Unlike past offseasons, the Boston Red Sox have been relatively quiet on the trade and free agent front. Almost two months into the free offseason and the only news regarding the Red Sox — on the field at least — has been the loss of Jonathan Papelbon. That was a huge loss for Red Sox Nation and maybe today Boston took the first step in replacing him.

Lowrie is the new Astro shortstop

The Red Sox acquired RHP Mark Melancon from the Houston Astros for INF Jed Lowrie and RHP Kyle Weiland. This deal fills a need for both teams.

Melancon finished the 2011 season with the Astros with a 2.78 ERA, 8.0 K/9, 3.2 BB, and a 57.6 Ground Ball Percentage in 74.1 innings. Not bad for a first full season in the Major Leagues.

Here is where I take a step back from the stats and ask a simple question; Is Melancon fit to close in Boston? I have my doubts.

Melancon strikes me as a second-tier closer in the National League. Guys like him usually don’t make it in the American League and usually don’t make it in Boston. In order to close in Boston, New York, or Philadelphia, you need a certain set of chops. Very few guys have those chops.

That’s what made Papelbon so special. He embraced the closer role and he wanted to be the man in the ninth. Can Melancon be that guy in Boston? The only answer to that question is we just have to wait and see.

If I was in the Boston front office, I still try for Andrew Bailey. I would feel much better about things with Melancon in the seventh, Daniel Bard in the eighth, and Bailey in the ninth.

For the Astros, they get a very serviceable infielder in Lowrie. I have always been a fan of Lowrie, but it’s hard to root for a guy who is always hurt. The most plate appearances he has ever had in a season was 349 (in 2011). Whether it’s been a wrist, mono, or whatever, Lowrie has been a walking injury in Boston.

When he is healthy, Lowrie is a guy with 10-15 HR potential with a pretty decent OBP. Lowrie is a switch-hitter, but he is a much, much better hitter from the left side of the plate. His OPS is almost 300 points higher (.653 to .391) from the left side of the plate.

Lowrie seems likely to replace Clint Barmes (signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates) at short, but I have watched Lowrie play since college and I don’t see him being an everyday shortstop at the Major League level. He will make the routine play, but he has very little range and is much better suited to play third.

Weiland is a right-handed pitcher, who had a cup o’ coffee with the Red Sox last season and spilled that coffee all over himself. He had a 7.66 ERA and gave up five HR’s in 24.2 innings. In fairness to Weiland, he should have never been put in the spot he was in with the Red Sox at the end of 2011 season. He was essentially asked to help salvage their season, which isn’t fair to ask a fringe prospect with no Major League experience prior to the 2011 season.

In addition to adding Melancon, the Red Sox signed INF Nick Punto to a two-year, $3 million contract. Punto hit .278/.388/.421 with one HR in 166 PA’s for the St. Louis Cardinals in 2011. He is a scrappy, who can put up a high OBP, so he is a nice mix of a Bobby Valentine player and a player the sabermetric focused Boston front office likes.

Expect Punto to fill the Lowrie role for Boston in 2012, which was to be the backup shortstop, third, and first baseman.

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By The Baseball Index