DALLAS — At some point today, agent Scott Boras is expected to speak to a throng of reporters and to articulate the incredibly large, robust markets for his virtually incomparable stable of clients. However, it will be fascinating to hear how he makes the case for one of his clients who is being monitored by the Red Sox.

At one point in early-November, it appeared that closer Ryan Madson would be the first person to set the free agent market. Madson reportedly was on the cusp of a four-year deal with the Phillies near the start of the bidding season. However, those talks unraveled, Philadelphia signed Jonathan Papelbon, and since then, there have been no real reports of a burgeoning market for Madson.

Moreover, the number of teams still searching for a closer appears to be dwindling. The Phillies, Marlins, Padres, Blue Jays and Mets have all added closers. The Reds are still looking for a ninth-inning solution, though a relatively cost-effective one (hence explaining their unwillingness to exercise their option on Francisco Cordero).

The Red Sox might be in the market for a closer, and according to a team source, they continue to monitor Madson, though the Sox have the fallback of Daniel Bard. Ditto for the Angels, who might be in the market for a back-end bullpen option, but who also have Jordan Walden, who was an All-Star last year, albeit one who performed with inconsistency typical of a rookie.

Right now, there is no team that represents an obvious fit to give Madson a top-of-the-market, multi-year deal. The closer, who had a 2.37 ERA while recording 32 saves, striking out 62 and walking just 16 in 60 2/3 innings, right now may be on the outside looking in on the game of musical chairs.

Of course, the possibility remains that another club could swoop in with an unexpected offer, as happened last year when Boras client Rafael Soriano received a three-year, $35 million offer to set up for the Yankees. Even so, right now, the potential destinations for Madson are dwindling, leading to a dramatic loss in leverage, something noted by multiple agents who do not represent the pitcher.

As Sox GM Ben Cherington explained earlier in the winter meetings, the Red Sox are not looking to set the market with their deals. The expect return of David Ortiz will leave the Sox with little payroll flexibility.

However, as was the case a couple years ago when the Sox reached a one-year deal with Boras client Adrian Beltre, it remains intriguing to see whether Madson’s demands adjust to his market demand. Alternately, ESPN’s Jayson Stark reported (via twitter) that Madson could accept arbitration from the Phillies, although the fact that he made just $4.83 million in 2011 and that he has only one year as a full-time closer could limit the type of award he would receive through arbitration.

A couple other notes:

– The lobby of the winter meetings buzzed for a few minutes early on Wednesday afternoon with the announcement by agent Nez Balelo that his client, six-time Japanese All-Star Nori Aoki, would be posted by his Japanese team, the Yakult Swallows, on Dec. 12.

That posting date is intended to give teams a chance to have a full assessment of their outfield needs, since it coincides with the date for the non-tender deadline. In a relatively weak free-agent class of outfielders, the right-handed Aoki — who is considered capable of playing all three outfield positions — will be available at a potentially portentous time. Though he does not have much power, the 29-year-old is a speedy hitter in a top- or bottom-of-the-order mold who has a career .329 average, .402 OBP and .454 slugging mark in the NPB.

However, barring an unexpected development in the Red Sox’ roster, the team is not expected to pursue Aoki. While the team continues to pursue a right-handed outfield bat, perhaps as a complement to Josh Reddick (unless he is traded), Aoki is unlikely to come to Major League Baseball for a part-time role. Moreover, it remains the case that the Sox are operating as if they have limited financial flexibility, and so Aoki is unlikely to be a fit.

– Balelo also represents right-hander Takashi Saito, who will return to the majors next year at age 42.

“He keeps getting younger,” said Balelo. “He’s like a win win who keeps getting better.”

Saito was limited by injuries to 30 games with the Brewers last year. He had a 2.03 ERA, 23 strikeouts and nine walks in 26 2/3 innings. Saito enjoyed his season in Boston in 2009, during which he had a 2.43 ERA in 56 games.

However, while Balelo said that reports of six to eight teams being interested in Saito were accurate, and he is open to going to either the American League or National League, an industry source said that the Red Sox were not one of the suitors for the veteran.

According to a tweet from ESPN’s Jim Bowden, the Mariners are the front-runners to land free agent first baseman Prince Fielder. Bowden notes that the Brewers, Cubs and Blue Jays are all seeking shorter-term deals for Fielder.

WEEI.com’s Rob Bradford reported Tuesday that the Mariners, who may have seemed a logical suitor for David Ortiz, are not pursuing the free agent designated hitter.

Cubs manager Dale Sveum told reporters Tuesday that his team has not talked to Fielder, who hit .299/.415/.566 with 38 homers and 120 RBI last season.

In his career, Fielder, 27, has hit .282/.390/.540 with 230 homers and 656 RBI. The son of former Tigers first baseman Cecil Fielder was named an All-Star for the third time in his career last season. He was named MVP of the All-Star game and picked up his second career Silver Slugger.

According to a source familiar with the negotiations, the Red Sox have reached an agreement on a minor league deal with left-handed pitcher Dennys Reyes. The deal calls for Reyes to make $900,000 if he makes the major league team, with performance bonuses that could push the value of the deal as high as $1.4 million.

Reyes had a 3.55 ERA for the Cardinals in 59 appearances last year. For more on the southpaw, click here.

Joe Beimel (AP)

While the Red Sox have not ruled out any more signings this offseason, a team source on Tuesday characterized it as “doubtful” that the team would sign a pitcher to a major league contract. That echoes the thoughts of GM Theo Epstein earlier this month.

“For the most part we feel good about the team we’re bringing to spring,” Epstein said in mid-January. “I think our big moves are probably over, but you never say never.”

The Red Sox were reported by Maureen Mullen of CSNNE.com (via twitter) to have interest in left-hander Joe Beimel, but if the Sox are indeed pursuing the southpaw specialist, it is unlikely that the team would be offering him anything other than a minor league contract. 

Beimel, 33, made 71 appearances for the Rockies last season, posting a 3.40 earned run average and a 1.36 WHIP over 45 innings. He finished the season with 21 holds and one blown save. Over the last three years, he has a 3.01 ERA in 149 1/3 innings, having punched out 5.3 batters per nine innings with a 1.6 strikeout-to-walk rate, establishing him as a lefty specialist who gets southpaws out with bad contact rather than strikeouts.

Beimel has signed late in spring training in each of the last two seasons, having agreed to a one-year, $850,000 deal with the Rockies last March 23 and having signed with the Nationals on a one-year deal on March 18, 2009.

Though he signed late last year in spring training, the Rockies had actually acquired him from the Nationals at the July 31 trade deadline in 2009. The journeyman has also pitched in the Rangers, Pirates, Twins, Rays and Dodgers organizations. Over his 10-year career, Beimel has tossed 562 1/3 innings through 532 appearances. He’s compiled a 4.16 ERA and 1.48 career WHIP with 315 strikeouts.

Former Red Sox outfielder and minor league manager Gabe Kapler agreed to a minor league deal with the Dodgers that includes an invitation to spring training. The news was first reported by Dylan Hernandez of the LA Times (via twitter).

Kapler, 35, played for the Sox from 2003-06 as a reserve outfielder. He retired for the 2007 season in order to manage Single-A Greenville, a Red Sox affiliate, but then decided to resume his playing career in 2008 with the Brewers. He spent the past two years with the Rays, for whom he hit .210 with a .288 OBP, .290 slugging mark and .578 OPS in 2010.

Jonathan Papelbon will receive one of the biggest deals ever for a reliever. (AP)

According to a major league source, the Red Sox agreed to deals with both closer Jonathan Papelbon and outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury. In so doing, they avoided going to arbitration with their only two arbitration-eligible players, thus keeping intact GM Theo Epstein‘s record of never having gone to an arbitration hearing — a contentious process that pits player against team — in his nine years as general manager.

Papelbon, who is arbitration eligible for the third time, will receive a $12 million salary for the 2011 season, while Ellsbury, in his first year of arbitration eligibility, agreed to a $2.4 million deal. Ellsbury would be eligible for $50,000 bonuses for 600 and 700 plate appearances.

Papelbon, who turned 30 in November, had his worst season in the major leagues in 2010, going 5-7 with a 3.90 ERA. He had 37 saves, but also blew a career-high eight saves, a mark that also was the highest such total in the American League. Even so, Papelbon’s career numbers (188 saves, 2.22 ERA, 10.4 strikeouts per nine innings) rank him among the best closers of all time among pitchers with his service time, thus leading to the significant raise over the $9.35 million he received in 2010. Only three relief pitchers in major league history have ever had deals with an average annual value of more than $12 million: Yankees great Mariano Rivera, who has signed two deals with an AAV of $15 million; Phillies closer Brad Lidge, who is entering the final year of a three-year, $37.5 million deal ($12.5 million AAV); and Mets closer Francisco Rodriguez, who is entering the final season of a three-year, $37 million deal ($12.33 million AAV).

Ellsbury, whose season was effectively lost due to the rib fractures he suffered, hit .192 with a .241 OBP, .244 slugging percentage and .485 OPS in just 18 games in 2010. However, his career marks of .291/.344/.405/.749 with 136 stolen bases, put him in line for a significant raise over his 2010 salary of $496,500.

Sean McAdam of CSNNE.com (via twitter) was the first to report the agreements.

Jed Lowrie's play will help determine how much time he spends at shortstop in 2011. (AP)

Speaking after the Hot Stove Cool Music roundtable, Red Sox GM Theo Epstein said that, as things currently stand, Marco Scutaro will be the shortstop for the 2011 Red Sox. That said, he also suggested that Jed Lowrie will be an important contributor, and that his performance will help to dictate his role and how much he plays at short.

“We have two really talented shortstops on the roster at different phases of their career, and they’ll both end up helping this club win,” Epstein said. “How it shakes out in terms of playing time will be up to [manager Terry Francona] — and, ultimately, the players will determine their own roles. If we’re a better team with one guy playing two-thirds of the time and the other guy playing one-third of the time and moving around, that’s what we’ll be. If it looks like we’ll be a better team with a more traditional arrangement or a time share, that’s what we’ll do. Players, ultimately, make those decisions for you.”

Scutaro played in 150 games last year, 132 at short (he was relegated to second base at the end of last season by a neck injury that affected his ability to throw). In the first season of his two-year, $12.5 million deal, he hit .275/.333./.388/.721 with 11 homers. Lowrie missed the first half of 2010 while recovering from mono, but in 55 second-half games, he hit .287/.381/.526/.907 with nine homers.

Based on Lowrie’s strong performance down the stretch, the Sox do view him as an important part of the 2011 roster, though Epstein did say that Scutaro is currently slated to be the primary shortstop.

“Scutaro signed here to be the shortstop,” Epstein said. “He should be healthy when he comes to camp, and he’s going to play a lot of shortstop. But we’re not good enough that we can’t use every available resource that we have. Jed Lowrie is someone who can play a good shortstop, can play a number of positions, and can help this team win. He’s going to see some time at shortstop. But Marco was our shortstop last year, and, until something changes, that’s how it’s going to be.”