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Red Sox agree with Wilkerson

Posted by Tony Massarotti, Globe Staff  February 3, 2009 03:14 PM
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The Red Sox have agreed to terms with outfielder/first baseman Brad Wilkerson on a minor league deal, according to a baseball source.

The 31-year-old Wilkerson hit .220 last season with four homers and 28 RBIs for the Mariners and Blue Jays.

If Wilkerson makes it to the big club at any point, he would be paid a prorated portion of a $400,000 salary, the major league minimum. He can make as much as $1.5 million if he maxes out on the incentives in the contract. The deal is pending a physical.

The agreement was first reported by the MLBtraderumors.com web site last night.

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35 comments so far...

  1. This is a win/win situation. If he can return to having productive years like earlier in his career he makes a nice insurance policy for Youk/Katsay.

    Posted by monstah February 3, 09 03:45 PM

  1. bummer. when i first saw the headline, i thought they had signed Diane Wilkerson.

    Posted by funnels February 3, 09 03:57 PM

  1. Great - another guy on our team that can hit .220 for an entire season - isn't one of those guys enough?

    Posted by notayankeefan February 3, 09 04:04 PM

  1. Right now this looks like no big deal, but you just never know whith Theo and company. Maybe this guy will end up being a nice addition

    Posted by MWillard February 3, 09 04:17 PM

  1. Wake me when we trade for Hanley . . .

    Posted by Tom February 3, 09 04:31 PM

  1. who?

    Posted by sthill February 3, 09 04:32 PM

  1. why?sox have 5 outfielders and kotsay can also play first.who needs another .220 hitter?

    Posted by lester s February 3, 09 04:45 PM

  1. Oh...I thought you meant Dianne Wilkerson...

    Posted by Luigi February 3, 09 04:57 PM

  1. Great! This is good insurance if Drew breaks down and something happens to Ellsbury/Bay. And it's insurance for Baldelli too. If nothing else, he's in Pawtucket for the year and could help in September. Or, Theo could package him in a deal at the deadline.

    Smart signing.

    Posted by Mitch February 3, 09 05:15 PM

  1. Could also be to give Pawtucket a veteran who can help out a prospect or two. Plus, if last year was an aberration, he can come up to the big club. At a minor league salary (and big league minimum if he gets promoted), I can't see the harm in it.

    Posted by Mike February 3, 09 05:35 PM

  1. Well.. he is only two seasons removed from hitting 20 HR knocking in 62... and had a good season the last year the Expos existed in 2004 with 32 HR and 67 RBI, while walking 106 times.. .350 career OBP but ALOT of strikeouts (Mark Bellhorn anyone?).. His name came up for the Sox last year when before he signed with Seattle... never know...

    Posted by soxbigdog February 3, 09 05:36 PM

  1. Don't get too used to this addition. It sounds harmless only because he may get his hitting back up to the ML level. If he can't, I don't see the role he plays, because even a youngster or another player can hit .220... so I say he stays a player only if he shows some promise...

    Posted by dano_in_ny February 3, 09 05:45 PM

  1. Well.. he is only two seasons removed from hitting 20 HR knocking in 62... and had a good season the last year the Expos existed in 2004 with 32 HR and 67 RBI, while walking 106 times.. .350 career OBP but ALOT of strikeouts (Mark Bellhorn anyone?).. His name came up for the Sox last year when before he signed with Seattle... never know...

    Posted by soxbigdog February 3, 09 05:51 PM

  1. Put him in for Kotsay right now. Kotsay was a disaster last year and I don't see him as any better this year.

    Posted by Soxrunner February 3, 09 06:21 PM

  1. Useless team with useless players.

    Posted by Frank Adams February 3, 09 06:36 PM

  1. I'm with everyone else - it's a bummer - I too thought we had snagged Diane Wilkerson...although she would be costly.

    Posted by pat February 3, 09 06:52 PM

  1. This guy was once traded for Alfonso Soriano...

    Posted by Jay February 3, 09 07:01 PM

  1. My guess is that you won't see a lot of Jason Bay in spring training since he'll play for Canada in the World Baseball Classic, so Wilkerson will probably get his share of playing time, especially since Rocco can't go back to back days...

    Posted by Sock February 3, 09 07:01 PM

  1. I like this, atleast has the potential to tie or win the game with one swing. Casey although hit good, lost his power.

    Posted by Bob February 3, 09 07:02 PM

  1. It's a minor league contract...low risk possible high reward. It's not like they signed him to replace Youkilis or something. Having a veteran .220 hitter in Pawtucket is very different from automatically putting him on the major lrague roster. What, are you expecting someone like Adam Dunn to say, "Heck, sure I'll take

    Posted by Mickey February 3, 09 07:13 PM

  1. It's a minor league contract...low risk possible high reward. It's not like they signed him to replace Youkilis or something. Having a veteran .220 hitter in Pawtucket is very different from automatically putting him on the major lrague roster. What, are you expecting someone like Adam Dunn to say, "Heck, sure I'll take a

    Posted by Mickey February 3, 09 07:15 PM

  1. Theo is clueless. This is a waste of time and money. None of these ridiculous signings like this have amounted to anything. Be prepared for a third place finish in the AL East next year, maybe even 4th place. Curse of the ManRam!!

    Posted by Jomomma February 3, 09 07:20 PM

  1. Rick Pitino is right - you people are the fellowship of the miserable. No one is expecting Brad Wilkerson to carry us to the World Series. Sox sign the guy to add some veteran depth at Pawtucket, and you crabs bemoan the move. I guess it has more to do with the media reporting every minor move the team makes. If this was any other city, minor league moves go largely unreported.

    Posted by UpstateSoxfan February 3, 09 07:54 PM

  1. he is no roberto petagine! petagine hit .347 with the lucky gold star twins of the korean baseball organization last year as well as totally destroy the mexican league before that! petagine also will be inducted into the international league baseball hall of fame this summer!

    Posted by brunosanmartino February 3, 09 08:13 PM

  1. Are there any tax issues we need to know about? I'd hate to see Theo have to find anotehr infield/outfield candidate.

    Posted by MKDBA February 3, 09 08:20 PM

  1. What an off-season-----Baldelli, Bard and Wilkerson- now there's a Murderer's Row. AL East pitchers are probably shaking in their boots by now. It's subtraction by addition. Cut them all and pick up Dunn.

    Posted by mojo February 3, 09 10:42 PM

  1. Wilkerson is washed up. Slow legs, slow bat. A total waste of time.

    Posted by john r wagner February 3, 09 11:46 PM

  1. i see this as a solid signing by the sox...worse case scenerio he spends the year in pawtucket for short money, best case scenario he ends up a nice little bench player with more pop in his bat and versatility than we had with casey..he can play of and 1b, and while he wasnt a superstar, he isnt that far removed from being a promising major league starter...he could end up filling a role if we run into any injury issues...

    Posted by shawn February 4, 09 12:34 AM

  1. sign Adam Dunn already, he's in the bargain bin.

    Posted by T Dargie February 4, 09 01:05 AM

  1. I know Brad, and he is a solid person with good values. He is a good clubhouse guy. He also won the golden spikes award at UF which is the baseball version of the Heisman.

    Posted by digger February 4, 09 01:48 AM

  1. I rather have Kevin Miliar!!!!!!

    Posted by Ray February 4, 09 05:07 AM

  1. You people are complete morons. This is a good signing. Is Wilkerson the 2nd coming of Manny? Hell no. But what he IS, is a guy who can come up to Fenway for 2 or 3 weeks if we suffer injuries at corner IF or OF positions. Siging him now to a MINOR LEAGUE deal makes great sense. If you lose a guy during the season to injury, likely you'll have to give up a prospect to find a replacement. Nor do you want to rush a guy like Reddick. Why not sign Wilkerson? It makes complete sense.
    But again, some of my fellow Sox fans are not happy regardless of what the organization does. So many GJMs on this board.

    Posted by Jeff Maine February 4, 09 08:28 AM

  1. get it right, it is a simple risk/reward deal. He is simply a backup plan if kotsay,youk,lowell or drew are hurt..don't forget baldelli is day to day until proven otherwise..anyone looking for us to replace manny is ill informed. Adam dunn is not the answer,and where would you like to play him???worst case scenario he is a left-handed bat that could help in a pinch or fill in for 3 weeks in case of injury.

    Posted by John Gamble February 4, 09 02:27 PM

  1. get it right, it is a simple risk/reward deal. He is simply a backup plan if kotsay,youk,lowell or drew are hurt..don't forget baldelli is day to day until proven otherwise..anyone looking for us to replace manny is ill informed. Adam dunn is not the answer,and where would you like to play him???worst case scenario he is a left-handed bat that could help in a pinch or fill in for 3 weeks in case of injury.

    Posted by John Gamble February 4, 09 02:28 PM

  1. 1fSFnR comment4 ,

    Posted by Jxgkjukd June 23, 09 03:58 AM
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