According to MLB.com's beat writer, Ian M. Browne, the Red Sox have agreed to a minor league contract with Paul Byrd. This is welcome news, as the Red Sox could use more depth in the minors. I would guess he would only need 2-3 weeks of work in the minors before being ready to contribute.
In an interview with Fire Brand on February 12, Byrd said that he wanted to take the first half of the season off to be with his children. If you listened to this week's Fireside Chats, this move will come as no surprise to you as Paul Testa mentioned Byrd as a possibility to rejoin the Sox.
I recently had the pleasure of interviewing Paul Byrd. Byrd, acquired from the Cleveland Indians during the latter part of the 2008 season, served the Red Sox very capably out of the back of the rotation spot and was an integral part in getting the team all the way to a seventh game in the ALCS. Read on...
The Red Sox have been hotly linked to two players: Seattle's Willie Bloomquist and Tampa Bay's Rocco Baldelli.
Jason Varitek and Paul Byrd were offered arbitration in advance of the midnight deadline. Varitek, a Type A free agent, will fetch two draft picks (first round and supplementary first round, unless the first rounder is in the top 15; then it will be the second round pick of the signing team) if he signs elsewhere. Peter Gammons believes there is a chance Varitek accepts.
Byrd is a Type B, which will be a supplemental round pick. There's no harm in Byrd accepting as it would put Masterson in the bullpen, give us a deep bullpen and depth in the rotation. It won't preclude any team from signing him as there are no draft picks for them to lose.
Let's take a whirl throughout the rumors in baseball and see what's going on...
In Milwaukee, Doug Melvin picked up Mike Cameron's option, but the Yankees have now come calling -- presumably dangling Melky Cabrera and Ian Kennedy. With Alex Rodriguez being solicited for advice on Cameron and rumblings that the Yankees might sign second baseman Orlando Hudson and move him to centerfield, you can expect to see a new centerfielder roaming the new Yankee Stadium next year.
A back of the rotation starter is being looked at so Clay Buchholz isn't handed the job in spring training. Paul Byrd could return.
Buster Olney had a chat up today with two interesting tidbits… Heard this informed speculation this morning — Beckett, Lester,…
Once a week, you’ll hear from numerous Red Sox bloggers on the Internet on a Red Sox related issue, and…