
