Hull was used as a starter until 2005, then was moved to the bullpen, where he has excelled (against younger competition). The Red Sox acquired Hull to bolster their bullpen depth, with the recent loss of Kyle Snyder and the impending loss of another pitcher without options when Mike Timlin returns (probably Bryan Corey). He has toiled in the Dodgers system for 6 seasons and pitched just 6 2/3 innings at the Major League level. He has compiled a 3.37 ERA, 1.26 WHIP and 8.64 K/9 over those minor league seasons. Hull is a small pitcher, standing just 5' 11" and 190 lbs, but he can hit the low 90s with his fastball and features a hard curve around 78-79 mph. He also experimented with a changeup last season.

Lara, also small at 5' 11" and 150 lbs, is a good defensive shortstop, and has flashed some speed. He was once the Red Sox' top SS prospect, but has failed to develop at the plate as expected, probably suiting him better for the National League. He has not advanced past High-A in four minor league seasons.

The right-hander Hull has only 6.2 major league innings under his belt as he enters his age 28 season. In 146.2 IP in AAA he has accumulated these rate stats:

0.6 HR/9
4.7 BB/9
10.2 K/9
2.2 K/BB

[Though those numbers were better in his 65.2 IP last season, 3.1 K/BB, 11.1 K/9]

While his strikeout numbers are obviously good, his control issues seem to make him someone Theo Epstein would usually avoid, especially for an older player.

I think this trade is more about getting the best deal we could for Lara, who was in a fight for playing time with more highly regarded middle infield prospects.

Lara is a good fielding shortstop but never developed the contact or on-base skills needed to make him a real prospect because of his lack of power.

To say it has been a crazy couple of days for Christian Lara (2004 Lowell Spinners). Lara was assigned to the Red Sox Class-A Advanced affiliate Lancaster Jethawks to start the season, his fifth year in the Red Sox organization. On Monday, April 7, Lara found himself on the bench to start the game as the Jethawks took on the Inland Empire 66ers, a Los Angeles Dodgers affiliate (managed by former Red Sox infielder John Valentin). With the game tied at three with 15-innings completed and the 11:50 curfew approaching, the game was suspended to be continued the next day.

In the locker room after the game was suspended, Lara was summoned into manager Chad Epperson's office and informed he had been traded to the Dodgers organization and being assigned to Inland Empire, the team he was just cheering his teammates on against. For the first time in his professional career, Lara had been traded, only his travels would only take him to the visiting club house.

To complicate matters even more, Lara spent the evening after he was traded in his apartment he shared with now former teammates Jimmy James (2007 Spinners) and Jorge Jimenez (2006/2007 Spinners) in Lancaster. However, because of the liability issues and the fact Lara was now a member of the Dodgers organization, he was unable to travel on the Lancaster team bus back down to Inland Empire for the conclusion of the suspended game and the regularly scheduled game to follow. After a clubhouse staffer arrived in Lancaster to pick Lara and his belongings up, he was finally able to settle into his new surroundings and started the next game.

When the game was resumed on Tuesday, Lara was an eligible player, though he did not get into the game. After spending 15-innings rooting for the Jethawks, he was now supporting his new teammates in Dodger blue. Lara didn't get into the game, won by the Jethawks, but did start later that evening at shortstop for the regularly scheduled game.

Certainly a strange couple of days for Christian, but we wish him the best in the Dodgers organization.

To read more about Christian's odyssey, click here.

Photo Courtesy of Minor League Baseball (http://milb.com)