No long deal on horizon for Youkilis

Joe Bick, who represents Kevin Youkilis, might be right.

Bick contends if there was ever a perfect fit of player and team it would be Kevin Youkilis and the Red Sox. So while Bick and his staff continued to prepare potential arbitration cases for clients, including Youkilis, there's a small possibility that the two sides could discuss a multi-year deal.

While the Red Sox are open to it, they would want a discounted rate on the deal, while Youkilis, eligible for arbitration for the first time in his career, could continue to agree to one-year deals until he's closer to free-agency.

"At this point we haven't had a conversation with the Red Sox about that (a long-term deal)," said Bick from his Cincinnati office. "That's their call at this point. There's nothing we can do to force any long-term deal at this point so we're just assuming we're going year-to-year."

Arbitration figures must be exhanged between Jan. 5-15 and major league baseball announces the figures three days later.

Youkilis, who set the American League record for errorless games by a first baseman (190) and starts the '08 season within four games of breaking Steve Garvey's major league record, stands to do very well in arbitration after earning $424,500.

"We're thrilled with the contributions he's made there. Kevin is extremely happy playing for the Red Sox. Hopefully, we can get something done," Bick said.

The Red Sox have not gone to arbitration in the Theo Epstein era and have always settled before the arbitration date.