The Boston Red Sox today acquired pitcher Paul Byrd from the Cleveland Indians, a sign that the Red Sox will likely demote Clay Buchholz to Triple-A.
Byrd, 37, will be a free agent after the year and is 7-10 with a 4.53 ERA on the season. He has been a steady and consistent starter through most of his career and has a 4.37 career ERA. He also made the All-Star team in 1999 then went through a rough patch before reestablishing himself in 2002. In exchange for Byrd, the Red Sox will send either cash or a player to be named to the Indians.
One interesting part to Byrd is his use of an old-fashioned windup, where he swings his arms back before winding up. I always liked that about his pitching style. Byrd is a devout Christian who is also addicted to pornography. (Interesting.)
He was also embroiled in the performance enhancing drugs controversy, having been accused of using HGH the day before he was slated to start against the Red Sox in the ALCS (five innings, two runs, a win to send Cleveland to a 3-1 series lead). Byrd said he used HGH to treat a tumor on his pituitary gland, but other happenings have called the validity of this into question.
Byrd should be a nice, veteran addition to a staff who is proving to the world that there is no such thing as too much starting pitching.
