The Red Sox have did not tender 31-year old righty swinging catcher Kevin Cash a contract making him a free agent. He then signed a minor league deal with the New York Yankees. Cash played in 61 games for the Red Sox last season and he was 32 for 142 (.225 avg, .647 OPS) with 11 runs scored, 3 homers and 15 RBIs. He has now played in 187 games in his major league career and he is 92 for 501 (.184 avg, .533 OPS) with 46 runs scored, 10 homers and 50 RBIs. Cash has also whiffed an amazing 161 times in his major league career to date. The Red Sox shouldn’t have much trouble finding a new catcher or two that are way better than Kevin Cash.

The Red Sox selected 24-year old righty pitcher Miguel Gonzalez in the Rule 5 Draft. Gonzalez did not pitch in 2008 so it will be a uphill battle for him to make the Red Sox’ pitching staff in 2009. It’s not out of the realm of possibility that Gonzalez could make it as the mop up man in the pen.

The Red Sox have signed 22-year old righty Junichi Tazawa to a 3-year, $3.3 million dollar contract. Tazawa is not like the other Japanese pitchers that the Red Sox have signed in the past as he has not appeared in a major league game in Japan. He is much younger than Daisuke Matsuzaka and Hideki Okajima meaning that he will likely require some time in the minors likely starting 2009 in AA-ball. He pitched for amateur team Nippon Oil in Japan last season and he was 10-1 with a 1.02 ERA. He whiffed 99 batters in only 88.1 innings for Nippon Oil. This was a nice gamble for the Red Sox as Tazawa didn’t cost them much cash.

The Red Sox have traded 27-year old righty reliever Beau Vaughan to the Rangers as part of the Wes Littleton trade. Vaughan has never pitched in the majors despite being 27 years old so the Red Sox didn’t feel too worried about jettisoning him to the Rangers. Vaughan pitched in 46 games (0 starts) in AA+AAA ball last season and he was 3-2 with 17 saves, a 2.33 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP. Vaughan did strike out 69 batters in only 58 innings last season which had to have caught the eye of the Rangers, but, the Red Sox felt that Littleton could help them in 2009.

The Red Sox have acquired 26-year old righty reliever Wes Littleton from the Texas Rangers for two players to be named later. Littleton pitched in 12 games for the Rangers last season and he was 0-0 with a 6.00 ERA and a 1.44 WHIP. The submarining righty reliever has now pitched in 80 games (0 starts) in his major league career and he has compiled a record of 5-3 with 3 saves, a 3.69 ERA and a 1.23 WHIP. This was a good acquistion for the Red Sox who need help in getting a lead to Hideki Okajima and Jonathan Papelbon in 2009.