Alex Speier, WEEI.com, on the Hanrahan deal and the construction of the Sox bullpen

He joins us right now good morning Alex. And great thanks Dan is here as well. Hello Alex. Alex let's start with the whole idea of the forty man roster the Red Sox and -- players to Pittsburgh take to return but they were really trying to free up some roster spots weren't -- Or they needed to free up some roster spot because they have they had been through waiting to be signed officially. And then they also sought to address first space. Whether that's with Mike Napoli or someone else. So they -- to forty man roster spot. They met widely -- steel well the same time basically taking. Apart although three on the forty man roster and kind of consolidate. Into. Into two pieces. Did one of whom will be more valuable for 2013 been anything that they gave up another kind of it's the shape of the rock -- in the organization a little bit better. I've been any of the other guys they're moving. You know mark boy -- -- may end up being very -- -- -- back in the NL central. Stormy -- -- bit of a wildcard to eat and Arlen -- very good prospect of the times when you look like you're not part. Our but he did what they. But -- hard -- -- trucks to carry on the forty man roster Gerri stand another thing I has had success with that racially level. He has the power numbers of AAA. But again you don't. Last straw are here and -- kind of behind a couple of other guys like. Protein like -- are not Cody -- obviously that current like Jonny Gomes and like our. Mike Napoli on the depth chart so we're expendable and our mark Lyons then is out of options and it was flooding to be one of the last both an option so we kept in pieces and we've got pacers who is an afterthought by the way and they turn them into mutual hammer and when you draw -- is one of the best closers in the game even though he doesn't quite have the same notoriety by virtue of small market which he did pitching but. You know Red Sox and do a bad impression as a Red Sox players of that incredibly overpowering innings but he delivered. A couple of years ago in Pittsburgh against the Red Sox -- the time when they were that 2011. Maybe even -- not not and that he juggernaut. I am and another guy and brought Cole who's a very useful are kind of out amid all. Walk up a guy who can play either second base or shortstop and hit lefthanded. Which they needed because they have. A -- your -- -- so there are utility debt was right and that they wanted left can't utility to start. Alex that the real the real special part of this deal though is too is that. You know the guys that you just named I'm not sure how much they really gave up for me maybe nothing and on top of that the salary -- we're talking about a closer. Like I heard Dell say the last two years we're talking seventy plus saves here probably four and a half million dollar so we're talking really a little money ball here. And getting a valuing your return is that fair. Why are -- in my hand they're going to see a considerable increase in the salary this year because in arbitration eligible for the last time before reaching the agency. So that little part make about seven million bucks coming even which. That's kind of -- -- bird -- like the pirates who have a year old would probably around eight or nineteen million dollar bet it's so cool that the past is an illegal forward. In -- thirteen million dollars luckily for one year Jonathan Papelbon so I'm sure it would get anything. Approximating jump in I'm quite talent and really for the past couple years error and does belong in. In a conversation about that let's say handful top five top include game that put that -- it's a very financially reasonable. -- reasonable undertaking. Not so you -- and it was a chance that the guys in the Red Sox trading. And being good for the pirates no surprise to blame them. Goes back to you know central and remote as -- -- -- -- -- 234 years. It is very get -- division by. He didn't have success in the -- their request about a make up for -- yeah at least and and again. Out of thoughts and it was behind a number of other people on the ball and keep. That in for the right brought -- -- thirteen and so it's not felt before they were in a position where they had to make. A hard decision about potentially putting into. So wait are trying to do -- for. We're talking to Alex -- from WEEI dot com about the trade the Red Sox made yesterday. I I understand that in the real world there's no such thing but does that almost seemed like the Red Sox at this moment have too many bullpen arms. Do it in terms of in terms of verbal an option to extend even beyond what we know it and the -- level because. Let a guy like Daniel Bard could not too long ago as. It's set up man who there was in the game right now there is a very decent chance that he could end up in -- does start to see them they have another -- they'd really like. And Alex Wilson used there's probably going to begin the year in Tripoli for the second straight year or even though he's Major League ready and you guys. Look at the people and expendable because he had that Powell laid it up. And you just step option for them so a lot of really -- guys what you talk about a noble in the light up a hammer and in Andrew Bailey and coach you are hot and Andrew Miller and Franklin Morales in you know -- red glow in the list kind of goes on -- We should be mindful of course of the fact that Bailey had an injury history that coach you. Is kind of an older picture and hasn't gone injury history so it makes a little other than that to light up a ton of debt -- -- They can withstand the times when some of -- and -- are injured Alex. It's there's a different opinion about the -- what what the -- sects have done in the offseason okay. Some people think they've done an outstanding job some people think they've done really just marginal work here in your opinion when you're looking at this as we get ready for spring training here. Baseball team contends for the elites or do we stolen that. Work mode where we're looking to see. The next couple years of what some prospects are gonna do what guys are gonna do off the bench me what are we looking at here when we're looking at the Elise coming up this year. If so let's talk about that in fact from their. If you talking about the guys like simple if you talk about it if you -- reflecting that has a strong even from. John let's start from quite buckled from Dustin Pedroia. In bribes from Jacoby yelled very informed David Ortiz. It's a -- quite a bit too light up other chips. But it's not unreasonable because in the not too distant past we -- to assume that all of them -- very good treatment. The American under the American League east side they have a really talented -- it looked like about a good record there was in all Major League Baseball. As as we have August 1011. They all of the record in 2012. Which makes it a little bit more difficult to project what they're going to be going forward. Yeah we're -- or before September eleven. Thought both those core players that they've got they've built this really nice scaffolding with a number of players who are are between -- ever school above average indicates they're hammering it out either bit higher than that. Our relative to a division indicator of -- true he has the potential to be higher than that well. Engine. They would have -- the -- really. Pretty solid team that's so we can't take for granted BI about -- Of any of those guys that I'm talking about whether it's health questions related David Archie in there whether it's performance this year related to to the Leicester -- apocalypse -- More -- the most prized open master track record overwhelms what what 2000 bit doubt he doesn't twelve. So why they have a really really talented nucleus it should be able to come list. Any team. On paper BAL east including the -- That's led it to division it has a lot really competitive team so I think they took it well. That we end up being you know we we just don't know -- we won't know about the beauty of baseball on predicted them to be a 69 when he -- here. Final question before we let you go is it your best guess right now that Mike Napoli is the first baseman here or do you think there's traction to the Adam LaRoche reports. I still think that it's so difficult for them apart what epic for Adam LaRoche -- I would think that. The ice still by default you know part of their prioritize -- By itself in yet that in the trigger to make it work with the Red -- I still think it ends up being Mike Napoli I'm not sure. On precisely what term typically what direction whether or not they build in kind of our best to not. You know that's. That's my gut feeling well. I've been a pretty tightly kept on all it was really aptly by all parties related to by all parties involved in that negotiation so at that point it's honestly -- Yes but I still think that Napoli and being the guy. Alex we always appreciate your time thank you.