Sports

The Globe's Peter Abraham reports that the Red Sox are making a push to obtain Toronto ace Roy Halladay before the start of baseball’s winter meetings Dec. 7. But the Blue Jays reportedly want top prospect Casey Kelly along with young starter Clay Buchholz. The Sox could retreat from the deal if the Blue Jays continue to demand Kelly. The 20-year-old was their first pick in the 2006 draft and signed for $3 million. Kelly has been both a starting pitcher and a shortstop in the minors after turning down a scholarship to play quarterback at the University of Tennessee. Kelly went 7-5 with a 2.08 ERA on the mound, striking out 74 over 95 innings with only 16 walks. He is less advanced at the plate, having hit .219 with 4 home runs and 91 strikeouts over 292 at-bats. He finished last season in Single A ball. Toronto's interest in Kelly was first reported by the New York Daily News. Halladay made it clear to the Blue Jays during the summer that he was not likely to re-sign with the team once his contract expires following the 2010 season. Team president Paul Beeston confirmed that last week, saying Halladay had not changed his mind and was eager to join a contender. “There’s no animosity,’’ Beeston told the Globe and Mail of Toronto. “He’s just not inclined to sign with us.’’ Halladay also will be a target of the Yankees, who have young pitchers Joba Chamberlain and Phil Hughes to offer along with catching prospects Jesus Montero and Austin Romine. Their tipping point could be if Toronto seeks outfielder prospect Austin Jackson. The Angels and Dodgers also have opened talks with the Blue Jays. The Angels chased Halladay last summer before settling for Tampa Bay lefthander Scott Kazmir. Their package would center on a young starter: Jered Weaver, Joe Saunders, or Ervin Santana. . . . New Blue Jays general manager Alex Anthopoulos told the Toronto Sun Nov. 12 he wasn't going to comment on trade rumors, but did say that if all offers for Roy Halladay were about the same, he'd avoid sending the ace righty to AL East rival Boston. "Now, if we had strictly apples and apples offers for Halladay, one from Boston, one from another team, it would not be Boston. If we made a deal we owe it to our fans to obtain the best deal possible," Anthopoulos said. In the same report the GM, who replaced J.P. Ricciardi at the end of the season, said he wouldn't rule out a trade within the division if the deal was good enough. The Red Sox were willing to give up a lot of young talent for Felix Hernandez at the July trading deadline this season, so it's possible Boston could have the best hand when trade talks begin in earnest. "If we get the right package, we'll make the trade," Anthopoulos told the Toronto Sun. "It would be awfully narrow thinking of me to turn down the best offer because of the fact it came from within our division. The Phillies, Yankees and Mets have all been rumored to be in the mix for a possible deal for Halladay, the 2003 Cy Young winner who has career record of 148-76 with a 3.43 ERA and 1.20 WHIP.

From the Globe's Peter Abraham, on speculation that the Detroit slugger could be targeted by the Sox: Miguel Cabrera had a fantastic season (although not MVP-worthy, with all due respect to my Japanese media colleague) for the Tigers. He had a .942 OPS, hit 34 homers and scored 96 runs. He's also only 26. There are assorted rumors out there that Cabrera will be made available via trade and — hey — the Red Sox could play him at first base. It's not quite Adrian Gonzalez, but it would be an impressive acquisition. But at the risk of being derided by my statistically inclined friends, isn't this one of those situations where in three years everybody shakes their head and says, 'Yeah, we should have seen this coming?" Cabrera is generously listed at 240 pounds by the Tigers. That was probably in 2005. Once an outfielder and then a third baseman, he is now a first baseman and may soon he headed to DH. He also is owed $126 million over the next six seasons. Certainly, Mr. Cabrera could see the error in his ways, take up yoga and be slender and flexible come 2015. But the odds are against that. Then there's this: As the Tigers were trying to get into the playoffs in October, Cabrera decided that was a good time to go out and get hammer drunk. Mrs. Cabrera was not pleased when he rolled in just in time for The Today Show and the police were summoned. Taken to the hospital, he was found to have a blood-alcohol level of .26. According to the police report, Cabrera was released only after it was determined he was not in medical danger. Now that's drunk. Drinking is no crime, thankfully. But when your team is trying to make the playoffs, it's probably best not to do that. Imagine for a second how that would have played in Boston. The Tigers are owned by pizza magnate Mike Ilitch and have a pile of money. If Cabrera is being shopped, it's not for budgetary reasons. It's because they decided they would be better off without him. That should give teams plenty of pause.

San Diego Union-Tribune columnist Tim Sullivan says the time will probably come to deal Adrian Gonzalez -- but that time is not now. Writes Sullivan: "For all of the furious gum-flapping going on in New England, the Padres are under very little pressure to be shopping their best player just now. A-Gon is still an appreciating asset, still bound to the Home Team for two more seasons on favorable financial terms and not yet 28 years old . . . Gonzalez will probably price himself out of Petco Park eventually, but that hour is neither here, at hand nor likely to occur during next month's Winter Meetings in Indianapolis." . . . According to Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports the Red Sox are willing to eat half of Mike Lowell's $12 million contract next season if they can move him to another team. The third baseman hasn't played more than 119 games in the last two seasons and with the trade deadline acquisition of Victor Martinez last season, the team has an extra glove. The willingness to move Lowell might indicate that the Sox are interested in pursuing Adrian Gonzalez at first and putting Kevin Youkilis permanently at third base....The Sox made a hard push for Gonzalez at the trading deadline. He's 27, plays outstanding defense, his contract is a steal (he'll make $4.75 million in 2010), and despite the feeble San Diego lineup, still managed to put up numbers that would thrill pretty much any hitter not named Albert Pujols. He hit 40 homers, drove in 99 runs, led the National League in walks (119), and his OPS (.958) rated fifth in the league. So why would the Padres consider trading him? Because as former general manager Kevin Towers said, they won't be able to afford him a few seasons from now since they intend to have a $40 million payroll. If -- or when -- the Red Sox rekindle talks with the Padres about Gonzalez, the process will be fascinating. Not only does new Padres general manager Jed Hoyer have a deep reservoir of knowledge about the Red Sox' farm system from his time as an assistant GM to Theo Epstein, he also knows how the club regards its own prospects -- and how much Epstein really covets Gonzalez. Because of Hoyer's insight, the Red Sox will have to pay a steep price for Gonzalez. He's one player who might be worth it.

Are the Red Sox sincere about re-signing Jason Bay, or do they prefer someone else. According to ESPN's Buster Olney, that may be their thinking, with "two rival executives" telling him that they believe the Sox will continue to take the Bay negotiations slow, with the possibility that former Cardinal Matt Holliday, a left fielder with very similar skills to Bay, is their preference. . . . Amalie Benjamin wrote that Bay's agent, Joe Urbon, says that "there's been - an 'extraordinary' level of interest." He went on to say that a dialogue between Bay and the Sox will continue...Jon Heyman broke the news on Nov. 19 on his Twitter feed that Jason Bay rejected the Red Sox offer of about $60 million over four years and the left fielder will test free agency...according to the Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Disptach the Cardinals do not consider Bay a priority, despite rumors that the left fielder was option 1A for St. Louis if dealings with Holliday don't pan out...from Red Sox GM Theo Epstein, discussing Bay in an WEEI interview: "If a player reaches free agency, usually the team that overbids, so to speak, for him is the one that lands him. But that's not necessarily the case here, but sure it could be. We have to prepare for that contingency if he leaves but I don't think the negotiation's over by any means because of the fundamental elements are in place, him wanting to be here, us wanting to keep him." Despite Epstein's desire to hold onto Bay, the Sox no longer retain negotiating exclusivity with the left fielder since the Nov. 20 deadline has passed. Bay is now a free agent and free to speak and sign with any team he wants.

According to SI.com's Jon Heyman, Matt Holliday has been told that the Angels and Giants wouldn't be pursuing him. But that still leaves a number of other contenders, including the Red Sox, Mets, and Yankees. Writes Heyman: "The Yankees are believed to be his first choice, but for now, they seem more intent on improving their starting pitching situation. The target price seems to be Mark Teixeira's $180 million deal, but some baseball execs seem to think he won't receive much more than half that despite Alfonso Soriano's $136 million deal only two years ago." There is speculation that the Red Sox like Holliday better than their own free agent left fielder, Jason Bay . . . The most enticing free agent of the offseason may be Holliday. The Cardinals traded for the outfielder before the trade deadline. He was sensational batting behind Albert Pujols, but the Cardinals were swept tin the NLDS by the Dodgers, with his error on a routine fly ball proving costly in the final loss. One thing to be wary of -- other than that his agent is Scott Boras -- is that Holliday batted .286 with 11 HRs and 54 RBI in his 93 games with the Oakland A's last season. When he came back to the National League, Holliday put up numbers that were typical during his time in Colorado - .353 average, 13 HRs and 55 RBI in just 63 games. Other than his first year in the league, Holliday has always batted over .300 playing against NL teams. He didn't have nearly that level of success in his 93 games in Oakland, so it remains to be seen how he will fare in the AL.

ESPN.com's Buster Olney (Insider only) writes that one way Billy Wagner could help to overcome his Type A free agent status is by reducing his asking price, making him worth the pick it would cost to sign him. Writes Olney: "Rival teams assume that the Red Sox will offer Wagner arbitration, meaning that Boston will get two picks in compensation if Wagner signs elsewhere. Generally speaking, teams have been reluctant to give up top picks in recent seasons in compensation for the lesser Type A free agents. Wagner may have settle for less than he's likely to ask for because he is 38 and returned from Tommy John surgery in August . . . Wagner needs just 15 to amass 400 for his career. When he was introduced with the Red Sox he expressed his desire to reach that benchmark. He appeared in 15 games for the Sox, but didn't record a save. Wagner's agent told FoxSports.com's Ken Rosenthal that the closer has no intention of retiring and wants to play next season. Wagner is a free agent who is eligible for salary arbitration. The Red Sox agreed not to pick up Wagner's $8-million option in exchange for him waiving his no-trade clause when the Red Sox acquired him in August...according to Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports eight teams have expressed interest in Wagner, even with the Type A status. The mentioned interested teams include the Red Sox, Braves, Nationals, Astros, and Orioles. Meanwhile, the NY Post is reporting that the Sox asked the Braves for medical records relievers Mike Gonzalez and Rafael Soriano.

Don't be looking for Hideki Matsui to land in Boston anytime soon. According to the Globe's Peter Abraham, the Japanese sports web site report that had the Red Sox interested in signing the World Series MVP is quite likely untrue. Matsui is a DH largely incapable of playing the outfield. He last played the field on June 15, 2008 and has since had two knee surgeries. The only way the Red Sox would have interest in Matsui would be if they were able to first trade David Ortiz. If the Rays can rid themselves of Pat Burrell there is a chance Matsui could land in Tampa. Others have speculated on the probability of the 35-year old landing in Baltimore or Chicago, with the White Sox, if he doesn't resign with the Yankees. At this point, it doesn't seem likely that Matsui will be in Boston next season, especially after Epstein's commitment to Ortiz as the DH.

Maybe Johnny Damon won't remain a Yankee after all. The New York Post reports that Johnny Damon's agent Scott Boras argued Damon’s past three seasons equate well with the past three seasons for Jeter, and so whatever the Yanks are intending to do with Jeter long-term (likely extending him for three or four years after next season) Damon deserves similar consideration. According to the Post's Joel Sherman, Damon's agent, Scott Boras, is hinting he's looking for three- or four-year deal for Damon, whom he apparently compares to Derek Jeter. There was talk in the aftermath of the World Series that Damon would be willing to sign with the Yankees for one- or two-year deal. Boras also claims that Damon enabled Jeter to have one of his best season's ever by hitting in front of him and that the former Red Sox idiot has "the body of a 30-year-old."

With the Sox decided not to pick up the $6 million option on Alex Gonzalez -- he could return at a lesser price -- and Jed Lowrie has yet to prove he can remain healthy for a full season, it's conceivable that neither will enter the 2010 as the Red Sox' starting shortstop. It's been reported that the Sox were in on discussion for former-Brewers shortstop, J.J. Hardy before he was dealt to Minnesota for Carlos Gomez. Milwaukee wanted either starter Clay Buchholz or reliever Daniel Bard for Hardy. The Sox were not willing to offer either pitcher. Milwaukee reportedly was not interested in righthander Michael Bowden, whom the Sox would have been willing to part with, and the Sox did not have a center field prospect who could match Gomez's skill set . . . Among options on the free agent market, the most appealing -- and the appeal is probably lukewarm -- is 33-year-old Scutaro, who is coming off a career year with the Blue Jays (.282-12-62, 100 runs scored). But signing him at this stage of his career may also be a case of buyer beware: Scutaro's 109 adjusted OPS last season was the first time in his eight-year career that it has been over 100.

The Red Sox coveted Mariners righthander Felix Hernandez enough at the trading deadline to offer the farm for him. But while there has been talk that King Felix could be back on the market if he's not signed long-term this offseason, Seattle general manager Jack Zduriencik didn't sound like a man who was going to make that happen. "He's one of the best guys in the game. He's an integral part of our team and what we're doing here," Zduriencik said at the general managers' meetings in Chicago. Zduriencik wouldn't comment on how many teams have already called and he said, "I can't control clubs calling." At the moment, however, Octagon, the firm which represents Hernandez, has not received a contract proposal from the Mariners but have been told one is on the way. . . . A "rival GM" told the New York Post's Joel Sherman that it would be foolish for Hernandez to sign a long-term deal. "If you are Felix Hernandez and you know the Yankees are out there with the possibility of maybe giving you $200 million in two years, why would you sign now?" Read more: The Red Sox' pursuit at the July 31 trade deadline of Hernandez stands as perhaps the most obvious example of their leave-no-stone-unturned philosophy. The price for King Felix, who went 19-5 with a 2.49 ERA for the Mariners this season, would be staggering in terms of prospects. Given his breathtaking talent and success, the Mariners would have to be overwhelmed to deal the righthander -- or convinced they can not sign him long-term (he is under contract through 2011 season). At July's trade deadline, the Sox took the "overwhelm them" approach. The Seattle Times reported that the Sox told the Mariners they could take five of the following eight players: Clay Buchholz, Daniel Bard, Josh Reddick, Justin Masterson, Nick Hagadone, Michael Bowden, Felix Doubront, and Yamaico Navarro. Masterson and Hagadone were later dealt to Cleveland for Victor Martinez, but it would take a similar package of quality and depth to bring one of baseball's elite pitchers to Boston.

If you can't beat 'em ... sign 'em? John Lackey, the Angels' 31-year-old righthander. set the tone in Game 1 of Los Angeles' American League Division Series sweep of the Red Sox, earning the win with 7.1 innings of scoreless pitching. He will be a coveted free agent after spending the first eight seasons of his career with the Angels, winning 102 games. While a top-of-the-rotation starter probably isn't a priority for GM Theo Epstein, there is truth in the cliche that you can never have too much pitching, and it is intriguing that Lackey's most similar all-time comparison, according to baseball-reference.com, is Josh Beckett. A less expensive option -- we'll try to refrain from saying reclamation project -- is former Cub Rich Harden. Harden's career has been plagued with injuries, but when he's been healthy, he's been an outstanding starter. Harden has a career 7.2 strikeouts/nine innings. With a little offensive firepower to give him some support, Harden could be a valuable second or third starter.