Going back at least a week, there has been word that the Red Sox inquired on Pirates shortstop Jack Wilson. Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette has more on those talks.
The short version: there does not appear to be a match. Kovacevic says the Sox have done research on Wilson, but the Pirates seem to want more than Boston would give up. The Pirates' beat writer implies that the unpopular Nate McLouth trade may cause the Pirates to tread lightly with Wilson. Still, he says the Pirates have also had less intense trade talks with other clubs about their shortstop.
Kovacevic says nothing is cooking in terms of keeping Wilson in a Pirates uniform in 2010, whether in terms of an affordable extension or Wilson's $8.4MM club option. Wilson still has $5MM coming to him on his current extension - $4.4MM of his '09 salary, plus a $600K buyout on the option.
As for the Red Sox, they're using Nick Green and Julio Lugo at shortstop while Jed Lowrie recovers from wrist surgery. Lowrie will take live batting practice Monday as he aims for a late June/early July return.
