Timlin returns for a sixth season in Boston

Mike Timlin will return for his sixth season with the Boston Red Sox, according to MLB.com. Details on the one-year deal were not announced, but it is believed that the 41-year-old right-handed reliever will earn about $3 million. Timlin acts as his own agent.

Timlin is no longer the main set-up man who can take the ball 70-plus times a season, but he is still a reliable and fearless presence who retires batters in key situations. Timlin, who will be 42 when the 2008 season begins, started his big league career as a member of the Toronto Blue Jays in 1991, when  he appeared in 63 games and 108.1 innings, an impressive stat for a reliever. He was 11-6 as a rookie, the only time he recorded double digits in wins.

For most of his career, Timlin has served as a set-up man. He did accumulate 31 saves for Toronto in 1996 and 27 saves for Baltimore in 1999. He joined the Red Sox in 2003 and posted his best season with Boston in 2005, when he was 7-3 with 13 saves, 24 holds and a 2.24 ERA in 81 appearances.

Timlin was plagued with injuries in 2007, suffering a strained oblique and shoulder issues.  He had a rocky start, recording a 5.87 ERA in April and missing most of May and the first nine days of June. When Timlin returned, it appeared that he might be done. The low point occurred when he allowed three runs and three hits in one inning during a 9-4 Sox loss at Seattle on June 25.

Then, amid calls for his retirement among Red Sox Nation, Timlin tossed 16 consecutive scoreless innings in 11 appearances. He did not surrender an earned run in July. After that streak ended when he served up two earned runs and three hits in 1.1 innings at Seattle on August 3, Timlin embarked on another surge, throwing 11.1 straight scoreless frames. Ironically, his worst outing of the year happened on August 31, when he achieved his 1,000th career appearance. On that night against Baltimore, he allowed four runs and four hits in two-thirds of an inning.

During the stretch run in September, Timlin was scored upon in just one of 11 appearances. In the post-season, he allowed runs in one of six outings, serving up two runs and two hits in two-thirds of an inning in Game Three of the World Series. He recovered the next night, striking out Kaz Matsui and Troy Tulowitzki in an important moment of Game Four. Overall, Timlin has appeared in 44 post-season games and is fourth on the all-time list.

Boston's bullpen for 2008 is still a work in progress. Jonathan Papelbon will serve as the closer while Manny Delcarmen and Timlin will be right-handed set-up men, and Hideki Okajima will occupy a left-handed set-up role. The Sox are reportedly shopping Kyle Snyder and Triple-A left-hander Craig Breslow, who are out of options. Julian Tavarez will also likely be traded. In-house candidates for bullpen spots include Bryan Corey, Javier Lopez, Devern Hansack, Craig Hansen and Lee Gronkiewicz (a recently signed minor league free agent who was 3-1 with a 2.82 ERA at Triple-A Syracuse and allowed one run and two hits in 4.0 innings with Toronto). A media report during the winter meetings indicated that the Sox might resign Brendan Donnelly, but since he will miss most or all of the 2008 season while recovering from Tommy John surgery, he will probably not contribute again until 2009.

I am comfortable with Corey filling one of the roles. I would rather not see Lopez in a Red Sox uniform, but chances are he will be with the team in spring training. The Sox undoubtedly need another solid right-handed set-up man, and one more left-hander since it appears they are not sold on Breslow. A Brian Fuentes for Jed Lowrie rumor floated around the winter meetings. Lowrie is a key part of the Johan Santana trade talks, so likely the Sox will have to offer another prospect to land Fuentes. Colorado has expressed interest in Tavarez. Damaso Marte, a left-handed reliever for Pittsburgh, is another possible trade target. The Yankees and other teams are also interested. I have not seen the Sox linked to any of the Japanese free agent relievers.

What do you think about the Sox bullpen for 2008? Have any suggestions for free agent signings and trades?