Give Graves A Shot

For the first two months of the 2005 baseball season, the Red Sox bullpen has been a problem. Closer Keith Foulke (3-3, 11 saves, 2 blown saves, 6.48 ERA) and set-up man Alan Embree (1-2, 1 blown saves, 5.32 ERA) have not played up to expectations and it has cost the Sox in late innings. The 'pen has been held together through the collective efforts of Mike Timlin, Mike Myers and Matt Mantei but those three need help. As the Sox wait for relief for their relief -- either a return to form for Foulke and/or Embree or a trade -- there is an option on the free agent market that the Boston front office should look closely into. Danny Graves, recently released by the Cincinnati Reds, could be the answer to many of the problems facing the Red Sox bullpen. Graves was released partly because of a horrible start to '05 (1-1, 10 saves, 2 blown saves, 7.36 ERA) and also because he made an obscene hand gesture to a Red s fan after the fan reportedly told him to "go back to Vietnam." The Reds, off to a 21-32 start, attempted to trade Graves but his contract, which calls for a $6.25 million salary this season, was too much for any team to take. Subsequently, the Reds released Graves, their all-time leader in saves. It is expected that Graves will sign with the Marlins (he played his college baseball at the University of Miami) for the minimum of $215,000 (the Reds are responsible for the $6.25 million). But if the Sox flex their financial muscle, a definite advantage they hold over the Marlins, Graves could be had. Would it kill the Sox to spend $600,000 on a pitcher with considerable talent who probably just needed a change of scenery to get back on track. This could possibly save the Red Sox from having to trade a prospect or two for a relief pitcher in the upcoming weeks. And if Graves does fail in Boston, a team in need of a reliever would certainly take Graves near the July 31 trading deadline for next to nothing. In that worst case scenario, the Sox would pay cheap money for two months of Graves' services -- no worse than what they are getting from Embree and Foulke right now. It is definitely worth a shot.