The Sox acquired Bailey, along with outfielder Ryan Sweeney, from the Athletics in exchange for Josh Reddick and prospects Miles Head and Raul Alcantera on Wednesday in a bold move that some have speculated about for quite some time.
Bailey brings an impressive resume to the back end of the Sox bullpen. He was selected to the Midsummer Classic in 2009, the same season in which he earned AL Rookie of the Year honors, and again in 2010. In his three seasons in Oakland, the righty converted 75 of 84 save opportunities and compiled a 2.07 ERA.
But Bailey, who turns 28 in May, missed nearly two months of the 2011 season because of a forearm strain and elbow inflammation, which limited him to 37 appearances. However, he did still record 24 saves, while posting a 3.24 ERA.
He'll now immediately be thrust into the thick of things in the always-competitive American League East. Bailey's never pitched in a postseason game, and the highest the A's finished in his three years is second, which came in 2010 when Oakland finished at exactly .500.
Joining the Red Sox in their quest to rebound after a historic 2011 collapse is a daunting task for any player, especially when that player is expected to pitch the ninth inning in what will surely be pressure-packed games. Former Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon thrived in the role for seven season, earning four All-Star selections and helping to lead the Red Sox to a World Series title in 2007. That's a tough act to follow, but Bailey could just be the man for the job.
We know Bailey has the talent. Does he have everything else that's needed to succeed in Beantown?
