Nick Green, Joey Gathright Become Free Agents
According to WEEI.com's Alex Speier, both Nick Green and Joey Gathright elected to become free agents after the Red Sox outrighted them off the 40-man roster late last week.
Green, 31, hit .236/.303/.366 in 309 plate appearances in 2009, holding down Boston's shortstop gig for much of the season. Speier mentions that Green will have surgery on his back today to correct a disc and nerve problem.
The 28-year-old Gathright received just 32 plate appearances with the Cubs and Sox this season, but made Boston's postseason roster as a pinch-runner specialist.
Red Sox Rumors: Bay, Baldelli, Papelbon
Boston's season may have ended prematurely, but that just means the New England hot stove fires up sooner. Here's some notes from Amalie Benjamin of The Boston Globe and Joe McDonald of The Providence Journal:
- To no one's surprise, Jason Bay indicated that he'll dip his toe in the free agent waters, saying he'd be doing himself "a disservice" if he didn't look around.
- Alex Gonzalez's $6MM club option "might be a little rich for the Sox," so the two sides are likely to sit down and find a more palatable number. Nick Green could also come back, though it would strictly be a depth signing.
- Unless Boston attempts to rekindle talks with the Mariners about Felix Hernandez, their 2010 rotation looks fairly settled.
- As Benjamin notes, Boston's farm system doesn't offer much at the upper levels of the minors, so instead the team is "faced with re-signing their players, checking out a less-than-stellar free agent market, or going the trade route."
- Rocco Baldelli's future with the club is up in the air, as GM Theo Epstein said they'll "sit down and talk about what the fit looks like next year –– if there is one."
- In a radio appearance this morning, ESPN's Steve Phillips said he expects Boston to dangle Jonathan Papelbon, perhaps for an impact bat, according to WEEI's Alex Speier. The free agent market for closers isn't great, and at least Papelbon offers two years of club control. Those will be two expensive years, though.
Lowrie To Be Tested, Could Miss Season
According to John Tomase of the Boston Herald Jed Lowrie will have his left wrist examined today in Arizona. If the tests don't go well he could face surgery that, as Lowrie says, "would essentially be the season."
Red Sox Standing Pat
The Red Sox don't plan on pursuing any recently released players, according to Daniel Barbarisi of the Providence Journal. Names like Frank Catalanotto and Jeff Keppinger have been floated in connection with Boston, but club officials believe the roster is set (Keppinger's already an Astro).
"It looks like we have our team," manager Terry Francona said Thursday. The Sox appear satisfied with Chris Carter and Nick Green as viable fill-ins for injured players Mark Kotsay and Julio Lugo.