July 2005 - Boston Red Sox Wiretap

The Mets have been engaged in ongoing talks with the Devil Rays about reliever Danys Baez, but, according to multiple baseball sources, those discussions could bloom into a blockbuster four-team trade scenario in which Manny Ramirez winds up at Shea and similarly disgruntled slugger Miguel Tejada lands in Boston. According to sources, both the Red Sox and Orioles have resigned themselves to accommodating the trade requests of Ramirez and Tejada, who want off of their respective teams. But since the Orioles have signed Jeromy Burnitz to complete their outfield, they may not have a match with the Red Sox in a straight-up Tejada-for-Ramirez deal, so several baseball executives said they'd have to get other teams involved. That's where the Mets and Devil Rays come in. The basics of the four-team deal that had the baseball executives buzzing yesterday and would appear to satisfy the needs of all four clubs would have Tejada and Tampa Bay's Joey Gathright going to the Red Sox to fill Boston's holes at shortstop and center field. Ramirez and Baez would go to the Mets, giving them one of the game's best sluggers and a setup man. The Orioles would satisfy their need at shortstop by getting Julio Lugo from Tampa Bay and add pitching by getting Matt Clement from Boston and possibly Kris Benson from the Mets. The Devil Rays, who have always been difficult to deal with, especially in complicated transactions, are seeking top prospects and young pitching and would be satisfied in that regard by getting third baseman Andy Marte from Boston and Jae Seo and Aaron Heilman from the Mets. In addition, the Mets would send Kaz Matsui to Tampa to give the D-Rays a stopgap shortstop replacement until prospect B.J. Upton is ready. An executive with one of the teams called the four-team scenario far-fetched, but an official with another of the teams said he expected to broach such talks. The Mets and GM Omar Minaya long have coveted Ramirez, a nine-time All-Star. Ramirez has said he wants to leave Boston and the Mets are one of the few clubs in baseball that could take on all or part of his monster salary - Ramirez is due $57 million over the next three seasons. Money, of course, could complicate the deal. In addition to Ramirez's hefty price tag, Tejada is owed $48 million and part of a $12 million signing bonus for the next four years. Independently, the Mets have been talking for weeks with the Devil Rays about Baez, who was 5-4 with a 2.86 ERA and 41 saves as a closer last season. Seo and Heilman have been mentioned as possible matches in a potential one-for-one deal, but two Mets sources said yesterday they would "absolutely" not part with Heilman for Baez. However, if talks expand and include bringing Ramirez to the Mets, Heilman might have to be sacrificed. If the Mets got Baez, he would set up for new closer Billy Wagner. But Baez doesn't seem to want to switch jobs. In an interview yesterday with the St. Petersburg Times, he said, "I don't know if I want to be a setup guy. I want to be a closer. "But if they trade me, I don't have a choice. If they want me to be a setup guy, that's what I'll do."

Major League Baseball typically shuts down for the final week of the calendar year, but the Red Sox nonetheless were awaiting word last night regarding their pursuit of first baseman J.T. Snow. According to Dan Horwits, who represents Snow, the player and agent were hoping to decide on a new team before the end of this week. Horwits said earlier in the week that as many as four teams were interested in his client, including the Red Sox. While Horwits would not disclose the identity of those clubs, baseball sources have ruled out the New York Yankees, who will use the right-handed hitting Andy Phillips to back up Jason Giambi. There had been some speculation that the Yankees also were eyeing Snow as a late-inning defensive replacement. The Sox intend to use Snow as a complement to the right-handed hitting Kevin Youkilis at first base. Snow, 37, is a career .268 hitter over parts of 14 major league seasons. He is a six-time winner of the Gold Glove award at first base.

The signings also come against the backdrop of the Nationals' most significant offseason move, the trade with Texas for four-time all-star Alfonso Soriano. Though Soriano could provide an offensive force unlike any the Nationals had last season, he met the news that he would likely have to move from second base to the outfield with outright disdain, and has not retreated from those remarks. Soriano's defiance triggered calls from several interested teams who wondered if the Nationals might be willing to trade Soriano, including Boston, according to a source familiar with the discussions. Nationals front-office executives, however, for now appear unwilling to part with Soriano unless they are bowled over with an offer that includes either a front-line starting pitcher, such as the Red Sox' Josh Beckett, or several younger, front-line pitching prospects. One source familiar with Washington's discussions over the last several weeks said, "There's nothing close enough to take seriously right now," but thought the Nationals would remain open to talks about trades for pitching.

Whether Julio Lugo remains the Devil Rays shortstop or is traded to the Red Sox appears contingent, to a degree, on whether Boston can work a trade for disgruntled Orioles shortstop Miguel Tejada. Rays executive vice president Andrew Friedman declined comment on what other teams are doing and how the permutations could affect Tampa Bay. "As we've been saying," he said Thursday, "if a trade presents itself that makes sense for what we're trying to do now, and in the future, that will be something we're prepared to do." So, let's connect some dots. If the Red Sox don't land Tejada for their vacant shortstop position (the Boston Globe reported they offered leftfielder Manny Ramirez and pitcher Matt Clement), they could sign former Marlins shortstop Alex Gonzalez, the best option among remaining free agents. But it is difficult to believe Boston wants Gonzalez more than Lugo, who is a better hitter and bats leadoff. It also is possible, if the Red Sox get desperate enough, they will cough up prized third-base prospect Andy Marte, over whom the Rays are salivating. So, assume Tampa Bay and Boston are talking.

Dealing Miguel Tejada within the division remains a road the Orioles would rather not go down, but the Red Sox, according to a source with direct knowledge of the team's pursuit of the shortstop, have made a ''pretty good offer" that has positioned them as a legitimate contender for the 2002 American League Most Valuable Player. The Sox, who initially offered Manny Ram?rez for Tejada straight up, recently offered Ram?rez and righthander Matt Clement, according to the source. However, three stumbling blocks stand between the teams and a deal. Baltimore's ownership and management is largely opposed to dealing Tejada within the AL East; 2. Ram?rez and Clement are owed approximately $22 million more in guaranteed money than Tejada. (Ram?rez is due $57 million over three seasons, Clement $19.25 million over two seasons, and Tejada $48 million over four seasons plus $6 million owed on a prorated signing bonus); 3. Ram?rez, who can veto any deal, would have to approve a move to Baltimore. Of those issues, the second appears to be the most vexing to the Orioles. ''That's the problem," the source said. ''The money." Whether Ram?rez would accept Baltimore as a landing spot remains unknown. His agent, Greg Genske, did not return a phone call last night. But, one major league general manager said yesterday, ''Baltimore is pretty good, for what Manny wants." That want, presumably, is privacy. Added the GM, ''If he doesn't go there, where will he go?"

With Kevin Millwood out of the mix, it is unclear how the Sox intend to fill their needs at shortstop and center field. Had the Sox acquired Millwood, they might have been able to trade either Bronson Arroyo or Matt Clement for outfield help, either to the Seattle Mariners for Jeremy Reed or the Cleveland Indians for Coco Crisp. Meanwhile, the Sox also continue to negotiate with free agent first baseman J.T. Snow regarding a role as the backup and defensive replacement for Kevin Youkilis. Snow is believed to be negotiating with three or four other clubs, including, perhaps, the New York Yankees and Baltimore Orioles. Agent Dan Horwits said Snow could have a decision by today or tomorrow.

The Dodgers have had discussions with the Boston Red Sox the last two days about obtaining starting pitcher David Wells, but two sources said a deal is not imminent because the asking price has been too high. The Red Sox want relief pitcher Yhency Brazoban and a top prospect in return, but the Dodgers are reluctant to part with any of the minor league standouts expected to break into the big leagues by 2007. Wells has appeal because he has one year left on a contract that calls for a base salary of only $2.5 million. Incentives based on innings pitched could hike the total to $7.5 million. Wells, 41, was 15-7 in 184 innings last season. Boston has also discussed a three-way trade with San Diego and Tampa Bay that would involve Wells going to the Padres and Devil Ray shortstop Julio Lugo going to the Red Sox.

The Boston Red Sox' loss of Johnny Damon to the New York Yankees could be the Cubs' gain. The Red Sox are among the teams talking to Cubs general manager Jim Hendry about a possible trade for center fielder Corey Patterson. Patterson has been on the trade block since the end of last season. While Hendry remains a strong supporter of Patterson's, he knows the time has come to give him a chance to turn around his career in another uniform. Sending him to the American League would be the best of all worlds. Then Patterson couldn't come back to haunt the Cubs in the National League. The Boston Globe included Patterson among possible trade targets for the Red Sox to replace Damon, as well as Tampa Bay's Joey Gathright, Philadelphia's Jason Michaels, San Diego's Dave Roberts, Seattle's Jeremy Reed, Minnesota's Torii Hunter and Texas' Brad Wilkerson.

The Sox, according to an industry source, have expressed significant interest in free agent pitcher Kevin Millwood, the American League's ERA leader in 2005, who had a 9-11 record with a 2.86 ERA. There were indications last night the Red Sox were trying to arrange a visit for Millwood, though CEO Larry Lucchino is in San Diego for the holiday and principal owner John W. Henry was said to be visiting relatives. At the moment, Boston's most serious competition would appear to be the Texas Rangers, who yesterday made an offer for the righthanded Millwood, who turns 31 tomorrow. Millwood's agent, Scott Boras, is seeking a five-year deal for Millwood, who last season was paid $7 million by the Indians.

The Diamondbacks, moving aggressively to trade third baseman Troy Glaus, are in serious discussions with the Red Sox, Blue Jays, Orioles and an unidentified National League club, FOXSports.com has learned. The Red Sox and Blue Jays are the front-runners for Glaus, according to an official from one of the interested clubs. The Sox, Jays and Orioles likely would move Glaus to first base, a position he has not played in his eight-year major-league career. Glaus, 29, has limited no-trade protection in the four-year, $45 million contract he signed with the Diamondbacks last off-season. He would need to approve a deal to the Blue Jays, according to a source with knowledge of his contract. It is not known whether the other suitors are on his no-trade list. The Diamondbacks, trying to add pitching, believe they can unload Glaus without paying any of the $32.75 million that he is owed in the final three years of his contract, sources say. The Jays offered second baseman Orlando Hudson for Glaus, and probably would be willing to part with right-hander Miguel Batista as well if they obtained another player in the deal.