From WEEI.com:

 

According to a major league source, the Red Sox have reached an agreement on a minor league deal with outfielder Ryan Sweeney. Sweeney, who turns 28 next month, spent 2012 with the Red Sox after being acquired from the A’s in a trade along with right-hander Andrew Bailey for outfielder Josh Reddick and minor leaguers Miles Head and Raul Alcantara.

Sweeney hit .260 with a .303 OBP, .373 slugging mark and .675 OPS in 63 games, with his season coming to a sudden halt on July 30 when he broke his hand (requiring season-ending surgery) by punching a clubhouse door at Fenway Park. However, his production diminished considerably after he suffered a concussion while making a spectacular diving catch against the Phillies. At the time of that injury, he was hitting .311/.341/.443/.784. Thereafter, he hit .183/.247/.268/.515. In parts of seven big league seasons, he owns a lifetime average of .280 with a .338 OBP, .378 slugging mark and .715 OPS.

The Red Sox elected to non-tender the arbitration-eligible Sweeney last December. However, the team maintained interest in bringing him back on a minor league deal.

The agreement occurred earlier today — at a time when it appears likely that Ryan Kalish will require shoulder surgery that is likely to sideline him for months at the start of the 2013 season. Sweeney has an opt-out in the deal that would allow him to elect free agency if he is not added to the major league roster prior to the end of spring training. 

softy will be happy.

Could be bad news for Nava.

The giant that swings a wiffle bat.

In response to TheExaminer's comment:

 

He Has His Pick......LOL........

He can field, and Gomes/Nava can not.

In response to 56redsox's comment:

I always liked that yellow one myself, only, I spray painted mine black for realism. Heck, Id play wiffle ball tommorow if I could find someone to pitch to me. Love it.

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To bad he isn't a first baseman!omeone mentioned the possibility of Lars Anderson returning as he was designated for assignment and he will have too clear waivers,good chance the Sox bring him back.

I'd take him over Nava; apart from the lack of power, he's a good ballplayer.

He promised he wouldn't punch any more doors

In response to mrmojo1120's comment:

He Will Be Sporting This.....

 

In response to sportsbozo1's comment:

They already have Gomez and mark Hamilton (1b/OF LHH) in AAA. Unless they move one, Lars probably isnt a fit.

Good move.  Plays hard, plays all 3 OF positions well, cheap.  Still young enough to learn to hit a bit more than .747 vs RHP.  Much rather have him than Nava in the field.

Very happy with a late inning OF defense of Sweeney/Ellsbury/Victorino.

I had hopes of Kalish coming in and winning the LF spot and getting more ab's than Gomes. Starting to think Kalish won't stay healty enough in his career to be depended on. RS farm weak spot is corner OF's. I have been a proponent of Boegardts staying at SS, starting to wonder if it plays out with him in the corner and Marrero at SS. I first saw Boegardts 3 years ago and posted on this board about him, I saw his comp as JUpton, not Hanley as others have stated. They both derive power from their wrists, not upper or lower body. 

I like Sweeney ... as a couple have said, can field well.  If he overcomes the head issue, can hit for avg as well

A couple of keys to this signing...

It's a minor league deal with an opt out clause if he doesn't make the major league roster...

Given the loss of Kalish, my guess is that he's the guy that takes the bus during split squad games..

If he makes the team he's a legit defensive RF and won't have an issue coming off the bench...

If he doesn't it's no big loss...

If he does, good for him

 

 

 

 

Not exactly the LHH outfielder I was hoping for, but if they do not make a trade, this was the best one available.

 

On a minor league deal, it is harmless...

If I am the Red Sox I buy Sweeney a first baseman's glove and start hitting him balls as soon as he sets foot in Fort Myers.

In fact and better still, if I am Ryan Sweeney (and don't already have such a glove) I go out and buy one TODAY, right this second even, and start making it comfortable on his hand.  It could be what keeps him in the major leagues for another season or two.

He HAS to be athletic enough to learn to play first base in the next two months if he can play center field on the major league level even if he has never played an inning at first base yet.

I'll even go down to Fort Myers and hit those ground balls to Sweeney for a place to stay and a little money for food.  Kind of cold around here right now.

It's kind of hard to believe that the Red Sox were forced to sign this guy again.

There has to be a AAA or AA OF who can play just as well as sweeny with his nerf bat.

In response to TheExaminer's comment:

Me, too!  We used to tape up our bats, with electrical tape, to give it a little "boing" factor.

In response to Schumpeters-Ghost's comment:

You can't believe this can you?

Growing up, we used to have a league.  We would draft MLB players, and keep stats, too.  We had to bat the way the player did, too, and we would choose the bat based on whether the player was a slugger, a dooubles guy, or a light hitter.

 

"Canseco" would get to use the big, yellow Bam-Bam bat,  a Mike Greenwell would use this medium-width black bat, and an Ozzie Smith or Vince Coleman would have to use the skinny yellow bat.

Good times.  Our yards would have their own ground rules and names.  

I am a lefty when batting, but still led the league in homers and avg. as a righty "Canseco", thanks to the fat bat!

 

Did anyone ever fill their bat with water and freeze it?  Someone somewhere said this provided additional "pop".  Don't remember if it actually did, though.

 

Fun trying different things out.  Oh, those were the days!