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Red Sox Designate Five Players For Assignment

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The Red Sox have designated third baseman Danny Valencia, infielder Ivan De Jesus and right-handed pitchers Sandy Rosario, David Carpenter and Zach Stewart for assginment, according to a team press release.

All five players were acquired by the Red Sox within the last year and De Jesus, Carpenter and Stewart were small pieces of some of Boston's biggest trades of the season.  De Jesus was picked up as part of the blockbuster deal with the Dodgers in August, Carpenter came from the Blue Jays as part of the John Farrell trade package, and Stewart as part of the deal that sent Kevin Youkilis to the White Sox in June.  Valencia, meanwhile, was picked up in a trade with the Twins in August while Rosario was picked up off waivers from the Marlins last month.

Red Sox, Jonny Gomes Nearing Two-Year Deal

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2:10pm: The Orioles are out on Gomes, reports Nick Cafardo of The Boston Globe (on Twitter). Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com says (on Twitter) that the outfielder is looking for $3-4MM annually.

12:23pm: The Red Sox are closing in on a two-year contract with free agent outfielder Jonny Gomes, Scott Lauber of the Boston Herald reports. MVP Sports Group represents Gomes.

The Red Sox narrowed their search for outfielders to focus on Gomes and Cody Ross in recent days, Sean McAdam of CSNNE.com reported earlier today. McAdam first reported that the Red Sox had discussed a two-year deal with Gomes.

Gomes, 31, spent this past season with the Athletics as a corner outfielder and designated hitter. He posted a .262/.377/.491 batting line with 18 home runs and 44 walks in 333 plate appearances. Gomes, a career .284/.382/.512 hitter against left-handed pitching, continued hitting southpaws well in 2012. He posted a .974 OPS against lefties and hit 11 homers.

The Orioles have also been linked to Gomes, who was not ranked among MLBTR's top 50 free agents.

Mike Axisa contributed to this post, which was first published on November 21st.

Tigers, Red Sox, Yankees Interested In Stephen Drew

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Shortstop Stephen Drew is drawing interest from such clubs as the Tigers, Red Sox and Yankees, reports CBS Sports' Jon Heyman.  Drew became a free agent after the A's declined their half of a $10MM mutual option in October, though Oakland is still interested in re-signing the Scott Boras client at a lower price.

Drew could start in Boston or at least provide veteran backup behind Jose Iglesias, while Heyman writes that the Yankees saw Drew as a "super sub" who could provide depth around the infield.  New York didn't see Drew as a short-term fill-in for Derek Jeter at short since Brian Cashman is confident that Jeter will be recovered from ankle surgery by Opening Day.

The Tigers already have a shortstop in Jhonny Peralta, though ESPN's Jim Bowden reports (Twitter link) that the Tigers look to sign Drew and then deal Peralta to either the Red Sox or the Diamondbacks.  We heard earlier today that Peralta was drawing interest from Arizona. 

Peralta hit .239/.305/.384 batting line in 585 plate appearances for the Tigers last season and the Tigers picked up his $6MM club option for 2013 last month.  Peralta's 2012 performance wasn't much better than Drew's .223/.309/.348 line in 327 PAs with Arizona and Oakland, though Drew was returning in July after being sidelined for almost a full year with a severe ankle injury.

Offseason Outlook: Boston Red Sox

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The Red Sox must pursue answers at multiple positions and address needs on their pitching staff this offseason, and they should have resources at their disposal.

Guaranteed Contracts

Arbitration Eligible Players (estimated salaries)

Free Agents

Following a season that was at best forgettable and at worst embarrassing, the Red Sox have a number of major offseason needs. Ben Cherington will seek answers in the outfield, at first base and in the rotation in his second full offseason as Boston’s GM. Ownership should be able to bid aggressively on free agents but whether the team will choose to do so remains an open question.

David Ortiz - Red Sox (PW)

The Red Sox added a manager considerably sooner than they did a year ago, acquiring John Farrell from the Blue Jays in a deal that sent Mike Aviles to Toronto. They get a known commodity in Farrell, someone who has strong ties to the Red Sox and, now, experience managing at the MLB level. If Farrell can manage this team while limiting distractions, the Red Sox will be much better off than they were under Bobby Valentine.

Cherington has already addressed two other major needs, re-signing David Ortiz and signing David Ross. Not only was Ortiz the top designated hitter available in free agency, he’s an icon in Boston. His two-year, $26MM contract seems reasonable for both sides.

Ross, Brian McCann’s longtime backup in Atlanta, also obtained a two-year deal from the Red Sox. The 35-year-old should provide some offense in a reserve role. Now it’s a question of who he’ll be backing up. Jarrod Saltalamacchia appears to be a trade candidate with Ross and Ryan Lavarnway also on the 40-man roster. If the Red Sox listen to offers for Saltalamacchia, the Mets, Rangers, Astros and Mariners could express some interest. Otherwise, Lavarnway can simply start the 2013 season in the minor leagues — it’s not as though he hit MLB pitching particularly well in 2012. 

It's possible the Red Sox will add another catcher, as they've maintained interest in free agent Mike Napoli since signing Ross. Napoli could also play first base and address another one of Boston's needs, so the club's interest might simply be a result of the relatively weak first base market. James Loney, now a free agent, was never regarded as a long-term answer at first base when the Red Sox acquired him from the Dodgers this past summer. The Red Sox must find another solution at a time that the free agent market for first basemen appears weak. Kevin Youkilis could return to play first, and the Red Sox also appear to have interest in Adam LaRoche. While Youkilis and LaRoche don’t project as elite hitters for 2013 and beyond, they’re the top options available at the position.

The Red Sox could also listen to trade offers for Jacoby Ellsbury, who’s now just one year away from hitting free agency. The timing could be better for Boston. Center fielders Michael Bourn, Shane Victorino, B.J. Upton and Angel Pagan are available in free agency, which reduces Cherington’s leverage in potential trade talks. Still, the Rangers have liked Ellsbury in the past and many others would express interest given Ellsbury’s youth and MVP-caliber 2011 season. If the Red Sox keep Ellsbury, they could discuss the possibility of an extension. However, Scott Boras appears to believe his client should be paid like a premium player, even after a disappointing season that saw Ellsbury miss months with a shoulder injury.

Regardless of what happens with Ellsbury, the Red Sox will be pursuing outfielders this offseason. Cody Ross has hit free agency, and could be a fit in Boston going forward. He might not replicate his 2012 numbers, but he does hit well at Fenway Park. Ross has a case for a multiyear deal, and as long as he’s commanding an annual salary worth less than $10MM, he’s worth considering.

In case Ross signs elsewhere, the Red Sox will presumably check in on the likes of Nick Swisher and Victorino. Swisher's versatility would be a plus for the Red Sox given their opening at first base. Even Josh Hamilton, the top free agent position player of the offseason, should be a consideration. Hamilton could cost upwards of $20MM per season on a long-term deal, which will dissuade many owners. However, he’s an elite talent who would undeniably make the Red Sox better in 2013. At this point it’s still unclear whether the Red Sox will use their recently obtained payroll flexibility on top free agents, or take on payroll more gradually.

If the Red Sox prefer to rely on Daniel Nava and Ryan Sweeney as backups, they’ll be pursuing multiple free agent outfielders. They’ll want to consider impact trade candidates such as Shin-Soo Choo and Justin Upton in the coming months as well.

Though Jose Iglesias adds value on defense, it’s not yet clear that he’ll hit at the MLB level. Earlier this month Cherington told me the Red Sox are confident in the shortstop’s ability to handle the bat. Still, the Red Sox are looking at alternative shortstops. Stephen Drew and Asdrubal Cabrera, two considerations for Boston, would both offer more certainty and offense than Iglesias.

Boston’s needs don’t end there, as the club has weaknesses to address on its pitching staff. The Red Sox figure to pursue starting pitching to be sure there’s enough depth to get through a six month season. They appear to have interest in Anibal Sanchez, Hiroki Kuroda and Ryan Dempster. Any of those pitchers would be solid additions to a staff that ranked 12th in the American League with 5 runs allowed per game in 2012. Dan Haren, Joe Blanton and Jeremy Guthrie are among the other free agent starters Cherington could pursue to solidify his rotation.

Boston’s projected bullpen could look considerably different in a couple of weeks, once the non-tender deadline passes. The club could let Hill, Aceves and Atchison go instead of tendering them contracts through the arbitration process. So far Jason Grilli, Joakim Soria and Kyuji Fujikawa have been linked to the Red Sox. Each of those pitchers would be an intriguing addition to the 2013 staff.

Other than Ellsbury, Boston’s arbitration class doesn’t include obvious extension candidates. It’s possible the club could inquire about the possibility of locking Will Middlebrooks, but early career extensions are typically the domain of smaller market teams. While the Red Sox will discuss an extension with Dustin Pedroia at some point this winter, there’s limited urgency with two years remaining on Pedroia’s contract.

The 2013 Red Sox won’t arrive in Spring Training with the expectations that have surrounded recent teams — after this past season the confidence of Red Sox Nation has faded. But there’s talent on this roster and flexibility with respect to payroll, so Cherington could mold the Red Sox into a team capable of contending by Opening Day.

Photo courtesy of US Presswire.

Red Sox Notes: Ross, Catchers, Offseason

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Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe interviewed Red Sox GM Ben Cherington on a number of Hot Stove topics earlier today, including the pace of the offseason, a pair of Rosses, and the team's bulk of quality catchers. Here are the highlights…

  • The Red Sox remain in talks with Cody Ross but are also talking to other corner outfield options as well.
  • Boston signed David Ross because Cherington and his colleagues "wanted to have someone as part of the catching group who has been through the wars and has a good feel for the game." Abraham notes that Ross will receive more playing time than a standard backup catcher.
  • Cherington expects David Ross, Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Ryan Lavarnway all to contribute to the club in 2013, implying that he's not planning on dealing any of his catchers. The plan right now, not surprisingly, is for Saltalamacchia to start with Ross backing up and Lavarnway likely opening the year at Triple-A Pawtucket.
  • Cherington doesn't feel that the team is moving at a slow pace thus far this offseason. He tells Abraham that the team is well ahead of where it was at this juncture in 2011: "We’ve spent a lot more time on player issues at this time as compared to last year. That doesn’t always turn into announcements."
  • The Red Sox will have a "significant" payroll and will be adding free-agent talent to the team, according to Cherington. He also wouldn't rule out trading prospects for established talent, though he stressed that he'd need to acquire another long-term piece in return if he were to do so.

Rays, Phillies, Astros, Red Sox Interested In Berkman

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The Rays, Astros, Phillies and Red Sox are all in "tire-kicking" mode on Lance Berkman, tweets Joseph Duarte of the Houston Chronicle (hat tip: Alex Speier of WEEI.com).

Until this point, the Astros are the only team that has been largely connected to Berkman this offseason. Astros owner Jim Crane had a "get-acquainted" meeting with Berkman recently, and Big Puma expressed interest in returning to Houston where his career began. In that interview, Berkman said he wanted to be paid like a Major League three-hole hitter, though he'd take a bit of a discount for the Astros.

The Phillies presumably have visions of Berkman seeing some time on the field as a first baseman or outfielder. The same could be said for the Red Sox, who recently re-signed David Ortiz to a two-year contract. The Rays and Astros could both elect to use Berkman as their primary DH, with no concrete incumbent in place for either organization.

Berkman hit .259/.381/.444 in 97 plate appearances for the Cardinals in 2012 but was hobbled by a pair of knee surgeries. He's a career .296/.409/.544 hitter with 360 homers between the Astros, Yankees and Cardinals.

AL Notes: Yankees, Tigers, Indians, Red Sox

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Blockbuster trades motivated by one team's desire for financial flexibility (AKA a salary dump) like the Marlins-Blue Jays deal or the Red Sox-Dodger swap are nothing new in baseball history. On this date in 1947, the St. Louis Browns and the Boston Red Sox began a two-day trading frenzy involving 13 players (four Browns and nine Red Sox) and the Browns receiving $375K (worth nearly $3.1MM in today's dollars). Here's the latest news, notes, and comments from the present-day American League:

  • The Yankees continue to have conversations with free agent outfielder Scott Hairston, writes the New York Post's Dan Martin. Hairston would bring a right-handed power bat to the outfield mix and could fit into a platoon, as the Yankees have already had preliminary discussions to bring back Raul Ibanez.
  • The Yankees still want to trim payroll to $189MM by 2014 for luxury tax and revenue sharing refund purposes, but Joel Sherman of the New York Post wonders if Hal Steinbrenner isn't risking a brand worth billions for the millions the team would earn by doing so.
  • If the Tigers fail to re-sign Anibal Sanchez, the signing of Torii Hunter will still make the offseason a success, team president and GM Dave Dombrowski told George Sipple of the Detroit Free Press. "We'll see where other things take us," Dombrowski said. "If we end up with this major move (Hunter) being our major move of the winter, I would be very happy."
  • The Indians have yet to set their 2013 budget, but it is expected to be in the neighborhood of this past season's $65MM, according to the Cleveland Plain Dealer's Paul Hoynes. As a result of this "fluid" situation, GM Chris Antonetti must take any intriguing proposals to ownership.
  • Also in that article, Hoynes lists the five best and five worst free agent signings by the Tribe.
  • The Red Sox will interview Craig Counsell and Greg Colbrunn for their hitting coach opening, reports Alex Speier of WEEI.com. Counsell, a special assistant to Brewers GM Doug Melvin, will interview tomorrow while Colbrunn, the hitting instructor for the Yankees' Single-A affiliate in Charleston, is in the process of being scheduled for another time during the week. The Red Sox have already interviewed their minor league hitting coordinator Victor Rodriguez, former Diamondbacks hitting coach Rick Schu, and Braves assistant hitting coach Scott Fletcher. 

Cafardo’s Latest: Blockbuster, Cabrera, Pavano, Grilli

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In his Sunday Notes column, Nick Cafardo of The Boston Globe says Miguel Cabrera was a worthy MVP winner even if the data supported Mike Trout. Here are Cafardo's rumors…

  • Although criticism is warranted, the Blue Jays–Marlins blockbuster was a legitimate baseball trade because Miami received plenty of young, high-end talent in return.
  • Diamondbacks GM Kevin Towers was never really in the hunt for Jose Reyes, and he has yet to be overwhelmed with an offer for Justin Upton.
  • The Red Sox are more likely to deal Jarrod Saltalamacchia than Ryan Lavarnway in the wake of the David Ross signing, but only if they get a good offer.
  • Both the Red Sox and Diamondbacks are interested in Asdrubal Cabrera of the Indians while Boston also has some interest in Stephen Drew.
  • Carl Pavano was given a clean bill of health in September after missing most of the season with a shoulder problem. His agent Dave Pepe has received a few preliminary calls, and Pavano could sign a minor league deal.
  • Most executives love Dan Haren but would not be comfortable offering more than two years given concerns about his back. Most prefer a one-year deal with an option.
  • Eight teams, including the Red Sox, have interest in right-hander Jason Grilli according to his agent Gary Sheffield. They have three offers at the moment but are not in a hurry to sign.
  • The Indians are looking at Kevin Youkilis at first base while the Phillies and Dodgers like him at third. He's a back-burner option for Los Angeles and although Towers made a call, the Diamondbacks likely won't be involved.

Red Sox Links: Melky, Marlins, Free Agents

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It was on this day in 1999 that Pedro Martinez was named the unanimous winner of the AL Cy Young Award, making him the third pitcher in history to win Cy Youngs in both leagues.  It was the first of consecutive Cy Young Awards for Martinez in Boston, and his 1999/2000 campaigns rank high on the list of all-time great pitching seasons.  Here's the latest out of Fenway Park…

  • The Red Sox didn't attempt to sign Melky Cabrera, reports WEEI.com's Alex Speier, though the club continues to look at free agent corner outfield options.  Cabrera agreed to a two-year, $16MM contract with the Blue Jays earlier today.
  • After freeing up tens of millions in payroll space last summer, the Red Sox were wise by not "repeating the financial mistakes of the past" by taking on some of the Marlins' large contracts, writes ESPN Boston's Jeremy Lundblad.
  • The Red Sox could approach 2013 as "one very grand experiment" and look to sign big-name free agents to expensive one-year contracts if such players can't find suitable multiyear deals elsewhere, opines John Tomase of the Boston Herald.  Such a strategy would keep Boston competitive next season and take advantage of the team's payroll space, while letting the Sox keep their prospects and avoid any long-term financial commitments.  I'm not sure this would be a sound move, as even if elite free agents could be convinced to forego their long-term security, any injuries or down seasons would leave Boston right back at square one next offseason.
  • Ben Nicholson-Smith covered the Red Sox earlier today in the latest edition of MLBTR's 2013 Arbitration Eligibles series.

Arbitration Eligibles: Boston Red Sox

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The Red Sox are next in our 2013 Arbitration Eligibles series. Matt Swartz's salary projections are below.

Jacoby Ellsbury and many of Boston's relievers will head to arbitration this coming offseason. The Red Sox have a large class of players that includes a number of non-tender candidates.

Relievers Atchison, Hill and Aceves could all be non-tendered. Hill and Atchison dealt with elbow injuries this past season. The health of Atchison's pitching elbow remains in question, and Hill might not be viewed as a $1MM player after spending so much of the 2012 season on the disabled list. Aceves projects to earn $2.6MM thanks to his lofty saves total, but he could also be non-tendered.

Sweeney made three trips to the disabled list last season and didn't hit particularly well when healthy. Depending on what the Red Sox do to address their outfield this month, he could also lose his roster spot.

The remainder of the team's arbitration class includes four relievers in line for modest raises or no raises at all. Bard spent much of the 2012 season in the minor leagues, so his projected salary sits at $1.6MM. Bailey also missed most of the season, which means he projects to earn $3.9MM again. Meanwhile, Breslow should jump from $1.8MM to $2.4MM and Miller should obtain a modest raise to $1.4MM or so.

Ellsbury, Boston's best-paid arbitration eligible player and one of the top earning arb eligible players in MLB, projects to obtain a token raise to $8.1MM. His arbitration case won't be nearly as interesting as it was a year ago, when he obtained a substantial raise. The question remains: will the Red Sox pursue an extension with Ellsbury, settle for a one-year deal, or trade him?

Finally, Saltalamacchia and Morales will see their salaries jump following productive seasons at the MLB level. It's possible another team will be responsible for Saltalamacchia's case, as he appears to be a trade candidate.

If the Red Sox tender contracts to everyone but Atchison, Hill, Aceves and Sweeney, they’ll have committed  approximately $22.7MM to seven players for 2013.

Matt Swartz's arbitration projections are available exclusively at MLB Trade Rumors. To read more about his projection model, check out this series of posts.

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