David Aardsma Traded To Red Sox

Does Aardsma have minor league options? If not I dont know where he fits in on the Sox. I've never heard of the 2 prospects they gave up, I am sure they are crappy prospects.

Aardsma is out of options. Prospects arent anything special, although mota has a live arm with a fastball reaching mid 90's, but hes a converted OF, so hes completely raw.

Totally fair trade for both clubs. Aardsma is a fireballer, but with major confidence and control problems (though when he's on, he is terrific). He needed a change of scenery. For the Sox, the begin to restock their farm system with raw guys; for now, it is a good place to begin for KW.

oops, seems my Type-Key problems led someone to beat me to a WhiteSox mention ~ nevermind :)

I remember that homer...to Marcus Thames I believe.

Yeah...he was a totally different pitcher after that. He went from being unhittable to just plain awful. Remember when he almost threw the ball away twice during an intentional walk against the Twins? He looked like he was about to cry on the mound.

He has the arm, but the guy is a headcase. It's too bad, really.

A relief pitcher from the White Sox not named Jenks, there is little hope.

As mentioned above, Aardsma does have strong stuff, just confidence issues. The Red Sox have a terrific pitching coach in John Farrell, and some other pitchers around Aardsma's age (26), all of whom might help him solve his problems.

Basically, it's a low-risk trade for the Red Sox; the prospects they gave up are nothing special, and Aardsma only has one year of ML service so he's cheap. But there's the potential for it to be very rewarding: if they can fix Aardsma's problems, they'll have him under their exclusive control for 5 more cost-controlled years.

Makes you wonder if the Red Sox think they will have some roster spots opening up ...

what do you mean by that walkoffblast? explain yourself man!

I was just mostly joking about Santana. Obviously the roster spots do not match up as at most they would gain maybe one and that would likely need to be filled by a new 4th OF.

“I am a little surprised he didn't go to team with a little more room in the pen. Tampa Bay would have seemed a likely destination.”

There is actually a strong probability that he was put on the waiver wire prior to being DFAed ~ putting him on the Waiver Wire gives you an indication of the interest available (and specifically what teams might want him) but takes 10 days before you can free up his roster spot off the 25/40man. You don’t generally DFA a guy before putting him on waviers though; you are then blindly looking for a trade partner with only 10 days to complete it. Guys generally get waived through revocable waivers (like those after trade-deadline), then pulled (when there are only a couple days left) and instead DFAed ~ from my understanding atleast…

Now, if Aardsma was put on waivers before being DFAed, it means he went all the way through to the team with the best record in the AL. TB had to have either passed on him on a wavier claim, or shown very little interest (ie, less interest than to offer better than these two questionable prospects). Its very likely that no one really wanted him, and if the RedSox did wave him at a later time to put him in the minors, he would probably pass through (well, if this theory is what took place)

JD, there is also Snyder on the bench, who was signed for 1 year on Friday. So as it stands there doesn't seem to be room for Aardsma. One possibility is that Tavarez will be traded to a team who will grant him his wish for a starting role.

By the way, I can only think of 4 bench players:

Mirabelli
Cora
Kielty (if Crisp leaves) or Crisp/Ellsbury
Moss or A.N.Other 1st base/corner-OF

JakeOF21, I just can't see the Sox running only 3 bench players. They've got to carry Mirabelli and Cora, and that only leaves them 1 spot for a solid bat off the bench. I think they have to go with 2 OF on the bench, one of whom can also play 1B or 3B.

metafrantic,

12 pitchers would allow for 13 batters ~ ie, starting 9 and 4 bench guys...

There's a lot of fluidity with the Red Sox roster right now. Until the Santana situation gets sorted out, it's really all just speculation. After that I think the picture will become much more clear. Ellsbury, Crisp, Lester and Tavarez are all candidates to be dealt soon, and they are still looking for a lefty bat off the bench who can play 1st base. The story in the Globe about Nixon on Sunday was intriguing. He feels as healthy as ever and has been working at 1st base, so if Wilkerson signs with the M's, I don't see the downside in at least giving Nixon a shot.

It's been a while since the Red Sox have had really any battles for positions going into spring training, even in the bullpen. I don't expect either Kolb or Miceli to make the club, doesn't seem like either has much left. But stranger things have happened. I think unless Hansen blows everyone away in spring training that Aardsma can definitely be that 7th guy in the bullpen, so long as they trade Tavarez.

JakeOD21, you're right that it's very fluid. For example, if the Sox don't end up sending Lester in a Santana package, then they have to decide what to do with their 6th starter; tehy may send Buchholz back to AAA, but they could also slot him in as the 5th starter and have Wakefield fill the 7th bullpen slot.

One problem is, the Red Sox need someone in the pen who can do long relief. If Tavarez is traded, they don't have that, unless they put Wakefield in the pen.

Oops, my bad - Socolovich is still 21. He'll be 22 in July.

I believe Socolvich used to throw in the mid-nineties, probably before TJ Surgery...perhaps he will add a few ticks as he gets further from surgery. I have been going to SoxProspects.com for years and he was a guy I was really excited about based on his velocity and age (this was probably two years ago)and always looked for his box scores online. The profile on soxprospects.com is updated and only has him at 88-92 now...could see him addng a few ticks or maybe it could just have been a case of inflated radar guns initally as that seems to happen quite a bit too.

"Snyder can do that. That's the second time you forgot him today."

Uh, no. JD forgot. I'm the one who REMINDED him:
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2008/01/david-aardsma-t.html#comment-98944786

(Oh, and Snyder's splits:
G, IP, ERA, WHIP, K/9
29 146.2 6.57 1.63 5.29 (As starter)
62 89.1 3.63 1.40 7.07 (As reliever)
He averages about 1 1/3 IP as a reliever. He sucks at long outings, and the Sox won't use him that way.)

And yes, if the Sox get Santana they'd have the same problem, fine. But exactly what "well-documented reasons" are you talking about that would keep Wakefield from the bullpen? He's got 141 career relief appearances; it's been a few years, but he could do it, especially if it was long relief and he got some spot starts as well. Can you link some articles about how Wakefield can't be used in relief?

1. That's true, although something people forget is that Varitek can catch the knuckleball; he caught Wakefield for about three years before the Red Sox acquired Mirabelli (1998-2001). I really wanted to see the Red Sox get a decent-hitting backup C, and have him catch on OTHER nights; let Varitek get the same amount of rest, but have him catch Wakefield.

2. That's the one real negative about using Wake in relief. But still, I think that 150 IP from Buchholz would be more valuable than 200 IP from Wakefield. Plus, Buchholz needs the ML experience; he's too good for AAA, and too much time there could stunt his development.

3. That's actually one of my big concerns about Wakefield. He's missed 70-80 innings over the last two years due to injury. He's going to turn 42 in August; if anyone was a prime candidate for injury, it's him. Fewer innings through carefully regulated use out of the bullpen might be better for him; I don't know, I haven't heard any doctors' takes on it.

Overall I thnk it makes more sense for the Red Sox to give the regular rotation spot to Buchholz so he can continue to develop; he can do it as the 5th starter, where there's less pressure, and he can spend the entire year learning from Farrell and all the veterans around him. Then by 2009 when Schilling (and Wakefield most likely) are gone, Buchholz would have a full season in the majors behind him, and a more experienced rotation of Beckett/ Matsuzaka/ Lester/ Buchholz would be spectacular... not to mention that Beckett would be the oldest member of that rotation at 28.

And I think it would be a horribly BAD idea to put Buchholz in the bullpen as I've seen some people suggest. He's an ace in the making - screwing with his development like that could ruin his potential.