Sox Keep Spending, Sign Crawford

It seems that the Red Sox have decided to open their wallet this off-season. Just days after trading for star first baseman Adrian Gonzalez, who will reportedly require a $161 million seven-year contract extension to stay past 2011, Theo and the Trio have pulled almost that much from the till to secure free agent outfielder Carl Crawford through 2017. The move has caught many an insider by surprise.

The Red Sox shocked the baseball world, or at least the portion of it that managed to hold on to their drinks around the lobby bars of the winter meetings hotel here when the news broke in the last hour of Wednesday. Boston somehow turned $142 million into stealth money, agreeing to make Carl Crawford the second-highest paid outfielder in baseball history with hardly a moment of preparation by those outside their own suite. It was a rare “wow” moment in a Twitter-mad world.

“[Bleeping] Theo,” one GM said of Boston general manager Theo Epstein. “What a brilliant move.”

The surprise, apparently, is not that the Red Sox went after Crawford—it was widely reported that they were in talks with him a couple weeks ago—but that they continued to pursue him even after committing to the probability of spending so much money for so many years on Gonzalez. But Red Sox fans knew there was at least a chance that the team would do it. That the deal got done without any leaks was also a surprise.

The signing means the Sox probably won’t go after free agent pitcher Cliff Lee, if they ever intended to in the first place, and suggests a belief that they will get more (and better) out of Josh Beckett than they got last season. It also signals a return to their previous strategy of focusing on run production rather than run prevention, the unrealized goal of 2010. And the addition of such a high-profile outfielder puts to rest the possibility of re-signing third baseman Adrian Beltre and moving Kevin Youkilis to left field.

With the new pop in the lineup, the absence of catcher Victor Martinez won’t be so keenly felt, although I still expect the front office to address the catching situation, at least from a defensive perspective. If more championships are the team’s expectation—and the big contracts indicate so—I don’t see a platoon of Jason Varitek and Jarrod Saltalamacchia as the long-term answer behind the plate.

The Trade Is Done, the Contract Isn’t

The Red Sox did indeed hold a press conference late this morning to announce that they had completed a trade with the San Diego Padres to get Adrian Gonzalez for a gaggle of prospects. It seems they did the deal despite having failed to secure a multi-year contract extension for the young infielder.

While the trade is complete, [Red Sox GM Theo] Epstein said the Red Sox have yet to finalize a long-term extension with Gonzalez. The Sox general manager is confident that the framework is in place to eventually sign Gonzalez.

[ . . . ]

“We got close to a deal, but in the end when the window lapsed and we didn’t have a deal, we decided to go forward with the trade anyways as a demonstration of the good faith that developed. Had we not gotten to know Adrian and his wife and what they were all about over the course of the weekend, we wouldn’t have had that comfort. It’s just such a good fit. Adrian wants to be a Red Sox. We want him to be a Red Sox for a long time. We’re very confident that when the time is right we’ll be able to work something out.”

That might be a first for this ultra-cautious ownership group, parting with lots of young talent in exchange for a big name, on nothing more than a gentleman’s agreement that they’ll be able to keep him around for more than next season. Gonzalez must really have knocked their socks off.

Meanwhile, the framework to which the above article refers is, according to WEEI, a seven-year extension for an average of $22 million a year and will be signed after the start of the season “so the Sox can ensure that Gonzalez’ right shoulder is healthy and so that they can diminish their luxury tax hit.”

By the way, in case you’re wondering why a kid from San Diego would want to play for the Red Sox, it appears to be more than the standard tell-them-what-they-want-to-hear lines pro athletes throw around when they go (voluntarily, at least) to a new team. Gonzalez is apparently a student of either baseball history, San Diego history, or both: he cited another famous San Diego ballplayer, Ted Williams, for sparking his long-time interested in Boston as his favorite American League team.

Show Me the Money

After yesterday’s post about free agency, I found MLB.com’s online sortable Free Agent Tracker. According to that list, the current number of free agents is…

…280.

No, really.

The list I posted yesterday was only those few players who actually filed for free agency since the end of the World Series. But, as I also mentioned, anyone who was released by his prior club is automatically a free agent, as is a player who had a contract option that was declined. That makes for a long list, some of whom will be signed to a minor league contract and others of whom won’t be picked up at all and will either try their hand at independent ball or retire.

For the record, the currrent list of 2010 Red Sox who are available as free agents is:

• Adrian Beltre — 3B (player option declined)
• Bill Hall — OF (club option declined)
• Lopez, Felipe — 2B (club option declined)
• Victor Martinez — C
• Scott Schoeneweiss — P
• Jason Varitek — C
• and a bunch of minor league free agents

Let’s Play…Wheel of Free Agent Fortune!

It’s that time of year, when guys who make anywhere from hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars playing a game put themselves on the market to see how much more they can rake in next year. We’re only a few days into the process, but already a handful of players have filed for free agency and the right to negotiate with any team in baseball.

Free agency has it roots in the old practice whereby ball clubs had virtually total control of their players. Once a team signed a player to a contract, the team essentially had that player locked up for as long as they wanted him. The contractual provision that allowed this—and it was in every contract in organized baseball—was known as the reserve clause. Once a team had the rights to a player, they reserved those rights for as long as they chose. Sure, they could trade or release him, but short of that, if the player didn’t want to play for that team or if he didn’t like the contract they were offering him, his only other option was to refuse to play.

The reserve clause was challenged by St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Curt Flood, whose legal case against baseball reached the United States Supreme Court. Even though Flood lost, his suit turned out to be the beginning of the end of teams’ absolute ownership of players’ services. A few years after Flood retired, players bargained for the right to salary arbitration, and a few more years later, the free agency system came into being.

So here we are, post-World Series, and players not under contract who either have six or more years of Major League service or were undrafted can become sell their services to the highest bidder. Since the end of the World Series through today, the following players have declared themselves to be free agents:

• Cory Aldridge – OF (LAA)
• Greg Dobbs – 3B (PHI)
• Chad Gaudin – P (NYY)
• Gabe Gross – OF (OAK)
• Casey Kotchman – 1B (SEA)
• Ryan Langerhans – OF (SEA)
• Jeff Larish – 1B (OAK)
• Jamie Moyer – P (PHI)
• Guillermo Quiroz – C (SEA)

There are several other players who previously filed for free agency after being released by their teams. More filings are coming down the pike, to be sure. Among the biggest names rumored to be headed down the free agent road are Rangers pitcher Cliff Lee, Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter, and Red Sox third baseman Adrian Beltre.

The free agent filing deadline is a minute after midnight, Eastern time, this coming Sunday morning.

Papi Back for One More Year

Via WEEI’s text flash, I see that the Red Sox have decided to pick up their one-year option on David Ortiz’ contract for the 2011 season. That’s good news after a year in which Ortiz seemed to have found his swing and, unlike many of his teammates, was healthy.

WEEI also reports that the team will exercise their option on relief pitcher Scott Atchison, a move about which I am less enthusiastic. I know his numbers looked good last season, but I never felt comfortable with him on the mound.

Coming later today: free agent update.

Nomar's Back

They were heady times, the Nomar years. He was a gangly kid with a big nose and an interesting name: Garciaparra, which in a nod to the Mexican tradition is a combination of his father’s two family names, Garcia and Parra; Nomar, which is his father Ramon’s name spelled backward; and Anthony, the first name nobody ever uses. In the minor leagues, he earned the monikor “shortstop of the future,” and he lived up to it when he got to the majors. He was the 1997 American League Rookie of the Year, two-time batting champ, and five-time All Star. Oh, and he was a great shortstop in the era of The Three Shortstops, one of whom (some guy in New York) got all the national attention even though his defensive range was paltry compared to Nomar’s.

But then came some injuries, a bad attitude, and a deadline trade that led to the Red Sox’ first World Series championship since World War I. Great for Boston, but not so much for Garciaparra, who wasn’t quite the same. After nine seasons in a Boston uniform, he spent a season in a half as a Chicago Cub, three as a Dodger, and one as an Athletic. He could still hit, but his defense wasn’t what it had been, and injuries limited his playing time.

I for one wasn’t surprised to hear that he was retiring, but it was the rest of the news that took me aback. WEEI radio’s Lou Merloni, himself a former Sox infielder, first broke the news that Nomar was going to sign a one-day contract with the Red Sox and then hang up the cleats. MLB.com’s Ian Browne reports that the return is literally a dream come true:

Nomar Garciaparra, a two-time batting champion and six-time All-Star, revealed last summer that he had a recurring dream of one day playing for the Red Sox again. That never came to fruition, so Garciaparra did the next best thing on Wednesday morning, announcing his retirement at a news conference held by his original team.

Hey, you can’t ignore a recurring dream.

After his final day as a professional baseball player, Nomar will embark on a new career as a baseball analyst for ESPN. But he will always be able to say he began and ended his playing career with the Boston Red Sox, the place where he says the fans made him feel at home. Apparently, the Red Sox feel the same way.

“We welcome you home,” [Red Sox President Larry] Lucchino said at the press conference. “It gives us enormous pride to recognize the respect you have to the organization, the connection you feel to the organization, the connection you feel to our fans and Fenway Park, and I’m here to fell you the feelings are mutual. When the history of the Boston Red Sox is written again, there will be a very large and important chapter devoted to Nomar Garciaparra.”

Noooo!!!! Say It Ain't So!!!!

Mike Lowell traded? Mr. Double Mike Lowell? 2007 World Series MVP Mike Lowell? Dashing salt-and-pepper hair and beard Mike Lowell?

That’s the report from Fox Sports, which reports that the Red Sox are sending Lowell to the Texas Rangers:

The Rangers and Red Sox reached preliminary agreement late Wednesday night on a trade that will send Mike Lowell to Texas for catcher/first baseman Max Ramirez, major league sources told FOXSports.com.

The deal is not final, however, for a number of reasons. Among them: Lowell’s hip, which was surgically repaired after the 2008 season, and his right thumb, which he injured toward the end of the season.

“This thing could still blow up,” one source said.

The deal could be a precursor to the Red Sox signing a free agent power hitter. The strongest candidates are third baseman Adrian Beltre, left fielder Jason Bay or left fielder Matt Holliday.

(Crossing my fingers for Bay…)

There are other caveats to the deal going through, having to do with the large sum of money the Sox are reported to be paying Lowell. But as of right now, it looks like all systems are go.

I get that these business decisions are sometimes necessary. Nonetheless, I am not happy.

Be Careful around That Stove — It's Hot

The World Series of which we shall not speak is but a week over, and already there is some Red Sox offseason news to report.

• November 5, 2009 — Outfielder Jason Bay filed for free agency after failing to secure a contract extension during the season. Shortstop Nick Green and outfielder Joey Gathright also filed, rejecting minor league assignments.
• November 5, 2009 — Boston traded lefty pitcher Hunter Jones and a minor leaguer to the Florida Marlins for outfielder Jeremy Hermida. With J.D. Drew still under contract and Jacoby Ellsbury now firmly in possession of the center field job, Hermida is either a potential replacement for Bay or pretty good trade bait.
• November 8, 2009 — The Sox decline to pick up shortstop Alex Gonzalez’ $6 million option. Either they think they can sign him for something less, or Theo hasn’t yet tired of his annual game of musical shortstops.
• November 9, 2009 — In a cost-cutting move, the team negotiated a new contract for Tim Wakefield, guaranteeing the knuckleballer $5 million over two years. Up to $5 million is also available in incentives. Thus ends the only one-year-club-option-in-perpetuity contract I have ever heard of.
• November 9, 2009 — Boston picked up catcher/first baseman/DH Victor Martinez’ 2010 option for $7.7 million but haven’t approached him about an extension beyond that.
• November 11, 2009 — Catcher/Captain Jason Varitek exercised his $3 million player option for 2010 after the Sox declined to pick up the club option which would have paid him $5 million.

With the GM meetings now underway in Chicago, watch for signs that the Sox are pursuing Matt Holliday, Adrian Gonzalez, and/or Roy Halladay, to mention just a few of the bigger names available via free agency or trade.

Julio Lugo News Flash

This just in from WEEI FLASH:

WEEI.com has learned from a source familiar with the situation, that the Red Sox have designated Julio Lugo for assignment. Visit http://www.weei.com

Surprised? No one should be, not only given Lugo’s poor performance on the field and his lack of playing time, but also because of numerous online news stories in the last 24 hours indicating that Lugo’s departure was imminent (he didn’t travel with the team to Toronto, according to MLB.com’s Ian Browne; the team is willing to assume Lugo’s salary if he is traded, according to Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal; and the need for a roster spot given the activation of Mike Lowell and Jed Lowrie and the ascension of Clay Buchholz, according to the Herald‘s Sean McAdam).

Thus is appears that the Red Sox will discard yet another shortstop while paying him to play for someone else.

Quick Hits

Some of the stories that have caught my eye of late:

• Sporting News Today reports that if pitcher Brad Penny’s right shoulder isn’t set by opening day, Justin Masterson will start the season as the #5 starter.

• The Herald‘s Sean McAdam says first baseman Kevin Youkilis will have an MRI in on his left ankle after a few days of Achilles tendon pain. Youk joins teammate and reigning MVP Dustin Pedroia as victims of injuries suffered while playing in the World Baseball Classic.

• For the second time in three years, the Josh Bard era has come to an end. The Sox released the backup catcher today, clearing the way for what might prove to be minor leaguer George Kottaras’ big break.

• In case anyone still hasn’t heard, shortstop Julio Lugo underwent arthroscopic surgery yesterday to repair a torn meniscus. He’ll be out up to a month. And there was much rejoicing. (Actually, I hate to see anyone injured, especially someone like Julio who seems to be a very nice guy, but you know what I’m saying.) Adam Kilgore at the Globe points out that Jed Lowrie’s resulting ascension to the starting job means a backup infielder is now needed, with Nick Green, Angel Chavez, Ivan Ochoa, and Gil Velazquez all contenders now that they are under minor league contract with the club.

• Finally, WEEI’s Dennis and Callahan had author Jeff Pearlman on their show this morning. Pearlman’s new book, The Rocket That Fell to Earth: Roger Clemens and the Rage for Baseball Immortality, is due out next week. It’ll be interesting to see what, if anything, the book says about whether or not Clemens used drugs during his tenure with the Red Sox. Pick up a copy at a discount on Amazon. My order is already in.