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Tim Wakefield

Wakefield Era Set To Continue In Boston

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Good news, knuckleball fans!

WEEI's Rob Bradford reports that Tim Wakefield is set to have surgery on the herniated disc in his back next week, likely on Wednesday.

Why is this good news? Not only have the doctors told Wakefield that the surgery won't hinder his ability to get ready for next season, but Boston GM Theo Epstein indicated that, assuming all goes well, Boston will likely exercise the $4MM team option they hold on Wakefield.

“Wake is someone that is in our plans and we hope makes starts for us next year and is a member of the rotation,” Epstein said. “We haven’t sat down and finalized anything. Obviously we want to see how the surgery goes and then both sides will sit down and talk.”

Wakefield, an up-and-comer who was named to his first All Star team this season weeks before his 43rd birthday, posted an 11-5 record in 2009 with a 4.58 ERA.

Theo Epstein Talks 2010

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4:21pm: MLB.com's Ian Browne has more from Epstein and Bay.  Epstein noted that discussions to date have been "under the radar screen and underreported even after the fact," and he hopes to keep them that way.  Bay continued to speak highly of the Red Sox while adding the caveat that he'll test the market.

3:30pm: Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe was one of many reporters at today's press conference with Red Sox GM Theo Epstein and manager Terry Francona.  Let's take a look at a few hot stove highlights:

  • The Red Sox are penciling in Clay Buchholz for the 2010 rotation.  We can assume Jon Lester, Josh Beckett, and Daisuke Matsuzaka will take three more spots.  Epstein is including Tim Wakefield in planning for next year, which implies the Sox will again exercise the knuckleballer's $4MM option.  My opinion – it won't be surprising to see the Red Sox sign an additional starter of the bargain variety.
  • Victor Martinez is the team's starting catcher, so look for his $7.7MM club option to be picked up soon.  WEEI's Mike Petraglia relays a comment from Epstein about locking up Martinez past 2010: "We'll see. We'd love to see him here long term."
  • Epstein finds it unusual that the Red Sox and Jason Bay both want a new contract but nothing is in place yet.  On a related note, check out this recent post from U.S.S. Mariner's Dave Cameron about the risk of signing Bay.
  • Epstein spoke about 2010 possibly being the last chance for several of the team's core players to make a run at another title.  David Ortiz, Mike Lowell, and Josh Beckett can be free agents after next season.  Petraglia quotes Epstein on Ortiz: "We need him to be a force."
  • Petraglia says the Red Sox are open to picking up Alex Gonzalez's $6MM club option for 2010.  Seems steep for a guy who missed all of '08 with a knee injury.

Odds & Ends: Vazquez, Millwood, Red Sox

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Some more links to check out as you wait for America's other pastime to kick off it's season…

  • Jeff Schultz of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution writes that the Braves may be forced to trade Javier Vazquez this offseason because it might not make sense financially to keep him and Tim Hudson around next year.
  • T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com reports that the Rangers will not sit starter Kevin Millwood just to keep his 2010 option from vesting. Texas GM Jon Daniels said "We don't let clauses in contracts determine who is in the starting lineup or in the rotation." Millwood needs to throw just eight more innings this season to lock in his $12MM option for next year.
  • MLB.com's Ian Browne answered a bunch of Red Sox related questions in his mailbag today. He thinks Tim Wakefield will return next year, and said that he'd "be surprised" if the club exercised Jason Varitek's $5MM option now that Victor Martinez is on board. Varitek holds a $3MM option of his own, however.
  • Remember Ezequiel Astacio? The Cubs signed him out of San Angelo if the independent United League according to Baseball America's minor league transactions.

Odds & Ends: Kazmir, Rays, Hoffman, Byrd

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We can link to it, we have the technology…

  • ESPN's Keith Law feels the Rays received "a tremendous return for a pitcher whose value had really nose-dived over the past 10 months" when they dealt Scott Kazmir to the Angels late Friday evening.
  • Manager Joe Maddon says that the team feels they have the depth to cover the loss of Kazmir, and that it won't hurt their chances of getting back to playoffs this year. The depth Maddon speaks of comes in the form of Andy Sonnanstine and prospect Wade Davis, though Marc Topkin of The St. Petersburg Times says Sonnanstine will get the call against the Red Sox on Tuesday.
  • Topkin was all over the Kazmir saga yesterday, and now that the dust has settled he says the team can use the savings to keep it's core intact. Several veterans, such as Carl Crawford, have raises built into their contracts, and several of the club's young players will be due big raises in arbitration.
  • When asked if closer Trevor Hoffman might go to the Giants after being claimed on waivers, Brewers GM Doug Melvin said "probably not," according to Tom Haudricourt of The Journal Sentinel.
  • Boston reportedly agreed to give Paul Byrd a September callup, but it looks like his shot may come sooner than that. With Tim Wakefield's back acting up again, the Sox will send Byrd to the mound tomorrow night according to John Tomase of The Boston Herald.
  • Sheldon Ocker of The Akron Beacon Journal takes an early look at some of the players that could help get the Indians back on track in 2010.
  • The Marlins officially introduced first round pick Chad James to the masses this afternoon, writes MLB.com's Joe Frisaro.

Odds And Ends: Sano, Gonzalez, Royals

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Here's some more reading material for the afternoon…

Taking Stock Of The Pirates

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John Perrotto of Baseball Prospectus catalogues a decade and a half of poor decisions by the Pirates in his latest column, up at ESPN.com. Some of the team's more memorable gaffes:

  • Releasing Tim Wakefield.
  • Signing Pat Meares to a four year $15MM deal that surprised even Meares. 
  • Commiting nearly $10MM to Derek Bell, then claiming the deal sent "shock waves through baseball" during the same offseason that Alex Rodriguez signed for $252MM.
  • Giving Bronson Arroyo up on waivers only to have him return to Pittsburgh as an All-Star for the Reds and call the Pirates the "most inept organization in baseball."  

But the Pirates have shed some contracts in recent years and appear poised to get younger and better under current GM Neal Huntington. After next year they have commitments to Paul Maholm, Nate McLouth, Ian Snell, Ryan Doumit and Pedro Alvarez, but no one else. They reportedly have a good chance of signing 16-year-old shortstop prospect Miguel Angel Sano and are considering top talent with the fourth overall pick that they hold in this year's draft.

So what's the verdict on the Pirates? They don't appear likely to end their streak of 16 straight losing seasons this year, but are they on the right track? Or do they need new direction? What moves have to take place for the Pirates to join the best teams in the NL Central?

Red Sox Reach Deals With Bard, Penny

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9:59pm: Ian Browne of MLB.com weighs in on Bard. He discusses the catching situation, and in particular, how the Red Sox will use Bard if free-agent Jason Varitek returns to the franchise.

SI.com points out Penny’s Interleague numbers: 7-11 with a 5.08 ERA in 24 appearances against American League opponents. Penny has spent his entire career in the National League.

8:41pm: Rob Bradford of WEEI.com spoke with Brad Penny, who confirmed his deal with the Boston Red Sox.

From Bradford:

“There were a lot of teams involved,” said Penny in a phone conversation. “But I wanted to go somewhere where I knew we had a great chance at winning, and Boston is that place.”

Bradford adds that Penny will be in Boston on Jan. 7 to take his physical and will begin his throwing program next week.

Bradford also updates the status of Red Sox pitcher Josh Beckett, who has started exercises on his throwing shoulder, which is earlier than in years past. Bradford’s post states that the injury that plagued Beckett at the end of the 2008 season has subsided. The injury centered around the intercostal muscles near the ribs and not the oblique as previously thought.

7:33pm: Free-agent catcher Josh Bard has reached a one-year deal with the Boston Red Sox, Sean McAdam of the Boston Herald and Amalie Benjamin of the Boston Globe are reporting.

The Bard agreement is a nonguaranteed major-league deal worth $1.6MM. According to McAdam, Bard is viewed as a backup, but he could see more time depending upon what Boston decides to do at catcher.

Bard, 31 in March, spent seven games with the Red Sox in 2006 before Boston traded him to the Padres. He hit .202 in 57 games with San Diego in 2008.

McAdam has more on the Brad Penny deal, too. The agreement, a one-year deal with a base salary of $5MM, will be finalized Monday. Incentives and performance bonuses can increase the total deal another $3MM if Penny pitches more than 160 innings, McAdam reports.

Penny, 31 in May, went 6-9 with a 6.27 ERA in 17 starts and two relief appearances in 2008 with the Los Angeles Dodgers. The right-hander played 4.5 seasons for the Dodgers. He played with the Florida Marlins from 2000 until he was traded in 2004.

With the addition of Penny, the Boston rotation now consists of Penny, Josh Beckett, Tim Wakefield, Daisuke Matsuzaka and Jon Lester.

The move also allows righty Justin Masterson to remain in a setup role for closer Jonathan Papelbon.

Red Sox Exercise Wakefield’s Option

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1:48pm: Tony Massarotti of the Boston Globe says it’s official, Wakefield will be back with Boston in ’09.

8:42am: According to Sean McAdam of the Boston Herald, the Red Sox are expected to exercise Tim Wakefield’s 2009 option today.  Wakefield recently completed his year-end physical and MRI.

Wakefield, 42, posted a 4.13 ERA in 181 innings this year.  In an unmatched show of loyalty to the Sox, the knuckleballer gave the team a perpetual $4MM option.  Once again it was an easy decision to exercise.

Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Manny, Peavy, Cubs

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A look at what is being written around the Blogosphere…

  • Sox and Pinstripes has eight questions the Red Sox must address this offseason including whether or not to re-sign Jason Varitek and Tim Wakefield.
  • Dodger Thoughts notes that there is not a lot of substance behind the rumors of the Dodgers offering Manny Ramirez a contract worth $60MM for two years.
  • Fanhouse wonders if Ramirez could make more money in the long run if he signs a two-year deal with the Dodgers now.
  • Gaslamp Ball wonders if the Padres are not getting the offers they expected for Jake Peavy and are starting to get "cold feet."
  • Talking Chop notes that Frank Wren’s public posturing during the Peavy negotiations is in stark contrast to what Braves fans are accustomed.
  • Bleed Cubbie Blue projects a Cubs ’09 roster, including Aubrey Huff at first base and Luke Scott in right field.
  • The Sports Bank says the biggest need for the White Sox lineup is to add speed. They look at some potential moves and project an ’09 lineup that includes Rafael Furcal and Chone Figgins.

Cork Gaines writes for RaysIndex.com and can be reached here.

Odds and Ends: Lincecum, Wakefield, Schilling

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More random rumors.  You know you love it.

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