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Report: Adrian Gonzalez promised Sox he wouldn’t chase Albert Pujols money 12.23.10 at 12:58 am ET
By Alex Speier

Adrian Gonzalez assured the Red Sox he wouldn't allow changes to the market to alter the deal he was seeking. (AP)

According to ESPN.com, during negotiations with his new club, Adrian Gonzalez assured the Red Sox that even though the two sides did not finalize a contract before his trade from San Diego to Boston became official, he wouldn’t allow changes in the market to alter what he was seeking in a contract. Specifically, Gonzalez told the Sox that he would not let a potential contract extension for Cardinals superstar Albert Pujols alter what he sought. Instead, Gonzalez told the club that he would continue to use the same deals his agent mentioned early in the offseason — the eight-year, $180 million deal signed by Mark Teixeira, the five-year, $125 million deal Ryan Howard has with the Phillies and the eight-year, $184 million deal that Joe Mauer has with the Twins — to guide what he saw as fair market value.

From the article:

“I made a comment to Theo, ‘Make the trade happen by itself, and I promise you during the season I’ll negotiate,”’ Gonzalez said. “I’m not going to come here and be like, ‘OK, we’ll see you at free agency and see if you outbid the other teams.’ We’ll negotiate during the season. We’re going to be fair. We won’t be looking for record-breaking deals. We just want market value.

“We gave them our word that we were going to negotiate during the season in good faith. We’re not going to go in there and ask for Albert Pujols’ contract, something along those lines.”

Pujols’ presence was clearly felt at the table. The Red Sox couldn’t shake the notion that if Pujols signed a mega-deal, the shared parameters of what market value was could change overnight.

“That was one of their comments, what if he gets this humongous deal and you want to be closer to him?” Gonzalez said. “I said, ‘Trust me. What the market is today might change by then, but we’re going to negotiate based on what the market is today.”’

According to the story, Gonzalez and the Sox agreed that an extension did not need to be hammered out in order to finalize the trade. Instead, the first baseman and the club achieved an understanding of the financial parameters for a deal that Gonzalez sought, and agreed to revisit talks later, once Gonzalez’ had returned to the field in the spring following surgery to repair the labrum in his right shoulder.

The Sox currently control Gonzalez’ rights for the 2011 season, when he will make $6.3 million. While there is not yet a formal agreement for an extension, both sides stated unequivocally that they were all but certain that one would be inked before Gonzalez becomes eligible for free agency.

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  • Mike

    “We promise to NEGOTIATE” doesn’t mean Gonzo is a done deal with the Sox. All this means is that they promise to TALK—period.

  • chasingwilma

    i don’t think so, i bet it is a done deal…….

  • Greg

    Or they have the deal in place already and can’t talk about it until the season starts so they don’t get hit with the luxury tax.

  • john

    the deal is already done they just won’t announce until the season starts to keep the luxury tax low for this upcoming season dont worry sox fans if you see someone on here saying the deal is not done and the guy will walk or want 200 million dollars does are just yankee fans just in a panic

  • Robert

    I will feel alot better when I am sure this deal is done.

  • Eric Bousquet

    I agree with Robert!

  • Rob

    the deal is done. just an article to get people to read. the funny part is that the guy who wrote this KNOWS the deal is done and his entire article is BS

  • babe ruth

    What are all these phonies going to say now that they are the ones trying to buy a title, the one thing they always complained the Yankees did. Lets face it they will never be the Yankees as much as they would like to be. they could win 10 championships and still not come close to the Yankees success. Sox fans remember the Yankees are the team of the century.

  • Babe Ruth Is Dead…

    Babe Ruth…maybe the last century…not this one…

    Since this new ownership came into place in 2003 the sox have 2 world championships and the yankees 1….guess you are yesterdays news…

    And if you honestly look at the two team right now…we are probably closer to getting one than you fat boy!

  • babe ruth

    you are probably right, the sox made some great moves, so will we finally hear the cry baby sox fans admit that this is the system and if you sign free agents all the power to you instead of crying the Yankees bought there titles. Is that what the Yankees should say if the sox win this year? they bought the championship. You won’t hear that from yankee fans. What you will hear is the sox did a better job building there team in whatever way they build it. Win or lose Sox fans are a bunch of phonies

  • Babe Ruth’s rectum

    And the Yankee fans aren’t a bunch of cry baby phonies as well? If you have the money, flaunt it. The Yankees had one option to counter the Red Sox signings and they blew it. The second best team in baseball is in the NL east and not the AL East. You can thank Tampa Bay for selling away their team so you guys get the Wild Card, scrub.

  • Robert

    I have to agree with Babe. A FA is a proven commodity. Who knows how much is wasted every year on development. Not saying you shouldn’t have a farm system,but there is no shame in signing free agents.The real villians are the owners who stick millions in there pockets and field lousy teams.There should be a way to enforce all luxury tax dollars be put back into that team’s payroll.

  • john w

    I do not know why everyone thinks Albert is chasing the A Rod money. Just watch and see what happens ! He is so happy in St. Louis, His wife Deridra is very involved in St.Louis charity’s, the whole family is involved in the community..Wait and see,
    As for Gonzalez, he says one thing now, lets see what his agent says, knowing the Sox will pay, Thats why they traded for him…There not about to have a one year rental..

  • Deano

    Couple of things to note from the game last night. 

    The player of the game to me was Shawn Thornton not Horton. The rink was dead quiet and everyone was in their seats until Thornton woke up the rink with that penalty shot. Then right as the crowd got a little quiet, he had the fight and after that the rink was up for the rest of the game. 

    Tuuka has been playing great, so this is a one game nit pick type of thing. However, last night he was taking bad angles on the puck and letting up too many rebounds in bad areas.

    On top of that, I sat next to my first true pink hat fan in the garden last night. I have been going to almost every home game for the last three years. I was appalled. First it was a couple, showed up late, halfway through the first period, left early when bruins got up by 5-3. When Thornton got into the fight they both stayed in their seats and the lady said she did not like fighting. Then when the Bruins scored they refused to stand even though they were decked in bruins apparel. They complained about the Bruins fans yelling. Then I had it when they did the 8 spoked salute and they did not stand. I flipped out and told them to get off their fat a**es. If anyone else falls into this category. Stay the f at home, I do not want that god awful pats and red sox pink hat crowd taking away my bruins atmosphere. I will not have it. You don’t want to cheer, you won’t stand for a US Soldier, then stay the hell away from my section. 

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