Foulke on the block?

[Fishercat]

Keith Foulke On The Block

33 year-old closer Keith Foulke was battered around in 45 innings in 2005. He's undergone surgeries on both knees and was said to have lost some velocity near season's end. Adding insult to injury, the Red Sox are now thinking about trading him.

My Boston source is telling me Foulke will get some attention as a setup man this offseason after the free agent market runs dry. Despite the surgeries, several teams feel that Foulke's problems in 2005 were largely mechanical and can be fixed. The Sox are looking to shed Foulke, and may be willing to pay half of his $7.25MM 2006 salary. Foulke has a $7.5MM option for 2007 that could vest with a strong 2006 performance (53 games finished would do the trick). The recent of Guillermo Mota makes Foulke slightly more expendable.

I don't like this. They won't get value and treat him like a salary dump, what good does that do when he has a sustained, good track record. Really, it's not worth it to deal him now. Egads. This isn't BK Addition by Subtraction, this simply doesn't help in any wya.

[redsrbetter]

I agree, I think they have to keep Foulke around for another season. Give him the opportunity to get healthy and perform. With Timlin possibly moving as well, the Boston bullpen may be weaker than expected with a move like this.

[Providence A's]

I think they signed Timlin already...didn't they fisher?

I say get rid of Foulke...the average fan has already forgotten about him and were probably offended by his "johnny burger king" line...

[Fishercat]

Yeah, they re-signed Timlin.

He's a blowhard, no denying that, and I'd say worse but I don't know. Still, we won't get any more for him now with his bad performance last year then we would one year from now when we know more. Unless they get a couple middling prospects and give up a majority of his salary, I can't support a trade.

[love_that_reefer]

At least see how well he does in ST. Some team will become desperate during ST to get a closer.

[Providence A's]

apparently, some teams are desperate for a closer now

[McKain]

I wouldn't be against a potential Foulke deal right off the bat if I were you; two knee surgeries, lost velocity, never really that fast of a pitcher anyway... plenty of risks there, not to mention the Sox could easily get a good deal for him considering how many desperate GMs there are out there.

Foulke did indeed put together a sick stretch of 6 years there, but low velocity pitcher coming off of injuries isn't the most promising thing to hear.

There's always going to be a demand for good closers out there, and as far as most teams know, Foulke can still be a good closer... the Sox have other options, so why not pursue a deal if it's possible they'll get a fair return on it?