Red Sox Trade SS Christian Lara to Dodgers for RP Eric Hull

Last week the Los Angeles Dodgers designated relief pitcher Eric Hull for assignment; today he has been traded to the Red Sox for single-A shortstop Christian Lara and cash considerations.

The right-hander Hull has only 6.2 major league innings under his belt as he enters his age 28 season. In 146.2 IP in AAA he has accumulated these rate stats:

0.6 HR/9
4.7 BB/9
10.2 K/9
2.2 K/BB

[Though those numbers were better in his 65.2 IP last season, 3.1 K/BB, 11.1 K/9]

While his strikeout numbers are obviously good, his control issues seem to make him someone Theo Epstein would usually avoid, especially for an older player.

I think this trade is more about getting the best deal we could for Lara, who was in a fight for playing time with more highly regarded middle infield prospects.

Lara is a good fielding shortstop but never developed the contact or on-base skills needed to make him a real prospect because of his lack of power.

Aardsma Acquired for Mota and Socolovich

Interesting move made by Theo Epstein today in acquiring David Aardsma from the White Sox. Aardsma has a big arm and can overpower hitters with his 94-99 MPH fastball; however he has been erratic with his control and secondary pitches and has yet to put it all together for any extended period of time. His best secondary pitch has been his slider, which would be good if he could control it. As of now he sounds like an older version Craig Hansen, which is damning praise for both, I suppose. Aardsma is on the 40-man roster and should be a fairly good lock to break camp with the big club. What he does under John Farrell’s tutelage is anyone’s guess.

The two players sent back to the White Sox were Willy Mota and Miguel Socolovich.

Mota, 22, was once a young toolsy outfielder from the Dominican who projected to be a plus defender and a low OBP, decent SLG player. The Red Sox moved him to the mound before last year and he didn’t embarrass himself in short season Lowell while working almost exclusively with his fastball.

Socolovich, 21, caught a lot of people’s eye in 2004 when he pitched well in the Venezuelan Summer League as a 17 year old. After missing all of 2005 because of Tommy John surgery, he has pitch an unspectacular 115.2 innings between short season and low-A ball the last three seasons.