According to baseball sources, both the Red Sox and Texas Rangers are having serious discussions with the Florida Marlins about a trade for right-hander Josh Beckett. The 25-year-old Beckett is regarded as one of the most gifted young power pitchers in the game, someone who would give the Red Sox the dominating presence they lacked atop their rotation during the 2005 season. Along with Beckett, who went 15-8 with a 3.38 ERA and 166 strikeouts in 178 innings last season, the Sox or Rangers would be obligated to take Florida third baseman Mike Lowell, who had a miserable 2005. For the Marlins, the move is designed to free up payroll so that they can lock up left-hander Dontrelle Willis with a new contract. Lowell, who is due $9 million per season in each of the 2006 and ?07 campaigns, batted just .236 with eight home runs and 58 RBI this year. Prior to 2005, the 31-year-old Lowell averaged 25 home runs and 95 RBI over the previous five seasons. The Marlins tried to move Lowell at the July trading deadline by packaging him with right-hander A.J. Burnett, who is now a free agent. For the Red Sox, Lowell would be a fit, at least positionally, because they have openings at both third base and first base given the free agent status of Bill Mueller and Kevin Millar. Nonetheless, the price tag could be steep: highly regarded shortstop prospect Hanley Ramirez and either right-hander Anibal Sanchez or left-hander Jon Lester, the latter of whom is more highly regarded than righty Jonathan Papelbon by some in the Red Sox organization.