Ramirez, Wells bring interest

The Red Sox will go to Dallas tomorrow for the baseball winter meetings without a general manager, but that has not kept the team from entertaining trade offers for outfielder Manny Ramírez and pitcher David Wells.

There was potentially significant movement on both fronts yesterday, according to industry sources. The Sox yesterday were contacted by the Texas Rangers, who two years ago had a deal in place for Ramírez in which Alex Rodriguez would have come to Boston, and, according to the source, would dangle power-hitting second baseman Alfonso Soriano as the primary piece of another proposal for the Sox left fielder. The Fort Worth Star-Telegram cited a Rangers source as denying that contact was made, but the Sox intend to follow up in Dallas. Soriano played second for the Rangers, but the Sox could move him to left field.

Ramírez has attracted ''strong" interest from five teams, according to Jed Hoyer, assistant to the general manager, and inquiries from more than a dozen clubs. The New York Mets probably have exhibited the most interest in Ramírez, who was sought by the Mets last winter and again at the trading deadline, while the Los Angeles Angels, thwarted in their bid to sign free agent first baseman Paul Konerko, also figure to be sought out by the Sox as a trading partner. Ramírez has expressed a preference to play for the Angels.

Earlier this week, Ramírez came up in talks with the Philadelphia Phillies, but those talks went nowhere. According to one executive with another National League club, Phillies outfielder Bobby Abreu, whose name came up in talks with the Sox, could be headed to the Baltimore Orioles.

As a player with 10-5 rights -- at least 10 years in the majors and at least the last five years with the same club --Ramírez can veto any trade, and according to one published report has said he wouldn't accept a deal to the Phillies.

Wells, meanwhile, may get his wish to be traded back to San Diego, where he left after the 2004 season to sign a two-year deal with the Sox. The Padres, according to an industry source with direct knowledge of the negotiations, are now offering second baseman Mark Loretta to the Red Sox and are asking for Wells and catcher Doug Mirabelli, who could get a chance to play every day for the Padres. The Padres have previously offered a variety of players, including pitcher Woody Williams, outfielder Dave Roberts, and reliever Akinori Otsuka, but now are apparently willing to move Loretta, 34, who in 2004 had a career year, batting .335 with 16 home runs and 76 RBIs, all personal bests.

Last season, Loretta underwent surgery to repair a torn ligament in his left thumb and appeared in just 105 games, batting .280 with three home runs and 38 RBIs. The Padres are willing to move him, the source said, because they are attempting to sign free agent Nomar Garciaparra to play second base. Loretta would come relatively cheaply -- he is due to be paid $3 million in 2006 in the last year of his Padres deal -- but the Sox are expected to ask for another player, possibly Otsuka, if Mirabelli is part of the deal.

The Sox conducted a conference call with the media yesterday afternoon, with special adviser Bill Lajoie, Hoyer, and Craig Shipley, the special assistant to the general manager/player development, representing the team. Notable by his absence from the call was Jeremy Kapstein, the longtime associate of CEO Larry Lucchino who has declared himself a candidate for the GM position and said that he and Lucchino have already agreed to contract terms if he is offered the position.

Lajoie said he will serve as point man for the club in trade talks in Dallas, and Shipley said that was not expected to change. Former Orioles vice president Jim Beattie remains a candidate to be named GM -- he met for a third time with Lucchino Thursday night -- but that decision has been deferred until after the winter meetings.

''Candidates continue to apply and/or to press their applications," Lucchino said in an e-mail. ''No final resolution or selection is imminent. We have a high degree of confidence in the team working together these days in baseball operations, and respect for what they are doing daily and have accomplished in these last few weeks."

The Red Sox insist that while Ramírez and Wells have both asked to be traded, and the club is attempting to honor their wishes, that does not mean they are ruling out the return of either or both players.

''These are two very fine players," Lajoie said. ''A 15-game [winning] lefthanded pitcher, he knows that he has value, and Manny [is] one of the top one or two righthanded hitters in baseball. If we make an honest offer . . . they will know if we make the proper efforts to move them. I just have the feeling that as long as we do make that effort, that if it can not be done, that they will understand and return. I don't believe it will be a distraction."

Re-signing free agent center fielder Johnny Damon remains a primary objective, Hoyer said.

''Our priority really is to bring Johnny back; we do want to keep him in a Red Sox uniform," Hoyer said. ''Of course, we're always looking at alternatives, but our priority is to make sure Johnny is in center field next year for us."

The Sox will go to Dallas in search of more bullpen help, Lajoie said, but it is unlikely they will be in the hunt for the closers that remain on the open market, such as Trevor Hoffman, Bob Wickman, or Todd Jones. Relief help could come in a trade.

The Sox also have been in contact with the agents for first baseman John Olerud and second baseman Tony Graffanino, both free agents. Both players, Hoyer said, would make sense. Olerud could figure as part of a platoon at first with Kevin Youkilis, while Graffanino would remain an option to start at second base, meaning another year in the minors for Dustin Pedroia.