Is there any news on Bard's offseason workouts?  Has Farrell started working with this kids head, mechanics?  He has not been talked about but could be the closer if he could somehow return to form.  Could that be why Bailey's name has come up in trade talks?

  TRADE BAIT ..... He is damaged goods.....MOVE him if you can !!!   PACKAGE  !!!  (Maybe the CUBS & THeo) 

In response to Bill-806's comment:

Why would you trade Bard when his value is at an all-time low?

No GM is going to give up much for him right now. I'd rather give whatever time he needs to straighten himself out, even if that means a few months in Triple-A.

In response to Flapjack07's comment:

   Because he is done !!!  He is a distraction that needs a new address....  Perhaps a throw in on a BLOCKBUSTER to another team willing to see if they can salvage him...... As they say, when the mind goes, school is out !!!

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In response to Flapjack07's comment:

In response to Bill-806's comment:

Of course, we shall see in good time.  But, I disagree.  I do not think he is DONE at all.  I think the starter project was disasterous and certainly sent his 2012 season down the toilet.  But, I think Daniel will come back strong and resume a role toward the back end of the bullpen, maybe a 7th inning guy, and be succesful.  In any case, he will be good enough that, for the money, it would be a stupid mistake to make him a "throw in" in any deal if it is just to unload him ... unless he is a pot sweetener for a Felix or something (pipe dream).

In response to donrd4's comment:

The way I read it, it looked like he was talking about Bard. In any case, I don't think I'd be too quick to sell low on Bailey right now either.

Bard may very well be DONE.  How his entire 2012 season was a mess.  How much he had to do with any of the decisions made last year (starting with trying to become a starter) I don't know, but every decision was just worse and worse than the previous one.

By the end of the year, you could clearly see that he had been fried no matter how he tried to talk his way around that fact.  I am sure that he was saying prayers before throwing each and every pitch.   "Lord, please let me throw a strike" type thing.

He may also not be DONE, but giving him away now is not a good idea.  The guy was not injured and still can throw at least 95 MPH.  Farrell and the new pitching coach may have some ideas, and if they do they are very smart not to make any statements about Bard at this time.  Give Bard the entire winter to completely get away from everything baseball.

The next communication with Bard by the Sox should be to wish him and his family a Merry Christmas.

I already refered to Daniel Bard as "The dark Horse" this week in one of my posts. He is still very young and a smart enough kid to know that hes still got the talent to get back to where he once was before. One of the best pen arms in the game. Farrell will have something to do with that, just like he will have his prints all over Lesters 2013 turnaround as well.

 

In response to southpaw777's comment:

exactly, i think bard will make a rebound. i thought he was hurt last season but if that was the case we would have known about it. so it seems that his issues were a combination of mechanics and mentality. time away from the game should fix the mental part and farrel + the new pitching coach should be able to work out his mechanics.

In response to mef429's comment:

Exactly. Time away from the game completely to reset. He hasnt "lost" anything, like some think. I believe he will be back throwing 98MPH+ again. Hre tried something he wanted to do like he once did in college, and it didnt work. Time to move on and get back to what he was potentially great at.

In response to southpaw777's comment:

if he does come back like his old self do you think he will get the closer job? or do you think bailey will get it?

If they dont trade Bailey, I think he will start as the closer. I cant judge him on one month playing time coming back from a thumb injury. He'll be the closer coming out of ST, He may not end up there when its all said and done though.