Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz says he's "not comfortable" with a one-year contract. Boston has a one-year, $12.5 million option on Ortiz's contract for the 2011 season. "I just want to cut out all the crap and go back to the guy I was before, a happy guy who doesn't have to be answering questions that have nothing to do with anything but controversy. I just want to be able to play baseball and have fun, like I used to," Ortiz told WEEI.com. "That's where I came back to not wanting just one year, because I know it's going to be just the same thing. "As soon as you struggle for a week, it's going to be the same thing. People saying you are old, saying you have no bat speed anymore. People talking all kind of crap. It's hard to avoid that because it's all over the place. You're a regular human being just like everyone else. It's not like you're in a cage, locked up and you come to the field and that's it. It's not like we don't watch TV, listen to the radio, read the newspaper. We are all connected to that stuff, especially here."

The Red Sox are expected to go "really hard" after free-agent outfielder Carl Crawford this winter. MLB analyst Peter Gammons discussed Boston's offseason with WEEI-AM on Thursday. "There is no doubt in my mind that they are going to go really hard after Carl Crawford," said Gammons. "That will be a matchup with the Angels, and you know there are some puffs of smoke coming out of New York that suggest the Yankees might go after him, even though their primary need is pitching."

Tim Wakefield of the Boston Red Sox has been named the 2010 recipient of the prestigious Roberto Clemente Award at a press conference prior to Game Two of the World Series at AT&T Park in San Francisco. Bestowed annually to the Major League Baseball player who combines a dedication to giving back to the community with outstanding skills on the baseball field, the Roberto Clemente Award recognizes players who best represent the game of baseball through sportsmanship, community involvement and positive contributions to their Clubs. Since 2004, Wakefield has been actively involved with ?Pitching in for Kids,? a non-profit organization dedicated to providing grants to improve the lives of children across the New England region. It encourages children to participate in special events to learn important life skills and the spirit of initiative and giving within the community. He has co-hosted a number of fundraising events for the organization, which have helped raise close to $1 million.

Athletics pitching coach Curt Young turned down a contract offer from Oakland that included a substantial raise on Sunday, saying he wanted to pursue other opportunities in baseball. He interviewed with the Red Sox a day later and has emerged as the leading candidate to replace John Farrell on the coaching staff. ?Obviously, Curt meant a lot to all of us, and we wish him well wherever he goes,?? closer Andrew Bailey told the San Francisco Chronicle. ?Someone is getting a great coach.?? Dallas Braden told the paper, ?This came as a complete shock. He?s been that accessible, everyone?s-favorite-uncle figure, a guiding light for us. He taught me how to study within the game, what to look for. He always understood my role and put me in the best position to succeed.?? Young?s biggest competition could come from Sox advance scout Mike Cather, pitching coach for Double A Portland from 2007-09.

Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz said Tuesday night that the team has yet to inform him if they plan to pick up his $12.5 million option for the 2011 season. Boston has a deadline of three days after the end of the World Series to make a decision on Ortiz's option. "We're going to talk next week," he said.

The Red Sox intend to interview Curt Young, who recently left Oakland after serving as the team's pitching coach for seven seasons, according to a source. Boston is looking to replace John Farrell, who left the team to become the manager in Toronto.

Red Sox manager Terry Francona says the team is going to miss pitching coach John Farrell, who was introduced as manager of the Blue Jays on Monday. "[The Blue Jays] just got better," Francona told ESPNBoston.com. "It's a weird one. You'll look over [to the opposing dugout] next year 19 times, and yeah, that's no fun. We want to win so bad and that's never going to go away. But if we win, it's going to be at his expense, and if they win, it's going to be at our expense. "That's one of the downfalls of this, but the positives outweigh that. He's one of my best friends in the world and he's going to be tremendous at whatever he wants to do."

Free-agent outfielder Johnny Damon doesn't regret his decision to reject a move from the Tigers to the Red Sox this summer. "It just wouldn't have been fair to anybody ? the current Red Sox players, my teammates, and my family," said Damon. "If I started the season with them, it would be different."

Liverpool was sold to the owners of the Red Sox on Friday after a bitter court fight with the previous owners over the English soccer club. The $476 million deal with New England Sports Ventures ends the turbulent three-year ownership by Tom Hicks and George Gillett Jr. The sale finally went through after Hicks and Gillett withdrew the temporary restraining order blocking the sale they had obtained in a Texas court. "We are committed first and foremost to winning. We have a history of winning, and today we want LFC supporters to know that this approach is what we intend to bring to this great club," owner John Henry said.

Jarrod Saltalamacchia and the Boston Red Sox have agreed to a one-year contract that pays him $750,000 in the major leagues and $250,000 in the minors. Thursday's deal, which avoided salary arbitration, is not guaranteed.