Boston, MA (My Sportsbook) - The
Boston Red Sox have signed outfielder Rocco Baldelli to a one-year contract.
Financial terms of the deal for the Rhode Island native and former Tampa Bay first-round pick were not disclosed, although the Boston Herald indicated that it would include a low guaranteed salary with a large number of performance bonuses.
Baldelli, who has seen his once-promising career beset by injuries, appeared in just 28 games for the Rays last season after being diagnosed with a mitochondrial disorder that slows muscle recovery and produces fatigue.
However, shortly after the season a report surfaced that new medical tests revealed that Baldelli in fact has channelopathy, a non-progressive, highly treatable disease.
Baldelli batted .263 with four home runs and 13 runs batted in down the stretch for the Rays and was part of the team's remarkable run to the World Series, where they eventually fell to Philadelphia.
The 27-year-old Baldelli had a .200 average in the postseason but came up with some big at-bats in the League Championship Series win against the Red Sox, hitting .333 with a crucial three-run homer that helped seal a victory in Game 3 and an RBI single that plated the go-ahead run in Tampa Bay's 3-1, series- clinching Game 7 victory.
Baldelli is a career .281 hitter with 52 home runs and 234 RBI in 447 games for the Rays. He was selected by Tampa Bay with the sixth overall pick of the 2000 draft and was third in the 2003 AL Rookie of the Year balloting.
Injuries, though, have ravaged his career, as Baldelli missed the entire 2005 campaign with knee and elbow injuries, was limited to 92 games in 2006, and missed the final 124 games of the 2007 season with a hamstring injury.
Baldelli is expected to be Boston's fourth outfielder, backing up Jason Bay, Jacoby Ellsbury and J.D. Drew.
For his perseverance, Baldelli was voted the winner of this year's Tony Conigliaro Award, presented to the major league player who has overcome adversity through the attributes of spirit, determination and courage.
