FORT MYERS, Fla. — According to multiple reports, Roy Oswalt‘s agent Bob Garber suggested that the 34-year-old right-hander, after not receiving an offer to his liking this winter, is comfortable sitting out until the middle of the season before looking for a deal with a contender.

The Red Sox had been interested in Oswalt as a possible free-agent signing throughout the offseason, particularly when he sought just a one-year deal. Had the Sox signed him, he would have given addition definition to a rotation that right now features Jon Lester, Josh Beckett and Clay Buchholz in the first three spots but openings in the fourth and fifth spots.

Sox manager Bobby Valentine acknowledged that while there would have been some greater security to be gleaned by signing the veteran, that Oswalt comes with his own question marks after pitching just 139 innings (his fewest since 2003) due to back woes last season. That being the case, Valentine remained comfortable with the idea of having a large group of potential starters (Daniel Bard, Alfredo Aceves, Carlos Silva, Vicente Padilla, Aaron Cook, Felix Doubront, Andrew Miller) compete for the final two spots in the rotation.

“I would just think that history is a great teacher. Recent history showed me that the team that won our division last year had no fourth and fifth starter coming into spring training last year,” Valentine said, referring to a 2011 Yankees team that had an open spring training competition for the back of the rotation that yielded Bartolo Colon and Freddy Garcia, both of whom proved year-long rotation mainstays. “That’s as comfortable as I am. It’s not like I’m so comfortable. Roy Oswalt, he’d be maybe more comfortable, but I wouldn’t be totally comfortable. What did he pitch, [139] innings last year?” Read the rest of this entry »

Buster Olney

Shortly after breaking the news that the Red Sox had reached a deal with David Ortiz, ESPN senior baseball writer Buster Olney joined Mut & Merloni and talked about how the deal came to fruition, as well as how it represents a change in philosophy for the Red Sox front office.

The Red Sox and Ortiz agreed on a one-year, $14.575 million deal, a midpoint between what the team was willing to offer and what Ortiz wanted. Though Ortiz ideally wanted a multiyear deal from the Red Sox, Olney said the team just felt better taking it one year at a time with the 36-year-old designated hitter.

“He was hopeful at some point that the Red Sox would eventually begin some dialogue on a multiyear deal, but they were so far apart,” Olney said. “From the beginning of this process when the Red Sox offered him that two-year, $18-19 million [offer] whatever it was, which obviously is very far from where they wound up. I think, too, the Red Sox were comfortable going one year at a time and I’d be willing to bet that’s probably the way it will be for the rest of his time with the Red Sox.”

With a new general manager in Ben Cherington, Olney said that the deal with Ortiz is indicative of a greater change in thinking in the Red Sox front office with former GM Theo Epstein now with the Cubs.

“There’s no question that there’s a real shift in philosophy that’s been going on around the Red Sox, around baseball,” Olney said. “I think David Ortiz is a dinosaur — he’ll be one of the last guys where you’ll see a team devote a lot of money to someone to be a designated hitter I think teams, for the most part, like to keep that position more flexible, to give injured guys rest.”

Given Ortiz’ age and position within the team, Olney indicated that the DH is on a short leash if his production starts to decline, even to the point where the Red Sox may let him go.

“If he has any kind of a drop-off, he’s reached the age where if he has a 10 percent drop-off from this year going into next year, then the Red Sox would probably be inclined where they would look at it and say, ‘I think we can save some money,’ ” Olney said. “I think David’s in a position where, as long as he continues to have seasons like he did last year, he’ll continue to get paid. And if he regresses at all at his age, I bet the Red Sox will bail out on it.”

Read the rest of this entry »

The Reds have long been mentioned as a potential landing spot for free agent pitcher Roy Oswalt, but according to Cincinnati general manager Walt Jocketty, that speculation has not translated to action.

In a recent report from the Cincinnati Enquirer, Jocketty said that the Reds have had no recent talks with Oswalt.

“It’s all rumors,” Jocketty said to the Enquirer. “I’m sick and tired of it. We’ve had no serious talks. We’ve had no contact with the player.”

The Red Sox had reportedly been in talks with Oswalt, but in a report Monday from WEEI’s Rob Bradford, there has been “no traction” in the talks.

The 34-year-old Oswalt is coming off a 2011 season in which he went 9-10 with a 3.69 ERA pitching for the Phillies.

The Red Sox are unlikely to sign free agent starter Roy Oswalt. (AP)

WORCESTER — The Red Sox have been engaged in talks with any number of free agents throughout the offseason, and according to a team source, the team continues to talk to pitchers Roy Oswalt and Edwin Jackson. That said, Sox GM Ben Cherington said that he does not expect the team to add either pitcher in the coming days.

“We wouldn’t rule out adding a starter, but I think it’s unlikely at this point,” said Cherington. “I think we’re going to keep looking for ways to improve the team, including the pitching staff, but I wouldn’t expect any major changes between now and the [spring training] report date.”

Cherington is comfortable with that approach. While there are parts of the roster that remain undefined, and several jobs (the last two spots of the rotation, the division of labor at shortstop and right field, the roles in the bullpen) will be subject to spring training competitions, the Sox GM feels that his team is in good shape with the reporting date for pitchers and catchers now less than three weeks away.

“There’s elements we feel really good about and elements that we’d like to be stronger, just like any year,” said Cherington. “We think the lineup is, we hope, a pretty balanced lineup. We think we have some options with the bullpen. That can be a strength. We like the front of the rotation. We’re going to find out more about the end of the rotation in spring training and see which guys step up. That will be a big focus of spring training.” Read the rest of this entry »

Red Sox GM Ben Cherington (AP)

Red Sox GM Ben Cherington, in an interview on The Big Show, said that the Red Sox face a budget but not a mandate to stay under the $178 million luxury tax threshold for 2012, explained the rationale for the trade of Marco Scutaro to the Rockies and suggested that, while the Sox are exploring options (including starting pitching options) to reinforce their roster, that he is comfortable with where the team stands with its pitching.

Cherington suggested that the team is weighing whether there is more to be gained by using their available resources to sign players now or whether the team might be better served to maintain financial flexibility for potential deals either during spring training or leading up to the trade deadline.

“We would be content going [into spring training] with the pitching staff we have right now. Again, any decision you make, when it comes to acquiring a player, whether a free agent or a trade, there’s that decision and then there’s the opportunity cost of doing that. There’s something, by doing that, that you may not be able to do. Those are the things we weigh,” said Cherington. “If there’s something that helps the team now, that we think makes sense and is the right value, then we’ll do that. If not, we’ll keep our doors open, remain flexible and consider things during spring training and during the year.

“Teams evolve,” he continued. “Teams very seldom look the same way in July or at the end of the year that they do in spring training. In large part, that’s because baseball is such a difficult sport. It’s such a grind, it’s such a long season. It’s hard to predict exactly what you’re going to need. It’s hard to predict how players are going to react or respond. Sometimes flexibility can be a good thing.

“The Cardinals, in spring training last year, were getting beat up because they hadn’t extended Pujols and they lost Wainwright in spring training. Things worked out pretty well. That’s not to suggest it’s always going to happen that way, but things change a lot in baseball. We need to stay nimble and be prepared to react to things that we think make sense. If that’s next week, then it’s next week. If it’s a month from now, then it’s a month from now. If it’s July, then it’s July. We’ll just take every opportunity as it comes.”

As for reports that the Sox have made a contract offer to Roy Oswalt (and reportedly have also made an offer to Edwin Jackson), Cherington spoke in generalities.

“There’s a lot out there. If we acquired every player we are rumored to be on, we’d need, like, an 80-man roster. I’d never comment on a negotiation, specifically,” said Cherington. “We’re talking to a few different guys, we’re considering different things. If there’s a way to make our team better, whether it’s the rotation of the pitching staff or whether it’s another part of the team between now and spring training, we’ll do that.

“We don’t feel like we need to do that. We feel like we’re in a good position. If spring training started today, we like the mix that we have and we’ll have plenty of contenders for the end of the rotation and the last couple bullpen spots.”

To listen to the compete interview, visit The Big Show audio on demand page. Here is a transcript of other highlights of the interview:

Are the Red Sox under orders to stay under the luxury tax threshold of $178 million in 2012? Read the rest of this entry »

Free agent starter Roy Oswalt (AP)

MILWAUKEE — There have been instances when the idea of Roy Oswalt pitching in a Red Sox uniform was very real. On multiple occasions, the Sox have taken runs at the right-hander in the trade market, most notably in 2006, when the Sox believed they were close to acquiring Oswalt from the Astros at the trade deadline.

How close were they?

“Close,” said Oswalt’s agent, Bob Garber. “Very close.”

A deal never transpired in the trade market, but as the Red Sox look to address the back of their rotation, Oswalt does fit the profile of a pitcher who would represent an obvious target for Boston. And the Sox, given the fact that the opportunity to contend, would likewise be a team that would interest Oswalt, Garber said, despite the fact that it would require the career-long National Leaguer to jump to the junior circuit.

The 11-year veteran, whose resume includes three All-Star games and six top-six finishes in Cy Young balloting, has a career 159-93 record and 3.21 ERA. Until back injuries limited him to 23 starts in 2011, the right-hander had seven straight years of at least 30 starts, establishing himself as one of the most durable and effective pitchers in the game for the Astros and then, following a trade in the middle of the 2010 season, with the Phillies.

Now, in a free-agent class that is light on elite starting options, Oswalt will carry significant interest for a number of teams, likely including the Red Sox. After left-handers C.J. Wilson (another Garber client) and Mark Buehrle, Oswalt — based on track record — is likely the next best starter available, and the top right-hander this winter. Read the rest of this entry »

Roy Oswalt reportedly wants a long-term contract. (AP)

The free agent market is less than a day old and the Hot Stove is already heating up. Free agent pitcher Roy Oswalt watched his name travel through the rumor mill Wednesday night when his agent told FoxSports.com that the pitcher is looking for a long-term contract.

A few years ago, that deal may have made sense for the Mississippi native, but Oswalt will turn 35 next season, struggled with back injuries throughout the 2011 season, and is just 22-23 with a 3.13 ERA in the last two seasons.

Considering Oswalt’s age and injury history, it would be an aggressive move for a team to sign Oswalt for more than two or three years. Oswalt became a free agent after the Phillies declined his $16 million option and opted instead for a $2 million buyout.

Elsewhere in the National League, the Dodgers signed outfielder and first baseman Juan Rivera to a one-year, $4.5 million deal, according to Fox’s Jon Paul Morosi. The deal is pending a physical.

Rivera was traded to the Dodgers in a mid-season deal with the Blue Jays last year. In 62 games with the Dodgers, Rivera hit .274 with five home runs and 46 RBIs.