Getty Images Nothing is official yet, but Peter Gammons of MLB Network reports that the Red Sox have agreed to terms with right-hander Vicente Padilla and Alex Speier of WEEI.com says it’s a minor-league deal with an invitation to spring training.
Padilla missed nearly all of last season following neck surgery and worked strictly as a reliever for the Dodgers when healthy enough to take the mound, but it’s unclear which role he’ll fill for the Red Sox.
He could compete with fellow minor-league signings like Aaron Cook and Carlos Silva for the fifth spot in the rotation or be viewed as a late-inning bullpen option if Daniel Bard sticks as a starter.
Padilla has had a ton of trouble staying healthy over the years, but has typically been a solid mid-rotation starter when not on the disabled list and also has a 4.15 ERA with 91 strikeouts in 113 career innings as a reliever.
And as we learned last week, no matter which role Padillla winds up in he’ll be “erect, proud, shining, and solid.”
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- phillieschamps2012 - Jan 16, 2012 at 1:30 PM
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The is a horrible signing for the Red Sox. If Boston thought they had major problems with beer drinking last year by their pitchers, Padilla will give them a whole new concern. This guy is the biggest booze hound in all of baseball. Padilla is a drunken head-hunter. This is the same guy that couldn’t pitch an inning in an All-Star game once because he was drunk.
Padilla’s Flotilla will carry the rest of the team’s pitching staff to many of the fine pubs they have in Boston this year.
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- JBerardi - Jan 16, 2012 at 2:51 PM
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“If Boston thought they had major problems with beer drinking last year by their pitchers, Padilla will give them a whole new concern.”
OR, if the sports media constructed a narrative about beer drinking last year by their pitchers in order to turn a statistical anomaly into a familiar narrative where outcomes always perfectly reflect the grittyness/clutchness/moral fiber/dedication/whiteness of the players involved, then Boston might not really care about Padilla’s supposed drinking.
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- phillieschamps2012 - Jan 16, 2012 at 2:59 PM
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I agree with you except the part where you use the phrase “supposed drinking”. There is nothing supposed. Padilla is a load when it comes to drinking issues. He’s had numerous problems throughout his career. This isn’t a good PR move by Boston in light of what went down last year to bring Padilla in.
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- deathmonkey41 - Jan 17, 2012 at 10:20 AM
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Even if they don’t care about his drinking, they should probably care that he can’t pitch in cold weather.
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- uyf1950 - Jan 16, 2012 at 1:46 PM
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Is this a minor league deal with an invite OR a guaranteed major league contract. I’m not sure the piece makes it clear.
I know it says “He could compete with minor-league signings like Aaron Cook and Carlos Silva for the fifth spot in the rotation or be viewed as a late-inning bullpen option if Daniel Bard sticks as a starter.”
But that kind of statement can be interpreted either way.
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- uyf1950 - Jan 16, 2012 at 3:30 PM
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I now have my answer I believe. According to another site it’s a minor league deal with $1.5MM if he makes the Major League roster.
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- marshmallowsnake - Jan 16, 2012 at 1:49 PM
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World Series baby!!! Of Poker….
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- randygnyc - Jan 16, 2012 at 1:50 PM
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There’s 70 innings the red sox can scratch off their calendar for 2012.
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- uyf1950 - Jan 16, 2012 at 2:01 PM
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I hope there is a Motel 6 close to JetBlue Park in Ft Meyers with a lot of empty rooms. Because with all the players the Sox have signed with invites to spring training and their obvious financial crunch. They are going to need a lot of cheap rooms.
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- crisisjunky - Jan 16, 2012 at 2:19 PM
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Vicente Padilla; Erect, proud, shining and solid… till about the sixth inning or so…..
and after the inexplicable loss, float on over to the LoMo-tell (jacuzzi equipped) for a couple nightcaps and some late night abuse.
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- proudlycanadian - Jan 16, 2012 at 2:30 PM
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I too was erect, proud and solid when I woke up this morning. Dreaming of beavers will do that.
On a serious note, I am sure that Bobby V. thinks that Padilla is a better pitcher than Kuroda and Pineda.
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- henryd3rd - Jan 16, 2012 at 2:38 PM
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I am sure that this signing puts some real fear in the heart of Brian Cashman. I can just see him getting on the phone and trying to swing another major deal to counteract this signing.
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- cur68 - Jan 16, 2012 at 2:53 PM
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Padilla’s war face is a cautionary tale against letting just any old sod have children. I mean that in the nicest possible way, too. The Sox better hand hand out dramamine to the fans every time Padilla takes the mound.
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- pisano - Jan 16, 2012 at 3:28 PM
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Great move, I wonder who’ll get the praise for signing this problem?
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- drewzducks - Jan 16, 2012 at 5:10 PM
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As a Sox fan the only thing I can say is “dos cervesas por favor”
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- bozosforall - Jan 17, 2012 at 11:46 AM
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LMAO
The Red Sox continue to spiral down the drain.
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- bobwsc - Jan 18, 2012 at 11:29 AM
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how is your viewpoint from the bottom of the drain?
