The busy times for the Boston Red Sox continued yesterday as they made the Brad Penny signing official. And Penny will have some familiarity with a few of the Red Sox players as he played with Josh Beckett and Mike Lowell in Florida with the Marlins.
Penny is ready for the chance in Boston to prove himself after an injury-riddled 2008 season in which he said he rushed himself back.
Penny feels this can serve as vindication for last year, when he rushed back from a shoulder injury. While on the disabled list, he played catch when he shouldn’t have. Each time he returned, he knew it was too soon. He hated watching his teammates play without him.
“To me, going out there and doing that is embarrassing,” Penny said. “That’s not the Brad Penny last year. I do feel I have something to prove.”
Which is why Reinhold’s program, Penny said, was “a huge factor in my decision.” He had been familiar with it before visiting Boston, and Beckett helped convince him it would help return him to the form that made him one of the NL’s best starters. Penny expects his shoulder will not affect his preparation once spring training begins.
“It’s going good,” he said. “I’ve had no problems so far” this offseason.
Besides the Penny signing becoming official, the Red Sox announced that minor league pitchers Dewon Day and Virgil Vasquez had picked up off waivers by the Tampa Bay Rays and San Diego Padres respectively. They also announced that Charlie Zink had been outrighted to Pawtucket after clearing waivers.
Peter Gammons held an impromptu chat over at Boston.com yesterday and said the Red Sox are very interested in the Diamondbacks catcher Miguel Montero.
Bishop Hendricken High School is beaming with pride about Rocco Baldelli returning home to the Red Sox.
Chipper Jones is upset about the Atlanta Braves letting John Smoltz go to the Red Sox.
Red Sox bench coach Brad Mills spent the winter in Visalia, CA.
Justin Masterson was the guest of honor at the Portland Sea Dogs Hot Stove Dinner.
