Sox acquire RP Brendan Donnelly

by Randy Booth on Dec 15, 2006 3:14 PM EST in News

Sox trade RP Phil Siebel to Anahiem angels for RP Brendan Donnelly:

Donnelly, 35, has compiled a 23-8 record and a 2.87 ERA with 295 strikeouts in 295 innings over 276 relief appearances with the Angels in the last five seasons. His .742 winning percentage in that span ranks as the best among all major league relievers with at least 20 decisions. He has 20 victories in the last three years, tied for the third most relief wins in the majors from 2004-06.

Among Angels pitchers who have appeared in at least 100 career games, Donnelly has the fifth lowest earned run average while averaging the fifth most strikeouts per nine innings (9.00). He ranks sixth on the team's all-time list for relief wins and is ninth in total appearances. Opponents are batting just .219 lifetime versus Donnelly and he has held the opposition to a .214 average with runners in scoring position. He has 74 holds and has permitted just 21.3% (32 of 150) inherited runners to score.

Donnelly is solid and we didn't have to give up a lot to get him. Seibel wasn't going anywhere in our system so it was a good move to ship him out. He should slot into the bullpen nicely, but his he closer material? I'm not quite sure.

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Re: Sox acquire RP Brendan Donnelly

Solid pick up by the Red Sox. Can't bash you on this one. They really didn't give up anyone to get him.

by ReLaunch on Dec 15, 2006 3:33 PM EST reply actions

Re: Sox acquire RP Brendan Donnelly

Siebel actually intrigued me because he was too old to be considered a prospect, but had been pitching pretty well in the minor after returning from Tommy surgery (was a classic case of someone who actually got stronger from the surgery) with an ERA of 1.25 last year in the minors. But if you can get a pitcher that's proven can compete in the bigs for someone who never was projected to be dominant and may have just had a fluke year in the minors (his numbers aren't great at all before surgery) and never is at least 50-50 so never pan out to anything, can't argue with that trade. Still will be interested to see how Seibel does if the Angels get him a spot on their MLB roster

by Realistic on Dec 15, 2006 3:57 PM EST reply actions

Re: Sox acquire RP Brendan Donnelly

wow, I should really proof before posting. "...and never is at least 50-50 so never pan out to anything..." I meant to say "...and is at least 50-50 to never..."

by Realistic on Dec 15, 2006 3:59 PM EST up reply actions

Re: Sox acquire RP Brendan Donnelly

no....i dont think we found our closer. But it is a great move, and one that helps solidify the sox as a serious contender on paper this year.

by spinz on Dec 15, 2006 3:58 PM EST reply actions

Re: Sox acquire RP Brendan Donnelly

This trade doesn't add up in my mind. Is money or salary motivating Anaheim? Anyhows, Donnelly certainly adds depth to our BP. And on a personal note, I'll love watching him pitch when I live a lifelong dream in April to go to Fenway and watch the Redsox play the Angels. It's been 42 years in the coming and it's going to be sweet. Any advice how to make the expereince even more grand would be appreciated.

by gosox on Dec 15, 2006 5:09 PM EST reply actions

Re: Sox acquire RP Brendan Donnelly

Fenway is what it is, and in my opinion there's not a lot that can improve the experience (absent dressing for the weather - April in Boston...) (although I've never taken a tour of the park, which could b interesting). There is a ton of great stuff to do in Boston either before or after the game, though. Are you coming in from out of town? Is it a day or night game?

by tommy.otm on Dec 15, 2006 8:17 PM EST up reply actions

Re: Sox acquire RP Brendan Donnelly

You probably want to dine/drink outside of the park before the game . Once you enter the park theres no re-admitting, and its 7-8 bucks for a beer, 5ish for a small hot dog.(its worth getting a remdawg though at remmys hot dog stand) Going for a tour is a good idea, because it really is a beautiful park.

by spinz on Dec 17, 2006 11:46 PM EST up reply actions

Sox acquire RP J.C. Romero

Sox didn't stop with Donnelly -- they also signed J.C. Romero to a $1.6 million contract (plus bonuses). http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2698646

Last year he was horrid -- http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?statsId=6363. I wonder what made the Sox think he'd do better in 2007?

by argo0 on Dec 15, 2006 5:51 PM EST reply actions

Re: Sox acquire RP J.C. Romero

I think Theo is banking on the fact that he pitched in the WBC, which ended up throwing him and a lot of other pitchers (Timlin anyone?) for a loop the rest of the season

Get your Yankees Suck - Japanese shirts now: http://www.cafepress.com/yankeessuckjap

by jsnvaritek33 on Dec 15, 2006 5:58 PM EST up reply actions

Matsuzaka

Edes had a translator give the actual translation for the press conference rather than the watered down official one, its alot better you should check it out

http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/extras/extra_bases/

Get your Yankees Suck - Japanese shirts now: http://www.cafepress.com/yankeessuckjap

by jsnvaritek33 on Dec 15, 2006 6:00 PM EST reply actions

Re: Matsuzaka

Thanks for the link. I listened to the press conference on WEEI, and you could tell that the translator left a lot to be desired. Of course I don't know how accurate this one is, but the fact that the original translator offered simple, short responses to questions, after Matsuzaka had talked for a considerably longer time, at least lends the linked one some credibility.

by 6thround on Dec 15, 2006 7:09 PM EST up reply actions

Crowded Bullpen

Figure a twelve-man pitching staff, so seven relievers.

Timlin
Donnelly
New Japanese Lefty (I'll learn his name eventually)
Tavarez
Romero
Hansen
Delcarmen
Snyder/Hanseck/etc.

And that's before we possibly add a closer. Maybe they want Hansen to start the season closing in AAA? Seems like a pretty crowded pen to me.

by tommy.otm on Dec 15, 2006 8:26 PM EST reply actions

Re: Crowded Bullpen

I definitely think Hansen will start in AAA.

Romero is a head-scratcher to me, though.

"You know you're having a bad day when the fifth inning rolls around and they drag the warning track." - Mike Flanagan, Baltimore Orioles pitcher, 1992.

by SoxDevil on Dec 18, 2006 9:57 AM EST up reply actions

Re: Sox acquire RP Brendan Donnelly

Anyone see Gammons on ESPN this evening?

He speculated that Romero and Donnelly could potentially share closing duties to start the season. He reported that the Sox seem confident they can fix Romero's mechanics (Gammons said that his motion was...inconsistent last season). I hope this means John Farrell has the tools to be an uber-pitching coach, because last time I checked, Bud Black (late of the Angels, now Padres' field manager) is a pretty good pitching coach. Gammons seemed to believe that between Cox and Hansen, one of the two should prove ready to take over the job in June. I think that's high expectations for both; too high for Cox at this point. However, Hansen with 3 months (ST + April/May) of working on his own mechanics...could be ready.

I like the moves by themselves: Romero is a fairly low-risk high-reward signing. He had a few pretty successful seasons with the Twins. Donnelly cost us Seibel, but the fact of the matter is, he's a fairly talented guy with no future in our system. I'm not sure his situation in that regard improves much by going to the Angels...but nevertheless. Good moves, but if Gammons speculation is right (and of course if I remember it correctly, it was pretty busy at work at the time), then I'm not too thrilled. Of course, with closers apparently now costing an arm, a leg, and an appendage to be named later, this might be the best we could do while keeping our highly-talented players in-house.

"They say giving is it's own reward. But what's in it for you?" -Stephen Colbert

by Allen Chace on Dec 16, 2006 12:45 AM EST reply actions

Re: Sox acquire RP Brendan Donnelly

Good pick up but he's no closer.

by 86 years later on Dec 16, 2006 5:08 PM EST reply actions

Re: Sox acquire RP Brendan Donnelly

Apparently Donnelly has some pretty serious platoon splits; he annihilates righties. He's not our closer, he's just a useful tool.

Unless he's cooked, always a possibility with relievers.

by NinetyNineTails on Dec 17, 2006 6:52 AM EST reply actions

Re: Sox acquire RP Brendan Donnelly

Get your Yankees Suck - Japanese shirts now: http://www.cafepress.com/yankeessuckjap

by jsnvaritek33 on Dec 17, 2006 4:20 PM EST reply actions

Re: Sox acquire RP Brendan Donnelly

Edes is reporting that something came up in Drew's physical (shoulder problems) and he is going to get a second opinion. It's not expected to break the deal, but changes in the guaranteed amount, incentives, and length could all change.

http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/extras/extra_bases/

Get your Yankees Suck - Japanese shirts now: http://www.cafepress.com/yankeessuckjap

by jsnvaritek33 on Dec 17, 2006 4:22 PM EST reply actions