Red Sox Rumors

The Boston Globe's Gordon Edes has some mild hot stove chatter today.

• Tim Wakefield's $4MM option is likely to be exercised. There was some speculation a week ago that it could be declined, but no one really believed it.  It's still a bargain.
• Julian Tavarez's $3.85MM option is a borderline call, and Edes seems to think it will be declined.
• Nothing new with Mike Lowell - he wants to return, but the door's open for the Phillies or Yankees if the Red Sox won't pony up enough years.
• Most folks expect Curt Schilling to leave.  But if he's still up for one year and $13MM the Sox should do it.
• Mike Timlin will pitch again but it might be elsewhere.  Timlin hasn't been with another club since '02, when he pitched for the Cardinals and Phillies.
• Matt Clement will depart.  If his tryouts and MRIs come up clean and he can hit 90 mph there will definitely be teams offering him incentivized contracts.  Here's one I missed from a few weeks ago: the Padres may make a play for him.  Tom Krasovic also throws Mark Prior into the mix for the Friars in that article.  Back in December of '04, Clement talked with the Angels, Dodgers, Diamondbacks, White Sox, Indians, and Blue Jays before signing with Boston.

Comments

[Larsen101]

This should give the Sox more room to spend this winter..get Julian and Clement off the books.I would Sign Lowell back.See What timlin wants for a contract and if its more then Redsox want to give then let Mike walk.Schilling will probably be back

[cpsmithv]

The Red Sox should definitely keep Timlin. While he is getting older, he has only given up runs in 3 of his last 37 appearances dating back to June 26th. He began the year injured and did not get into a groove until later in the season. He is a proven veteran and will solidify the Sox bullpen.

[Aduncaroo]

If the Cubs don't give Prior the 3 to 4 mil than the Padres are his first choice. he has always talked about the want to pitch in his home town...so if he doesn't get signed, thats the first place he'll look.

[mmontice]

Don't the Cubs still own the rights to Prior? If so, why would they just let him walk?

[Larsen101]

because he stinks and is costing to much ..thats why

[registereduser]

Tim- are the cubs really going to non-tender Prior?

Also, do you believe he has anything left in the tank?

[achilles17]

I would think the Cubs would give Prior a chance, seeing as he had the first surgery of his career this year. If that helps clear things up, he could still easily be worth the $3-4 million. If they were going to nontender him, I don't think they would have pushed the surgery like they did, knowing he'd be out for the entire season. This will probably be his final chance, but I would be surprised if they let him go.

[bjsguess]

Prior is a huge wildcard. Most likely he will get you nothing for your $3-$4m. There is a chance that he returns to his former greatness but that is an awfully big risk.

Signing him to a $1-$2m deal with lots of incentives makes the most sense. I'm willing to bet that he bolts for a change of scenery.

[AJ]

Has anyone ever noticed that Julian Tavarez always in worse his second year for a team? And then even worse his 3rd year? (He's never played anywhere longer than 3 years to test the trend further.) I'd like to see him back in a NL bullpen. I think he can be helpful, and inexpensive. Atlanta? They could use him. Whoever signs him better stick with the one year deal, though.

[themfightnwords]

Atlanta, Colorado, and Arizona (if Livan Hernandez leaves) seem like good fits.

[cianfroccofan]

prior will probably not be ready until june, i know that he has started playing catch though. also clement and kevin towers are neighbors which is probably irrelevant, but still.