SATURDAY: Padilla is getting closer to a deal with Boston, tweets Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com.
THURSDAY: Despite the report that the Red Sox are “moving toward a deal” with Padilla, the Red Sox are merely “talking to [Padilla] among others” and there is “nothing to report” about the team’s interest, a major league source told Alex Speier of WEEI.com. Padilla would be fit the mold of a buy-low pitcher for Boston and an industry source tells Speier that the right-hander is "healthy and throwing hard".
3:22pm: The Red Sox and Padilla are moving toward a deal, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com tweets.
12:28pm: Two days after signing Aaron Cook, the Red Sox are scouting another low-risk righty looking to rebound from injury. Vicente Padilla took leave of his native Nicaraguan winter league yesterday in order to fly to Boston, where he will be checked over today by team doctors, reports Francisco Jarquín Soto at the Nicaraguan paper El Nuevo Diario.
Padilla made only nine appearances for the Dodgers in 2011, all in relief, before neck problems ended his season in June. He also briefly took over the closer's job from Jonathan Broxton, though in recent years the 34-year-old has been a swingman and spot starter (he thrived in the role as recently as 2010). He has reportedly been hitting 95-96 mph with his fastball this winter in Nicaragua, and has said he wants to fight for a rotation spot. Seeing as the Red Sox have no shortage of hard-throwing righties in their revamped pen, Padilla could get his wish if his health permits.
All beer and fried chicken jokes aside, part of the problem for the Sox last year was clubhouse issues… isn’t Padilla considered a clubhouse cancer?
He was great with the Dodgers by all accounts.
Padilla is a lot like Pierzynski. Loud, opinionated, abrasive, damn competitive. He’ll work out fine in some clubhouses, but others, not so much. Should be OK in Boston.
Oh excellent, we all get to see Mark Teixeira rip Vicente Padilla’s head off when he hits him with a pitch.
I opened this article JUST to say that same thing. I believe Cano, Granderson, and Tex had about 11-13 hbp last season. I can see Adam Jones, who had 9, and Bautista (just cuz) getting whacked as well.
Furthermore, under Fracona’s management, Sox pitchers hit a staggering 620+ batters, which is over 50 more than the second place team in that time. Maybe things will change now?
#obscurestats
Eh, at least we are getting tons of depth. This time we need to keep it for the whole season.
Padilla isn’t depth. He’s a waste of a roster space IMO. His ERA will plummet. No way he will help us compete with the Yank’s rotation.
On another note, why are my posts being moderated here for no reason?
The Sox NEED a veteran starter. I don’t see the Sox going after a stud pitcher like the Yanks did. They won’t get the the Yankees’ staff’s level, but a solid Beckett and Lester with a Bucholtz bounceback from injury plus a veteran starter and a young armwould be alright- they could at least hold the fort. I’d like to see the Sox go after some polished college arms in the draft though.
Why do they need a veteran starter? Beckett is definitely a veteran, and Lester isn’t exactly a rookie. Having a veteran starter isn’t exactly a must anyway, ask the Rays.
need experienced starters to cover injuries, nothing wrong with these guys doing their thing with pawsox
Well one of them is likely to end up the #5 starter..
Padilla getting his fastball at 96mph? Surprised Padilla would want to pitch at Fenway considering how much he hates hitters parks.
I think it’s a great idea on a minor league contract. What does it hurt to take a look at a guy in spring training ? He’d be fantastic if healthy as a swing man ala Aceves.
With all the guys they have signed recently the Red Sox need about a thousand pair of eyes to take a look at all of them.
Then they will recruit a thousand pair of eyes to look at them…although I sense a slightly inaccuracy in your calculation.
+1. Kudos, good sir…
Desperation is in the air.
I know right bullpen arm/starting pitcher depth……so desperate…..mmmm no. Sign Edwin Jackson to a five year deal…..thats desperate.
Exactly. Padilla would be a nice depth pickup, could help in the rotation and pen as well..
I love how Red Sox fans are taking the same position they bashed the Yankee fans for taking last year.
(not you, I don’t think you were here last year, but Boston fans in general)
True story: I said the same thing a year ago when Yankees fans complained about Sox fans bashing the Colon and Garcia signing.
Given, I personally thought the Garcia and Colon signings were smart moves last year, but Yankees fans were all over us in ’09 when we signed Penny and Smoltz and all over us when we signed Silva.
Are you saying next year it’s our turn again?
Come on down Livan Hernandez!
Likewise I find it amusing that some yankee fans are bashing the Red Sox for doing what their team did last year.
Not you, but in general 😉
It’s a kinda funny. These are very typical small market team moves, signing potential talent on minor league deals, and yet if either the Red Sox or yanks make them our fanbases laugh at each other. Gotta love the hypocrisy coming from both of our fanbases.
Word! Fortunately, people like you and I know that adding depth is a good move regardless if you wear red or pinstripes. Now if you wear red pinstripes, then we got a problem (Phillies) haha
I talk about the hypocrisy quite a bit myself. High payroll, “joke of a ballpark”, Tainted championships, Bad fans, the list goes on and on.
Employed that drunk David Wells…
lol now TBS has to deal with him.
This sign makes sense.. Padilla that is.. Cook might make sense also, ditto Carlson, Hill.. The rest of those supposed “depth” moves are pretty much blocking moves with no intent, other than get in the way of other people who deserve the AB’s more.
It is funny how some will hammer all the signs who could pay off however..
I’ve been here for a couple years now. I was not one of those people.
ya i know…we are bringing in small pieces who can produce and add depth to the rotation or bullpen just like the yankees did with Colon and Garcia and they were sucessful
No desperation is having to trade for Bruce Chen because you are out of pitchers for a possible playoff game. Good added depth
The guy’s a headcase but he’s got a great arm. On a minor league deal, he might be a good investment for Boston.
Aceves was also someone who was dubbed a ‘headcase’ when the Yankees non-tendered him (moreso the injury concerns but that was part of the media discussion when he was brought on board last winter). If Padilla can provide 1/4 of the rubber arm ability Aceves has shown he could be extremely valuable over the course of the season
Padilla was pretty hated by his teammates in Texas. He used to get them drilled all the time.
I don’t think it’ll be an issue, especially given the fact he needs a contract.
When was Aceves dubbed a “headcase”? Never even heard of that story.
That was how we was introduced by many of the local Boston news media (Cafardo, Silverman) that he had “attitude issues” while on the Yankees and the final straw leading up to him being non-tendered was being in a off-season bicycle accident breaking his collarbone. At least that was the commentary during spring training.
During the season it was often mentioned how would often cross up Varitek because sometimes he would throw whatever pitch he originally intended too often leading to an excess of visits to the mound. So no he was not described as a head case per say but he certainly has a hard edged / goofy makeup
I followed him with the Dodgers and I don’t ever remember him being referred to as a “head case” or a “club house cancer”. It’s actually just the opposite. He was a hard worker who was ready to pitch when called upon. He’s a great addition to any team.
Its not so much that, its more like rather than walking a batter he would hit them intentionally so that the walks wouldn’t hurt his stats. He did that a lot with the Rangers. Since its the AL, when the opposing pitcher retaliates for their batters they hit the other team’s hitters and not the pitcher like in the NL. A lot of hitters on the Rangers disliked him for that, especially Teixeira. Once he went to the NL, he couldn’t do that anymore.
he intentionally hit batters so the walks wouldn’t hurt his stats….
it’s amazing what people come up with in regards to player’s mentalities
I’m not making that up Mark Teixeira himself said it in a post game interview.
Also he shot himself. Wait, is that headcase or injury history?
If my memory serves me correctly it was a complete accident either he shot himself or his friend shot him while attempting to clean a gun that was thought to be unloaded all be it you should always check the chamber to see if there is a round in it.
Still my favorite MLBTR quote, after the Dodgers signed him for the ’10 season:
“Padilla’s ’09 injury ledger included forearm tightness, a strained
shoulder, a bruised palm, swine flu, and a self-inflicted gunshot wound.”
At least none of those are conditions that are likely to be chronic, I guess?
Depends on the gun. 🙂
Neither side has been to the postseason since 2009, so it seems like a good match.
Not sure why 95-96 MPH and a reasonably good track record has not drawn more interest, seems like this would be a good depth move for a lot of teams.
Solid depth signing. Could be useful out the pen.
Oh no the Nicaraguan head hunter is back. Oh no
Nightstalker was actually a decent clubhouse guy while in LA; only person he shot during his tenure was himself, and I don’t even recall him throwing at himself in retaliation.
When Padilla was in Texas, he didn’t throw as hard, but he couldn’t control what he threw, resulting in the nickname, the headhunter. He has beaned many players during his career and now that his velocity is around 95, he could kill someone.
I like how people get that name headhunter, when nobody in the last 40 years I can remember was nearly as bad as Ryan for intentionally throwing at other people’s heads and not just that but throwing BEHIND a player’s head so they would instinctively back into the pitch.
Ryan did it on purpose and with malice, long after he got his control down some, yet was rarely tossed from games. Dwight Evans quit playing in games Ryan pitched in after getting beaned once from Ryan, yet so many look up to a guy who threw 100mph and tried to kill people.
Good pitcher, good depth signing for the Red Sox if he keeps his head on straight. Every team feels like they can deal with a player, then they find out they can’t. 2 most recent players that come to mind are Gary Sheffield and Milton Bradley. Sheffield wore out his welcome everywhere he went.
his numbers look well
Ben Cherington is doing good putting in small pieces who can produce
is not even signed yet, and people are already bashing it?
anyways, THE PADILLA FLOTILLA in fenway? it could be fun to see…
THis will be a good signing for the Sox. This guy has always had top flight stuff, and if he is properly motivated (another contract) can give this team 25 good starts. He has the type of stuff to pitch well in the playoffs, and give the Yankees and Rays real problems.
Wow, Padilla and Carlos Silva on the same team? Is Livan still available?
Not the first time they were on the same team together. 2002-2003 Phillies teams.
Please don’t….
Padilla es ahora un hombre maduro, con pensamientos mas serios y con la motivacion y entrega que tienen los peloteros de cara a sus ultimos años en la Pelota Mayor. Padilla sería una gran adquisición para Media Rojas; lo vi tirar aqui, en Granada,Nicaragua, y está muy fuerte, aun en el septimo inning estuvo por las 95mph.El ya no es el chico malo que golpea con fuerza a sus oponentes; ahora en lo que piensa es que la esquina de adentro del homeplate le pertenece y la cuida con su mejor arma: 95-97mph. Suerte Padilla, mejor equipo no encontrstes, !!duro contra los yankees.
Si
Good number 5 starter , now lets try to sign either Oswalt,Saunders,Jackson,Webb etc. so we can put Bard back in the bullpen where it will be more unstoppable…the bullpen is gonna be one of the best bullpens in baseball with Bailey,Malconen,Aceves,Bard,Jenks
This reminds me of Dice-K and Igawa. Just replace Japan with the Dodgers, and the posting system with free agents.
Yanks get Pineda and Kuroda, Sox get Vicente Padilla. Thank god the Theo Epstein era is over. Red Sox, see you again in 86 years.
Yeah, it reminds me of last year when the Red Sox got Crawford and Gonzalez, and the Yankees got Colon and Garcia…
Does Bobby V speak spanish too? LOL
Don’t you know? He vacationed at central America for 3 days, everybody wants to be his friend there…
I dunno…but…How was Padilla in a “swing role” as recently as 2010? The stats I saw said he made 16 appearances in ’10, while making 16 starts…actually his stats point towards a guy who was solely a reliever his first 4 or so years and a guy who has been a starter ever since except for his 9 relief appearances (and no starts) last season.
Talk about knee jerk reaction move, this is the worst kind of move…
the rumor was before the yankees moves were made
I see this working out well for Boston. Until his injury, he’d pitched well for the Dodgers the last couple of years. Nice add for pitching depth, veteran presence in the clubhouse, and not afraid to speak his mind.
I see this working out well for Boston. Until his injury, he’d pitched well for the Dodgers the last couple of years. Nice add for pitching depth, veteran presence in the clubhouse, and not afraid to speak his mind.