With the majority of the talk and hype being centered around Boston's offseason signing of John Smoltz, Brad Penny seems to be flying under the radar.
In case you haven't heard, the Red Sox signed Penny to a one-year, $5 million contract with a chance to earn another $3 million in performance bonuses.
Call me crazy, but I think this signing will have a greater impact on the Sox's season than the signing of Smoltz.
Penny is on pace to join the Red Sox rotation on opening day. Smoltz is said not to be ready to start a game until after the All-Star break. Even that is a very optimistic timetable.
Sure, Penny made only 17 starts last season because of shoulder problems, going 6-9 with a 6.27 ERA, but he was 16-9 in 2006 and 16-4 in 2007, making 33 starts in each season. So he has shown recent durability and is only 30 years old
Smoltz made 35 starts in 2006 and 33 in 2007, but also made just five starts in 2008 before being shut down with a shoulder problem. The problem was so severe that, at the time, even Smoltz admitted there was a strong possibility it could be career-ending.
Granted, he has come back from four other arm surgeries, but let's face it, he is 41 years old.
Recent comments from Dodgers third base coach Larry Bowa might help eliminate some motivational problems that Penny may have had in the past. Bowa said: "Is this the same Penny that never went to meetings, that came late, left early, was never in shape, always had an excuse when things didn't go right, didn't help the young kids at all? Coaches get on players when they're lazy and don't work. I think he should worry about getting hitters out in the American League East and not worry about me."
Surely, Penny will take that to the mound with him each time this season.
Lastly, Penny and Smoltz have become very close so far this spring. Penny can often be seen turning to Smoltz for advice in between pitches.
Word is that Smoltz, a master of the splitter, is helping Penny refine the pitch. Penny's splitter is his third pitch behind his fastball and curve. Penny himself has even described his version of the pitch as "mediocre" in the past. Improving the splitter to change the hitter's eye level from high, strike-zone fastballs could have devastating results.
Time will tell which offseason signing pays bigger dividends, but my money is on Brad Penny.
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