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| Options Abound for the Red Sox | 10.21.09 at 2:13 pm ET |
The Red Sox hold (or, in some cases, held) options for the 2010 season on seven members of the club. If exercised, the players (in most cases) can be retained for next year. If declined by the team, then the players become free agents. Here is a quick look at those players, as well as the timelines for decisions about the options:
Josh Beckett (team option): His $12.1 million option for 2010 vested when he made his 28th start of the season on Sept. 7.
Alex Gonzalez (mutual option): The club has until five days after the World Series to make a decision about whether to exercise its $6 million option for next year. If it declines the option, it must pay a $500,000 buyout. Since it is a mutual option, if the Sox do pick up the option, Gonzalez would then have two days to decide whether to accept or decline the chance to return to Boston on that one-year, $6 million deal. If he declines the option, he also voids the buyout.
Victor Martinez (team option): The Sox have until five days after the World Series to make their decision on Martinez’ $7 million option for next year. Insofar as G.M. Theo Epstein has already proclaimed Martinez the team’s primary catcher for 2010, it would appear that the catcher/first baseman need not concern himself with the possibility of a $250,000 buyout.
Takashi Saito (team option): Based on his 2009 earnings, the Sox could have retained Saito on a one-year, $6 million deal with a potential $1.5 million in incentives for 2010. Instead, the team attempted to outright him, resulting in the right-hander declaring himself a free agent, thereby removing the possibility of an option. Saito remains open to the possibility of returning as a free agent. Indeed, the attempted outright assignment was done precisely so that Saito could become a free agent who was could re-sign with the Sox this offseason.
Jason Varitek (team and player options): The Sox have until five days after the World Series to decide whether to exercise their $5 million club option on Varitek for next season. If the Sox decline their option, then Varitek would have five days from the time of being notified of the club’s decision to decide whether or not to exercise a one-year, $3 million (with the possibility of another $2 million in incentives) player option.
Billy Wagner (team option): The Sox formally agreed not to pick up Wagner’s $8 million option for the 2010 season at the time that he agreed to waive his no-trade clause. Instead, the team is on the hook for his $1 million buy-out. The real intrigue with Wagner revolves around whether he will be offered arbitration, and if he is, whether he will accept it. As Wagner told Rob Bradford, he anticipates that the Sox will make the offer and he will decline it in order to become a free agent and pursue the opportunity to close elsewhere.
Tim Wakefield (team option): The Sox have until five days after the World Series to exercise their recurring $4 million option on Wakefield. Barring any setbacks following his “successful” surgery today, the Sox would appear likely to retain the services of a player who likely ranks as one of the top two free-agent bargains in Red Sox history.
18 Comments for “Options Abound for the Red Sox”
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October 21st, 2009 at 5:57 pm
I HOPE V-tek WILL PICK UP HIS OPTION of 3 millions..
and excusise the player option.
October 22nd, 2009 at 5:33 am
Lousy free agaent market this year. Watch for blockbuster, roster changing trade!
October 22nd, 2009 at 6:54 am
The easiest way to tell if someone doesn’t know a thing about baseball is if they say the Sox shouldn’t sign Wakefield. Once I hear someone say that I stop paying attention to them.
October 22nd, 2009 at 9:49 am
you can stop paying attention,but Wakfield should go along with Varitech,and I would not mind seeing the SOX get rid of FRANCONA,OR SON”T YOU WATCH THE GAMES?
October 22nd, 2009 at 12:41 pm
Yeah, don’t you watch the games? Francona hit like .000 for the year and he was awful on the mound, he must have given up like 30 ER in that one relief appearance…
October 22nd, 2009 at 1:20 pm
This team does not need options. They need fire!!!1 They should get anyone and everyone that will give it to them 162 games a year. That goes for Francona on down. We want all players to be a force, not just Ortiz.
Jim, Cumberland, Md.
October 22nd, 2009 at 3:01 pm
Funny, no one spoke of J Bay………..He may not be in the Option file but he needs a new contract…… get him signed.
The other Jason …. could be the next bench coach if the Sox lose Mills. He ( Varitek ) is most valuable to the team…. not just on the field.
Then go after A Gonzales of SD. The Sox need that bat to go with Bay, Martinez,Yuk & JD.. The long ball is now in order.
October 22nd, 2009 at 3:45 pm
It appears a lot of the people who are commenting like to drink during the daytime.
Last I checked, Francona led them to 2 World Series championships. He’s not to blame for everyone forgetting how to hit in this postseason. As for last year, one clutch hit against Tampa, and make that 3 WS championships.
Wake is reliable and cheap. Complete bargain.
October 22nd, 2009 at 4:22 pm
If the Sox can sign Bay at a fair market price it needs to be done. Wakefield is a no brainer to pick up the option on. I personally would like to see a trade for Adrian Gonzalez whom is headed into the prime of his career, but not for Clay Bucholz. Also Chone Figgins would be a nice addittion if Bay leaves and assuming we still get Adrian Gonzalez.
October 22nd, 2009 at 11:31 pm
I love the people who HATE Francona! There isn’t a single Pats fan who HATES Bellichick! Why the hate guys?
He’s BY FAR the best Manager the Sox have had in the modern era and there’s no denying it! (unless your drunk) He’s the ideal manager for the way the game is played nowadays ESPECIALLY in a media and results driven city like Boston. Give him his well deserved props folks his number 47 may be next to Cronin’s someday…
Oh yeah RUSS, you’ll be disappointed to hear that the Sox extended Francona through 2011 with options for ‘12 and ‘13… Keep wishing all you douchebags this guy ain’t goin anywhere!!!
October 23rd, 2009 at 9:11 am
The only creditable entry on this blog would have to come from Theo Epstein.
October 23rd, 2009 at 4:01 pm
Never mind Francona being the best manager in Modern Sox history, as a rabid fan for 76 (seventy six) years, I can tell you that he is the best manager the Sox have ever had— by far!!..It’s amazing and puzzling that he should be criticized if one of his decisions doesn’t agree with the 2nd guessers..The best example I can give you was the 4th game in 2004, and Roberts had stolen 2nd..The experts around me were hollering for a bunt, and Bill Mueller crossed them up by singling on the 1st pitch…Nuff said
October 24th, 2009 at 12:00 pm
Boston fans deserve better, Theo and the front office management from New York are the problem here.Their frugal wallets and high bonuses for themselves is what did this to us with another sold out season at the park. We need to get another steady healthy starter that can win games, along with another strong batting hitter like Martinez did for us this year pls give them some help meaning players and fans. We need some Change.
October 26th, 2009 at 3:59 pm
JARED Says:
October 21st, 2009 at 5:57 pm
“I HOPE V-tek WILL PICK UP HIS OPTION of 3 millions..
and excusise the player option.”
First of all, V-Tek is done as starting catcher for the Sox. Secondly, do you want him as a pinch-hitter? I don’t think so.
Thirdly, who taught you how to spell? Excusise? What the hell is that? The word is EXERCISE!
Sue your school system! They have failed you, miserably.
October 26th, 2009 at 4:01 pm
RUSS Says:
October 22nd, 2009 at 9:49 am
“you can stop paying attention,but Wakfield should go along with Varitech,and I would not mind seeing the SOX get rid of FRANCONA,OR SON”T YOU WATCH THE GAMES?”
WAKFIELD??? VARITECH??? AND YOU QUESTION IF SOMEONE ELSE IS WATCHING THE GAMES? YOU CAN’T EVEN SPELL THE NAMES OF THE SOX PLAYERS! EMBARRASSING!
October 27th, 2009 at 8:42 am
The sox need wake. definitely. let him stay with the team until he retires unless he is very bad even if he gets injured you cant let a guy go who recently went to his 1st all star game. keep a gon unless lowrie promises to stay healthy. otherwise, you NEED HIM!!!
October 28th, 2009 at 6:42 pm
Sox Nation….I hate to even mention this but J-Bay will not be back with Boston in 2010. There are too many teams already lining up to pay big bucks for him! The Sox could easily go after a Bobby Abreu or a Chone Figgins as a cheaper method of completing the outfield roster! They will do something close to that only if they make a big blockbuster trade and acquire Adrian Gonzalez from San Diego! Can you imagine this lineup :
CF Ellsbury
2B Pedroia
C V. Martinez
1B A. Gonzalez
3B Youkilis
DH Ortiz
LF Abreu/Figgins
RF Drew
SS Lowrie/Gonzo
**There is great potential to have a Yankee type lineup if the cards are dealt right this offseason for the Sox.
Possible rotation : Beckett
Lester
Dice K
Wakefield
Bucholtz
Closer : Papelbon
Trade Bait : Lowell, Bard, Lowrie, Papelbon
October 28th, 2009 at 6:48 pm
Time to put Varitek as an assistant pitching coach of some sort and I’m a huge Mike Lowell fan, but I feel its time for him to be trade bait. Another possible thought I had was if boston can pick up a power hitting firstbaseman such as A. Gonzalez then Youkilis moves to third base and Papi and Lowell can platoon at the DH position….a righty and a lefty for DH duties….hmmm. Lowell would be a great addition off the bench if we can’t move him in a deal. I’m anxious to see what will transpire this offseason. You have got to believe that after the year the Yankees had after signing a big bat like Texiera and a pitcher like C.C. Sabathia that the Red Sox are going to be forced to get more talent to stay competitive in the East! I think Theo and Terry both know this and are ready and willing for a change!