Boston gets Pena for Arroyo

[LastKnight]

Boston gets Pena for Arroyo

FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) - The Boston Red Sox traded pitcher Bronson Arroyo to the Cincinnati Reds for outfielder Wily Mo Pena on Monday.

The potential Pena trade was first reported Sunday by FOXSports.com's Ken Rosenthal.

Arroyo was 14-10 with a 4.51 ERA last season. The right-hander was part of a deep group of Red Sox starters and had taken a home-team discount when he signed a three-year contract worth $11.25 million on Jan. 19.

Pena batted .254 with 19 homers and 51 RBIs last season and struck out 116 times with 20 walks. A 24-year-old right-handed hitter, he could play right field instead of lefty Trot Nixon when left-handers pitch against Boston.

Without the 29-year-old Arroyo, Boston still has Curt Schilling, Tim Wakefield, Josh Beckett, Matt Clement, David Wells and Jon Papelbon as starters. Arroyo, who pitched five shutout innings Sunday after struggling in his first three exhibition appearances, was expected to start the season in the bullpen.

"They have a surplus of seven starting pitchers in their mind and I agree," Reds general manager Wayne Krivsky said. "They needed a right-handed bat to complement Trot Nixon. It all fell into place rather quickly. (Boston general manager) Theo Epstein and I have been talking about this for three or four days."

Arroyo had career highs last year with 14 wins, 32 starts and 205 1-3 innings pitched.

In the past four seasons, Pena batted .248 with 51 homers and 134 RBIs with the Reds.

Pena played for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic and had four singles in 10 at-bats in three games

"He's 24 years old. He's just a baby," said Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz, who played with Pena on the Dominican team. "You know this game. It's a learning process."

Pena said he was surprised by the deal. He is still considered a raw talent but has outstanding power.

The Reds freed up salary in the offseason by trading popular first baseman Sean Casey to Pittsburgh for left-hander Dave Williams. Williams has been spotty so far, but still expected to be in the rotation. Aaron Harang heads the rotation and was 11-13 with a 3.83 ERA in 32 starts last year.

In addition to Pena, the Red Sox signed former MVP Juan Gonzalez to a minor-league contract.

Gonzalez, 35, had only one at-bat last season with the Indians due to a strained right hamstring, and appeared in only 33 games with the Royals because of injuries in 2004.

Gonzalez, who has hit 434 career homers, did not make Puerto Rico's 30-man roster for the World Baseball Classic, but he has been working out with the intention of resuming his major-league career.

[smazza]

doesnt matter

yankees will rule roost again

[Velcro]

sure they will... just like last year... wait.. no.. maybe 2004, wait, no... 03? 02? 01... hmm..

[KnightsRule]

I liked Arroyo but Pena is young and has a big bat. Sox might lose Trot this year and could use a young cheap player. Unlike the Yanks the sox dont like to spend 220mm on washed up veterans.

[Velcro]

great pickup.  I was a big Arroyo fan, but with all those starters... something was going to happen, and a backup for nixon is definitely a good thing.

[___ Eats It]

Arroyo hasn't exactly been mowing them down with regularity lately, either.