The Red Sox drafted Anthony Ranaudo hoping he would bounce back from a rough junior year at LSU that saw Ranaudo battle injury and ineffectiveness. They hoped he'd once again become the pitcher many projected to be a top-10 pick before the 2010 season began.
After his LSU season ended, Ranaudo went to the Cape Cod Baseball League and simply dominated. That's good news for the Red Sox of course, but it also means it's now time to pay him like the pitcher he's pitching like now, not the pitcher he was pitching like at LSU.
According to WEEI.com though, the Red Sox haven't even started discussing a contract with the draft pick. The right-hander went to the Cape League with his stock being relatively low, but after not allowing an earned run in 29 1/3 innings and striking out 31 batters, the 6-foot-7 righty decided he had nothing left to prove and left the Cape League.
He did what he had gone to the Cape to do. He got his stock back up and now, Ranaudo (and agent Scott Boras), are back to looking for the type of money many thought he would originally get.
While it's not the greatest news that the Red Sox haven't started negotiations with Ranaudo and Boras, they still have until Aug. 16 to work out a deal.
