• Posts Tagged ‘Andrew Bailey’

    Close Call

    by  • April 4, 2012 • The Confusing • 0 Comments

    I'll "smoke em" in the ninth

    With Andrew Bailey on the shelf for what could be 4-5 months, the Sox needed someone to step into the closer roll.

    Bobby Valentine announced today that that man would be Alfredo Aceves.

    It’s an interesting call considering two factors: One, Mark Melancon has experience in the role, racking up 20 saves for the Astros last year. Two, Aceves proved to be a valuable swingman last season. He provided several valuable spot starts, as well as often acting as a one-man bridge from starter to closer.

    Aceves may be the right call, but with people already questioning Bobby V’s judgement in general, you have to wonder if playing it safe with Melancon was the better call.

     

    Bailing Out

    by  • April 3, 2012 • The Bad • 0 Comments

    Too much thumb-wrestling

    It sounds like things just got a whole lot worse for Andrew Bailey.

    The man tabbed to replace Jonathan Papelbon at the back of Boston’s bullpen has been suffering through thumb pain for close to two weeks, and is now facing the possibility of surgery.

    Mark Melancon, and Alfredo Aceves have already been mentioned as replacements, but it wouldn’t surprise us if Boston pulls the plug on Daniel Bard’s transition to starter, and slots him in as the 9th-inning man.