The Red Sox recently signed right-handed pitcher Brad Penny to a one-year, $5M deal. The deal includes an additional $3M in performance incentives.
Some of you may remember me spreading the idea that Penny would be a fantastic signing for the Phillies. For $5 million and one year, he’s a steal. Originally, I thought Penny would require $7M-$8M at the least, and potentially a two-year deal, but the Sox are really getting a coup here.
Penny has a career 4.06 ERA, and is coming off a 2007 that was his best season yet. While his 2008 was horrible statistically, it mostly came from a ton of injuries. Now healthy, Penny may not reel off the same ace-worthy season that he produced in 2007, but it could be very close.
Of course, I’ve been wrong. I stated Bartolo Colon would be a coup in 2008. The Red Sox signed him too, and he started OK (4-2, 3.92 ERA) but suffered an injury (against the Phils, no less) that ended his campaign. Hey, it worked for a while.
But Penny is one of those low-risk, high-reward moves that a top team like the Phils are known to bank from. The Sox might very well have that luck in 2009. I do wish the shot was taken.
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