Red Sox Bullpen is Getting Crowded With Addition of John Maine

The Red Sox have signed another pitcher.  Yes, he has something in common with the many that were signed before him during this uncharacteristic type winter for the Red Sox.  He is coming off an injury riddled 2011 campaign.  His name… John Maine.

Some sources have said the minor-league deal does not have an invite to Spring Training, while others say that it does.  For now, we’ll go on the notion that Maine likely won’t be wearing the Red Sox uniform this year and will spend his time at the AAA level.

Maine formerly pitched with the Mets and his last big league action was in 2010. Shoulder surgery sidelined the 30-year old and last season he only pitched at the AAA level until  June before quitting and saying he might retire.  Great, another selfish attitude that could potentially ruin the clubhouse.  We finally get character guys like Cody Ross and Nick Punto and the thought of this hose bag coming up and having it be all about him doesn’t sit well with me.

In all likelihood we may not have to worry about that.  But if Maine does crack the lineup it will be in the bullpen and it’s starting to get a little crowded out there.

Guys like Andrew Miller, Felix Doubront and Michael Bowden are hoping to stick full time with the club this year.  If not they’re out of options and could be lost via DFA.  Then there is the low-risk signings of Vicente Padilla, Aaron Cook and Carlos Silva.  What if even two of those guys appear healthy and able to contribute but the rotation is set thanks to a hopeful signing of Edwin Jackson?  They’ll likely get a few spot starts along the way, but the bullpen will be their home on a nightly basis.

Bobby Valentine is going to earn every penny he’s getting paid this year. Already he’s said he doesn’t think the club needs to add another starting pitcher and why would he want another one?  He’s already got as many as nine guys battling it out for five spots and three of those are all but guarantees.  Do you have a headache yet Bobby?

We saw this same scenario unfold earlier this winter.  Remember when the Red Sox signed Nick Punto and had too many infielders?  With the shake of a wand, Jed Lowrie and Marco Scutaro both disappeared and now the infield is a little thin. But the difference there was Lowrie and Scutaro had trade value.  Cook, Silva, Padilla and now Maine would garner a used catchers mitt and a pail of bubble gum for the dugout.  Until these guys can prove that they can contribute the Red Sox can’t trade any of them.

The positive here is that they’re all signed to a minor-league deal, so nothing ventured, nothing gained.  If none of them can crack the lineup, the bullpen still has plenty of arms: Aceves, Melancon, Bailey to name the obvious choices.  Then don’t forget about the aforementioned Miller, Doubront and Bowden along side Matt Albers, Bobby Jenks and Franklin Morales.

There are a lot of pitchers, but last year we thought the Sox had too many and suddenly in the dog days of summer we can’t get a set rotation to save our souls.  The bullpen is getting crowded, but on a year with so much uncertainty, maybe that’s a good thing to have options.

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