Trade Breakdown: Bryan Corey

The Texas Rangers sent us the right-handed Corey, 32, in exchange for minor leaguer right-handed pitcher Luis Mendoza, 22.

Corey will be a serviceable reliever while in the Red Sox bullpen. He may be the lefty specialist the Sox have been looking for in Javier Lopez, but haven't been able to find. Corey has allowed only five hits in 35 at-bats against lefties this season.

His success against lefties is odd, though. Historically, lefties have a harder time hitting a left-handed pitcher. But Corey is a righty and is acting like Mike Myers out on the mound. From what I've read - because I don't remember too much about his outings against Boston - is that his changeup is why he's been destroying left-handed batters.

Sounds like something Terry Francona would say about Keith Foulke, doesn't it?

Corey has basically been a mop-up pitcher in his short time with the Rangers. He's faced only 19 batters in a game where Texas is leading, 16 of those being when the Rangers are up by five or more runs.

But I've got high hopes for Corey. He's not going to get as many innings as Craig Hansen or Manny Delcarmen (unless he goes onto the disabled list), but we know Tito will send him out there against the tough lefties. It'll be a battle between Lopez and Corey for that job, but I don't expect Lopez to win it back now (considering lefties are hitting .316 off him this season).

Mendoza has had one successful season in the minors, but that's it. In 2003 in Augusta, Mendoza had a 2.26 ERA in 59.2 innings, mainly as a starter. But his K/BB wasn't that impressive - and it never has been - so his stock has fallen since then. Mendoza was on top 20 prospects list a few years ago, but he shouldn't find himself there again unless he rebounds with a strong second half in 2006.

Basically this trade boils down to the Rangers needing to do something with Corey and the Sox needing a reliever. Corey may be having a career year, but the Sox are willing to take a chance and hopefully strike gold for at least two months. Mendoza may have a future, but it isn't, and hasn't been, with the Red Sox.

I think it's a good trade. Corey might be a bust in Boston, but we didn't give up to much to acquire him, so we shouldn't be too worried if he fails. But if he continues to knock down left-handed batters with ease, we're going to be the winners of a very cost-effective trade.