The Red Sox have signed right-handed reliever Caleb Simpson and added him to their 60-man player pool, according to Ian Browne of MLB.com. His addition comes not long after the Red Sox revealed that two relievers, Darwinzon Hernandez and Josh Taylor, have tested positive for COVID-19.
Simpson, 28, had spent his entire career in the Giants’ minor-league system before earning a chance with the Cubs as a non-roster invite during this year’s Spring Training.
Last season, Simpson reached Double-A with the Giants’ affiliate, pitching 29 1/3 innings and posting a solid 2.45 ERA. Evidently, he’s got impressive stuff in his arsenal, striking out 41 batters—good for a 12.6 K/9 rate.
However, as is the case with many pitchers of Simpson’s ilk, control and precision has been an issue at times: those 41 strikeouts were accompanied by 18 walks. In Spring Training this year, Simpson walked 8 batters in 4 2/3 innings of work. To be sure, there’s some potential here, and the Red Sox will hope they can hone in Simpson’s mechanics and consistency as he strives to break into the Majors.
His minor league walk rates have been atrocious
This is how they’re spending their new found savings with Price opting out…just kidding.
Why are new blogs closed for comments?
They have several late 20’s minor league relievers on the 60 man. Don’t really understand this. Could have added a legit prospect to work out with the team and get some time instead think would have been better utilized spot.
Welcome to the school of Chaim Bloom. He did the same thing in Tampa to fill out his rosters. He had better, younger talent down there to form his player base from, but he took a lot of fliers on late 20’s pitchers and utility guys from other systems and found a few diamonds in the rough. I’m willing to let him work his process through the end of 2021 and see how the team is shaping up after that.
Agreed.
DD depleted the farm system, and the RS are finally done with Rusney Castillo and his waste of a $72.5 million salary after 2020 (as well Sandoval, Hanley Ramirez, Allen Craig that Ben Cherington brought in…all horrible contracts). It may take a couple year to get where Mr. Bloom needs to be.
Over 80 percent of the roster turned over between each WS win 04, 07, 13, 18. Bloom also has a bigger job to do because of how many prospects DD traded away along with all the contract expectations and free agents the RS will loose.
This season it really is not Mr. Bloom’s team. It is cleaning up DD’s mess.
I dont think this is a bad move. But his “school”, as you put it, was based on a payroll that was as low as it gets. Hence the waiting on the younger talent to increase service time and lower cost overall. Those late 20’s guys weren’t getting millions. It still applies here, of course, but I dont think the leeway will be there to do this continually as before being in the Boston market. Also with no minor league this year, I’d rather some young guys take the place of the late 20 somethings…
Only 11 of the Red Sox top 40 prospects were in AA or AAA last year. Most of those 11 have already been included in the 60 man roster are very good players, but the remaining 29 players are far from being anywhere near ready to compete against MLB players, thus the roster filler in the post above….
DD gutted the system! He trade 12 really good players (Moncada, Travis Shaw, Kopech,…) for Kimbrel, Chris Sale, Thornberg. DD also traded away 9 solid players at the trade dead line in 2019, 2018, and 2017 (Buttrey, Beeks, Nogosek,…).
Mr. Bloom is task with replacing 21 players most of which are contributing in the MLB, and replacing the players the RS received in trade with very little to bring up from the minors. He is doing well under impossible circumstances. Give him a chance to put his stamp on the team and actually spend money rather than cut……
I agree wholeheartedly but our farm isn’t that great and the top AAA guys don’t do much for me from what I’ve seen ie. chatham, duran, dalbec wilson,. I’d like the young guys missing developement to get the environment plus reps. wong is there, i assume downs who i like, casas im not sold on,will be too. im looking at jimenez, Lugo etc to be included hopefully. losing song hurts and groome is always hurt. pitching has a ways to go…
509 – agree with what you stated, but the job from high A+ and A ball to MLB is huge and many organisations do not like to make that jump. Although, it may be better than having those players sitting on their ass at home for an entire year. In any case they still maybe added as at last count the RS Had only named 48 of the 60 man roster.
It’s a 60 game tryout. Might as well, right? Unless the Sox are going all-in for the 2020 World Series?
Depends on how each team gets out of the gate, assuming it actually starts. Why not try and do both? With Price opting to not play, the Sox seem to have the ability to trade for talent in August if they’re playing well.
Red Sox are now looking to sign Bart Simpson.
Bart’s dad is a real HOMER !!
The Red Sox will win the World Series with Mr. Bloom as “GM”, their 5th this century (10th overall) before Texas, SD, Colorado, Tampa, Milwaukee, Seattle(only franchise to never even be in a WS) win their first, because the ownership is committed to building a winner and not just throwing money around to make a “splash” in the news…
I don’t consider us in contention this year, so the experiment is worth it.
Pwnd- agree that RS will not be in contention with a rotation of Rodriguez, Eovaldi, Perez, Weber, and opener.
It’s simply a bridge year to let bad contracts die out.