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Ben Cherington: Red Sox ‘still talking’ to Mike Napoli 01.10.13 at 7:23 pm ET
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Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington was a guest of WEEI’s Hot Stove Show Thursday night. Cherington was asked if there was any news regarding the status of free agent first baseman Mike Napoli, who agreed to terms on a three-year deal with the club in early December but has yet to sign the contract as concerns surfaced after the 31-year-old underwent the Red Sox’ physcial examination.

“No, there’s nothing to update,” Cherington said. “We’re, I think as everyone knows, one of our goals this offseason was to add offense at first base. We haven’t been able to really do that officially yet. We’re still talking and when you’re talking, there’s hope for a resolution. But nothing to report right now. … We have had dialogue [with Napoli]. It’s one of those situations, out of respect to Mike and the process, I’m not going to get into detail. Whenever we’re talking and there’s dialogue, it means we’re hopeful of being able to do something but we just don’t know yet. We’ll see how it plays out.”

Cherington was asked if the Red Sox have explored other options at first base. The club reportedly showed interest in Lance Berkman prior to his agreeing with Texas on a one-year, $10 million deal.

“Until something is done, you have to consider other options so we’ve had to do that and we’ve continued to consider other ways to improve the team, whether it’s at first base, or elsewhere,” Cherington said. “At this point, we just haven’t found anything that made sense to us in the sort of big picture. So that’s where we are. There’s no one particular player that’s available or not available that would have changed the course of our offseason. We’re just examining and evaluating things as they come. Certainly when you have a position you’re trying to improve on, until it’s improved upon, you have to continue to consider other options. It’s fair to say as you sort of get deeper into the winter, the free agents start to go off the board. You can look at trades and other ways to do things. It remains a focus. We’re still hoping we can do something to improve ourselves in that area before we get to Fort Myers.”

For more Red Sox news, visit the team page at weei.com/redsox.

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  • scratching my head

    White noise.

  • won’t get fooled again

    Bumbling Ben as usual

    • anguillaman3

      You beat me to the post..YUP….he’s been bumbling since he bacame GM..no sign of any change. Maybe he’ll pick up a fourth catcher before too long.

  • Jeffsharlamo@yahoo.com

    Yeah right Ben. Then go see what it takes to get Morse before the Yankees or Baltimore do. You might get syrprised. Remember he can play first and the outfield.

  • Carl

    Just do it, Ben!

  • Elaine_Apthorp

    Folks, hello, it’s a bridge year. Nobody thinks we can win except, like, me and a few other hopeful Sox diehards. I think Nap will sign in the next few days. If he doesn’t, Mauro Gomez, you’re my man. Let the dude play a full year over there and see what happens. I have no gripe with Ben. He’s doing his job: they’re committed to the farm system and not giving the future away to spruce up the ballclub a little bit in 2013. I’m thinking Napoli signs or we go with Go. If we end up trading for Morse, that’s okay by me, but not if we’re giving up key prospects.

    Sox fans on these boards. . .one minute you’re disgusted by long-term albatross contracts for superstars who may not perform here. Next minute you’re saying Ben Cherrington’s incompetent because he refuses to go all in for superstars that require longterm contracts and may not perform here. You’re disgusted to find we’ve traded away good prospects who turn out to be solid major leaguers, and disgusted to find we’re keeping our prospects and not rigging up ornate trades for potentially good pieces to the puzzle now. Life as a GM, folks. ANY choice you make can make you look awful five months later. I appreciate the consistency the Sox FO has shown so farthis winter. I hope they stick to it and see how it goes.

    • Pedro

      Win! Just in case you missed last year, they were a last place team. Seattle won more games then the Sox did. Napoli is a bum and will fit right in with a last place team. He is damaged goods. Also now that he knows the Sox really have no choice at first base he might just squeeze them for more money. Also if he is so good why did nobody else go after him?

      • Anonymous

         Cherington isn’t playing this well at all.

    • http://www.facebook.com/eddie.kane.108 Eddie Kane

       Elaine,

      Well said (you took the same thoughts I’ve been thinking). I too am a diehard/faithful fan to the bitter end. All those haters or bandwagon fans are all in when the franchise is on the up but when they have ONE off-season all I hear is “the Sox suck” blah, blah, blah. Do us faithful fans a favor….if you cannot allow the process of the off-season play out and run its course, reserve your comments for yourself. Ben in my opinion does have a  huge uphill battle ahead of him. Last year being his first year as GM didn’t turn out as we all faithful fans  had hoped. Luckily we were able to get rid of a lot of “excess baggage” ala Becks, Craw, Gonzo (although I particularly wish he didn’t leave, Bobby V, Dice K, and the other unmentionable.

      I don’t immediately expect them to win the World Series, although on paper they do have the talent to definitely make the playoff (possibly as a wildcard). Youkie I wish you all the best but when the Yanks vs BoSox play, I hope you totally bomb :-P.

  • Jwing3399

    Just confusing why they would have traded Sands without first rectifying the Napoli situation. Granted, not saying Sands would have been the answer …. but if they’ll need to trade for a 1b, then wouldn’t you think a prospect that plays both 1b + OF, might help in building a trade? I get the fact that a redundancy at Closer might create more “trade equity” , so maybe thats how it will play out. Or maybe, they simply have more confidence in Gomez than we think.

    Finally, shows how the media world has chnaged — back when the JD Drew “signing” was taking weeks to become official, there was very little coverage / concern. Sure, a few weeks out, there was an isolated story here or there on it…..but NOTHING like this!

  • Boston_Sports

    Napoli has to be a concern. Why would the Red Sox want to sign a 3 year contract with any player, to the tune of 39 million, if he’s hurt.

  • RDee

    What a joke…………………………Just tell the agent “take it or leave it” What is so hard about that? I would have moved on by now. He(Napoli) is NOT that important, even now at this late stage. Cherington is in over his head to say the least. His signings and lack thereof this offseason prove it. One more thing, how good would Reddick look in right field now?

  • Anonymous

    Cody Ross could have been moved first base and would have cost a lot less.
    Now we lost Ross and are stuck holding the bag on this fat hurt guy.
    Well played Ben.

    • anguillaman3

      Now, that my friend is an outstanging relevant thought….one that obviously was missed by Boy Genius 2.

  • Anonymous

     Time to get off the pot, Ben. 

  • Schwettballs

    Make a trade for Mike Morse! If Napoli eventually signs Morse can play first when Napoli catches and play some left field when Napoli is at first. If Napoli doesn’t sign then you have your full time first baseman.

  • 100%BigPapifor1st

    Is Big Papi taking grounders yet?

  • AL34

    Las Vegas is laying odds that this will be done by Spring Training. It must be really bad for Napoli and us. Boy is he going to be motivated to play for us this year. Should have signed Hamilton instead of dealt with this nonsense.

  • Dano S

    Red Sox Predictions 102.0  Sox trade for Mike Morse he is less expensive than Napoli and can do alot more without the injury concern. Sox also sign Javier Vazquez who is currnetly throwing 95 mph. These two additions will strengthen a much approved Red Sox team.

    • juan

       Don’t listen to DANO he’s an idiot.  Vasquez hasn’t touched 95 on the gun since 2003.  He’s 85-88 at this stage in his career, or retirement I should say.

  • Latrice

    Billy Beane

  • allisnotwellinthebighouse

    Young Benny sure likes to jawbone.

  • Anonymous

    This is the proverbial Mexican standoff where lawyers for both sides are telling their clients to wait and do or say nothing until the other side blinks.  More than two months in the making, the Napoli signing has no viable future, save and accept the Red Sox agreeing to award a lump sum (say, $5,000,000) to Napoli to make him go away. Naturally, Ben and the FO boys do nor like the thought have having to own up to the fact they went too far with this deal before doing their due diligence but that is what this smells like.  Either way, the deal reeks of dead fish… with or without a payoff.

  • Johnny Spygate

    I swear I can hear the Benny Hill theme song whenever I read a story about the trials and tribulations of young Ben.
    You people are lucky to have him.

    • Teddyted

       what you mean…YOU people?  Somebody get Jesse Jackson & the rainbow coalition on the horn!

  • Johnny Spygate

    I swear I can hear the Benny Hill theme song whenever I read a story about the trials and tribulations of young Ben.
    You people are lucky to have him.

  • Anonymous

    Ben, Here are some 1st base options to consider besides your own Mauro Gomez, the International League’s MVP in 2012:

    Kyle Blanks……. DanDiego Padres
    Darin Ruf………. Philadelphia Phils
    Matt Adams…… St. Louis Cards
    C. J. Cron……… Los Angeles Angels

    Oh, and, Mike Morse of Washington, too…

  • Carlitog1982

    this is crazy what is the hold up
     

  • Oldson50

    He sure sounds like he’s running for office. Fills up 2 paragraphs and says absolutely nothing

  • Red Sox Nation Georgia

    Everyday we read Red Sox Brass continues to talk to Napoli, really? That’s like me talking to my ex-wife. Not happening. Move on and get someone else to fill first base. It does not take a GM to figure this out.

  • Ronjb441960

    dump him……

  • ne fan

    This is crazy. We waited way to long to get a first baseman.Now there is nothing on the market.

  • juan

    Wow this front office is pathetic.. Napoli probably already hates it here and he has yet to play a game.  Hey look, there are no first baseman left on the market.  

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