Red Sox trade for Myers for second time in seven months

By Jim Callis
March 29, 2005

After trading for Mike Myers last August, the Red Sox let him leave as a free agent following their World Series victory. On Tuesday, they dealt for him again, sending lefthander Kevin Ool and outfielder Carlos de la Cruz to the Cardinals.

Myers, a 35-year-old lefthander, signed a non-guaranteed $600,000 contract with St. Louis in December. He went 5-1, 4.64 in 75 appearances last season, with a 32-23 strikeout-walk ratio in 43 innings. Opponents hit .274 with five homers against him. With Boston, Myers went 1-0, 4.25 in 25 regular-season games and posted a 10.13 ERA in five postseason contests. Strictly a lefty specialist, he held southpaws to a .233 average and .665 OPS last year while righties touched him for a .344 average and 1.012 OPS. A sidearmer, he goes after lefties with a sinker and slider. He was once effective against righthanders by pounding them inside with a mid-80s fastball, but they have adjusted. Myers' career record is 17-21, 4.40 with 14 saves in 684 games.

Ool, 24, was a 16th-round pick out of Marist in 2003. He's a finesse lefthander who got knocked around at low Class A Augusta last year. He went 3-2, 4.76 with one save in 27 relief appearances. Opponents batted .293 with three homers against him, and he had a 36-11 K-BB ratio in 45 innings. His best pitch is his changeup, and he also throws an 85-87 mph fastball and a three-quarters breaking ball. Ool, who also made two appearances at high Class A Sarasota before straining an oblique muscle in July, has a career 6-3, 3.71 mark in 54 pro games.

De la Cruz, 20, signed out of the Dominican Republic in 2001. Last year was his first above Rookie ball, and he hit .274/.341/.338 with one homer, 16 RBIs and 15 steals in 64 games at short-season Lowell. While he's athletic and has average speed, he's going to have to play left field because he has a below-average arm. He'll have to develop significantly more power to make it at that position.