The Triumphant Red Sox Blog

The World Series of which we shall not speak is but a week over, and already there is some Red Sox offseason news to report.

• November 5, 2009 — Outfielder Jason Bay filed for free agency after failing to secure a contract extension during the season. Shortstop Nick Green and outfielder Joey Gathright also filed, rejecting minor league assignments.
• November 5, 2009 — Boston traded lefty pitcher Hunter Jones and a minor leaguer to the Florida Marlins for outfielder Jeremy Hermida. With J.D. Drew still under contract and Jacoby Ellsbury now firmly in possession of the center field job, Hermida is either a potential replacement for Bay or pretty good trade bait.
• November 8, 2009 — The Sox decline to pick up shortstop Alex Gonzalez' $6 million option. Either they think they can sign him for something less, or Theo hasn't yet tired of his annual game of musical shortstops.
• November 9, 2009 — In a cost-cutting move, the team negotiated a new contract for Tim Wakefield, guaranteeing the knuckleballer $5 million over two years. Up to $5 million is also available in incentives. Thus ends the only one-year-club-option-in-perpetuity contract I have ever heard of.
• November 9, 2009 — Boston picked up catcher/first baseman/DH Victor Martinez' 2010 option for $7.7 million but haven't approached him about an extension beyond that.
• November 11, 2009 — Catcher/Captain Jason Varitek exercised his $3 million player option for 2010 after the Sox declined to pick up the club option which would have paid him $5 million.

With the GM meetings now underway in Chicago, watch for signs that the Sox are pursuing Matt Holliday, Adrian Gonzalez, and/or Roy Halladay, to mention just a few of the bigger names available via free agency or trade.

Labels: news and notes, postseason, transactions