Red Sox News, Notes, and Thoughts

After eight mostly terrible starts John Smoltz was designated for assignment by the Sox today. This basically means the big club has 10 days to trade him, release him, or see if he accepts a minor league assignment. It's too bad Smoltzy couldn't figure it out, but the team can't afford to wait until he 'gets it together.' Unless Smoltz finds a way to get back with the club via the bullpen (which doesn't seem realistic), the experiment bringing him aboard failed. It seemed like a great idea, but his prior success did not translate post shoulder surgery. He was the good soldier, letting the Sox baby his rehab with the idea of making him strong into October. However, he could barely make it through July.

On to the new. Junichi Tazawa immidiately took Smoltz's spot on the 25-man roster. The 23-year old Tazawa (#5 ranked on Soxprospects.com) is an interesting specimen. Just two weeks ago he was promoted from AA Portland (where he posted a 2.57 ERA in 98 IP with 88 Ks, while only issuing only 80 hits) to AAA Pawtucket (11 1/3 IP only allowing 3 ER). Even more amazingly is how Tazawa found his way to Boston. This winter the Red Sox broke a gentleman's agreement between Japanese baseball and the MLB when the signed an amateur Japanese player. Several major league teams were interested in the youngster's services after his brilliant amateur career (where he had a minuscule .80 ERA in 113 IP with a 114/15 K/BB ratio!), but he picked the Sox because he liked how they had handled Dice-K's transition to the MLB (which seems a bit laughable with the recent comments from Dice-K). Tazawa has been on the fast track to the majors this year, and hopefully he will be able to settle in as a fixture on the pitching staff.

NOTES

-Tazawa should be available out of the pen today or tomorrow, but he should then be unavailable until he takes Smoltz's next turn (this is more speculation than the actual plans the Sox have).
-With some of the position players hurting (mainly Bay and Lowrie), the Red Sox added versitile 2B/3B/SS Chris Woodward. Don't get too excited though. Woodward is batting just .239 in 67 major league ABs this year with zero HRs. Billy Traber was designated for assignment to make room for Woodward. Traber helped the team save the pen last night by throwing 3+ innings of garbage time. This roster has been changing daily.
-Lowell is again the odd-man out of the C/1B/3B/DH shuffle tonight. Look for him to be back out there tomorrow with Ortiz out versus CC (not to mention the press conference he's having).
-The rook Josh Reddick gets his first starting nod in a Sox/Yanks game filling in for the hobbled Bay.
-When will the bats start hitting together. Jacoby was hot, now he's not. Now Youk's hot. It's a long season, but they all have to get on the same page sooner or later.