Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe isn't sure that everyone appreciates the scope of the situation that Red Sox GM Ben Cherington & Co. are facing. “I know they’re trying to sell it like they’ll be back quickly, and maybe everything will come together and they will,” said a National League GM, “but it’s just not player acquisition, it’s the transition for all of those new players to a new team and city, it’s getting used to a new manager, coaches, teammates. This is not that simple.” Here's more from today's column..
- The Red Sox have often been linked to Indians outfielder Shin-Soo Choo, but it still seems unlikely that Boston would risk dealing for him. Choo, like Jacoby Ellsbury, is a year away from hitting the open market and has Scott Boras as his agent. For the Sox to pull the trigger, they'd likely have to know that they could lock him up long-term.
- If the Orioles bring Mark Reynolds back, it'll have to be for far less than the $11MM option they declined earlier this offseason. Some see the Red Sox as a fit, but his high strikeout rate may be a turnoff for Boston.
- Cafardo sees the Yankees, Dodgers (if they trade Andre Ethier), Mariners, Orioles, and Brewers as the teams to watch for Josh Hamilton. The extra $25MM that teams could earn each year as a result of the new TV deal could lead someone to take the plunge and give the outfielder a five-year deal.
- The Red Sox had interest in Russell Martin before signing catcher David Ross.
