Why oh Why Byrd?

That is what I am trying to get through my mind this Wednesday morning, out of all the pitchers to sign, why Paul Byrd? He is 7-10 with a 4.23 ERA but the excuses I am hearing is that he has been dominant since the all-star break.  That does not bode well enough with this Red Sox fan.

There are dozens of other free-agent starting pitchers available and would be, in my opinion, a better fit than Mr. Byrd.  Esteban Loaiza is one starter that comes to mind and possibly even cheaper than the ace in the ALCS for the Cleveland Indians.     

Another starting pitcher and former top ace for the Seattle Mariners and the Chicago White Sox Freddy Garcia would be a good fit in the injured Red Sox rotation.  All these pitchers want to pitch again in the majors and, like most other free-agents, Barry Bonds namely comes to mind, would take a massive pay cut.  Paul Byrd, in my opinion would not.     

So as of right now, the Boston Red Sox will pay the remaining $7.5 million of Byrd’s three-year, $21.5 million.  This is waste of salary space that the Red Sox could better assume with a reliever and instead of wasting that money the Red Sox could have recalled Justin Masterson.    

This must make the Tampa Bay Rays joyful because this recent trade is showing how much in a panic the Red Sox who are four games behind the first place Rays.  Not to mention, if the Red Sox do make it to the post-season then they could possibly play the best team in the major leagues, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim who have everything going for them: offence, defence, pitching and great managing.     

Plus this trade gives the Red Sox a 37-year-old player, which is against what the management usually does and that is sign players that are, at most, 33 and that is the exception with Mike Lowell in the off-season.     

I am against this trade but I could be wrong and this could help bolster the rotation.