Sox near deals with Penny, Bard

Good signing of Bard as he has a good bat. Varitek's defense was vastly overrated as an excuse for his pathetic hitting. Hopefully this means that the Sox will tell Boras to go crap in his hat and dream up Varitek offers elsewhere.

Loved Tek's contributions over the years but Varitek and Boras are a package and the Sox need to tell Boras to get lost. Tek can play hardball and sign with Detroit. Good luck with that.....

Is Brad Penny the new Wade Miller?

Is Brad Penny the new Wade Miller?

I like the josh bard deal but the penny one is a band-aid approach that will not amount to anything. Penny is coming off of major shoulder problems and no longer throws with the necessary velocity to be effect in the AL east. He will be eaten alive by both New York and Tampa. Bad Bad Signing. In my opinion he will be either released prior to the All-star break or placed the disabled list.

Bard? Didn't that experiment already fail once? The possibility of this deal makes Theo & the rest of the Red Sox Brass look Desperate. The Fans would understand if they decided to bring Mirabelli back, or even Gedman at this point. Make a deal with Cleveland for Shoppach

el cheapo...

Underwhelming on all accounts....

Watch out the Yankees may make a last minute swoop.

well Penny is a nice addition, maybe Smoltz is next. Bard well I hope that isn`t Plan B with Catching...Sounds like Paw Sox or # 3 catcher????

Is this what the Sox have been reduced to? A 6.27 starter and a slouch from the "Where players go to die" Padres? Disgraceful! Theo and Co. you better have something up your sleeves

wow...the front office is doing a bang up job this off season. i can barely contain myself. a banged up penny, josh bard and a reliever from KC. nice.

who cares? it's over anyways...

Oh, great job. With the quality of pitchers out there you get an ailing Penny and bring back non-hitting/catching Bard. Please tell me there is more to this plan like that Bard is going to back-up Joe Mauer or someone decent and that Penny is going to work out of the bullpen behind someone like Sheets or Peavy. With the Pats being left out of the playoffs and the Sox not making any moves despite having desperate needs I dont know how much more of this I can take. I am sure Yankee fans are laughing even harder right now. Thanks Theo.

Wow, we are really countering the Yanks with these moves! Way to build the team on the cheap, Mr. Henry....LOL

i like these signings a lot. Low risk one year deals with nice upside. Hopefully Bard can return to his 2006-2007 numbers. Hopefully there is more to come. I read Prince Fielder is being dangled out there for a trade. I would welcome that bat in this lineup.

oh. lovely. a catcher that managed to hit worse than Jason "Mr.220" Varitek and a starting pitcher that went 6.27 last season. FANTASTIC.

Wait, so Josh Bard couldn't catch Wakefield when he was here, what makes the red sox think he can catch it now? Plus, He could kind of hit back then too. Not any more.

Brad Penny, good low risk, high reward option. Nothing more than that.

Sox have taken a step backwards so far. Paul Byrd is more reliable than Penny, and Cash was better than Bard. Very disappointing offseason for the red sox so far.

wow, this can turn out to be a great signing.Penny seems to have had some personal problems,but the upside for this guy is pretty big( can you say beckett II) perhaps? we shall see....and Bard lets just flip a coin, but he atleast brings more offense to the table then our last back up(Cash)...Great after Christmas present Redsox nation!!!

Yawn.

uuuummmm, can this guy Penny play first base?

was wondering when theo would get goin'

Great. Now let's just find someone who can, you know, catch every day.

I'm assuming this is just leverage for negotiating with Tek, and a plan B in case Tek goes somewhere else. Any chance he can play everyday? Probably not - whose Plan C you think?

These are hardly impact signings. The Yankees rotation (pending health) is evenly matched with the Sox, and their line up is definitely not up to par with the Bronx bombers. Am I the only fan who is less than impressed with management? Sure you can freeze ticket prices (the highest in baseball) but you should be able to if your payroll is down 15 - 20%. I usually do not complain about this stuff, but I just feel like John Henry is pulling the same stunt he did in Florda.

Brilliant. Again, upside upside upside. The Sox sign a bonafide young catcher at low money who still has the opportunity to be a young Tek. They'll probably spot him at 1B during the course of the year to get him comfortable there and see how he responds. And perhaps carry a third catcher from AAA to grab Wake every 5th day. Then see how Penny is responding and Bard is progressing to see if we need to go after Saltilamacchia by giving up a young arm, etc. Or train our eyes on Pena as another young 1B after Lowell's contract is up and we shift Youk across the diamond again. Missing out on Teixeira was a big loss to be sure, but the Yanks still haven't won a ring since they started building their team like it was a fantasy lineup, and I still don't think Burnett will be as driven to achieve without a contract on the line. Can't wait for the boys to lace em up in a few months!

Not a bad deal with Penny but I would rather have Ben Sheets or Lowe even if it cost more. I'd expect him to have about the same ERA as Paul Byrd did last season with the Red Sox.

The Josh Bard deal seems like a rip off to me. I think 700k would be about right but I guess we're desperate for a nuckleball catcher.

With the Yankees throwing crazy money at two pitchers who may fail in New York, it's nice to see the Red Sox make a move that could really help the team for cheap money. With a rotation that includes Beckett-Lester-DiceK-Wakefield and a healthy Penny, that is one of the best, if not the best rotation in baseball.

Brad Penny + Afro = Bartolo Colon

Prove me wrong!

Again, where are the african-american acquisitions.

No room at the

These sound like good signings. Who protects Papi in the batting order? Any chance the Sox can get Michael Young from Texas? He would help the Sox offense which needs some improvement.

I like both moves, there is little risk in adding a back of the rotation pitcher for low dollars. Perhaps Josh Bard will fair better this time around in Boston? Varitek wold be a good a sign for reasonable money but not if he and hs agent are looking for a Posada type deal? Move on.

Well, I think things are finally falling into place. Bard will be the everyday catcher and Mirabelli will make another escorted entrance into Fenway as Wake's personal strike out.

Penny - interesting but not a long term fix to the 4 or 5 spot in the rotation.
But Bard.... Bard is the man and a would be a welcome addition to this team in 2009....Afterall, we do not have a serviceable MLB catcher right now with the departure of Cash and Varitek out on the open market.... Make the moves Theo, we're with ya!

I like the Penny Deal, potential low risk high rewards. (Similar to the Colon deal last year) If he can recapture what he did two years ago, it would add another strong element to an already good sox rotation.
I don't understand the Bard deal. I jknow the sox do not have a bona fide major league catcher on the roster, but in my mind, Bard is not a starter and he can't catch Wakefield. (as evident by a short stint several years ago) I am not sure where he would fit in. He can't hit (varitek is better, sadly) and he is not terrific behind the plate. If this is the sox's answer to replacing Varitek, than I am a little nwevous. I would much rather re-sign varitek.

I'm glad to see Bard back. I think he could contibute as long as we keep him away from knuckleballers.

I love the penny signing. This guy has the goods, if he is healthy. A very heavy ball for guys to hit. Hopefully he is strong for us. Heres to a healthy '09!

solid pick ups both. Penny could win 10 games--seems very doable.

If Penny comes to Boston then that means Eliza Dushku will be in town more often to visit mom. Not a bad thing at all...

A healthy Penny who can play a full season would be a boon to the Sox. I like this one. Obviously, he fell off of the radar (of many teams) because he was hurt last year.

I like the Brad sighing, however, I'd like a Tek signing more. (Let's keep the pitchers doing what they do best.)

Way to go Theo!! I needed this to take my mind of the anti Patriots conspiracy thats been perpetrated by the NFL...You timed these 2 signings perfectly ! Now can you manage to trade Lugo to a place far far away!!! Jim Edmonds is waiting for his contract as the fourth outfielder,and I think you can still get your guy Bloomquist or bring up Diaz/Navarro!!

If Penny stays healthy he can be a very good pick-up. Low risk.

I have always liked Josh Bard. My presumption is that he will be the #2 catcher? However, if he could not catch Wake the first time then what says he can catch him now? I hope he can return to his 2006 & 2007 hitting form.

love the deal for Penny....Under the radar free agent with good stuff when healty. Mark it down, will be considered a great move by July....

Wow!! Hurray!!

Abreu would be a nice fit. Bard will be fine as the number one catcher. I do not think Wake will be in the starting rotation after Penny and Smoltz are signed. If it was the Manny that played for the Dodgers I would take him.

Theo is the man! Another set of worthless moves. Nice work from the low cost (cheap) administration. Where the heck is all of our money going?

"wow...the front office is doing a bang up job this off season. i can barely contain myself. a banged up penny, josh bard and a reliever from KC. nice.
Posted by emmitt the bomber"

Yeah, Theo and company clearly don't know what they're doing. They've only won 2 WS in the past 4 years and went to Game 7 of the ALCS last season.

Why don't you take your pink hat and go root for the Yankees?

Has our front office now regressed to the Duquette era front office that also concluded they could not compete with the Yankees?
It appears on the surface that Brad Penny is the Henry-era equivalent to the Harrington-era signing of Ramon Martinez and/or Bret Saberhagen. Josh Bard is also a bit underwhelming. If the Sox ownership is going cheap, that's fine. I'll be sure to spend 20% less on the Sox in 2009 just like the front office has.I find it highly predictable of Theo to sign a Padres castoff in Bard. Is he the next Crespo, Vasquez, Puffer, etc? They rarely amount to anything.

I saw Penny in LA and with the Dbacks. If he remains healthy, he will be a good pickup. Bard had an off year, and is a step in the right direction, probably as a #2 man.. My guess is that Theo is going for a Joe Maurer, Salty or Taylor Teagarden from the Rangers. Tek's days here are numbered.
I would also seriously look at the middle of the lineup. They need to have a Prince Fielder, or someone of like talent in the fourth or fifth spot. I would hate for them to get rid of Lowell, even with age. I think that Theo has been watching the farm system much the way he did when they let Mark Loretta go in favor of Dustin Pedroia.

Paradigm?... Conventional Wisdom?... Let the Yankees continue to think they are still back in the late 90s and spend, spend, spend... These days, successful teams are built, not bought... A wise old sage said, "Patience is a virtue, seldom in a Sox fan, NEVER in a Yankee fan,"

At the end of the day we need to remember three things if we want to be able to go to and enjoy games w/o re-mortaging our homes: 1) $200million players = higher ticket prices and NO guaranteed championships; 2) Young, unproven players are the X-Factor (Just ask Dustin and Kevin); and 3) Trust Theo. He gets paid to assess the talent and value of players and has done pretty good so far, (But if the Sox go more than three (3) years w/o making the playoffs, he should be fired because clearly he is not paying attention.).

weird comments - mostly snide self-loathing sniping, or cheerleader rah-rahs - but as usual, the truth probably resides between the extremes.

There will be good and bad criticism about these two deals. But Theo is doing what other teams are not, using the farm system-a la Dustin Pedroia and Jacoby Ellsbury. Grow your own garden.
Personally, I would like to see the Sox go after Eric Byrnes from the Dbacks. Byrnes has a good bat, and a Pedroia attitude, besides being extremely fast. Adam Dunn and Pat Burrell are also available for first/outfield, respectively, but I don't think either fit the Sox mold. Dunn strikes out more than most players.
I'd also like them to go after another pitcher-a spot starter long relief man such as Paul Byrd, or maybe a Ben Sheets if he is still available.

Theo is such a blessin'. WHo else is he going to pick up ? Aldo Quatrucci from the Maher Mariners league?

Signing Brad Penny's a good move. The Sox aren't giving him too much money and it's only a one year deal that could pay off big time. Granted he has had shoulder problems but this guy is a top notch pitcher if he's healthy and it's not that big of a gamble especially with how deep the farm system is. Bard's a good answer to a backup role but the starting catcher situation needs to be addressed soon. However, even with these moves the Sox have had an atrocious free agent period so far. Their payroll is going to be under 100 million and prices will not drop at Fenway. I think this may be the season where fans start to get fed up with the ownership and call them out on their frugal player spending and renovations to Fenway that the average person will never be able to afford...

Nice, so this is what we get for paying the highest ticket prices in all of MLB? Not to mention, we have to pay $40 on top of that just to park! Way to spend your fans money Sox Management! Where is IT all going??? Manny's gone, sign someone big!

One thing that has been overlooked is the long term status of Youk and other players like him. The whole deal with Teixiera and the obscene money that he was commanding cannot help but cause resentment among some of the Sox players, many of whom have given everything for the red and white cause. I would like some of the material wealth earmarked for Mr. T to be redistributed among the Sox faithful in the lineup. They need to be told that they are of equal or greater value to the cause.
I also don't think that at this point that Theo is going to part with any of the farm system prospects to fill immediate needs. I just don't get that take from him.
example

WOW! Bad Penny and Josh Lard. Is this the big deal we've been waiting for? Theo and Co. need their heads examined.

I agree with some of the other comments. I don't think that the Red Sox Mgmnt is going to plug holes with future players. They will probably shore up some week positions with players in the Bartolo Colon mode-not to impugn their abilities but the likes of Salty, or Taylor from the Rangers, Rocco Baldelli, maybe Prince Fielder, Josh Bard, Brad Penny, maybe either Ben Sheets, Orlando Cabrera, Eric Byrnes or Miguel Montero from the Dbacks. I don't think Tek is coming back on his terms. I would like to see Paul Byrd return. Also would look into the Cleveland rotation-they have some hidden gems. The signing of Bard is probably part of a two tier system of rebuilding the catching ranks. Look for another big name there.

Theo is such a blessin'. WHo else is he going to pick up ? Aldo Quatrucci from the Maher Mariners league?

WOW, do some homework.... The sox have the same team we fielded last year which if memories serves corrects was one game from the series. This is minus Lowell, Ortiz, and most notably Becketts hammy. This team in 09 is solid! Bard is a great move, not only do we stick it to Boreass but we have a young Dusty Brown who was great at catching the knuckler in Pawtucket. I like this 1-2 for catchers and it¡¯s cheap. THANK YOU TEK FOR ALL YOUR HARDWORK, WE LOVE YOU, but ¡®08 was appalling. As far as Penny, low risk, stick him in the minors until we may need him. This is the year to see what Buchholz, Masterson, possibly Bowden and Bard can do. No trades Theo.

As far as the Red Sox pitching, they have Beckett, Dice K, Lester and Wakefield. Candidates for fifth starter and long relief are Brad Penny if signed, Justin Masterson and Clay Bucholz. I agree with Theo, that they should not try to part with pitching prospects. They mistakenly gave away Kason Gabbard to the Rangers for Eric Gagne. I don't see them doing that again.
Other people that could make a contribution: Paul Byrd, Ben Sheets, Fausto Carmona (if available), Bartolo Colon, (health?), and possibly MIke Bowden or one of the prospects from the minors. Theo will probably not give away the farm in this area.

If/when Penny is healthy....BS...dudes era was close 7 in the nl west!!
Bard are you kidding me? we traded him for a 30 game catcher last time, I don't get this whatsoever

Signing just to sign, filling the roster with warm bodies and thats all!

The infield looks pretty good. I have a hunch that they are not going to trade Mike Lowell, a blue chip player. Many people have Yankee-itis and do that when a player has had a bad year or injury. The A's did this, and the Yanks(of all people) cashed in on a 3b named Scott Brosius. That is how Lowell went to the Red Sox via the Marlins. Shortstop has a log jam-Julio Lugo, Jed Lowrie, Alex Cora. My guess is that they will eat Lugo's salary, and let him go. Orlando Cabrera anyone? Lowrie will fit in somewhere. Pedroia is set at second, and I think that Theo's wish list is to have Alex back as an alternate. We also might see Youk back at first, as the Sox will probably try to sign an interim player for first -maybe Prince Fielder.

1.6M for a guy that can't hit or catch? Sounds like a deal!

I think that everyone is up in the air about the Red Sox outfield. JD is a bet in right, Jason Bay in left, but there is room in Center field, and for a fourth maybe fifth outfielder. Rocco is a sentimental favorite, but guys like Eric Byrnes, Bobby Abreu, or Pat Burrell are possibilities. I think that of the three Byrnes is the most realistic.
What they need is another big bat in the lineup. Giambi, Abreu and Adam Dunn come to mind, but short of Abreu, you get thirty HRs from them, but a 235 average to go with it. They need a Young gun, but I don't think that they are going to part with their prospects to get one. Looking back on the Yankees, they got nothing the last eight years for all the big names that they signed.

Brad Penny the new Matt Clement or Wade Miller?

No :)

I guess nobody thinks Mike Lowell will be worth a crap next year. I'd rather see deals like this than Matt Clement, Rent-a-Wreck, Julio Lugo type deals. Short term mistakes instead of long term disasters. Still just halfway into the offseason.

You're not going to compete w/ the Yankees for headlines w/ signings like these, but then I thought the idea was to win baseball games.
Both are low-risk moves, and Penny has significant upside--best case, he keeps warm a slot in the back end of the rotation and Bucholtz/Bowden/Masterson can work out of the bullpen and/or in spot-starts. After all, Penny will be playing for a contract.
I don't think Bard is the answer at catcher and they might've been better off w/ Cash, but it's hard to argue that they're weaker behind the plate today than yesterday.

Two big risks. If they work out, the Sox look like geniuses. If not, wait till 2010.

If Bard is No.2,, and will not catch Wake, then it is OK no matter what he hits, but it is no big deal. If Tek comes back, and we do not get a real catcher, then this move is lunacy.

As for Penny, the best that can be said is that all who see him as useful are incredible optimists. Let's hope so, but counting on it is a step too far.

Three points:
a) Theo needs to remember: the NL West is not the AL East. Penny and Bard are likely to be overwhelmed and as such are being set up to fail.
b) Since when is $8 million ($5m base + $3m incentives) considered "cheap" and "low risk"? It may not be Sabathia money, but it still makes Penny (did I mention he comes from the NL West?) an incredibly well-paid pitcher. Again, set up to fail.
c) Theo should just trade Bucholtz for Saltamacchia and call it an offseason. (Unless he can trade the entire PawSox roster for Hanley Ramirez.)

Horrible decisions made by the front office this year, I am extremely under impressed. The Bard deal failed once already and why do they always seem to want injured or old pitchers!?

Penny and Bard??? lolololol Wow, that puts the fear of god in the ALE. I love when the sux set themselves up to fail -go Bronx Bombers! Penny and Bard??? Hahahaahahahahahahaha!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Is it just me or do those who are against the potential signings of both Bard and Penny just anti-Theo no matter what he does? Please stop with the Dunn, Fielder, and Michael Young talk. There is no place for any of them on the Sox. The players in place already are far better. Before making any changes this team could win 95-98 games in 09 so what's the issue? Yankmees won;t win more than that.

Bard and Penny are good moves. Hopefully somebody takes Tek. and we get the draft picks which are worth more! With the Yanks having an almost infinite supply of cash, it makes more sense to stress development of future stars. paying big money for free agents rarely works.

Most of you guys nailed it on the head with Penny...he, right now, would project as being the #6 starter in case anyone gets hurt or if Wakefield suddenly retires...plus it's low-risk, high reward signing...remember, this guy started the All-Star game 2 years ago and it's not like he's in his middle to late 30's...he's still young compared to the Pettittes, Smoltzs, Glavines, etc. still out there...

Signing Bard isn't all that bad...but what it does is raise questions on whether or not Wakefield is going to be a starter or not...I'm thinking with these signings that his role might be like Tavarez the last full season in Boston...long relief/emergency starter situation. This would make sense if they promote Masterson to starter.Plus I think this could be used as a bargaining chip to resign Varitek or going out and trading for a Teagarden or Mauer!

Castoffs, spare parts, reclamation projects, two lumps of coal in the Christmas stocking.

HO HUM!!! The Yankees and Rays will be up nights worried about these two "impact" signings. Does anyone see a pattern here with broken down Brad Penny? (see Bartolo Colon) Why is Mr. Henry and Theo acting like we are the small market Kansas City Royals? Spend some money and make the team better, go get Ben Sheets before it's too late! He has had some injuries too but he has front of the rotation stuff and his end of the year injury last year was not severe. Besides the way the Sox nurse their starters along he should be fine.

I am a concerned, diehard Red Sox fan who is a little worried about the direction the team is going in. I was so excited when the offseason started. Yes I was still very disapointed in losing to the Rays, but I couldn't wait for the winter meetings to start. I thought, "wow, we've got a big chance to make a huge splash here." Now, here we are weeks later watching everyone go to the Yankees. Especially Teixera. I thought that was our biggest priority. A little more power in the lineup wouldn't have hurt. My hope for this season dropped after watching all of those chances slip away. Signing Bard and Penny really doesn't help much either. I'd be holding my head a little higher if this was the Brad Penny of old we were talking about, but it's not. I think the only hope here is that they both fail their physicals miserbly and are given the quick exit. Bard already had his quick exit a couple of years ago, which leads me to wonder why ownership would even consider bringing him back. Now that Theo Epstein has gone this low, I don't think he's got much of a choice. It's definately the last thing I would do, but it's probably time to trade all of our prospects for Peavy and Mauer. I think it's the only chance we have at keeping up with the Rays and Yankees over the next couple of years. I think all of Red Sox nation is wondering if there is a pulse in the front office anymore because none of the news is encouraging. I don't think they care anymore. Mr. Henry pretty much said it himself. He said that the Yankees have pulled past us again. I think it's time to stop worrying how the uniforms look next year and turn the focus towards putting as good a winning team on the field this year as possible. Baseball is not a fashion show

All D Lowe does is take the ball every 5 days and give you 200+ innings every year. Why does AH general manager always sign broken down pitchers to fill out rotation? Bard? Give me a break! Why did they non-tender Cash in the first place?

Bard's contract isn't guaranteed. The guy would probably only get paid if he made the active roster. Good signing, very little risk.

Penny is a good signing since he has potential to do big things if he's healthy (yes, a big if). It's on short money by Boston's standards and includes incentives for the guy if he pitches well.

He's a place holder for Maserson/Buchholz anyway.

did i miss something?? why do people think the sox are going to get mauer? if buchholtz isnt enough to get saltalamacchia done, what do the sox have to get one of the top five players in the league? bard, in case you didnt watch last year, is a no-hit, no-glove catcher, so i hope this story is wrong, and what if penny isnt healthy? is it wakefield and buchholtz/masterson at the back end of the rotation again? i'm not saying go and get lowe, unless he'd take three years at less than 40 mill. but a deal for peavy would make sense, even if he's no better than a no. 3 starter. there is no teixeira replacement out there, so if the offense is going to be down a bit, they need to answer the yankee lineup with pitching.

I think that this is a sign of a trade on the horizon. Call me an optimist but I think Clay's days are numbered for a catcher from Texas or elsewhere. It could also be bigger but I'm being conservative since the Sox have been this offseason. They are either going to suck up and deal with the Yanks or Rays dominating(please be the Rays!)and hope that something happens or like I said a big deal is on it's way like Mauer!

42 - Brad penny pitched in the NL West and had gave up almost 7 runs per start. Also he pitched in the second best pitcher friendly park in baseball. What makes you think he will be any good in the AL East?

Be objective for once and take off your red sox underwear. This signing is a "reach" and it smells of cheaping out. The red sox are ready for a 3rd place finish this year.

Let me get this straight.Red Sox let Kevin Cash go.....Yankees sign him for seven hundred thousand.Sox turn around and sign Bard for 1.7 million.Wheres the math?......Did'nt Sox sign Cash to catch Wake.And did'nt Sox get rid of Bard because he could'nt catch Wakefield?...........So where does that leave Wakefield?Why did they sign Tim to a contract?....... Is it all of a sudden Bard has learned how to catch Wake.Could it be that while he was with the Padres he learned how to catch a Knuckler and that's why his batting average was so low?........Sorry,Theo,I don't quite get this one.You are going to have to come up with something better.

Who in their right mind would spend $5,000,000.00 for one penny?

Penny will spend half the season on the DL.

I want to believe that Theo & Co. know what they're doing, but.... Brad Penny?

Wow.

I have an idea....

In case yer interested, Theo, I can probably still get 3-4 guys out with my screwball and knuckle curve. I'll be happy play for the league minimum, though!

I know, I know. I'm 53 with two stents but I got a lot of heart still left!

And my wife says she'd let me pitch, so whaddya think?

And it's the only way I can afford to go to Fenway.

I believe this probably means George Kottaras will be called up to catch the knuckleball days...this seems like a good plan...

I don't know why everyone is all upset about Penny. HE IS COMING CHEAP! This guy started the 2007 all-star game and was 3rd in the cy young voting. He requires no draft picks to be given up. Penny also can pitch behind Wake in the 5th spot and keep Buchholz in Pawtucket waiting to come up to Boston when someone goes on the D.L. GREAT MOVE! Also Bard contract isn't guarnteed so if he does bad in Spring Tranining it's not a big deal, no money wasted. GREAT MOVE! It's become clear to me how many pink hatters there are in Boston since all these Yankee moves during the off-season and its awful to see/read. Also Bard contract

Like the Penny signing, not the Bard. As a lot of people have mentioned, it already failed once, unless the big plan is to have him replace Tek.

Lots of complaints from fans whose team has given us two World Series titles and a playoff appearance in 03-05, 07-08. Just because we don't spend like you-know-who doesn't mean anything.

A lot of you are starting to sound like spoiled Yankee fans.

What a mess they are now.

Varitek + Teixeira+ Boras= No Boston
Varitek + Draft Picks + Low Average + High Contract Demand= No Offers

cheers to a move certain to begin the exodus of red sox b-wagonites out of DODGE and back to the bronx where they came from; sox fans understand the logic, perhaps most importantly, the history behind these picks.
awful lotta palookas wearing brand new yankee hats suddenly here in new york, bills unbroken and all...
while most of this comments section fills up with balderdash about boston not signing big names to counter new york's.
anybody in ny still think j damon was worth that fourth year? martinez, anyone?
and, what was that (teixeira) headline a couple days ago 'bout j henry, outbid by "a lousy $12 million"?
that this organization stands firm on its assessment of players does not make it 'cheap'. to the contrary, as evidenced by some comments here today, i'd darn say it makes it pretty dang righTHEOus (nope, couldn't help myself 'bout that last lil' bit!).

ok, now i'm gonna hit submit, but ONLY once. so pay attention!

Look people...I am with you being upset with the whole Mark Texiera thing but look at it this way...the Red Sox already have a kid in the minors (Lars Anderson) who Peter Gammons is basically calling the next A-Rod at the plate! Why waste $20+mil a year for a guy who has never been mentioned as a MVP, has only played in one post season series, and is getting overpaid because of his agent and because of potential? I would rather see the Red Sox use that money to sign Youk long-term (like $13-15mil per) which will give the Sox more money to spend on players like Palpebon (in 2 years when he becomes a FA), Ellsbury, Delcarmen, Bay (who is a FA after this season)...the Red Sox are thinking about their future not just the present about winning...look it took them 3 years to repeat and 2006 wasn't that great of a season...why complain if they build their team to win every 3 years? I'm sure not...the future is bright for the Red Sox as is the present...and the signings of these 2 players just shows that they believe in their younger talent a little more then the Yankees do...cause Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy sure have paned out real well...and for everyone looking to hand the crown to the Yankees this year remember that Jeter is a year older, Mussina is gone (18 wins) Petitte might not be back (15 wins)...so basically they paid $40 mil a season (CC and AJ) for 35 wins, and still don't have a decent #4 or #5 starter (and god-forbid that one of their starters gets injured...cause I would feel good with Ian kennedy starting in September when AJ is on the DL in a must-win game...and last time I checked, the Rays only lost 2 reserve players from their team...they are the team to beat NOT the Yankees...the only thing that bothers me about the Yankees is that they asked the city to pay $350mil for their stadium in taxpayer dollars then they go out and sign all these players for like $500mil (for 4 players)...little bit uncalled for...plus the Red Sox are being wise knowing that next years FA class is going to be much better and more pleantiful then this years...I actually like what Theo and Henry are doing...keep it up boys!

Seriously people!! We didn't win Jack S*** for 86 years! Now in the span of 5 years, we have two WS titles, wild card berths, division championships, playoffs and everyone on this blog is acting like we are the second coming of the Royals. All because Theo & Co didn't sign Tex, or CC or someone else to tie up the payroll. This is sad and pathetic, I agree, the majority of Sox fans are starting to sound as bad as Yankee fans! Think back to '04 and remember those days, maybe then you'll appreciate what we we have. Or better yet, if you have any friends who root for the Lions (diff sport I know), give them a call and see how they are doing this morning.

So many experts, so few GM positions.

Guys, continue to grind away at Burger King and someday, Mr. Henry will give you a call.

The Sox wanted Kevin Cash back, expecting him to wait around despite not being tendered, and were shocked and angry to learn that he had signed with the Yankees. But you'll never read that in this town.

The Sox screw up everything when it comes to catchers, whether it be trading Shoppach for Crisp, giving away Mirabelli, then giving away Cla Meredith to retrieve Mirabelli after they mistook Bard for a catcher who could actually catch knuckleballs, acquiring Javier Lopez, and on and on and on...

You people who are saying the team has great needs are delusional. Penny is a bet and a good one. If he is healthy he can be lights out and besides, even if he isn't this team, as currently configured, basically won the A.L. East last year, or are people really thinking that the Rays coming out of nowhere will be repeated. This year, the Rays will get everyone's best from the beginning and they won't play at a 700 clip at home. Bear in mind the Rays actually had a losing record on the road. What part of a team that has Dustin, Youkilis, Lowell, Papi, Drew, Bay and Ellsbury don't you bunch of morons like? The reigning MVP, a guy that was 3rd in MVP voting, a recovered “best clutch hitter in the game,” a recovered world series MVP, a guy in LF who basically, when asked to replace Papi hit even better than him in some stretches, a CF that is only getting better and is only 23, need I say more? This team is stacked and can run away with the division even without taking into account that Beckett will likely bounce back, Lester is lights out, Buckholz has been lights out this offseason, Dice-K was in the running for the CY and should only get better with the experience, and the bullpen is simply the best in baseball. Stop complaining. The Yankees replaced a 20 game winner in Musina with a potential 20 game winner in Sabathia who may have been overused, they lost 55 homers of Abreu and Giambi and replaced them with 33 of Texeira, Matsui and Damon are essentially walking wounded, Nady was a fluke and tailed off at the end, Jeter is in decline and Cano and Posada will likely be useless again. Chamberlain is likely to have arm trouble or end up in jail and Burnett will watch most of the games from an operating table and will see Veras blowing lead after lead in the 7th and 8th. Relax, the Sox will be in the playoffs for sure and the Yanks are going to stink it up.

Penny isn't worth a Penny with that bad shoulder! Bard is worth about the same! Paw Sox Catcher would be Better! oh and the reliever from KC #?#? Theo and Sox Brass what are you doing??? You better Make up with Manny to save next season!

A mess??
Lets see how much of a "mess" the Sox are by position:
1B. Guy finished 3rd in the MVP voting
2B. Guy WON the MVP
SS. a granted weakness but how do we know what Lowry will do in his second year?
3B. World Series MVP just over a year ago
LF. A 30 HR 100 RBI guy who hits close to .300
CF. A young guy with 50+ steals and can track down alot of balls
RF. An overpaid player I agree, but still a 20+ 80-100 RBI guy with above average defense
C. I will wait and see where we end up on this one
SP Beckett-came off a bad season, but before that was dominant
SP Lester- young and improving, easily 15+ wins again
SP Matsusaka- look at the ERA and wins since he joined MLB
SP Wakefield- could pitch here, or could be Masterson, Bucholz
SP Penny- your number 5 starter was the starter in the 2007 All star game
Set up- Masterson, Ramirez, Delcarmen....name me a combo of 3 better set up guys in the AL
Closer- do I need to say anything here?
Future- Bard, Bucholz, Masterson, Lars Anderson, etc.
Yeah....what a mess.....this team is doomed.....totally doomed...they might as well move to Miami.

Oh,...joy. Looks like the Cheap Sox decided to bolster their rotation with a $5 million dollar, fat ass ,injury prone stiff. Oh, and how can I forget the career backup know as Josh Bard. Ha, what a waste of time to sign these two players. But at least Henry and the other guys can use the extra money to heat their homes by burning the $ in the fireplace. What a crock. All you pink hat losers have ruined the Red Sox for 2009 because you'll all sell out that HELLHOLE known as Fenway every game next year just so you can tell your office buddies that you "were there". The hell with the Red Sox all they do is steal your money and laugh in your face but you pink hat bimbos eat it up. Ooh look at me I'm at the game so I'm gonna call my friends on my cell phone and jump up and down in front of the other fans so you can see me. Yeah, I love the Red Sox I hope they make it to the Superbo.. I mean World Series.. 87-85 record next season just you wait and see.

I'm hearing a lot of whining from "jump on the bandwagon" fans. The people making these decisions know what they are doing compared to what we put up with for many years. It's time to let Varitek go and use the $$ elsewhere. If Bard can hit like he did in 06 and 07; it's a steal. His walk to strikeout ratio is awesome compared to Tek's "close your eyes and hope" approach. There's only 2-3 catchers out there that stand out above the crowd, spending on the rest is insane. The only thing the sox lacked last year was clutch hitting, and you can't buy that.

Josh Bard came to BOS last time, mid-season, with little to no experience catching a knuckleballer. This time in BOS, he's coming in for Spring Training and can definitely work on that there. As far as his numbers last year, keep in mind he was out for quite a while after 1 or 2 collisions at home plate, with a broken nose, and a busted ankle. I like Bard, and can see his potential whether it be as a starter or a #2 guy.

OK RS fans Chill..these very good players and I hope the finalize these deals before either of them change their minds.Josh Bard is an excellent catcher both as a hitter and as a game planner/caller,you all laugh if you want but go to the pitching splits for the Padres in 07,they lead the NL in ERA who do you think caught 118 games that season? He was injured last year fractured ankle. So hold the criticism and see what happens,he won't be catching Wakes that job goes to Brown or Kottaras(who we got in the deal sending Bard to SD in the first place).As far as Penny is concerned 95-74 career record and a WS ring,and starting pitcher for the NL All-Star team.You guys kill me!

Well, I think things are finally falling into place. Bard will be the everyday catcher and Mirabelli will make another escorted entrance into Fenway as Wake's personal strike out.

Laughing my A$$ off at that one!!!

I like the deals. Penny is a no-brainer. Great upside, not a lot invested. I was upset when they traded Bard the first time. So what he cant catch a knuckleball. Its time our knuckleballer goes to the bullpen anyway. Bard can hit when given the chance

Great post 83. This move smells of desperation. You overpay for a backup catcher to the tune of $1 million dollars (nonguarentee or not) when you had a very serviceable one that you know can catch a knuckleball pitcher. Then you go and guarentee another $5 million more for a pitcher that was on the 60 day DL at the end of the year with major shoulder problems. What a disaster this off season has been for the sox. I am extremely disappointed.

Keep spending $150 on box seats you can hardly fit your rear into, while John Henry laughs his way to the bank saving millions on a reduced payroll from last year.

zzzzzzzzzzz

Josh Bard did NOT come to Boston mid-season in 2006 (if I remember correctly), I believe he started the season in boston and was subsequently traded to SD after it showed that he couldn't catch the knuckleball.

People wanna hate on Brad Penny, but he could easily have a better season than Burnett at 1/3 of the cost.

Whoever predicted the Red Sox to go 87-85 next season. . . unless they add 10 more games to the schedule, that ain't happening, haha.

God there are a lot of idiots posting on here!