Jason Bay News

Every Red Sox [ team stats ] offseason has its share of sagas. The front-runner this year is Jason Bay, and it's going to take some time to find out.

As many as six others could file in the coming days. The stakes are high for both Bay and the Red Sox.

Fresh off the heels of watching yet another Yankees championship, the Red Sox brass have already gotten to work on improving their team's lackluster offense.

But plans change. Instead of sweating out the details in person with a third visit to the World Series this decade, Epstein is spending time at home like most everyone else not associated with the Phillies or Yankees .

Angels pitcher John Lackey, Cardinals outfielder Matt Holliday and Red Sox outfielder Jason Bay were the highlights of the 79 players filing for free agency Thursday.

Pitcher John Lackey and outfielder Matt Holliday were among 79 players who filed for free agency Thursday, the first possible day.

The Red Sox have acquired 25-year-old OF Jeremy Hermida from the Marlins for LHPs Hunter Jones and Jose Alvarez.

While their rivals from the Bronx are enjoying the afterglow of a World Series championship, the Red Sox are in business mode, trying to plot their own title contender for 2010.

Word around the streets of MLB is that free-agent hitter's don't put the San Francisco Giants anywhere near the top of their list because AT&T Park isn't a "hitter's" park.

Well, this took me a little longer than I expected, but oh well. Continuing in the player-by-player breakdown of who we had in 2009 and what they are to the team in 2010, I give you the batters.

For Giants fans, Joe Morgan 's signature moment was his home run in the 1982 season finale to beat the Dodgers and cease their playoff hopes.

According to the San Francisco Chronicle, the Giants are expected to make a run at Red Sox outfielder Jason Bay when he becomes a free agent this offseason.

Jon Heyman of SI.com believes that the Red Sox are willing to offer four years and $60 million to Jason Bay .

Culminating with the disappointment of being swept by the Angles in the ALDS, Boston's season was tumultuous to say the least.

Interesting little opportunity today at noon. Jason Bay is going to be taking questions online at WEEI.com. It'll be a little dicey if you've got to at work, but maybe you could do it during your lunch break.

The Mets need an everyday left fieldera 'on that we can agreea 'but the question of who Omar Minaya will make the effort to acquire and who he is willing to give up in the process is what fans are concerned about this winter.

Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald wrote yesterday that he thinks the Red Sox should trade for the Met's center fielder Carlos Beltran to improve their outfield defense.

The most promising aspect, going forward, is that the Red Sox have money to spend again.

Talks are not expected to get under way until after the World Series, plenty of time for the Red Sox to weigh the costs and benefits of: a) hitching their wagon to Bay; b) paying Matt Holliday more over a longer term; or c) going short-term with somebody for a couple of years before a homegrown talent such as Ryan Westmoreland, Ryan Kalish or Josh ...

Indeed, if the Sox couldn't get Bay signed in March, and again at the All-Star break, why should the next month or so be any different? Industry sources suggest Bay and the Sox are quite far apart - both in terms of length and money.