The Red Sox left the winter meetings without so much as an upset stomach, a few phone calls were made, maybe a handshake was given to a few old friends but for the most part nada - nothing - zip was done to improve next year's team. It was what has become the norm in MLB. A vacation or a convention. Yeah that's it. A convention. Complete with funny hats and tiny cars. Think of the Shriners but with golf carts and visors. Hats off to the Shriners who do wonderful work. But lets digress
"Red Sox close to hiring Andrew Bailey as pitching coach," The Athletics' Ken Rosenthal reported late Tuesday night.
You all remember Andrew “ Bails “ Bailey. You first heard his name tied to the Sox in 2011 when the former Rookie of the Year and two time All-Star was traded along with Ryan Sweeney to Boston for Josh Reddick. He had his ups and downs with the Sox; the ups were minor and the downs major. Going under the knife twice in 2 years, once on his thumb and once a major reconstruction of his pitching shoulder. After the Sox let him go he kicked around on minor league deals with the Yankees - Phillies and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and Orange county California. But it was never the same for Bailey after his shoulder surgery. And he hooked on with those same Angels as an assistant coach. In 2020 he climbed aboard the Giants bandwagon as their Pitching Coach. Bails did well in San Fran earning a ton of interest this off season after getting the most out of his staff’s including huge paydays for Kevin Gausman and Carlos Randon.
That brings us to today. Well later today when old friend and new Red Sox chief of Baseball ops Craig Breslow will introduce his old friend to Boston as their new Pitching Coach. Breslow and Bailey go back to their playing days here in Boston and became such fast friends they both sit on Breslow’s Strike Three Foundation board. That friendship undoubtedly tipped the scales in the Red Sox favor as Bailey was also interviewed by the Orioles and Rodon's current team the Yankees. But chose to be here in Boston. Lets hope Bails can work some of the magic here as he did out west.