From Rotoworld:

Willie Harris - 2B - Red Sox   

 

Red Sox signed infielder-outfielder Willie Harris to a minor league contract.

He'll earn $650,000 if he makes the team and it's likely that he will. He should top the depth chart in center field right away, although the Sox won't want to enter the season with him as anything more than a backup. Limited to 150-200 at-bats in a utility role, he could be sort of useful. He's 49-for-61 in steal attempts in his career, and his OBPs of .343 and .333 the last two years aren't so terrible. Jan. 19 - 7:47 pm et

Wow,

I never saw that one coming, Harris playing CF for the Sawks in place of Damon.

Hahah wow. Starting CF for the Red Sox?

lskjdfkasdr@#$@#$afda

Colorado offered a major league deal, right?

 

That's better than "likely".

Colorado offered a major league deal, right?

 

That's better than "likely".

 

He'll make the team.

I wouldn't bet against it, I'm just saying, I wouldn't necessarily want to bank on it if I'm Harris. If they were certain they wanted him, it shouldn't have been too difficult to insist on a major league deal.

If Willie Harris is the starting CF for the Wrong Sox, then Manny should start working on cutting the ball off from the center fielder again.

If Willie Harris is the starting CF for the Wrong Sox, then Manny should start working on cutting the ball off from the center fielder again.

Is his arm actually worse than Damon's? That's hard to do.

Just when you thought it couldn't get worse for the Red Sox....

 

It did.

 

Hell I hope he gets to play regularly for them next year. Another easy out when we face Boston.

 

The Sons of Sam Horn don't like the move either:

 

http://sonsofsamhorn.net/index.php?showtopic=3063

Wow,

I never saw that one coming, Harris playing CF for the Sawks in place of Damon.

When Jerry M played him fairly often in 2003 I thought he got better as he went along. The kid can really run out there, which makes up for a lot of bad jumps. But he had a tendency to make a great play to get to a ball and then not catch the damn thing. The last few years he regressed in CF, but he showed enough flashes to be worth an invite, I'd like to see how he looks after a month straight of OF. A guy who can run like that can help any team.

good move if he is a minor leaguer/part time reserve. Willie Harris is not a starting major leaguer.

good move if he is a minor leaguer/part time reserve.  Willie Harris is not a starting major leaguer.

When you have Manny and Ortiz on your team...you can probably manage to get by with a few people who don't deserve starting roles on a major league team, and it probably won't hurt you too much.

Good signing if he's a backup. Ironically, he's going to a team that has a SS in Alex Cora, when Harris didn't want to play that position.

 

But if he's playing everyday in CF, not a good option. I wouldn't mind him leading off playing at second baseman, if he have that OBP up to .340 - .350.

I don't get it... He left because he wanted to start. He's getting pretty much the same role with them as he would have gotten with us.

He left because the Sox didn't want him. Everyone wants to start.

I don't get it... He left because he wanted to start. He's getting pretty much the same role with them as he would have gotten with us.

 

He left because the White Sox non-tendered him

 

I also don't view Harris as an easy out...I actually view it as a great low-risk, high-reward signing by the Red Sox. He has shown flashes of being a very solid player at times, such as posting a .343 OB in 04 starting most of the time, including a .360 OB against RHP that year.

 

I wouldn't be surprised at all to see Harris starting for Boston in CF. His arm isn't much, and he doesn't get very good reads on balls...and I think I'd still prefer him defensively in CF over Damon.

Good for Willie, I always thought that he has huge potential but just didnt get the chance to show it, hope he does good over in boston.

Good luck to the man who scored the last and most important run for the White Sox in 2005!

 

And I hope you pul land 0-fer against us this year!

 

I love the guy so I hope he belts 50 HR's 50 SB's and has 200 RBI's while the rest of the Red Sox players have career worst years. GROUP 4!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Willie a Red Sox huh, very surprising to me.

Somewhere an unoriginal headline writer writes Willie Harris Changes Sox

Best of luck to him. I thought he managed all the personal ups and downs of last season very well.

I hope Willie does well. I think there's a lot of talent there itchin to come out.

I hope Willie does well.  I think there's a lot of talent there itchin to come out.

 

From following the team closely during Harris' time here, I think if he would work at being damn good instead of thinking he's damn good, he could be damn good.

From following the team closely during Harris' time here, I think if he would work at being damn good instead of thinking he's damn good, he could be damn good.

 

Agreed.