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The Red Sox At The Winter Meetings: Teixeira Deal Might Be Close; Offer Made To Varitek; Smoltz Joins Lowe As Potential Addition To Rotation
By Administrator | December 11, 2008
Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com is reporting that the Red Sox may be closing in on their primary off-season target — former Rangers / Braves / Angels 1B Mark Teixeira.
Rosenthal says that at least two major league sources have told him that headway has been made in talks between the club and Teixeira’s agent, Scott Boras… the sources include a “rival general manager” who indicated that a deal is “getting closer”.
Teixeira is seeking a 10-year contract for at least $20 million per season… and while the Red Sox would prefer to sign him to a deal in the 6 - 7 year range, the Washington Nationals have already (reportedly) extended an eight-year, $160 million offer. The question is: would he rather reside in baseball purgatory or come to a city where he will pair with David Ortiz and have a chance to win one or two or three World Series rings?
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Jason Varitek remains unemployed this morning and his options are shrinking by the moment. With the recent trades of Gerald Laird and Ramon Hernandez to Detroit and Cincinnati, respectively, some of his options have disappeared… and with the offer of arbitration extended by the Red Sox, and a draft pick owed as compensation if he signs elsewhere as a free agent, his options may now be down to just one option.
Boston.
It is a far different landscape than painted by his agent, Scott Boras, just three weeks ago - one the agent and player should have foreseen but, as usual, Boras postured in the hopes of landing his client a BIG payday. After turning down an initial two-year offer from the Red Sox, Varitek may find that his agent has cost him money - it is rumored that the Red Sox recently offered their former (and future?) captain just a one year contract.
Yesterday, Boras confirmed that the club has made a formal proposal to his client, though he declined to comment on the specifics… meanwhile, he and his minions are desperately attempting to get a second bidder involved in the process.
Los Angeles Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti said this week that his club would have considered signing Varitek, but “we didn’t spend much time on it when we learned it wouldn’t be a crash course, it would be a degree program” (in other words, Boras scared them off with his demand for a multi-year contract).
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While the Red Sox kicked the tires on CC Sabathia and AJ Burnett, ostensibly to drive up the cost for the NY Yankees, many people remain convinced that the team has always had more interest in Derek Lowe. But as agent Scott Boras continues to seek a maximum-dollar deal for his client, it is possible that the uber-agent might overplay THIS hand as well (a la Varitek) and that the Red Sox will decide to turn in another direction… a development that would certainly cost Lowe money in both the short- and long-term.
Agent Keith Grunewald has reported that he sent out a video of John Smoltz’ recent throwing session to “preferred teams”, alomg with the future HOFer’s medical records. And though he wouldn’t confirm who he sent the packages to, it is known that Smoltz wants to pitch for a team that’s in a position to play well into October… reports say the 41-year-old free agent has a short-list that includes the Red Sox, Mets and his hometown team, the Detroit Tigers.
It remains very possible Theo Epstein could sign Smoltz to a deal much like the one he inked Curt Schilling to last year — a middling base salary with loads of incentives.
Topics: Sox Front Office, SoxTransactions |
