So Long, Ranaudo. Welcome Robbie Ross.

While New England was prepping for Snowmaggedonpocalypse earlier this week, the Red Sox dealt away one of their younger arms for some bullpen help.

In their quest to acquire more left-handed bullpen depth, the Red Sox dealt away one of their top starting prospects, trading Anthony Ranaudo to the Texas Rangers in exchange for Robbie Ross.

A three-year big league veteran, Ross made 123 appearances out of the Rangers’ bullpen from 2012-13, posting a 2.62 ERA in 127.1 innings with a 2.5 strikeout to walk ratio. But the 25-year-old struggled in 2014, as the Rangers used him both out of the bullpen and in the rotation, and Ross saw his ERA balloon to 6.20 in 27 appearances – 12 of them starts.

I will admit, up front, that it is a little hard for me not to be biased against this deal. I have watched Ranaudo come up through the Sox system. He was the Eastern League Pitcher of the Year for the Portland Sea Dogs in 2013 and International League POY for Pawtucket last year. He wasn't spectacular in his Boston call-up last year but he was 4-3. I watched this kid develop, and that will give you rose-colored glasses.

But when you dig into the Boston numbers, you get a sense of why he was available. For a team that signed pitchers that can induce ground balls, Ranaudo is a fly ball pitcher. A 4.81 ERA that translates to an ERA+ of 81. A WHIP of 1.4 and more walks than strikeouts. That, combined with his dominance in the lower leagues paints a picture that maybe Ranaudo was the classic AAAA player; too good for the minors but not quite able to translate that talent into a major league career. But even if he never moved beyond what he did last year, that could be good enough for a fifth pitcher in a rotation if he was also an innings eater.

What will make or break this is whether the Sox get 2012-13 Robbie Ross or 2014 Robbie Ross. The first Ross was dominant out of the bullpen with a K/BB ratio of 2.5, a 1.257 WHIP and an ERA of 2.62 (ERA+ 163). The other Ross is a mess, with a 6.20 ERA and a WHIP of 1.698.

What is clear is that Texas screwed Ross up by moving him into a starting role. What isn't clear is whether Ross can regain his earlier form as a dominant bullpen arm. The Sox desperately need that kind of lefty in their pen.

This obviously doesn't threaten Boston's depth in minor-league pitching, though I considered Ranaudo the best of the bunch to stay with Boston come Opening Day. And I always worry about trading with Texas for a bullpen pitcher, since the last time we did this we got Eric Gagne. And the less said about that, the better.

But if Ross can find his old form, this could end up working out quite well for Boston.

Ryan Dempster Not Playing in 2014 for Red Sox. What Does it Mean for Boston?

A bit of shocking news out of Fort Meyers today. Ryan Dempster is not going to play in 2014. He is citing both physical and personal reasons for the decision.

"I had an incredible run, a chance to play 16 years in the major leagues and be around a lot of great teammates, made a lot of good friendships, great friendships," Dempster said in a surprise announcement one day before the first formal spring training workout for pitchers and catchers. "I'm totally comfortable with it. I'm at peace with my decision."

Dempster has not ruled out playing in 2015. But with the way he and others are talking, this sounds more like a retirement than a step back. To that end, Dempster is going on the restricted list. This has the effect of sidelining Dempster for the year. But it also frees up his $13.25M owed to him this year.

Of course it goes without saying that Boston fans want Dempster to do what he needs to do. And if he needs to step away and be with his family, that sounds to me like a man who has his life priorities in order. Plus, you want nothing but the best for a man who wears a suit that looks as good as that one.

That said ... what does this all mean for the Red Sox?

First, this is why you maintain pitching in depth. With Dempster leaving the team, Boston has a couple of arms they can bring up. Allen Webster could be the first name considered. He did pitch in Boston last year, starting seven games and going 1-2 in the process. Dempster started 29 games for Boston last year - asking that of Webster could be asking a lot. But with a healthy starting five thus far, Webster wouldn't be expected to pitch 29 games. Brandon Workman could be another choice - he started three games in July and went 1-1. He has fifth starter potential, but is valuable in the bullpen so I can't see Boston pulling him out.

Five things to watch in Spring Training for the Sox

So the trucks arrived in Florida and 2014 Spring Training has begun for Boston. While we deal with all this snow up here they have to avoid injuries and sunburn. Coming off of a championship season with that squad mostly intact, the Sox haven't had to do a lot of trading or signing to bolster the roster. But here are five things to keep an eye on as we head towards Opening Day.

1. What will happen at third base? The Red Sox are all about depth, ensuring that they have backups at every position to ensure that an injury or a bad run of play doesn't put them in a hole. But third base has emerged as a red flag.

Will Middlebrooks has a lot of potential. But he took a step back last year. And it was big enough that he was benched in the post-season. He saw large drops in his on base percentage and OPS. His strikeouts increased by over a third. And while his glove was roughly the same, he went from a 1.2 WAR in 2012 to a -.1 in 2013. Not what you want to see in a sophomore season.

If the Sox sign Stephen Drew (and that is still a big "if") and Middlebrooks can't get it done, then the Sox can slide Bogaerts to third. They'll still be thin but the positions will be covered. But, if the Sox don't sign Drew and Middlebrooks doesn't turn it around...the Sox are in trouble.

They don't have anyone behind Bogaerts on the depth chart currently. If they slide him to third then shortstop is totally empty. And if he stays at short then the Sox have to go with Middlebrooks at third until and unless they sign someone else. Yes, Garin Cecchini is in the wings and looks to be a solid 3B prospect but he still has at least a year to go. And they do have Brock Holt but he is a utility-level player, not a starter.

Boston needs Middlebrooks to step up and be the player he can be. He has the tools and the talent. He just has to get his head straight and put it all together.

2. Who will start in center field? A large contingent of Boston fans (and I am one of them) want to see Jackie Bradley, Jr. starting in center field. But with the one-year signing of Grady Sizemore, things could get interesting in Ellsbury's old grounds.

Is Grady Sizemore healthy? That is the single biggest question. Because if he is and he can play to even 80% of his old level, you would be really hard-pressed to have him on the bench. But that is a really big ask of someone who hasn't played a competitive game in two years. Unless you get that kind of production from Sizemore, it would be crazy to not give JBJ the chance to be the starting center fielder. If he starts and you can even get 60% of the 2005-2008 Sizemore as a super-sub, Boston will be in great shape in the outfield.

3. How will the new catcher work out? Pierzynski is the kind of player you love to hate when he is on any other team but yours. Kind of like Brad Marchand with the Bruins. I have no concerns about him as a player or with the bat. He should at least provide the same level of production as Salty did last year. The question is how will the pitching staff respond to him? Will he have the same kind of communication with the staff as Salty did. If that happens then it'll be smooth sailing. But it can take time to build that kind of communication. If there are clashes and misunderstandings between A.J. and the pitchers that could lead to some problems during the season.

Getting ready for the Rule V Draft

If there is one thing that has always baffled me in baseball (besides the complete inability of the Tampa Bay area to properly support their baseball team), it's the Rule V draft. So I did something radical this year - I actually took the time to read up on it.

To go over it quickly, the Rule V draft is in place to keep teams from hoarding young talent that may be able to play elsewhere in the majors. So each November every team assembles a 40-man roster. This roster serves two purposes. Anyone on the roster can be called up to the major-league squad at any time during the season. It also allows the team to protect as many Rule V-eligible players as there are slots on the 40-man roster.

So what makes a player eligible in the Rule V draft, which will be held in December? It's actually pretty simple:

• The player is not currently on their team's 40-man roster
• They were 18 or younger on the June 5 preceding their signing and this is the fifth Rule 5 draft upcoming; or
• they were 19 or older on the June 5 preceding their signing and this is fourth Rule 5 draft upcoming.

If Team A takes a Rule V player from Team B, A pays B $50,000. Team A must also keep the player on their 25-man roster for the full season. If they do not, they must offer to sell back the player to Team B for $25,000. There are similar processes in place for players going from AA to AAA and from A to AA.

That's about it. And while you don't see All-Stars usually develop from Rule V selections, it can happen. The most famous player is the legendary Roberto Clemente, who was taken from the Dodgers by the Pirates in 1954. The next biggest names would be Johan Santana (from the Astros to the Twins in 1999) and current Sox outfielder Shane Victorino (from the Dodgers to the Phillies in 2004)*.



So where does Boston stand as the 2013 Rule V draft approaches? According to ESPN Boston, here are the Sox prospects eligible to go into the draft: