Theo Epstein said that the Red Sox would likely not make a selection in today's Rule V draft, but the team plucked right-handed pitcher Miguel Gonzalez from the Los Angeles Angels. Boston must keep Gonzalez on the major league active roster for the entire 2009 season or return him to the Angels, so his chances of wearing a Red Sox uniform on opening day are slim - possible, but slim.
The 25-year-old Gonzalez is currently thriving in the Mexican winter league after missing the 2008 major league season. In December 2007, baseball analyst John Sickels named Gonzalez the Angels' 16th best prospect. About today's Rule V draft, Keith Law wrote, "Most interesting guy is Miguel Gonzalez, taken by Boston from the Angels. Missed the year, throwing very well in Mexico, avg. to above avg. fastball with plus command."
Joe McDonald of the Providence Journal wrote: "Gonzalez is a 25-year-old right-hander from the Angels' organization. He missed all of the 2008 season with a knee injury. Boston had three different scouts look at him this winter and all of them were impressed.
"He was pitching really well in Mexico," Epstein said. "Probably better than he had before he went down with a knee injury. He really competes and he's athletic."
The scouting department believes he could be effective out of the bullpen.
"When you have three good scouts who feel that way about somebody then you should take him," explained Epstein. "It's going to be tough to stick with a competitive club, but it was the right thing to do to take him and we'll see what we have in spring training."
Gonzalez primarily has three pitches - fastball, slider, change-up. His fastball is clocked at 92 mph and he has plus-command."
For a big market team with deep pockets, Rule V draft picks are low-risk selections. It couldn't hurt to have another arm in spring training competing for a bullpen spot. The Red Sox did not lose reliever Beau Vaughan and outfielder Jeff Corsaletti in today's draft, but it was announced that Vaughan was sent to Texas to complete the recent deal that brought Wes Littleton to Boston.
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