So the Red Sox response to the New York spending binge has finally come out in the way of two great investments. Brad Penny and Josh Bard are two players that have showed themselves as being far better than their 2008 performances and the Red Sox did a nice job in picking up this duo for cheap. While Penny has only pitched in the National League, he will benefit from working with "stuff" pitchers in Josh Beckett and Daisuke Matsuzaka. Pitching coach John Farrell has done an excellent job transforming Josh Beckett into an American League starter and I imagine that Penny will receive similar instruction. This is also going to be a rotation of 95+ MPH hurlers with Beckett, Matsuzaka, Lester and now Penny all being able to light up the gun.
Interestingly enough, Josh Bard is back in Boston after being passed over for Doug Mirabelli because of his inability to catch Tim Wakefield's knuckleball. A season in which Bard hit .338, 9, 40 after the trade to San Diego. This signals to me that the Red Sox may be moving past Jason Varitek or certainly will provide him with less playing time because Bard would probably not be catching Wakefield after the debacle in 2006. If Bard and Varitek do indeed make the Opening Day roster, I would imagine that the Red Sox would also be carrying a third catcher to specifically catch Tim Wakefield. Personally, I would think that this signals the end of Jason Varitek's time in a Boston uniform because three catchers will not work for an AL team. Perhaps Javier Valentin or Gregg Zaun would make a good platoon catcher with Bard.
Interestingly enough, Josh Bard is back in Boston after being passed over for Doug Mirabelli because of his inability to catch Tim Wakefield's knuckleball. A season in which Bard hit .338, 9, 40 after the trade to San Diego. This signals to me that the Red Sox may be moving past Jason Varitek or certainly will provide him with less playing time because Bard would probably not be catching Wakefield after the debacle in 2006. If Bard and Varitek do indeed make the Opening Day roster, I would imagine that the Red Sox would also be carrying a third catcher to specifically catch Tim Wakefield. Personally, I would think that this signals the end of Jason Varitek's time in a Boston uniform because three catchers will not work for an AL team. Perhaps Javier Valentin or Gregg Zaun would make a good platoon catcher with Bard.
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