All-Aughts Team of the Decade RP3: Alan Embree

This morning, we learned that Mike Timlin won a spot on the All-Aughts team as the #1 reliever. This afternoon, we honor the #3 reliever and Timlin's longtime lefty cohort, Alan Embree. Embree may have only been around for two full seasons and parts of two others, but he made an impact. Embree was acquired from the San Diego Padres on June 26, 2002 at age 32 because of one very specific game. That game came on June 22, the last time he pitched in a Padres uniform. It was an interleague game at home against the Yankees, when he pitched three innings and struck out seven Yankees. (The picture is from this game.) Embree wasn't truly legendary during his time with Boston. Did he have to be, though? He was good enough to stick, good enough to rank third on the relief depth chart, and good enough to trust in close and late situations. We can't have every relief pitcher throw up sub-2 ERAs. Embree may not have been lights-out, but obviously he was good enough to be an important relief pitcher on two straight excellent teams.

All-Aughts Team of the Decade RP1: Mike Timlin

Today's All-Aughts Team of the Decade entrants will number two. This morning you're getting the best reliever of the decade as well as one-half of the best relief pitching tandem the Sox have witnessed in a long time. This afternoon, you get the other half. Let's kick things off this morning with the pitcher that appeared in the most games for the BoSox this decade despite only six years of service. That's Mike Timlin, with 394 games appeared in as one of the better setup men the team has ever seen. Also, perhaps one of the best persons the team has witnessed. My favorite quote of Timlin's time in Boston's career came by an anonymous scout that I remember to this day, and it sums Timlin up in a nutshell: “They said he had no guts in Baltimore. Nobody in Boston says that, do they?”

George Kottaras released

With Victor Martinez and Jason Varitek set at the major league level and Dusty Brown along with Mark Wagner in reserve, the Red Sox cleared a 40-man spot by releasing catcher George Kottaras. Kottaras was out of options, so he would have had to pass through waivers, which may have been possible. If so, he'd have required playing time in Triple-A that should go to Wagner/Brown. In addition, if he was claimed, the team would be in the same situation right now, so why not get the additional 40-man spot to protect an additional Rule 5 eligible player? For more of a breakdown on who is eligible and who could be protected, check out the SoxProspects blog.