The Boston Red Sox are still hoping to bolster their pitching, with free agent swing pitcher Alexi Ogando in their crosshairs. It's believed that they will not have a free run at him though, with the Los Angeles Dodgers also rumored to be in pursuit.
Scouts I know liked Ogando's workout. Red Sox, Dodgers aggressive, know next week
— Peter Gammons (@pgammo) January 13, 2015
Ogando was transitioned into a relief role after a 7-4 campaign in 2013 as a starter, but battled injuries and ineffectiveness all year. Ogando went just 2-3 last season in 27 appearances, and posted a ghastly 6.81 ERA.
There are also questions about Ogando's health entering 2015. Boston Globe writer Nick Cafardo recently wrote that an American League executive told him medical records on Ogando "don't look great," although his agent Larry Reynolds is refuting that.
"Alexi Ogando was 92 to 93 and touched 94 at a bullpen session for numerous teams last week," Reynolds said. "After an earlier examination by Dr. [James] Andrews, coupled with his promising progression, we believe Alexi should have no problem securing a job and will be pitching on Day 1 of 2015 Spring Training."
Paying too much attention to Ogando's admittedly bloated 6.81 ERA and dismissing him could be a mistake. His FIP, an advanced stat similar to ERA that only accounts for walks, hits and strikeouts, stood at 3.81. That is a stark difference, and a potential harbinger of positive regression set to hit in 2015.
Ogando battled control issues last year, but he also was very unlucky as evidenced by his .386 BABIP; in 2013 his BABIP stood at .254. His velocity was the same as in 2013 last year, but he did show an increased reliance on his fastball. That could be due to his bullpen usage creating less need to mix in breaking pitches, but he may want to lean on the slider more this year wherever he lands.
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