Busy Red Sox add Drew, Lugo; Maddux headed to Padres

Team Infidel

Forum Spin Doctor


MIKE FITZPATRICK

Associated Press

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - The Boston Red Sox were the busiest team on the second day of baseball's winter meetings, adding right fielder J.D. Drew and shortstop Julio Lugo to their everyday lineup.
The San Diego Padres also made a splash Tuesday, putting Greg Maddux in their starting rotation.
But while a few free agents finally got snapped up, not a single trade had been completed halfway through the meetings.
"I do believe the free-agent market is kind of holding off a little bit the trade front, because there are so many free agents still available," New York Mets general manager Omar Minaya said.
That could change soon. The Mets were close to sending pitcher Brian Bannister to Kansas City for reliever Ambiorix Burgos, a person familiar with the talks said, speaking on condition of anonymity because the trade hadn't been finalized. The deal was contingent on both teams being satisfied with medical data.
In another possible swap, the Chicago Cubs appeared to be discussing deals involving outfielder Jacque Jones.
Boston's attempts to deal Manny Ramirez appeared to be slowing. But the Red Sox did reach preliminary agreements on a $70 million, five-year contract with Drew and a $36 million, four-year deal with Lugo. If healthy, Drew would bat behind David Ortiz and Ramirez in the middle of the order.
"With David and Manny, if they want to walk those guys, we want them to pay a steep price," Red Sox manager Terry Francona said.
Ramirez at times has said he wants to leave Boston, which annually explores trades for him without making one. Giants general manager Brian Sabean joked about a possible Ramirez trade, saying "it might be a four-way." He hinted that he'd been in the suite of Red Sox GM Theo Epstein.
"Boston has vats of Starbucks coffee, cafeteria vats," Sabean said.
Maddux and the Padres, meanwhile, closed in on a $10 million, one-year contract, a deal that would contain a player option for 2008. Agent Scott Boras, without indicating a team, said Maddux's deal "was moving positively ... but not done yet."
Details on Maddux's potential contract with the Padres were disclosed by two people familiar with the talks who spoke on condition of anonymity because no deal had been finalized.
"Southern California was always a place Greg wanted to play. He was very happy in L.A. last year," Boras said. "San Diego also has an environment for his family. His decisions are based primarily on his family."
Boras said Barry Zito, another client, was "geographically free." Zito, the top available free-agent pitcher, could wind up with a contract of six or seven years, a length that might eliminate several suitors.
"In the marketplace there have been three-year deals given for guys that have had substantial injury histories," Boras said. "Last year, we got a five-(year) deal for Kevin Millwood. Zito has pristine durability. He's never missed a start. So definitely he's going to be someone that's in that range."
San Francisco and Barry Bonds' agent talked for the second straight day about a deal to keep the left fielder with the Giants.
"We do have a lot of dialogue with them," Jeff Borris said. "I'm not frustrated. It's a business. ... His status is a healthy, 42-year-old unemployed baseball player. He is looking for work on a team with a chance to make the postseason, as a left fielder, DH or a combination of both."
Oakland was hoping to reach an agreement with Mike Piazza, also represented by Borris' agency, to become its designated hitter. That deal could be struck Wednesday.
In Tuesday's only announced free-agent agreement, reliever LaTroy Hawkins and the Colorado Rockies finalized a $3.5 million, one-year contract. Reliever Joe Borowski and outfielder David Dellucci were to take physicals Tuesday, a step toward finalizing contracts with the Indians.
In an overheated market, especially for pitchers, Ted Lilly was likely to get a four-year contract, with the Chicago Cubs the most likely destination. Mark Mulder was getting multiyear offers even though he had rotator cuff surgery in September. Houston manager Phil Garner was hoping Andy Pettitte would choose pitching over retirement - and decide to stay with his hometown Astros rather than return to the Yankees.
"I certainly am tainted by my biased feeling that he wants to be in Houston. He needs to be in Houston and we want him to be in Houston," Garner said. "And his family is dying for him to be in Houston. His kids are pining every day at school wondering, 'Oh, Daddy, please don't go anywhere else. Stay in Houston.' I could hear it all over the city."
Boras said reliever Eric Gagne, coming off elbow surgery in April and back surgery in July, had many suitors. The former All-Star closer was born in Montreal, leading to speculation Toronto might be interested.
"It doesn't hurt to have a hockey town involved," Boras said.
 
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