The Red Sox acquired right-hander Clayton Mortensen from the Rockies. (AP)

FORT MYERS, Fla. — For the last month, it was a line of thinking that Clayton Mortensen heard many times. The Red Sox moved Marco Scutaro in a salary dump.

The Sox just wanted to shed his contract from their payroll, and were content to trade a starting shortstop for nothing simply to get salary relief. The so-called “nothing” in question is Mortensen, the pitcher whom the Sox acquired from the Rockies in the Scutaro deal.

Understandably, that portrayal was seen as unflattering by Mortensen, who is in Red Sox big league camp as a member of the 40-man roster.

“It was definitely interesting to me,” said Mortensen. “I don’t put the expectations so high on myself, but I don’t consider myself a schmuck either. I know what I can do. I’m going to come over here and show you got something of value. You can use me in any sort of way. I’m versatile, can be a starter or reliever, and can definitely show that you got some value.”

Unquestionably, the primary motive for the trade from the Sox’ vantage point was indeed to shed Scutaro’s salary (which would have been calculated $7.67 million against the luxury tax threshold) and create greater payroll flexibility. The team used the available money to sign Cody Ross, and the club also now has an increased ability to take on salary with additional players in spring training or as the trade deadline approaches.

That said, the Sox did have a choice of a couple of Rockies prospects and chose Mortensen, a 2007 sandwich pick (No. 36 overall) who was traded by the Cardinals to the A’s in 2009 as part of a deadline deal for Matt Holliday, went from Oakland to Colorado a year ago in an exchange of minor league pitchers and now finds himself with his fourth organization in fewer than three years. Read the rest of this entry »

Mike Aviles showed he can handle third base. He'll get his chance at short this spring with the Red Sox. (AP)

FORT MYERS — Mike Aviles is accustomed to making changes on the fly.

This winter was no different. He was in Puerto Rico getting ready to compete for an outfield job, with the vacancy in right field and Carl Crawford on the shelf in left. Then, just over three weeks before camp, he was stunned like many Red Sox fans that the team traded starting shortstop Marco Scutaro to the Rockies.

The Red Sox decided to bring Nick Punto on board and have Aviles and Punto compete for the shortstop job.

“I was really surprised because in my own head, I was set on doing the outfield thing because I actually went out there and really worked hard at getting better at it because I don’t want to be the guy who comes in and is a liability,” Aviles said. “I want to help the team, whatever it is, whether it’s pinch-running, pinch-hitting, playing right, left, center, it doesn’t matter. Whatever my role may be, I just don’t want to be that guy, ‘Why do we have him?’ And that’s just how I go about my business. I was actually excited about the shortstop opportunity but a little bummed about the outfield thing but that’s just how it is, right?

“I was definitely surprised because he’s done well here the last couple of years. He’s been a big part of this team. You don’t usually trade your starting shortstop so it was definitely a surprise to me.”

As for the ‘P’ word, Aviles said he’s not worried about any pressure.

“I think there will be more pressure on [media's] shoulders,” Aviles said. “Me personally, I don’t really pay attention to it. Regardless of what anybody says, I have to come here every day and do the job they’re paying me to do. It’s not going to change whether I’m playing short, second, bench role, any way there’s pressure in this game so it’s not going to change. I just forget about it and go out and change.

“It’s my natural position so it’s the one I feel like is the easiest for me to get the flow of things.”

Aviles walked in Sunday to the new Red Sox clubhouse to see he is lockered next to his potential new double-play partner.

“Definitely fun,” Aviles said of seeing lots of Dustin Pedroia this spring. “I’m going to get to see a lot of him because he obviously has a locker next to me. I’m just going to go out there and make every play I can. That’s really what it comes down to, that’s really what it comes down to, make the routine plays and not try to be too crazy. There’s nothing really out of the ordinary. I’m just going to try to do what I normally do. I’m not going to do too much because that’s when I put too much pressure on myself.

“Whenever you have chemistry, it always helps out, too. I felt like last year, I had a pretty good relationship with him, even though I wasn’t playing short as much so I think it’ll be pretty good.” Read the rest of this entry »

Kevin Youkilis could be an option for the Rockies should the Red Sox decide to trade him. (AP)

After a disastrous September, the Red Sox face the question of how significant a roster overhaul they should enact. While it is possible that they might keep the majority of the 2011 roster intact while seeking to address some acknowledged holes (right-handed hitting outfielder, starting pitching), the team could also consider trading a key roster member. And since the end of the season, there has been plenty of speculation about whether the team could move Kevin Youkilis.

In 2011, the third baseman had his worst season at the plate, hitting .258 with a .373 OBP in 120 games, numbers that were dragged down as he fought off various injuries. In 2010, his season also ended abruptly in August when he tore a muscle in his thumb. The third baseman has averaged just 111 games a season in the last two years. Still, Youkilis had been a significant part of the Boston offense for the previous three years, hitting above .300 over that time with an average OBP of .404.

Troy Renck of the Denver Post suggested that, should the Red Sox look into trading Youkilis, the infielder could be a good fit for the Rockies, who need a solid No. 5 batter. Renck cited Youkilis’s versatility in playing either third or first base as another attraction for Colorado.

Youkilis is due to make $12 million in the 2012 season and has a $13 million team option for 2013 with a $1 million buyout. WEEI.com reported earlier this offseason that Youkilis is unlikely to be traded. Renck’s sources gave him mixed results on the idea of the Red Sox trading Youkilis.

Whether the Sox have any interest in dealing Youkilis remains to be seen. If they do decide to explore his value, however, the Rockies’ interest suggests that he would have suitors.

Bob Elliot of the Toronto Sun wrote Saturday that both the Blue Jays and Indians are interested in Rockies catcher Chris Ianetta.

Ianetta is batting .221 this season, with a .232 career average. He has shown some power in previous seasons, however, topping 15 home runs in two previous seasons. He is a .272 hitter with two home runs in eight career games against the other four teams in the AL East (not including Toronto). He has far more experience against the AL Central (20 games, not including Cleveland), but is just a .222 hitter with two home runs as well.

Toronto doesn’t appear to have the catching needs that Cleveland does. Cleveland’s catching duo of Carlos Santana and Lou Marson are a combined .230 this season, although Santana has 15 home runs. Toronto’s J.P Arencibia is a .221 hitter, but has 17 home runs. Backup Jose Molina has batted .313 in 33 games this season.

Kyle Weiland

The Red Sox are among the five teams still trying to land Rockies starter Ubaldo Jimenez, and FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi reported Friday that to get Jimenez, the Red Sox would need to part with Kyle Weiland and Double-A third baseman Will Middlebrooks.

Weiland is 0-1 with an 8.10 ERA in two major league starts. He has shown flashes of major league potential but has not had a dominant start.

Middlebrooks has shown some power with the Sea Dogs, hitting 22 doubles and 14 home runs while compiling a .528 slugging percentage.

Jimenez is 6-9 with a 4.20 ERA this season but just 3-1 in his last four starts with a strikeout-walk ratio of 4.14.

Rosenthal and Morosi wrote that the other teams interested in the 27-year-old righty are the Tigers, Yankees, Reds and Indians.

Sources told Rosenthal and Morosi that the Tigers would need to give up pitcher Jacob Turner, who is 3-5 with a 3.48 ERA and 90 strikeouts in 113 2/3 innings with Double-A Erie.

The Yankees would need to part with Ivan Nova (8-4, 4.12 ERA, but has been hampered by an ankle injury), Double-A pitcher Dellin Betances (4-4, 3.20 ERA, 1.13 strikeouts per inning) and Triple-A catcher Jesus Montero (.288, 50 doubles, 31 home runs over last two seasons with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre).

The Reds might need to give up Yonder Alonso, a first baseman and outfielder who’s batted .296 with 85 extra-base hits and 15 stolen bases over the last two seasons with Triple-A Louisville. Rosenthal and Morosi added that the Rockies would want a major league-ready pitcher from the Reds as well.

The Indians would have to trade Double-A lefty Drew Pomeranz, who is 3-3 with a 1.98 ERA between Single-A and Double-A this season.

The asking price for Ubaldo Jimenez this trading season was known to be high, but there’s nothing like a good metaphor to really put that price into perspective, as Colorado GM Dan O’Dowd so artfully did this week.

“We would have to be absolutely overwhelmed,” O’Dowd told The Denver Post. “It would have to be a Herschel Walker deal.”

The Rockies executive was of course alluding to the Vikings trade for the famous running back in 1989, in which Minnesota traded five players and eight draft picks (including three first-rounders) to Dallas in exchange for Walker and four draft picks. It was the largest trade in NFL history and is sometimes called “The Great Train Robbery.” GMs looking to trade for Jimenez might be a little wary considering Walker lasted only three seasons in Minnesota and never broke the 1,000-yard marker during that time.

The Post report notes that the Yankees, Tigers, Rangers and Phillies are interested in acquiring Jimenez, who has a 5-8 record with a 4.08 ERA after putting up numbers of 19-8 and 2.88 in 2010.

ESPN’s Buster Olney tweeted Monday that no names have been exchanged in talks between the Yankees and Rockies for Colorado pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez and that a deal is unlikely.

Wrote Olney: ‪Contrary to report, Yankees and Rockies haven’t started exchanging names in any Jimenez talks. Odds that NYY/COL work out deal are very slim‬

Olney’s tweet comes a day after SI.com’s Jon Heyman tweeted that the Rockies wanted four players for Jimenez, including top pitching prospects Manny Banuelos and Dellin Betances.

Jimenez is 5-8 with a 4.08 ERA this season but has pitched well of late, allowing three earned runs over the last 14 innings. He’s 2-0 in his last two starts and his ERA has dropped from 4.39 on July 4 to 4.08.

Jimenez himself told the Denver Post’s Jim Armstrong Sunday that he did not want to be traded.

“As a player, you always want to be on the same team for your whole career,’’ Jimenez said. “I’d like to finish my career here, but that’s something you can’t control. Baseball is a really good game, but there’s a business side.’’

Jimenez said he was proud of the success he’s had with the Rockies, a team whose high-altitude stadium has often meant trouble for Colorado pitchers.

“You want to be an example when you talk to other guys about being in the organization,’’ Jimenez said. “You always want to set a good example for guys coming from another team or the minor leagues.”