Red Sox Avoid Arbitration With Daniel Bard

Just recently after trading Marco Scutaro to Colorado, Ben Cherington jumped right back into action, agreeing to a contract with Daniel Bard. The deal will be worth $1.6125 million over a year. Bard had his worst year as a major league pitcher, going a very good 2-9/3.33/74. However, Bard, who has been the Red Sox' set-up man the past two seasons is expected to move into the rotation in spring. During spring training, Ben Cherington has said the Sox expect to stretch Bard out to join a potentially very good rotation. They have a very strong front three of Jon Lester, Josh Beckett, and Clay Buchholz and they have "intensified their interest" in Roy Oswalt after trading Scutaro. Bard was a starter in college and for a year in the minors (2007) when he went 3-5/6.42/38 for the Greenville Drive. The Sox then transferred him to a reliever and the rest is history. Hopefully, Bard works out as a starter and the Red Sox develop a strong pitching rotation.