Gammons Rumors: Qualls, Garland

In today's blog post at ESPN.com, Peter Gammons slips in a couple of trade tidbits.

While discussing the Boston bullpen, Gammons remarks:

"They'll keep looking at relievers on other teams -- like Houston's Chad Qualls -- and figure they'll get a mess of innings out of the starting rotation."

Gammons may be speaking in the hypothetical, but he may be implying that the Red Sox are looking into Qualls' availability.  The 28 year-old righty has been tough to hit the last two seasons, but a K/9 below 6 isn't closer material.

Another Gammons bullet point regarding the Red Sox:

"The Red Sox were told that Jon Garland is not available. Period."

That suggests they called on him, though I'm not sure at what point.  There's something to be said for a 210 inning, 4.50 ERA guy to add some stability to the rotation.  The Astros seemed inches from acquiring Garland in December, but got Jason Jennings instead.

Comments

[quintjs]

Really interested to know what point the Sox inquired about Garland.

Doesn't seem to me that rotation is lacking depth.

Schilling, Beckett, Matsuzaka, Papelbon, Wakefield, Lester, and guys like Synder and Gabbard who have impressed this spring.

Kinda typical, all you get is a one-liner.

[jatorres]

over/under on Papelbon ending up the closer? anyone?

[ArodSucksAtLife]

5%. Maybe he switches to relief for a September stretch run and the playoffs when Lester/Clement or others can be moved into a 5th starters role. That is unless he just tanks as a starter which doesn't seem likely. The kids a stud.

[Makaveli616]

I feel like the Sox have been trying to get Qualls for a few years now...

[mitch4ya]

If you want Qualls it's going to cost you some of your youth which apparently Theo doesn't seem to want to part with, so I see Chad with the Stros and this story just a Gammons wish list for his favorite team.