When shortstop Marco Scutaro was traded to the Rockies in January, it was deemed a move to create financial flexibility — the term most associated with the trade — for the Red Sox' payroll, rather than to snag a promising 6-foot-4, 185-pound sinkerball pitcher.
Having been traded twice before, Mortensen understands the business. He doesn't have any qualms with all the opinions percolating. But the right-hander is determined to shed his stigma as financial flexibility — or Scutaro's stand-in, for that matter.
"Scutaro's a great player and did a lot for this organization and I plan on doing the exact same just in a different way," Mortensen said. "For me, I know what I can do and I know how I can benefit this team, and for me to be able to do that, fans and people like that will see that I can bring something pretty valuable to this organization."
The reliever displayed his valuable arsenal Tuesday as the Red Sox edged the Orioles in a 5-4 win. Mortensen dazzled during his 2 1/3 innings on the mound, fanning four batters and surrendering just one hit.
Since landing in Fort Myers, Mortensen has emphasized repeating his delivery as often as possible. Because his motion is slightly unorthodox, the 26-year-old admitted that his pitches occasionally "flatten out." For him, it's been a process.
"It's just a matter of finding a consistent delivery and trying to stay with it and repeating it, repeating it, repeating it," Mortensen said. "Location comes, and I got the movement to go with it and it's a pretty lethal combination."
Lethal? For a man merely regarded as financial flexibility, Mortensen is surprisingly oozing with confidence. And after his outing on Tuesday, Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine couldn't help but acknowledge Mortensen's assets.
"I really like his ability to throw the ball down, to have that little offbeat motion that he has," Valentine said of Mortensen. "That pitch that goes away to left-handers seems to be very effective."
Mortensen doesn't possess much major-league experience. Not yet, at least. The hurler recently received his first sniff in Major League Baseball last season, starting six games for the Rockies and posting a 2-4 record with a 3.86 ERA.
Now on the East Coast, Mortensen won't be bothered by altitude. Back in Colorado –– with former Rockies pitcher and current teammate Aaron Cook –– he said they were forced to adjust their breaking balls.
"Your sights of where you're aiming the ball and throwing it [had to] change a little bit because up in Denver, the ball's not going to break as much," Mortensen said. "So you have to aim your sights a little lower in the zone."
He endured his hurdles in the mountains of Colorado's farm system. In 15 starts in Triple-A Colorado Springs, Mortensen posted a 2-8 record with a 9.42 ERA, a stark contrast to his performance in the majors.
Despite the inconsistency, he's embracing his fresh start. But as the big sinkerball pitcher starts anew, he'll be fueled to prove the Red Sox received more than just financial flexibility in the Scutaro trade.
"You try not to define yourself in a sense of numbers compared to someone else's," Mortensen said. "Hopefully, [Red Sox fans] don't always consider me as the guy who was traded for Scutaro. Hopefully, they understand I'm Clay Mortensen."
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