Red Sox Rumors

Red Sox Acquire Alex Gonzalez

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | August 14, 2009 at 2:55pm CDT

2:55pm: According to their team Twitter, the Reds are sending cash to Boston to help cover the remainder of Gonzalez's $5.4MM salary. Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports hears that the Reds are sending $1.1MM along. When you figure in the $500k buyout, there's a minimum of about $2MM remaining on Gonzalez's deal.

1:20pm: Rob Bradford of WEEI.com reports that the Red Sox are sending minor league shortstop Kris Negron to Cincinnati in the deal. The Red Sox selected the 23-year-old in the seventh round of the 2006 draft and he's now hitting .264/.338/.347 with 20 steals in high-A ball.

1:13pm: Tony Massarotti of the Boston Globe says the deal is complete, though the Red Sox have yet to make an official announcement.

1:03pm: Peter Gammons of ESPN.com reports that the Red Sox are finalizing a deal to acquire Gonzalez.

12:17pm: The Red Sox acquired shortstop Alex Gonzalez from the Reds, according to Gary Dzen of the Boston Globe. It's not known what, if anything, the Reds will receive in exchange for Gonzalez, who just cleared waivers. He makes $5.4MM this year and there's a $6MM option on his contract for next year that the Red Sox can buy out for $500k. Dzen expects the Red Sox to release Chris Woodward.

Odds And Ends: Dodgers, Davis, Prospects

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | August 14, 2009 at 2:23pm CDT

Gonzalez Clears Waivers; Red Sox Interested?

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | August 14, 2009 at 11:23am CDT

Reds shortstop Alex Gonzalez has cleared waivers and Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports hears that the Red Sox may be interested. The extent of their interest isn't clear, but Rosenthal says they're considering Gonzalez and other options as they try to solidify the shortstop position. Now that Gonzalez has cleared waivers, the Reds can trade him to any club.

Gonzalez, 32, makes $5.4MM this year and is hitting .210/.258/.296.

The Red Sox showed brief interest in Bill Hall. The Brewers haven't yet placed shortstop J.J. Hardy on waivers and it's unclear if they'd trade him now, while he's in the minors.

Odds And Ends: Rays, Astros, Ortiz, Coffey

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | August 14, 2009 at 9:02am CDT

Some links for Friday morning…

Marc Topkin of the St. Petersburg Times reports that the Rays are nearing deals with several top draft picks, including first rounder LeVon Washington.
Richard Justice of the Houston Chronicle doesn't expect the Astros to lower their 2010 payroll by more than about 15%, though attendance is declining steadily.
Just like old times. As Adam Kilgore of the Boston Globe reports, David Ortiz is struggling again.
How does a 22nd round pick sign for $1MM? Cameron Coffey showed improved stuff this spring, but even he had no intention of signing until the Orioles came at him with a $990k offer recently, according to Jim Callis of Baseball America.
As Callis notes, the Rangers signed fifth round righty Nick McBride for $325k, which nearly doubles MLB's recommended bonus for his slot.

Epstein: Red Sox Pursued Halladay Hard

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | August 13, 2009 at 12:18pm CDT

Red Sox GM Theo Epstein told WEEI that he made the Blue Jays multiple offers for Roy Halladay, but never blew them away. (Here's a transcript from DJ Bean of WEEI.com.)

"I never got the sense that we were close, but we were pretty aggressive," Epstein said of his negotiations with Toronto GM J.P. Ricciardi. "We actually made J.P. several different offers, but our last offer- our most aggressive attempt- was I think the day before the deadline and he said that it was a good offer. It was probably the best offer that he had received, but that he was looking to get blown away and it didn't blow him away."

Epstein was in other top starters and says would have added one "in an ideal world."

Justin Duchscherer May Return Tuesday

By Tim Dierkes | August 13, 2009 at 9:27am CDT

Oakland pitcher Justin Duchscherer may make his big league season debut Tuesday against the Yankees, according to Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle. Duchscherer, 31, had arthroscopic elbow surgery on March 31st.

Slusser says other teams have been scouting Duchscherer's rehab appearances, and the Tigers and Red Sox are among the clubs expected to be represented tonight. Whether these scouting missions fall outside of the teams' normal coverage and imply trade interest, I don't know.

Back on July 31st, Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports suggested salary relief (about $1.06MM remains) and a "modest prospect" might be an acceptable return for the A's. As of right now, Duchscherer projects as a Type B free agent in the American League. Could the Rangers be a match? Here's what ESPN's Buster Olney wrote in today's blog:

I'd guess that the Rangers will claim him on waivers, whenever he passes through.

The Brewers and Dodgers are a couple teams seemingly on the lookout for pitching, though their interest level in Duchscherer is unknown.

Marlins Interested In John Smoltz

By Tim Dierkes | August 13, 2009 at 8:21am CDT

The Marlins are interested in recently-designated veteran pitcher John Smoltz, according to Juan C. Rodriguez of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. Smoltz refused a minor league assignment; the Red Sox will trade or release him soon. Boston will be on the hook for the vast majority of the money remaining on Smoltz's contract.

The Marlins are currently tied with Smoltz's former team, the Braves, for second place in the NL East. They're three games out of the wild card. The Marlins' rotation is 11th in the NL with a 4.67 ERA. Perhaps Smoltz would be more at home back in his old league and division. At least a few analysts feel he still has something left to contribute despite an 8.33 ERA in 40 innings this year.

Cardinals GM John Mozeliak said last week he was not interested in Smoltz, "but things can change." ESPN's Buster Olney named the Rangers as an interested party but admitted Boston might be unwilling to deal with a competitor.

Smoltz Refuses Minor League Assignment

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | August 12, 2009 at 1:23pm CDT

Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports that John Smoltz refused a minor league assignment, leaving the Red Sox with the choice of trading or releasing him. Smoltz cleared waivers, so the Red Sox can trade him to any club, but they would likely have to pay much of his $5.5MM salary in any deal. Smoltz, who makes $500k if he's traded, received $35k for every day he was on Boston's roster, but he would no longer pick up those bonuses if he's released and picked up by another club.

Heyman On White Sox, Mets, Bay, Holliday

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | August 12, 2009 at 12:36pm CDT

Jon Heyman of SI.com says the Blue Jays asked for a player currently on the White Sox in exchange for Alex Rios before asking for a prospect and eventually settling for salary relief. Jays GM J.P. Ricciardi didn't get MLB talent back for his right fielder, but executives around the league say they understand the thought process behind the trade. Here are the rest of Heyman's rumors:

One GM says Rios would be a good gamble at $30-35MM, but the $60MM remaining on his deal is too much.
White Sox GM Kenny WIlliams says he's fully confident that Jake Peavy will transition into the American League and help the White Sox down the stretch.
It's uncertain whether Gary Sheffield and Pedro Feliciano were claimed off waivers. Two AL teams were interested in Sheffield before his hamstring injuries popped up.
Teams are claiming more cheap, young players than ever.
The Red Sox would love Marco Scutaro, but aren't likely to get the chance to acquire him since teams with worse records would presumably claim him.
Heyman hears that Matt Holliday could press for a no-trade clause and may not take the biggest deal he sees as a free agent this offseason.
Some estimate that Jason Bay could make about $60MM over four years when he hits free agency after the season.
The Nats could name a new GM by the end of the month. Acting GM Mike Rizzo is receiving praise around the league for acquiring Nyjer Morgan.
Most execs believe John Smoltz is more likely to land in the NL.

Brewers GM On Trades, Free Agents, Draft

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | August 11, 2009 at 1:00pm CDT

Brewers GM Doug Melvin said on 1250 WSSP in Milwaukee that he's glad he didn't go after some of the free agent arms that were available last offseason. Here's the clip and here are the details:

Melvin admits that pitchers like John Smoltz and Oliver Perez were tempting, but says he's glad he resisted.
The Brewers were interested in Jarrod Washburn at the deadline, but didn't have enough young pitching to complete a deal with the Mariners.
The Brewers were in on the Roy Halladay sweepstakes, but were reluctant to give up Alcides Escobar and Mat Gamel.
Melvin sounds hesitant to experiment with Rickie Weeks in center field.
The Brewers will have some "some flexibility" to add free agents this offseason.
Melvin expects the Red Sox to pursue free agent position players aggressively.
As of today, Melvin says he's not motivated to move J.J. Hardy, but hints that the Brewers could move him after the season to make room for Alcides Escobar.
Melvin's pleased with the progress 2009 first rounder Eric Arnett has made.

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