Boomer
The Red Sox inked long-time AL East enemy David Wells to a two year contract over the weekend. While much of Red Sox Nation may wonder why the services of a 41 year old fat man would be so coveted, look no further than his ability to throw strikes at will. It is no secret that Theo and company value strike zone command, both at the plate and on the mound. A hitter that doesn’t swing at bad pitches will earn walks and make pitchers offer up more hittable pitches. Patient hitters reduce a pitcher’s margin of error. On the pitching side, a hurler like Wells that is eternally pounding the strike zone with a mix of pitches can often try and make the specific pitch and location he wishes because he is so seldom behind in the count. Further, because the control pitcher isn’t afraid to let his fielders help him, he can go deep into games thanks to an 8-pitch inning here and a 6-pitch inning there.
To illustrate just how good Wells’ control is, I would point out this nugget. Since 2002, in three seasons, Wells has surrendered 85 walks. The man one would have to assume he is replacing, Derek Lowe, issued 71 free passes in 2004 alone. Wells’ K numbers are underwhelming however and I suppose I ought to rein my tone in a bit. What he most surely will be is a bit above league average, something that will be just fine for a team with a lineup like Boston’s. Remember, Derek Lowe may have been the very worst pitcher to take a regular turn for any rotation in the American League.
The deal is not without risk. Wells is 41, overweight and has battled back problems on and off for a few years now. Wisely, the Red Sox structured a contract that shifted risk from their own balance sheet to Boomer’s by loading up with incentive clauses. Further, Wells is a fly ball southpaw in Fenway. Still, in a market where lesser performers like Kris Benson and Jaret Wright strike it rich, this move is good no matter how you want to take a look at it.
While I am by no means advocating it and I have little doubt Pedro and perhaps another starter will be signed soon, I think the Red Sox could head to Fort Myers tomorrow with a rotation of Schilling, Wells, Arroyo, Wakefield and one of BK Kim, Billy Traber or newly signed John Halama and still have a helluva chance at an AL East crown. It would easily be a 150 VORP rotation.
The most significant aspect of the deal is that it reinforced that the Sox are currently operating in the sweetest of sweet spots. There are three factors behind this phenomenon. First, they have a forward thinking and curious front office that realizes they don’t have all the answers. This allows for genuine research and objective analysis. Second, the Sox are an absolute cash cow at this point. You can’t walk a quarter of a block here in Boston without seeing Sox gear of some sort on somebody. Ticket prices are through the roof and NESN has proven to be a more lucrative acquisition than anyone could have hoped. The third factor is that Boston has become a desired destination for prime Major League talent, a drastic change from decades past. We’ll see how the rest of the Hot Stove season shakes down but I wouldn’t fret. The Sox are in truly remarkable hands.
