In no uncertain terms, the Red Sox significantly stepped up the pressure on catcher Victor Martinez Monday when they signed Cuban Adalberto Ibarra to a Major League contract worth anywhere between $3 and $4.3 million over five years.
The versatile Ibarra has seen action all around the diamond, but the 22-year-old has focused progressively more and more on catching during only the past few years, and therefore brings with him to Boston the added benefit of owning a pair of far less-worn knees than a player who may have been working at catcher his whole life.
Considered by most Cuban baseball authorities to be a Major League caliber catcher, Ibarra will first be sent to Boston’s minor league complex for a pre-assignment assessment, according to the Boston Herald’s Michael Silverman and MLBTradeRumors.com.
CubanBallPlayers.com contends that Ibarra has a great arm.
As most Red Sox and baseball fans in general are aware, neither Victor Martinez nor Jason Varitek can boast an even of a decent arm.
In an article dated April 25, the Boston Globe’s Nick Cafardo suggests that the Sox could replace a struggling David Ortiz at DH with Martinez and then acquire another catcher—one who can throw out base runners.
Ibarra is hardly the 2010 answer, but in signing him to a five-year deal, the Red Sox have at least signaled that Martinez is not necessarily Fenway’s catching future.
Ibarra could be that future.
If so, Ibarra would join Jose Iglesias as one of two fast-tracked, rising Fenway stars recently imported from Cuba.
As far as Martinez goes, if he wants to hold down the Boston backstop much longer, he’d better play some long toss and build up some arm strength.
Otherwise, Terry Francona could be penciling into his lineup Ivan Rodriguez, Kurt Suzuki, or Adalberto Ibarra before the All-Star game.
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