Ramon Ramirez, Jarrod Saltalamacchia, and the Trade Deadline

In one of Boston’s quieter trade deadlines in recent years, the Red Sox came out as modest sellers when the deadline expired at 4:00 pm July 31st.

The club’s biggest move - the selling of middle reliever Ramon Ramirez – served more to show the front office’s expectations for the post-season as it was a strategic move.

Though trading a non-descript middle reliever may seem innocuous, it was quite the strong signal from a team that is used to adding – not selling – Major League pieces.

State of the ‘Pen

With the Sox bullpen letting another late lead slip away Sunday, there is little question that the collapse of the relief corps has been one team’s bigger issues this season.

Compounding issues is the news that the Sox may not be making any significant adds at the deadline. While not a white flag by any means, the team is firmly stuck in limbo -- not close enough to Tampa to make a deadline splash, but not far enough away to plan for 2011.

A quality seventh inning reliever would do wonders for the bullpen, giving the team a much stronger bridge through the late innings. In particular, a quality non-LOOGY left-hander would be optimal, but that move doesn’t seem to be in the works.

Nevertheless, it’s time we took stock of what we have. The following is a rundown of the top five hurlers in the pen, what they can do, and how they fit in with the pen’s structure...

Bullpen positives and negatives

Look on the bright side. When it comes to the Sox best relief pitchers, all are home grown.

Yet, outside of Jonathan Papelbon, Daniel Bard and Manny Delcarmen there has not been a lot to like about the Sox bullpen this year. You probably had the feeling, as I did, heading into the season that the relief corps would be somewhat of a problem when the big decision heading out of Fort Myers was whether to carry Scott Schoeneweis or Scott Atchison.

Into the second week of June, the Sox bullpen has an ERA of 4.24. Compare that to the strong relief that a team like the Padres are getting (2.70 ERA) or or the Rays (3.23) and you see just how far off the pace Boston has fallen in an area that presumably was a strength coming into the season and was a relative strength last year (3.80 ERA).

The state of the bullpen

This offseason has centered mostly around the improved defense and addition of John Lackey to our rotation. The bullpen though has been largely left to small moves to patch up the back and look for solid years from the rest. As it stands the pen returns Jonathon Papelbon, Daniel Bard, Hideki Okajima, Ramon Ramirez and Manny Delcarmen. The starting rotation currently has 6 solid starters with Tim Wakefield as a long reliever and Boof Bonser as a long shot to squeeze in. They have also added Brian Shouse, Edwin Moreno, Jorge Sosa, Scott Atchinson, Robert Manuel and Ramon A. Ramirez. The team entered 2009 with 12 starting pitchers including 5 starters and 7 relievers. Let's assume they enter 2010 with the same numbers, but we'll label the last reliever as on the bubble as he could be a minor league option. Sure Things Closer and setup are solid with Papelbon and Bard continuing were they left 2009. We have had plenty of discussions about these two here, here, here and here. While Bard still has some questions and his projections show he isn't quite ready to be be a closer, but a solid setup man. His CHONE projection calls for a 3.48 ERA and only a 2.09 K/BB. I have some doubts about that K/BB and think he can be much better as does MARCEL and Bill James at 2.53 and 2.80 respectively.

Papelbon, three others file for arbitration

This year, four Red Sox are eligible for arbitration. The big name is closer Jonathan Papelbon while Manny Delcarmen, Ramon Ramirez (the original one) and Jeremy Hermida round out the other three. (Hideki Okajima recently avoided arbitration, signing for $2.75 million, a raise of $1 million from his 2009 salary.)

Tweets on the Red Sox’s 25-man roster

In a homage to Twitter, the new social media application that is changing how news is delivered (in the same vein how blogs changed everything) I bring to you a summary of each Red Sox player on the 25-man roster in 140 characters or less (the maximum number of characters you can enter on Twitter).

Have Twitter? Follow me. Tim's on too. Oh, and Fire Brand has one as well. You'll notice that had you followed Fire Brand, you would have gotten all these tweets last night.

TOR 5, BOS 3: Crash landing

Rocco Baldelli hit a two-run homer in the second inning. Then, in the the fifth inning, Baldelli crashed into a wall trying to catch a foul ball. That's exactly how Boston's game went as well. The Red Sox were on pace for a win with a 3-1 cushion over Toronto. Then, Ramon Ramirez hit a wall in the seventh inning.

BOS 6, MIN 5: Bang for the buck

Buy low, sell high. Brad Penny continues to fulfill, quite possibly, the oldest investment cliche ever.

Getting to know you: Ramon Ramirez

It's not often that an unheralded newcomer to an established bullpen establishes themselves in April as the go to guy that will bridge the most critical situations between the days starter and the designated closer.

With the perceived depth of the Red Sox bullpen coming into the season, it certainly wasn't expected that Ramon Ramirez, who entered the season behind Jonathan Papelbon, Takashi Saito, Hideki Okajima, and Manny Delcarmen in the bullpen rotation, would claim that mantle.

Go Early, Go Often: Fire Brand’s Best of April

Tonight's game against the Tampa Bay Rays marks the final game of the first calendar month of the season; and what an April it was. From the panic that set in BWNNH (Before Wake's Near No Hitter) after a 2-6 start, to the exhilaration of winning 12 out of 13 including a le-gen *wait for it* DARY sweep of the New York Yankees AB (Anno Bay - In the Year of Our Bay), April has been all Red Sox fans could ask for.

Who would have thought after the first week of the season that April would end with the Red Sox atop the American League with the league's best winning percentage?

Today we look at the best performances of April, culminating in the Fire Brand Player of the Month award.