Tuesday, January 17, 2006
CONSTRUCTION JUNCTION WHAT’S YOUR FUNCTION
Even the little stuff is ruffling my feathers…
The recent signing of Grant Balfour for peanuts or $340,000 annoys me to no end. Balfour is coming back from reconstructive surgery – he could be ready in July - but has great stuff that was supported by his high strikeout per nine numbers. The most valuable trait for a pitcher, and even more important for a reliever is the ability to get swing and misses. With men on base, no contact equals no runners scoring. Balfour would have been a nice low risk/cost signing.
The Sox have not been acquiring scratch ticket (low cost – relatively high reward) players as they have in years past. Jermaine Van Buren is the exception and Jamie Vermilyea is the usual Rule V draftee, but where are the signing of guys like Chip Ambres, Dave McCarty, and Brian Daubach. Where are the AAAA type acquisitions – Jack Cust or Brad Baker - that give the Sox options, add depth, and could contribute at a low cost?
It could be a number of things (players not wanting to sign, FO lack of time and/or interest, the changing market, etc.), but it is apparent that the Sox have made questionable 40-man roster decisions making it more difficult to find roster space for scratch ticket acquisitions. The Cla Meredith Experiment sucked up a spot. As did adding David Pauley and Brandon Moss to protect them from December’s Rule V, even though neither made Baseball America’s Sox top ten prospects. It is doubtful that a club would have given a spot on their 25-man to Pauley after posting only a 6.0 K/9 and Moss with his line of 268/337/441 both in Portland. The Sox current roster construction is not optimal as it limits their flexibility to make low risk moves. The twenty-five that make the Opening Day roster are not the only ones that contribute to a winning club.
Questions, comments, issues, concerns, or just want to call me a dumb ass?
Even the little stuff is ruffling my feathers…
The recent signing of Grant Balfour for peanuts or $340,000 annoys me to no end. Balfour is coming back from reconstructive surgery – he could be ready in July - but has great stuff that was supported by his high strikeout per nine numbers. The most valuable trait for a pitcher, and even more important for a reliever is the ability to get swing and misses. With men on base, no contact equals no runners scoring. Balfour would have been a nice low risk/cost signing.
The Sox have not been acquiring scratch ticket (low cost – relatively high reward) players as they have in years past. Jermaine Van Buren is the exception and Jamie Vermilyea is the usual Rule V draftee, but where are the signing of guys like Chip Ambres, Dave McCarty, and Brian Daubach. Where are the AAAA type acquisitions – Jack Cust or Brad Baker - that give the Sox options, add depth, and could contribute at a low cost?
It could be a number of things (players not wanting to sign, FO lack of time and/or interest, the changing market, etc.), but it is apparent that the Sox have made questionable 40-man roster decisions making it more difficult to find roster space for scratch ticket acquisitions. The Cla Meredith Experiment sucked up a spot. As did adding David Pauley and Brandon Moss to protect them from December’s Rule V, even though neither made Baseball America’s Sox top ten prospects. It is doubtful that a club would have given a spot on their 25-man to Pauley after posting only a 6.0 K/9 and Moss with his line of 268/337/441 both in Portland. The Sox current roster construction is not optimal as it limits their flexibility to make low risk moves. The twenty-five that make the Opening Day roster are not the only ones that contribute to a winning club.
Questions, comments, issues, concerns, or just want to call me a dumb ass?
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Thank you - Red Sox!
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