Sox Sign Veteran Lefty

A day after releasing Brian Shouse, the Red Sox sign another veteran reliever to a minor league deal. Scott Schoeneweis signed a minor league deal with a non-roster invite to Spring Training with the Sox this afternoon. After spending all of Spring Training with the Milwaukee Brewers, Schoeneweis was released on Thursday, but now has the chance to make the Sox opening day roster.

Schoeneweis is an 11-year veteran and at age 36, has a lot of experience to offer the young middle-relief core of the Sox. He made his major league debut in 1999 with the Anaheim Angels where he spent the first 5 years of his career, including 6 appearances in the 2002 post season. Since the Sox are still hunting for their lefty specialist going into the 2010 season, Schoeneweis has a great chance to prove he can still pitch and can contribute.

Overall, Schoeneweis has made 562 appearances, including 93 starts and has a career era of 4.97. Last season, Schoeneweis appeared in 45 games for the Arizona Diamondbacks and had an era of over 7 in just 24 innings. There are many question marks surrounding Schoeneweis’s ability to last an entire season successfully at his age, but the risk level is low considering it is a minor league contract with no guarantees for a spot on the roster.

Some Sox fans may remember Schoeneweis for his time with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2005 and 2006 when he was lights out against the Sox. This may be the first of several moves for the Sox to bring in some lefty options and try and find the proper fit for the bullpen. Theo’s phone is working on overdrive right now.