One Stop Shoppach

Sorry, I couldn't resist! The Red Sox signed catcher Kelly Shoppach to a 1-year deal today, bringing the backstop back to where he started his career, having been drafted by the Sox in 2001. Shoppach is primarily a defensive catcher, with a 41% caught stealing that lead the league this past season. He faltered at the plate, but has historically put up decent numbers against lefties (career .274 average facing southpaws). This is a move I didn't see coming, but it could prove to be a good deal for the Sox, providing a platoon partner for Salty, who struggles against lefties, and a guy who can control the running game. This effectively ends the Varitek Era in Boston.

That said, the Red Sox have yet to address their most glaring need: PITCHING! The Bard-as-starter experiment looks precarious and can take one of the best arms out of the bullpen, which has already suffered the loss of Papelbon. Guys like Hiroki Kuroda and Paul Maholm can be had without breaking the bank and, of the "cheaper" options, they look like the best ones. As for the bullpen, there's still the chance of a trade for Andrew Bailey. Weiland might be able to work for 1-2 innings, as he usually did pretty well the first time around the lineup. They can't expect too much out of Jenks, given his injury and illness-ridden 2011, but if he's healthy, he could surprise them.