The Boston Red Sox really aren’t messing around this offseason. They are crossing all of their T’s and dotting all of their I’s in preparation for 2011 season.
If Boston felt they needed something this offseason, they have gone out and got it. One of the main areas that Boston needed help in this offseason was their bullpen.
Earlier this week, Boston added Bobby Jenks and brought back Andrew Miller and Rich Hill to help improve their pen. Despite those additions, the Red Sox felt they even needed more help.
That’s why on Saturday, they signed RHP Dan Wheeler. Boston signed Wheeler to a one-year, $3 million contract with a $3 million mutual option for 2012. The option for 2012 can vest if Wheeler appears in 65 games in 2011.
I was a little surprised the Red Sox signed the 33-year-old righty because I thought they needed proven lefty in the pen rather than another proven righty. However, the Red Sox in this case are hoping that Wheeler can act like a lefty.
Left-handed batters hit only .154/.227/.436 against Wheeler last season. If he can do that again next season, the Red Sox will have found their pseudo lefty. Though I will say Wheeler’s success against lefties does appear to be an aberration because in the two years prior to last, lefties hit close to .300 off him.
Overall, Wheeler posted a 3.25 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, and 8.6 K/9 with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2010. He also posted 34.6 percent Groundball Percentage in 2010. It was the third year in a row that Wheeler’s Groundball Percentage has improved.
With the acquisitions of Jenks and Wheeler to their bullpen, the Red Sox have turned a weakness into a strength for 2011.
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