January 4, 200719 yr BOSTON (AP) -- The Red Sox finalized their $4 million, 1-year contract Thursday with right-hander Joel Pineiro, who could become Boston's closer. The agreement includes a mutual option for 2008 and $2 million in performance bonuses based on games finished. Pineiro is 58-55 with a 4.48 ERA in seven major league seasons, all with the Seattle Mariner. The 28-year-old was 8-13 with a 6.36 ERA in 25 starts and 15 relief appearances last season, when he made $6.8 million. He finished six of those games and had his only career save Sept. 8 against Texas. The closer's job became vacant when the Red Sox decided to shift Jonathan Papelbon into the rotation for the 2007 season. As a rookie last year, he had an 0.92 ERA and 35 saves but didn't pitch after Sept. 1 because of a sore shoulder. Pineiro has appeared in relief 37 times in 185 major league games. As a reliever last year, he was 1-1 with a 4.81 ERA and held opponents to a .213 batting average. He became a free agent last month when Seattle didn't offer him a contract for 2007. Link Pretty interesting to see a former starter take such a small contract, especially with the current market. Pretty low risk for Boston and he could always fill in as a spot starter. Edited January 4, 200719 yr by RME JICO
January 4, 200719 yr QUOTE(PAUL KONERKO 14 @ Jan 4, 2007 -> 05:34 PM) I heard he may be their closer which may be bad/good, who knows. I heard that, too.....where did I hear that again?....oh YEAH.....in the ARTICLE linked above!!!
January 5, 200719 yr Pinerio to close? The last time we saw him was when the Mariners came to Chicago in September, he being tried out in the role by them. On the 21st, he threw 2 scoreless inning in a 9-0 Mariners rout. The Sox pulled their starters before he faced them. On the 22nd, he came in down a run with a man on 1B and immediately gave up a home run to Kong. 3 runs and 7 batters later the inning ended when the Sox ran into an out on the bases. On the 23rd, he came in tied with the bases loaded and immediately gave up a Grand Slam to Juan Uribe. I don't know what the Red Sox see in him, but if they try to close with him he's going to get Francona fired.
January 5, 200719 yr QUOTE(The Critic @ Jan 4, 2007 -> 05:52 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I heard that, too.....where did I hear that again?....oh YEAH.....in the ARTICLE linked above!!! lol I didn't read the article.
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