Valuing strikes (and conversation), Bleier a good fit for Boston

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- Richard Bleier wasn’t anticipating the somewhat unusual late January trade that sent him from Miami to Boston, so when the veteran left-hander reported to Red Sox camp less than two weeks later, he wanted to make sure he acclimated himself quickly. For one of baseball’s most loquacious players, that meant getting right to the point.

“I warned them,” Bleier told MLB.com. “I went in there [to introduce myself] and I was like, ‘Look, I just want to wish you guys luck this year. If you can ignore 90 percent of the things I say, it'll be a good season. We’ll all get along just fine.’”

After that, it didn’t take manager Alex Cora long to get to know his new situational southpaw.

“He talks a lot,” Cora said Wednesday, when Bleier worked the first two innings of Boston’s 4-4 tie with the Astros at The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches. “He works on his craft. My office is right next to the video room, and whenever I have to go to the trainer’s room I have to pass it. He’s always in there, trying to get better.”

When Cora catches Bleier in there it’s usually in his natural state, which is to say: in conversation. The journeyman lefty’s long-earned reputation for being one of the game’s chattiest and most inquisitive players leads some to suggest a future in coaching one day. But even at age 35, those days still feel far off. For now, the well-traveled Bleier is the freshest face in Boston’s new-look bullpen, alongside veteran offseason additions Kenley Jansen, Chris Martin and hard-throwing lefty Joely Rodríguez.

“Last year, we had stuff out of the bullpen from [the left] side, but we were very erratic,” Cora said. “When they were on, they were really good. But they didn’t throw a lot of strikes. Late in games, you have to attack.”

So the Red Sox spent the winter loading up on relievers who throw strikes. Boston’s bullpen walk rate ranked sixth worst in MLB (second worst in the American League) last season. Meanwhile, Martin’s 2.2 percent walk rate was the best among qualified relievers. Bleier’s 4.1 percent ranked sixth.

He also held left-handed batters to a .256/.287/.389 slash line (one homer in 94 plate appearances) and hardly ever lets the ball leave the yard, allowing only 19 home runs in 299 2/3 career innings (0.6 per nine).

“I like what they're doing here: They're valuing strikes,” Bleier said. “With all the information and everything that's out there, I feel like we're really simplifying it. It's like, you all have good stuff, we're gonna get in the zone. And then they went and got guys who are in the zone already. Strikes play, no doubt, and that’s what we’re after as a bullpen.”

The Red Sox are excited about how Bleier and Rodríguez will allow them to give teams different looks from the left side come the middle-to-late innings. Bleier’s durability, versatility and experience in the division (Boston is his third AL East team) should enhance their ability to mix-and-match as well.

“I think it’s a great combination with Rodríguez in terms of stuff,” Cora said. “[Bleier] has less velo, but it moves late, and he generates a lot of weak contact.”

According to Bleier, that’s only half the scouting report.

“Below average personality,” Bleier quipped. “Decent sinker.”