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Jonathan Papelbon

Multi-Year Deal Remains a Possibility for Papelbon

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According to Adam Kilgore of the Boston Globe, both the Red Sox and Jonathan Papelbon remain interested in pursuing a multi-year contract extension for the All-Star closer.

Although the parties agreed to a one-year, $6.25MM deal earlier today, Red Sox assistant GM Jed Hoyer said of the chances of a long-term deal, "I would say, certainly, those discussions are open and we may pick them up going forward. I think both sides felt like in the interest of time and not exchanging numbers, the best thing to do was to agree on a one-year number today. But we are certainly open to exploring those ideas, and I think their side is, too."

Nady, Papelbon, Jackson Avoid Arb

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Dylan Hernandez has three new ones: Xavier Nady ($6.55MM), Jonathan Papelbon ($6.25MM), and Edwin Jackson ($2.2MM plus $200K in incentives).  Papelbon tops Bobby Jenks’ first-year arb reliever record of $5.6MM, set yesterday.  ESPN’s Jayson Stark has more; he says Papelbon and the Red Sox discussed multiyear deals but couldn’t find a match.  It may be revisited.

Odds and Ends: Cordero, Varitek, Hudson

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Links for Monday…

Red Sox Reach Deals With Bard, Penny

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9:59pm: Ian Browne of MLB.com weighs in on Bard. He discusses the catching situation, and in particular, how the Red Sox will use Bard if free-agent Jason Varitek returns to the franchise.

SI.com points out Penny’s Interleague numbers: 7-11 with a 5.08 ERA in 24 appearances against American League opponents. Penny has spent his entire career in the National League.

8:41pm: Rob Bradford of WEEI.com spoke with Brad Penny, who confirmed his deal with the Boston Red Sox.

From Bradford:

“There were a lot of teams involved,” said Penny in a phone conversation. “But I wanted to go somewhere where I knew we had a great chance at winning, and Boston is that place.”

Bradford adds that Penny will be in Boston on Jan. 7 to take his physical and will begin his throwing program next week.

Bradford also updates the status of Red Sox pitcher Josh Beckett, who has started exercises on his throwing shoulder, which is earlier than in years past. Bradford’s post states that the injury that plagued Beckett at the end of the 2008 season has subsided. The injury centered around the intercostal muscles near the ribs and not the oblique as previously thought.

7:33pm: Free-agent catcher Josh Bard has reached a one-year deal with the Boston Red Sox, Sean McAdam of the Boston Herald and Amalie Benjamin of the Boston Globe are reporting.

The Bard agreement is a nonguaranteed major-league deal worth $1.6MM. According to McAdam, Bard is viewed as a backup, but he could see more time depending upon what Boston decides to do at catcher.

Bard, 31 in March, spent seven games with the Red Sox in 2006 before Boston traded him to the Padres. He hit .202 in 57 games with San Diego in 2008.

McAdam has more on the Brad Penny deal, too. The agreement, a one-year deal with a base salary of $5MM, will be finalized Monday. Incentives and performance bonuses can increase the total deal another $3MM if Penny pitches more than 160 innings, McAdam reports.

Penny, 31 in May, went 6-9 with a 6.27 ERA in 17 starts and two relief appearances in 2008 with the Los Angeles Dodgers. The right-hander played 4.5 seasons for the Dodgers. He played with the Florida Marlins from 2000 until he was traded in 2004.

With the addition of Penny, the Boston rotation now consists of Penny, Josh Beckett, Tim Wakefield, Daisuke Matsuzaka and Jon Lester.

The move also allows righty Justin Masterson to remain in a setup role for closer Jonathan Papelbon.

Red Sox Sign Pedroia To Extension

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5:57pm: MLB.com’s Ian Browne wonders if the Pedroia signing is the first of several.  Will the Sox be able to hammer out extensions with Jon Lester, Kevin Youkilis, and Jonathan Papelbon this winter?

11:33am: Tony Massarotti has the contract breakdown.

11:18am: According to Ken Rosenthal, the Red Sox signed second baseman Dustin Pedroia to a six-year deal worth about $40.5MM.  ESPN’s Peter Gammons was right on this scoop as well.  The deal buys out two years of free agency and also has a club option for 2015.

Rosenthal cites the deals signed by Hanley Ramirez, David Wright, and Ryan Braun as comparables.  Pedroia’s deal covers one pre-arbitration season, all three arb seasons, and two years of free agency.  Ramirez received $54.4MM for the same slice of his career, Wright got $55MM, and Braun received $43.8MM.  Also, Brian McCann gets $37.8MM, Grady Sizemore gets $30.95MM, Evan Longoria is at $31.95MM, Robinson Cano gets  $42.49MM, and Chase Utley gets $55.5MM.  That assumes options are exercised, where applicable.

Red Sox Review

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Red Sox GM Theo Epstein spoke to the press yesterday, resulting in a slew of articles in the Boston papers.

Tony Massarotti of the Boston Globe runs through the team’s entire 25-man roster.  Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald looks at Epstein’s to-do list, as does Joe McDonald of The Providence Journal.  Paul Kenyon of the Journal looks at the team’s minor free agents.  An overview of various common topics:

  • Jason Varitek.  Silverman sees an effort to re-sign him for one or two years, while McDonald thinks he will look for three or four.  Massarotti thinks things could get nasty here, with Scott Boras in the middle.  Sean McAdam of the Boston Herald has an article discussing the Varitek situation.
  • Julio Lugo, Jed Lowrie, Jacoby Ellsbury, Coco Crisp.  Four players for two starting spots.  Epstein didn’t tip his hand as to whether he’ll move any of these players and diminish the depth.
  • Kevin Youkilis, Dustin Pedroia, Jonathan Papelbon, Jason Bay.  The Sox may explore long-term deals for each.  There’s already been talks with Pedroia, though Massarotti thinks he might prefer to go year-to-year as Youkilis has.  He suggests Papelbon wants a long-term deal but the Sox may choose to play it safe.  McDonald and Massarotti feel the Sox will also explore an extension for Jason Bay.
  • Sean Casey, Mike Timlin, Alex Cora, Mark Kotsay.  Cora might go if Lugo stays.  Timlin may retire.  Massarotti does not think Casey will be re-signed, while McDonald doesn’t see Kotsay returning (he wants to start).
  • Outside options: Epstein could make a big move, or do very little again.  As I mentioned in the Offseason Outlook, C.C. Sabathia might be a better fit than Mark Teixeira.

Stark’s Latest: Young Players, Giles, DeJesus

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Jayson Stark’s latest Rumblings and Grumblings column is chock full of information.

  • Stark rattles off Dan Uggla, Ryan Howard, Cole Hamels, B.J. Upton, Justin Upton, Russell Martin, Zack Greinke, Prince Fielder, Felix Hernandez, Jeff Francoeur, Jonathan Papelbon, Kevin Youkilis, and Dustin Pedroia as youngsters who do not have long-term deals in the works.  With Uggla and Greinke, the opposition seems more on the team’s side.  With Hamels and Howard neither side wants a long-term deal.  With the rest, the player is resisting.
  • The Padres’ top trading chip is probably Brian Giles, though a deal would further deplete a weak offense.
  • The A’s are willing to deal, with pitching considered the surplus.  Billy Beane might be able to snag one good prospect for Rich Harden.
  • There’s some doubt as to whether the Rockies will make Matt Holliday this year’s Mark Teixeira as we approach the deadline.
  • Teams other than the Royals are speculating that center fielder David DeJesus might be available.
  • The Marlins and Hanley Ramirez battled over a no-trade clause…and the Fish won.  He has none.

Young Red Sox Strike Back

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Not every good young player is salivating at the thought of inking a team-friendly multiyear contract.  Prince Fielder, Russell Martin, and Casey Kotchman are three who seem fine going year-to-year and maximizing earnings.  According to Rob Bradford of the Boston Herald, Dustin Pedroia and Jonathan Papelbon are two more players "intent on bucking what has become a disturbing trend."

It’s mainly the idea of tossing in multiple team options that bristles the players and their agents.  Bradford reports that more experienced agents have voiced their concern about the trend to the Players Association.

Papelbon, for one, knows he’s an elite closer and is prepared to set the bar for stoppers with his service time.  You may recall that the Red Sox gave him $775K this year to top Mariano Rivera’s two-year closer service time record.  Though they play different positions, Papelbon’s agent will probably at least reference Ryan Howard’s landmark $10MM first-year arbitration reward when Papelbon’s time comes before the ’09 season.

Cafardo’s Latest: Ramirez, Papelbon, Moss

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Nick Cafardo spins Red Sox rumor gold in the Boston Globe.

  • Scott Boras is the spur in Manny Ramirez’s side.  Cafardo interviews the Notorious One in the Boston Globe today.  Says Boras, "Our plan for him is in place. If you can make a player comfortable, you have the ability to make a player play well."  So far, so good.  He doesn’t speculate on the reality of a contract extension saying, "I communicate with [Theo Epstein] on a number of things and I really let the decision-making be theirs. It’s rare if they haven’t thought about what their future plans are for a player."
  • In that same piece, Cafardo quotes Jonathan Papelbon who is fine going year-to-year right now.  He says he’s comfortable with his ability and his salary and shrewdly knows he’d rather wait for a big payday than make a concession for security when his talent could go beyond what he signs for.
  • Two GMs apparently checked on the availability of Brandon Moss.  If the Sox were to trade Coco Crisp, they would have no backup while Bobby Kielty is hurt, so the man I call "Brandy Moss" is not expendable at this point.
  • From another source, Dan Kolb was released to make room for Devern Hansack in Pawtucket (say it with me: Puh-TUH-kit!).

By Nat Boyle

Odds and Ends: Papelbon, Darvish, Crisp

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Let’s round up some morning links.

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