Red Sox Features On wbztv.com
Aug 12, 2008 4:09 pm US/Eastern
Sox Add Veteran Pitcher Paul Byrd
BOSTON (WBZ) ―
The Red Sox took a step to shore up their starting rotation, acquiring veteran righthander Paul Byrd from the Cleveland Indians for a player to be named later or cash considerations.
Byrd, 37, was 7-10 in 22 starts with the Indians this year. He has won all four of his starts since the All-Star break, allowing just 4 earned runs in 29 innings to lower his ERA from 5.47 to 4.53.
In his most recent start, on Saturday, Byrd threw a complete-game six-hitter at Toronto to win, 4-2. He has worked at least 7 innings in each of his last three starts.
Byrd joins a pitching staff that is suddenly thin on dependable starters, with Tim Wakefield on the disabled list and Clay Bucholz ineffective. Charlie Zink was recently called up from Pawtucket to start tonight's game against Texas at Fenway Park.
The Red Sox will have to make a roster move to make room for Byrd.
Last season, Byrd was 15-8 with a 4.59 ERA in 31 starts for the Indians. He won both his postseason starts, beating the Red Sox 7-3 in Game 4 of the ALCS in Cleveland and the Yankees in the fourth and deciding game of the ALDS in New York.
Byrd was also the subject of controversy during last year's ALCS when the San Francisco Chronicle reported that he had used human-growth hormones.
Byrd was second on the Indians staff this season in wins, starts and innings (131.0). He has walked just 1.6 men per nine innings, the eighth best ratio in the American League.
Byrd has a lifetime record of 104-91 with the New York Mets, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Kansas City, the Los Angeles Angels and Cleveland. He was a member of the 1999 N.L. All-Star team.
(© MMVIII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
