The Red Sox gave Carl Crawford seven years and $142 million in the biggest deal ever for an outfielder. Cliff Lee got a seventh year on his offer from the Yankees and is still listening to the Rangers. Those were the big highlights as the Winter Meetings wrapped up in Florida today.
But the final day's traditional business at the meetings was the Rule 5 draft, and that included some local intrigue. North Tonawanda's Ricky Brooks, a right-handed pitcher in the White Sox organization, was selected in the Triple-A phase by none other than the New York Mets and that means he could be a candidate for the Bisons' bullpen come April. At the very least, his family will be able to quickly see him at Double-A Binghamton.
Brooks, 26, was 1-3 with a 4.54 ERA in 24 appearances (two starts) last season for Double-A Birmingham. He struck out 38 and walked only 10 in 41 2/3 innings.
Brooks, who pitched at East Carolina, has been in the White Sox system since getting drafted in the third round in 2005 and became a reliever in 2007. His best season was in 2009 at Birmingham (3-1, 2.68 in 25 games with 35 strikeouts and just five walks in 37 innings).
---Mike Harrington
(www.twitter.com/bnharrington)
tagged
Bisons/Mets | Red Sox | Yankees
