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After more than a year’s worth of discussion, the front offices of the Boston Red Sox and San Diego Padres have nearly completed a trade agreement that will send power-hitting first baseman Adrian Gonzalez to Boston.
The Red Sox, in turn, would deal four farm-system prospects to San Diego including 2010 Portland Sea Dogs Pitcher of the Year Casey Kelly, who went 3-5 while posting a 5.31 ERA last year for Double-A Portland. Florida native and 2010 Portland Sea Dogs MVP Anthony Rizzo could join Kelly as well as 19-year-old Greenville Drive outfielder Reymond Fuentes, the cousin of Mets superstar, Carlos Beltran.
The Padres, who nearly clinched the NL West last year only to be passed in the last week by soon-to-be World Series champion San Francisco Giants after a 10-game skid, have already lost three key members from last year’s successful team in just the past five days.
Six-time all-star shortstop Miguel Tejada and 2005 World Series champion pitcher Jon Garland have signed with NL West division rivals San Francisco and Los Angeles Angels, respectively, while Venezuelan catcher Yorvit Torrealba also left the team for the Texas Rangers.
As of 2 p.m. Sunday, the deadline for completing a deal with Gonzalez, Boston could not come to a conclusion and therefore the negotiations are frozen for the time being. This does not mean the deal is dead because a rekindled trade could certainly occur within the near future after both front offices can clarify agreements that please both teams. According to several reports, the Red Sox offered Gonzalez a six-year deal but the slugger wanted eight years instead.
The A-Gonz trade buzz joins a few other deals around the league to kick off initial activity of the 2010-2011 MLB offseason. On Saturday, the Yankees and long-time captain shortstop Derek Jeter agreed to a 3-year deal upwards to $51 million while five-time all-star veteran outfielder Lance Berkman left the Yankees’ organization on to rejoin the NL Central with the St. Louis Cardinals on a one-year deal worth $8 million.
For Boston, the potential acquisition of Gonzalez sadly could leave little room for 2010 Silver Slugger Award-winner, Adrian Beltre, who most likely would be replaced by Kevin Youkilis at third. Beltre, who finished 9th last year in MVP voting, is already a free agent and yearns for a long-term contract much like Gonzalez’ s — something the Red Sox could not possibly grant if they don’t have a set position for the two-time Gold Glove Award-winner.
If the Gonzalez deal is unable to follow through, Boston must pursue Beltre and urge the All-Star third baseman to stay.
Earlier this month, Boston exercised power-hitting designated hitter David Ortiz’s $12.5 million option for the 2011 season. The Red Sox next target in the hot stove: former Rays’ outfielder Carl Crawford.
Former Phillies’ outfielder Jayson Werth, who began this offseason as a highly-pursued free agent, was another target of Boston’s general manager Theo Epstein but unfortunately signed with the Washington Nationals on Sunday night on a 7-year contract worth $126 million. Crawford is asking for quite a bit — four to eight years with upwards a total worth of between $80-110 million — but the Red Sox are in need of another superstar, especially if they can’t complete the deal with Gonzalez.
The Red Sox have only dished out one contract over $100 million in the franchise’s history — the eight-year, $160 million deal to Manny Ramirez back in December of 2000. They now face a potential two with the potential acquisitions of both Gonzalez and Crawford.
Bangor Daily News