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Red Sox hope Andrew Bailey can stabilize bullpen 08.14.12 at 9:35 am ET
By Alex Speier

Andrew Bailey has 75 career saves. Craig Breslow has been his teammate for 74 of them.

Breslow joined the Athletics in May 2009, right around the time that Bailey emerged as Oakland’s closer as a rookie who had skipped Triple-A. The two were teammates with the A’s through 2011, before Oakland traded Bailey to the Red Sox and Breslow to the Diamondbacks last offseason. Now, the two have been reunited with the Red Sox.

Bailey, after a six-outing rehab assignment, is expected to be activated from the DL by the Sox for Tuesday night’s game against the Orioles. Breslow was acquired by the Sox from Arizona at the trade deadline.

Based on their shared history, Breslow is elated about what Bailey might be able to contribute to the Boston bullpen. At a time when the Sox’ relief corps has been depleted by injuries (Scott Atchison, Vicente Padilla, Rich Hill), and when others such as Alfredo Aceves and Andrew Miller have struggled at times, Breslow believes that Bailey represents an important reinforcement for a relief group that has a 4.88 ERA since the All-Star break.

“Incredible,” Breslow said of Bailey’s potential impact. “Unfortunately, it happens too often where getting guys back from the DL are your trade deadline acquisitions. But getting a guy like Andrew healthy is better than any reliever we can go out and trade for — obviously, aside from myself,” he grinned.

“He’s been a closer. He thrives in pressure situations. And I think he’s a guy who will elevate his performance on a big stage. Beyond that, he’s a competitor, a gamer, a guy that you trust in any situation when he’s out there with the game on the line,” he continued. “Because of injuries, it seems kind of like the bullpen here has been in some flux. When he’s healthy, he can be stabilizing for us.”

While it would be natural to return Bailey gradually to a late-innings role based on the fact that he’s missed more than four months, his history suggests that there might be little need to wait to give him a meaningful role. After all, Bailey managed to take possession of the closer’s role in Oakland roughly one month into his big league career, taking to the end of the game like a proverbial fish to water.

“His stuff was apparent. He threw hard. He threw strikes. He had a devastating cut fastball. And for such a young guy who was thrust into the big leagues out of Double-A, he was fearless,” recalled Breslow. “He seemed to thrive in the competition of late-inning situations. It was pretty neat as an outsider to watch his maturation. There weren’t really too many times you had to watch growing pains or anything like that.”

Now, the Sox will hope for a similarly sudden impact down the stretch.

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  • Anonymous

    Down what stretch? Time has already run out.

    And unfiortunately, if Andrew were going to perform on the “big stage” this year, he should have stayed in Oakland.

  • http://www.facebook.com/jherrera617 Joseph Jonathan Herrera

    Might as well just put him in as closer immediately.  Aceves is better in a swingman role like he was last season.  Six blown saves is just too much, and they may as well transition into next season now.

  • Anonymous

    That one is going to come back and bite him in his backside.
    Professional athletes are not fit to shine the shoes of the US Navy Seals.
    They get paid a lot of cash to play a glorified kids game.
    Seals play the ultimate game for keeps and for little pay.

  • Mark

    Way to over analyze. I’m sure this will have an effect on the game

  • Nate

    Yaz, all he is doing is comparing their mentality to the Navy Seals – I don’t think he at all insinuates that the work they are doing is of equal importance to what Navy Seals do.  He’s likening the unpredictability that Seals are confronted with, with the unpredictability of preparing for an NFL game – Belichick would never be stupid enough to make it seem like NFL players are as important or talented as Navy Seals. 

  • ILoveHockey

    I don’t think he was saying his guys are the same as Navy Seals, I think he was just making a comparison that Seals can plan and plan and plan for what is going to happen on a mission – but once they get out there something is different- but they still have to get the job done. I guess he could say a janitor plans out exactly how he is going to clean a building room by room, but somebody works late and he has to change plans but still get the job done. Lets not try to create controversy!!!!!!!

  • ILoveHockey

    FYI, the other day he didn’t really mean teams dig foxholes either

  • SIRI

    This may be helpful to you:

     A metaphor is a figure of speech
    that describes a subject by asserting that it is, on some point of
    comparison, the same as another otherwise unrelated object. Metaphor is a
    type of analogy and is closely related to other rhetorical figures of speech that achieve their effects via association, comparison or resemblance including allegory, hyperbole, and simile.

  • Monstatroll

    Oh shut up.

  • Tiger

    You’re right, Yaz. Next, they’ll be saying God’s on his side.

    C’mon guys, it’s a game. If you score more points than they do, you win.

  • Psycho1039

     apparently you only read the headline

  • Uncle Buck

    You got a little roughed up on your remarks.  I respect your admiration for the SEALS and I share it.  But as the others have pointed out, lighten up a bit.  I think Bill knows who is who and who does what.  Enjoy the commentary.

  • mike

    yaz is a dipshit 

  • Cdhuntington

    Jesus Christ! He was actually complementing SEALs and the way they prepare for a mission.
    Being a student of millitary history and growing up in Annapolis, he tries to teach and take the same metal aproach into footbal. WTF.

  • shookes

    Yaz have you ever heard of a metaphor?

  • Grygor_c

    Who am I rooting for the Ravens or the Bronco’s??? I need a consencus.

  • Billybaroo

    For a lot of people to get hurt

  • ILoveHockey

    Ravens- pats will have the home field

  • Mark

    Broncos…it will be great for the pats to go Denver and beat them on their home field. You always want to play the better team. That’s the sign of a true champion

  • ILoveHockey

    I think either of those teams are worthy opponents and will play the Pats hard- I’d just rather see them play at Gillette

  • Skrilla

    Just as recently as Wednesday, Belichick said “you don’t win a war buy digging a foxhole.” BUY really? REALLY?

  • Reverand Jim

     Does anyone know where I can buy a cheap foxhole? Thanks in advance.

  • SVN

    Terrible headline

  • buffy

    yaz, give it a break! there are to many pro’s that say ” my team and i are going war on sunday” or “were going to battle” and other crap that is coming out of todays pathetic world! BB didn’t mention war, battle, he said train like seals and the game of sportsmanship.
    why all the hate?

  • scrappycoco

     its metaphor….not to be taken literally……his whole point is to expect the unexpected

  • Aztex

    no donte stalworth, no deep threat like last time,- loyd will spit the bit, and the pats are doomed. one arm gronk ,no help.

  • johnny spermburp

    Headline is misleading as usual on weei

  • whitey

    Lets hope they kick arse like the Seals do on Sunday!!!!!  Go Pats!!

  • whitey

    Lighten up will you!!!!!  Cant stand you uptight yahoos!!!!   Go cry somewhere else!!!

  • whitey

    Duuuuh!!!!  Raven obviously sir!!!  Reason being, the Pats wim and Broncos lose then Afc Championship goes through Foxboro!!!!

  • Anonymous

    The Texans couldn’t cover old man Stallworth.   What makes you think they will be able to cover Gronkowski, one arm or two?

  • Cora4925

    hey slow down and stop the wishful thinking. he is paying homage to the military and I agree with the man. oh yeah I am in the military too so AT EASE!!!

  • Gimenayedream

    come on bill you hope you can get it done? YOUR BILL BELICHICK THE BEST.

  • http://twitter.com/shibumiMC David G Jones

    “Sun Tzu” was a school in pre-China that was focused on ending war and building the empire of China. It was passionately opposed to war. Here’s what the book was really all about:

    ·      
    http://tinyurl.com/bq5klsn

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