Red Sox to Sign Penny, Bard
December 29, 2008 by Mike
The Boston Red Sox are close to announcing the signings of free agent pitcher Brad Penny and catch Josh Bard the Boston Globe Reports. Penny, who is coming off a shoulder injury is expected to sign a 1 year $5 million guaranteed deal with $3 million in incentives if he pitches 160 innings. This is a great low risk signing for the Sox that they have tried numerous times in the past (Wade Miller, Robert Person, David Cone, Bret Saberhagen). Bard coming off a season that he hit just .202 has a non-guaranteed contract offer from the sox. The two previous seasons he hit .328 and .285. He will most likely be the back-up in his second stint with the Red Sox. Bard, along with Cla Meredith, was traded to the Padres for Doug Mirabelli. Yes, that trade worked out well for the Sox. Look for the Sox to go after another catcher to replace Jason Varitek. More from the Boston Globe:
Needing a mid- to back-end of the rotation starter, the Sox were on the brink of signing former Dodgers righthander Brad Penny last night, according to a baseball source.
The agreement is a one-year contract for $5 million with performance bonuses that could add $3 million more, starting at 160 innings pitched, the source confirmed. The deal is pending a physical.
Penny is coming off a season in which he struggled with injuries, leading the Dodgers to exercise a $2 million buyout rather than pay him $9.25 million in 2009.
The righthander dealt with a sore right shoulder, went on the disabled list in mid-June, and finished the year on the 60-day disabled list.
He pitched just four times after June 14, ending the season with a 6-9 record and a 6.27 ERA in 17 starts and two relief appearances.
However, in 2007, Penny won 16 games for the second straight season, going 16-4 with a 3.03 ERA in 208 innings, and he finished third in the National League Cy Young Award voting. He was 16-9 with a 4.33 ERA in 2006.
The Sox were also close to reacquiring free agent Josh Bard as a potential backup. The catcher, 30, was with the Sox in 2006, but had trouble handling Wakefield’s knuckleball while backing up Jason Varitek.
Bard was shipped to San Diego with Cla Meredith for Doug Mirabelli in May, leading to Mirabelli’s return to the Sox via police escort in time for a Wakefield start against the Yankees.
Bard’s deal is a one-year, $1.6 million nonguaranteed contract with an option, and is also pending a physical.
He played in 57 games last season with the Padres, batting .202 with one home run and 16 RBIs.
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