Main page
« March 17, 2006
March 21, 2006 »

Bronson Arroyo dealt to Cincinnati

The Red Sox parted ways with another popular player today, sending right-handed pitcher and part-time rock musician Bronson Arroyo, along with cash, to the Cincinnati Reds for 24-year-old outfielder Wily Mo Pena.

Arroyo pitched five shutout innings yesterday against Baltimore after having struggled earlier in spring training. Had he stayed in Boston, he may have started the season in the bullpen, given the Sox' starting-pitching surplus.

Pena is a power-hitting outfielder who could spell Trot Nixon in right field against left-handed pitching. He recently competed in the World Baseball Classic with the Dominican Republic team. His most productive season in the big leagues was 2004, when he had career highs in batting average (.259), home runs (26), and games played (110). He is a career .248 hitter who strikes out a lot -- 116 times last year in just 311 at bats. By comparison, he walked just 20 times last year.

Arroyo, who is 29, was a versatile, streaky pitcher for the Sox who could start or come out of the bullpen. His role in two 2004 incidents involving the Yankees' Alex Rodriguez -- the regular season brawl game that some credit for turning around that championship season; and Rodriguez's karate-chop attempt to knock the ball from Arroyo's glove in the American League Championship series -- will forever be part of Sox lore.

Posted by Mike McDermott  at 11:54 AM | Permalink | Comments 2