Red Sox sign Baldelli; Smoltz, Penny deals next
baseball
Pitchers John Smoltz and Brad Penny are on their way to the Boston Red Sox. Outfielder Rocco Baldelli was already in Boston, holding up his new jersey. After missing out on the biggest free-agent prize of the offseason, first baseman Mark Teixeira of Severna Park, to the New York Yankees, the Red Sox were poised to make a series of smaller deals. They announced Baldelli's signing last night. General manager Theo Epstein would not confirm the deals for Smoltz or Penny, but as he spoke, Penny, a two-time All-Star, was on his way out of Boston after completing his physical. Smoltz, who spent his first 21 years with the Atlanta Braves, reached a preliminary agreement with the Red Sox on a one-year, $5.5 million contract, a person familiar with the negotiations told the Associated Press. The person said Smoltz will have the chance to earn another $5 million in performance bonuses. The deal is contingent on Smoltz passing a physical, scheduled for Monday. The Red Sox agreed to pay Baldelli $500,000 for 2009, taking a chance on a player who spent most of last season on the disabled list for the Tampa Bay Rays after being diagnosed with a disorder that causes chronic muscle fatigue. Further tests, however, led to what Baldelli, 27, called a "refined" diagnosis of channelopathy, a protein irregularity considered more treatable. Penny, 30, is 94-75 in nine years for the Florida Marlins and Los Angeles Dodgers. Smoltz, 41, is the only pitcher in baseball history with 200 wins and 150 saves but is coming off major shoulder surgery.
