For many fans, the scars from Andrew Sisco, Mike MacDougal and Horacio Ramirez run deep, so we can only hope Felipe Paulino fares better as a member of the Pale Hose.
Paulino, 30, and the Sox agreed on a one-year deal worth $1.75 million on Monday. The contract includes a $4 million team option for the 2015 season.
The right-hander made seven starts for the Royals in 2012, going 3-1 with a 1.67 ERA. He missed all of 2013 after undergoing elbow surgery. His lifetime statistics pretty much stink: 13-32 with a 4.93 ERA in 93 career games, 61 of them starts.
This is nothing more than a depth move. The Sox are saying Paulino will be given a shot to make the starting rotation. Assuming no trades are made, he'll be competing with Erik Johnson and Andre Rienzo for the No. 5 starting job.
More than likely, he ends up as the long man on the pitching staff, perhaps getting a spot start during a doubleheader or joining the starting rotation if somebody else gets injured.
I hope everyone enjoyed my reference to Sisco. With any luck, that will be the last time we ever mention that bum on this blog.
I actually think this is a pretty good signing. As-is, Paulino is an upgrade on the Dylan Axelrod role from a year ago. He's got swing-and-miss stuff, and outside of a lame stint in Coors Field, hasn't let home runs undo him.
ReplyDeleteOverall he looks like a better package than Sisco or MacDougal, who could never find the strikezone consistently, or HoRam, who couldn't strike guys out, and when he wasn't still walking guys was letting them bat the ball wherever the hell they felt like it.
This is another good high-upside play, and certainly at less cost than other Royals Rejects projects.
There's certainly little risk involved. Paulino is only guaranteed $2 million. (He'll get $250,000 if the Sox decline his option at the end of '14.) If he's healthy, he's almost certainly better than Axelrod, who was thankfully non-tendered.
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