Dusty Brown, Kevin Cash and Robert Manuel have all been removed from Boston's 40-man roster, reports WEEI's Alex Speier. The three players will all be eligible for free agency five days after the last game of the World Series.
Brown has played in a total of 13 career major league games (all over the last two seasons) and has been in Boston's minor league system for the past decade. The catcher has a .729 OPS in 2759 minor league plate appearances.
Cash was acquired from Houston in July to give the injury-plagued Sox some catching depth. Though he managed just a .374 OPS in 68 plate appearances, Cash "received raves from the Sox for his clubhouse impact," according to Speier. It was Cash's second stint in Boston and the eight-year major league veteran is likely to get a minor-league deal from another club looking for an experienced backup option.
Manuel posted a 4.26 ERA in 10 relief appearances for the Red Sox in 2010. Originally signed by the Mets in 2005, the right-hander has also pitched in the Cincinnati and Seattle systems, getting a three-game big league cup of coffee with the Reds in 2009. Given Manuel's impressive minor league numbers (2.70 ERA, 4.90 K/BB ratio, 8.1 K/9 rate in 214 appearances, 23 of them starts), you'd have to think the 27-year-old Houston native will get a look from another club.
