Silk Purse From A Sow's Ear

Around 9:30 last night, Mike Stanton showed up to Fenway Park, ready to pitch, having been traded earlier in the day by Jim Bowden.

Bowden deserves some credit for the transaction, receiving two pitchers for what will amount to three games worth of Mike Stanton -- the transaction comes after the September 1 deadline for postseason eligibility.

Seeing how Stanton was probably not coming back, it's a good move. Two young, warm bodies, are better than one cold one.

Here's info on the Aussie, Rhys Taylor:

According to the man who signed Taylor, Jon Deeble - the Australian Olympic baseball coach who is also the director of Pacific Rim scouting for the Red Sox - Taylor is potentially one of the best pitching talents Australia has produced in some time. "There might be a few kids around who could throw as fast as him, but there would be none who are faster," Deeble said yesterday.

What impressed Deeble was obviously Taylor's fast ball, but also the fact that at only 17, he already stood 187 centimetres and was likely to grow more. "Back then, he was 81 to 83 miles per hour (130-134 km/h) and now he is up into the high 80s and we see him filling out nicely in the body," Deeble said. "He's six three now (191 centimetres) and only 154 pounds (70 kilograms) and we see him getting a bit taller and being 224 pounds (102 kilograms). "I just think he has got a good arm and good free lose delivery. Obviously, he's a project for us, but hopefully he can add a bit of muscle and I think he can throw in the mid-90s (150 km/h), which is a good above average major league fast ball."

The other prospect, Yader Peralta, pitched to a 4.57 ERA in 45 innings, mostly in rookie ball.

Neither will likely amount to much, but the Aussie probably has a slightly higher upside.

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Bodes deserves credit for turning a waiver claim into two prospects, but just keep in mind that Mike Stanton was a guy that was deemed so essential just two months ago that the Nationals waived Sunny Kim instead of him. Bodes wasn't looking to the future with that move. At least he is with this one.