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Tough day for the Red Sox

Print | Comments () Posted by Nick Cafardo, Globe Staff December 5, 2010 05:41 PM

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It isn't a very good day for the Red Sox.

With the Adrian Gonzalez deal dead for the time being and with Jayson Werth agreeing to an ungodly seven-year, $126 million contract with the Washington Nationals, Boston's options for improved offense are withering down to a few players.

Ran into Scott Boras here at the Winter Meetings who said that dialogue between Theo Epstein has been ongoing on a few players, including Adrian Beltre. That door has not been shut after all. So the Red Sox could very well sign Beltre.

The other possibility that remains open is Arizona outfielder Justin Upton.

He's not the player Gonzalez is, but is only 23 years old. The Sox have shown their hand that they are willing to trade prospects for big-time players.

Carl Crawford is still there for the taking but now the Red Sox would have to compete with the Yankees for him.

Boras has made a few deals with Washington — Bryce Harper and Steven Strausberg. The Nationals know that to attract good players they have to over-extend, and that's what they did with Werth. The Red Sox were in it, but weren't willing to stretch to seven years.