Sox close deal with Foulke

Foulke, 31, who led the league in saves (43), relief wins (nine), and games finished (67) with Oakland, is expected to bolster a bullpen that squandered 21 of 57 save opportunities last season, one of the league's lowest success rates, and absorbed a devastating loss in Game 7 of the AL Championship Series against the Yankees. The righthander ended several weeks of intense competition between the Sox and A's by agreeing with Boston on a three-year deal valued at just less than $21 million with an option for 2007 that could push the total as high as $27 million.

"We're just thrilled to have added an elite pitcher," Sox general manager Theo Epstein said. "He's one of the top relievers in the game and he'll fit very well at the back of our bullpen."

The Foulke signing, 16 days after the trade for Curt Schilling, represents the second marquee move by the Sox as they continue to ratchet up pressure on the Yankees and rank among the foremost players in the offseason market.

"I want to be a winner before I get out," Foulke said by phone from his home in Arizona, "and I can't imagine a better place to be than Boston over the next three or four years."

The Sox landed their latest trophy pitcher on a day they also devoted time to trying to negotiate multiyear contract extensions with Nomar Garciaparra and Pedro Martinez and a multiyear contract with David Ortiz. And in another sign the team remains open to swapping Manny Ramirez for Texas shortstop Alex Rodriguez, Epstein also met with Rangers GM John Hart, according to an AL source who talked to Texas officials. The source said the Sox appear to need Rodriguez to restructure the $179 million balance of his contract to help complete the deal.

As for the Rangers, who are seeking as much as $5 million a year from the Sox in addition to unloading the balance of Rodriguez's bloated contract, they also have discussed accepting a Sox pitching prospect or a pitcher the Sox may acquire in a deal for Garciaparra and spin off to Texas, the source said. It was unclear whether the pitcher would be in lieu of part of their cash request.

If the Texas deal were to go through, the Sox also would consider moving Garciaparra for a power-hitting outfielder who could help fill the void left by Ramirez. However, the Ramirez-for-Rodriguez deal is not expected to be completed before the winter meetings end tomorrow, meaning Garciaparra also is unlikely to be moved before then.

Epstein described Foulke as the team's last major investment of the winter. He said the Sox landed their top two high-ticket targets in Schilling and the reliever.

"As a result, we don't have any large investments in our near future," Epstein said. "We're not going to go out tomorrow and sign Vladimir Guerrero."

By landing Foulke, the Sox greatly enhanced their pitching depth, allowing them to shop the likes of Scott Williamson and Byung Hyun Kim either to seal the A-Rod deal or fill other needs. More important, Foulke solidifies a relief corps that badly needed a powerful anchor.

"His importance goes beyond his numbers," said Sox manager Terry Francona, who served last season as Oakland's bench coach. "He does a lot of things better than that. He pitches multiple innings. He's economical in his innings. He bounces back good, and he takes the ball all the time. He does all the good things, and he's got a very refreshing attitude."

Foulke labored over final offers from the Sox and A's until early yesterday morning. Oakland's final offer was in the range of $22 million over four years, and Foulke considered accepting less money to remain with the A's before deciding to punch his ticket to the Hub. He said the Schilling acquisition helped sway him.

"I thought Boston was putting together a championship team," he said. "And when it came down to it, I couldn't see going anywhere else but a place I could be a champion."

Epstein tried to lure Foulke in part by giving him a tour of the city, including a trip to the FleetCenter for a Celtics game. The Sox also sweetened the deal by giving Foulke numerous performance bonuses. The contract includes at least four ways in which the option year could be vested, including a clause that Foulke himself could trigger.

"We got creative because we were essentially at three years and the competition was at four years," Epstein said. "We had to find a way to get him the things he was looking for without going to a straight four-year guaranteed deal."

Foulke went 9-1 with a 2.08 ERA and converted 43 saves in 48 chances last season while holding opponents to a .184 batting average. The only AL reliever to hold opponents to a lower batting average than Foulke was Anaheim's Francisco Rodriguez (.172), and the only relievers in the league who surrendered fewer hits per nine innings than Foulke (5.92) were Rodriguez (5.23) and Chicago's Damaso Marte (5.65).

The irony of Foulke's excellence last season was that he lost his closer's role with the White Sox the previous year, then was traded to the A's in a multiplayer deal for Billy Koch after the season. Over his seven-year career with the Giants, White Sox, and A's, he has gone 28-25 with a 3.16 ERA and 143 saves in 167 opportunities. His career save percentage (.856) places him in pretty heady company, as he ranks eighth all time behind Eric Gagne (.964), John Smoltz (.924), Trevor Hoffman (.889), Tom Henke (.870), Mariano Rivera (.865), Troy Percival (.863), and Randy Myers (.859).

With Foulke anchoring the pen, the Sox also will have a proven lefty-righty tandem in Alan Embree and Mike Timlin, while Williamson could serve as a powerful setup man if he sticks with the team. It remains to be seen whether Ramiro Mendoza, who once ranked among the league's most dominant setup men, can regain his effectiveness and join the mix. It's all but certain that lefthander Scott Sauerbeck, who is eligible for salary arbitration after earning $1.57 million last season, will be moved, with newly acquired lefthander Mark Malaska poised to compete for his spot. Malaska, who was obtained off waivers from the Devil Rays, will make the major league minimum ($300,000) next season.

Foulke, who made as many appearances (72) last season as Boston's leader, Timlin, comes with the extra value of being capable of pitching more than a single inning. He converted 10 of 13 save chances last season in which he pitched more than an inning. He has only two pitches -- a fastball and changeup -- but his changeup is considered one of the best in the game.

"I'm not your typical closer," Foulke said. "If you need six outs, I can definitely do that, and I can do that through the course of the season."

Opponents have batted only .215 against Foulke since he broke in with the Giants in 1997, and he has held righthanders to a .201 average. Lefthanders have hit .229 against him.

But Foulke's last appearance of 2003 ranked among the most painful of his career. He blew a save opportunity at Fenway Park, allowing two runs on three hits in a 5-4 loss in Game 4 of the AL Division Series. Boston won the decisive Game 5 the next night in Oakland.

All told, Foulke has fared well at Fenway, going 1-0 with a 2.70 ERA and four saves in five tries. His biggest problem has been facing the Yankees. He has gone 2-2 with a 6.91 ERA -- his worst against any AL team -- with five saves in eight tries.

"I've enjoyed pitching in Yankee Stadium, but I'm not a big Yankee fan," he said. "I would like to get some revenge on those guys and kind of put it to them a little bit."

Gordon Edes of the Globe staff contributed to this report.