Two Grizzled Vets Vie For A Bullpen Job

Peter here on this very early Friday morning. I don't know why, but I wake up at 5am EVERY MORNING and can't go back to sleep, so I listen to the 30 minute newscast on a local radio station and slowly crawl out of bed, half-closed eyes searching for the shower, or, God forbid, the razor and shaving cream. But I'm off subject...my mind wanders this early in the pre-dawn day. Here we go...

The Red Sox have signed two pitchers, one more promising than the other, and hope one or both make the big club to strengthen the set-up portion of the excellent Red Sox 'pen. This is from the Boston Herald, and then I'll be back...

"Right-handed relievers Dan Miceli and Dan Kolb signed minor league deals of the classic low-risk, high-upside variety for the Sox.
Each would make $650,000 if added to the major league roster, plus incentives according to the Associated Press. Miceli would make $84,000 in the minors while Kolb would make $78,000.
Miceli, 37, did not pitch at all in the majors last season, spending the last of his 14 major league seasons with the Devil Rays in 2006. In his career, the journeyman is 43-52 with a 4.48 ERA with 10 different teams.
The 32-year-old Kolb’s best season was in 2004 with the Brewers, when he was an All-Star and finished with 39 saves. He pitched for the Rangers from 1999-2002. Last year with the Pirates, he made just three appearances."

Peter here, between yawns. This news is a couple days old, but nothing big for the Red Sox is breaking, and that's why I'm giving you this. But the Boston bullpen IS big news, and there can never be enough set-up men. Delcarmen is good some of the time, excellent some of the time and downright bad some of the time. But he's another year older with another year under his belt. He's got a tremendous fastball and possesses the ability to blow it past ANY hitter. And his breaking pitches are more than adequate. He's our number two set-up guy, number one being the incomparable Hideki "Darkman" Okajima, the All Star Sox lefthander. Mike Timlin is also in the mix. Given enough rest, given that he is in the "over 40" club, he can be great for an inning plus. So he's number three in the set up cast of characters. So now we come to Miceli and Kolb. Kolb's past history jumps off the page with his 2004 All Star game selection. But last year, as you read above, he only made three appearances with the Pirates. Miceli, on the other hand, is a "journeyman" with a sub .500 record and a plus 4.00 ERA...not good for a reliever. But sometimes pitchers are rejuvenated when the possibility of a world championship is staring at them right between the eyes. So we'll see. I'm just glad the Sox FO recognizes the team's need for another set up arm or two.

Hey, it's Friday! Have a wonderful weekend. I linked the original Herald article. It's there when you click the title of this post. And most importantly, be happy, be healthy, be safe. Those are the most important things in life. I'll be back before tomorrow if there is any Sox news about anything. We're three weeks away, give or take, from pitchers and catchers reporting to Ft. Myers, and then the fun will begin. Yet again. Share it with me!