The Red Sox signed lefty reliever Jesse Carlson to a split contract with a spring training invite, his brother told Robert Mayer of the local online newspaper the Berlin Patch in a story published yesterday. Carlson, 30, had rotator cuff surgery in May and was removed from Toronto's 40-man roster in November. Sean McAdam of CSNNE.com first tweeted the near-agreement yesterday morning.
StanleyHudson
Big, big splash!!!!!!!! Atta boy Ben!
MeowMeow
Glad this is what he’s spending his time on -_-
Tyler Sekula
World Series champions.
Devern Hansack
Dude, comments like these are so old and unnecessary.
diesel2410
Yet they are still funny!
Tyler Karsch
I believe his point is that they are not actually funny.
diesel2410
My point is that they ARE still funny.
Fangaffes
They’re actually as tired and lame as ARod will be at the end of his contract.
TapDancingTeddy
He seems tired and lame already.
philliesfan136
You are one among few in that opinion, my friend.
mike292929
It’s ok… some people need attention in life and this is their only way to gain it.
grownice
Minor. League. Champions.
That would have been funnier , better luck next time though!
grownice
Minor. League. Champions.
That would have been funnier , better luck next time though!
Brian Jud
Jesse Carlson from Berlin, CT
Josh Cornwall
No one likes your stupid town
GoAwayNow
State*
Tko11
Cool
$5427573
I hope they use him against the Jays.
Howard
I’m hoping the Jays can stray from swinging at the nasty slider, but I think Carlson could stand his own with some of the line up.
mike292929
he has a nasty slider when it breaks out of the strike zone… most of the time for him, it breaks right through the middle.
Howard
by nasty i meant great…
FowlofCanada
I hope they use him against Posada again.
GoAwayNow
Are they gonna use him as security at the gate?
Rcsully
more fuel for the duck boats
BVHjays
I’ll never forget the time he punched Jorge Posada in the face. Red Sox’ fans will like him.
Jon Stark
This is a nice depth move. It is a good thing the GM doesn’t think like fans where anything but a big splash is a waste of time.
Angry Disgruntled Sox Fan
So you’re saying it’s always good to make a big move even if the best interest of the team isn’t to make a big move?
Jon Stark
Nope.
Angry Disgruntled Sox Fan
Okay, sorry I misinterpreted it.
NomarGarciaparra
No, he’s saying the exact opposite…read it again!
grownice
Decent possible lefty specialist for the Sox, he’s got a nasty slider , but not much else. I’ve watched him since he started with the Jays a few years ago, he can be serviceable if used properly.
User 4245925809
They already have Rich hill, 12 months back from TJ at the end of ST, franklin Morales, Andrew Miller, Felix Doubrant (out of options and won’t be released) as lefties in the pen. Every one of them are out of options also, so think that makes this pickup odd, unless he can be stashed on the DL to start the season or has options left.
0bsessions
Split contract. They can stow him in the minors as depth. Doubront and Miller stunk out loud this year and Morales had some ugly peripherals. If they all stink out loud or get injured and Hill doesn’t recover well, THEN we’ll see Carlson.
User 4245925809
Cheers and thanks.. Missed the split part…
man i hope Morales is one of the 1st guys removed from the 40 man… we are allowed hope?????
Andrew Casey
Hopefully we sign Madson soon or get Bailey.
grownice
Why would you want madson for 40mm when you have Bard? Huge waste of money that could be spent better elsewhere.
0bsessions
I wouldn’t want Madson for $40MM, but I’d take him for anywhere from $24-30MM, which doesn’t seem out of the realm of possibility at this point given the way this offseason has gone. Fielder and Madson are basically the two biggest FA’s left and is anyone actually still looking for a closer other than MAYBE the Red Sox?
Given, I believe Bard could close given the opportunity, using him as relief ace or converting him to a starter while using Madson as closer would be more valuable to the team overall.
Redsoxn8tion
I agree, but Bard is supposedly transitioning into a starter. So we’ll see
Redsoxn8tion
I agree, but Bard is supposedly transitioning into a starter. So we’ll see
RPK3113
I think people sort of forget who Madson really is. He has great stuff, but has had a history of being a head case and really slumping because of it.
Want to know a secret? We already have that pitcher. His name is Daniel Bard.
notsureifsrs
nah, madson’s a legitimately excellent reliever. it’s just that excellent relievers are hugely overvalued
RPK3113
Yeah, he’s good. But doesn’t he routinely slump? He sort of goes through a month after a couple bad outings?
notsureifsrs
“slump” in the sense that he goes from phenomenal to merely good. FIP by month
1.53
2.10
3.88
1.53
3.53
1.49
he had 4 meltdowns in all of last year. for perspective, papelbon had 4 and bard had 11. over the last 3 seasons, madson has had 22, papelbon 18, bard 27
i don’t want madson, but it’s not because he’s anything less than excellent
RPK3113
Fair – What about the year before? I could have sworn that when he initially took the closer job after the Lidge injury, he struggled.
notsureifsrs
last year
4.75
2.30
0.95
3.54
less impressive for sure. but not any worse than this:
4.66
5.28
4.90
2.21
1.86
2.37
which was papelbon’s 2010
0bsessions
Doesn’t seem that way.
This past year, he had an awful August at first glance. Eight ER in 10 IP, ouch.
A closer look tells us six of those runs were in one bad outing against the Nationals. The other two were against the Dodgers, a run a piece on back to back nights and he still got the save on both.
He’s had one bad month in each of the last three years, but all of them were the result of a couple ugly games, no real instances of him falling apart for a month after a bad outing and no legitimate evidence of him being particularly streaky. In fact, after that six run outing against the Nationals, Madson only gave up one run for the entire remainder of the season, game three of the NLDS (Which he got the save on). He only even allowed more than one baserunner four more times (Including the postseason), so it’s not like he went into cardiac mode either. He’s no Papelbon, but he’s an an entirely adequate closer.
RPK3113
Yeah, he’s good. But doesn’t he routinely slump? He sort of goes through a month after a couple bad outings?
parkdav
Take that Angels.
Adam Aj Eastwood
UCONN Represent!!!!
Adam Aj Eastwood
UCONN Represent!!!!
Rcsully
I am sure Albert wants back to the NL with this move. All kidding aside, It does add depth and they do need a lefty for the pen. This move is a decent under the radar move.
Rcsully
I am sure Albert wants back to the NL with this move. All kidding aside, It does add depth and they do need a lefty for the pen. This move is a decent under the radar move.
T&S
What is a split contract?
mike292929
they pay the player different salaries while in MiLB/MLB. So if he doesn’t cut it in the bigs, the red sox aren’t stuck paying him a big league contract.
T&S
Thanks
Jason Siedzik
Worked with Bob Mayer before, and it’s good to see he landed on his feet. At least he won’t have to go as far to cover Carlson (back when we were at the same paper, he drove up to Fenway just for a Jays/Sawx series along with Berlin’s sports editor to write about him… lucky bastards).
chee1rs
wow , so …. exciting
coolstorybro222
Red sox sign another broken arm pitcher now.