Red Sox Team Report

INSIDE PITCH

While there are plenty of Red Sox roster mysteries to be answered this winter, the team did announce a finalized coaching staff for the 2010 season after bench coach Brad Mills(notes) departed for the Astros’ managerial job.

Mills and manager Terry Francona had been together in Boston since the Red Sox skipper’s first season in 2004, and Francona insisted on making any coaching hiring internal once there was an opening.

So longtime Red Sox minor league manager Ron Johnson, who managed the Pawtucket Red Sox for the last handful of years, was appointed first base coach.

Tim Bogar moved from first base to third base, and DeMarlo Hale was promoted to bench coach. Hale is one of the brightest managerial prospects in the game, and he seemed a natural fit once the organized, ultra-prepared Mills moved on.

After all, Hale had stabilized a third base coaching job that was seemingly in constant tumult through the last 10 years with Mike Cubbage, Wendell Kim and Dale Sveum, who tried with varying degrees of success to read the baserunning tea leaves as balls bounced around nooks and crannies of Fenway Park.

“It’s the toughest market to be at third base and the toughest field, and you never heard people talk about him, so that was a huge compliment to him,” Francona said of Hale. “Part of the reason, a big reason you never heard about him, was because he did such a good job. He will take that and do the same thing as a bench coach.”

In addition, minor league fielding coordinator Rob Leary was promoted to the major league staff in a role patterned after Bogar’s previous coaching position with the Tampa Bay Rays prior to joining Boston.

Leary’s job description will range from advance scouting and spring training workouts to administrative duties that will free up the rest of the coaching staff to instruct the players.

“While he doesn’t know the American League yet, that won’t get in the way because he’s not getting asked to sit in the dugout during the game,” Francona said of Leary.

“He’ll get a chance to learn the league and learn our team, and we can use his strengths in the meantime, which are plenty. He’ll help us prepare our scouting, he’ll run our spring training and he has a chance to really help our staff round into shape.”

Johnson also will be learning the major league ropes after years spent riding buses and managing in the minor leagues. But the Red Sox will also take advantage of the unique relationships that the affable Johnson has built with the many homegrown Red Sox players who have come up and developed through their minor league system since Theo Epstein and Co. took over the organization.

“I can’t tell you how excited I am about it,” Johnson said. “I think it means more to me because it is the Boston Red Sox. To have an opportunity after all these years, to get an opportunity to go to the big leagues with one of the premier clubs in all of baseball, to me makes me even more proud.”

NOTES, QUOTES

—ss T  ug Hulett was acquired by the Red Sox from the Royals in exchange for a player to be named or cash considerations. The left-handed hitter batted .111 with one RBI in 15 games for the Royals last season while playing shortstop, second base, third base, left field and right field. Hulett hit .291 with 11 home runs and 53 RBIs in 99 games at Class AAA Omaha last season as well. He is the son of former White Sox infielder Tim Hulett. Hulett will serve as insurance for the Red Sox in case SS Jed Lowrie(notes) continues to have problems with his left wrist.

• RHP Jonathan Papelbon(notes) was selected as the Red Sox 2009 Fireman of the Year by the Boston Chapter of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America, while RHP Daniel Bard(notes) was named the 2009 Red Sox Rookie of the Year. Papelbon holds the franchise record with 151 saves and is the only pitcher to win the award four times. Bard ranked among the best AL rookie relievers in just about every category imaginable, and was sixth among all AL relievers with 11.49 strikeouts per nine innings. The awards will be presented at the 71st Boston BBWAA Awards Dinner, which will be held Jan. 14.

• SS Nick Green(notes) is almost definitely moving on to another major league destination next season after proving invaluable as a stopgap shortstop solution for the Red Sox last season, but he will be honored by the BBWAA with the Jackie Jensen Award for “spirit and determination.” Other baseball individuals to be honored at the dinner include Colorado skipper Jim Tracy, who will receive the Boston Chapter’s Manager of the Year award. Minnesota’s Joe Mauer(notes)—who was selected AL MVP—will take home the Ted Williams Award as baseball’s leading hitter.

• 3B Mike Lowell(notes) reportedly is being shopped around to several teams, with the Red Sox willing to pay some of the veteran’s $12 salary, according to a FoxSports.com report. Lowell, 35, batted .291 with 17 home runs and 75 RBIs for the Red Sox last season while recovering from offseason hip surgery, but he had noticeably diminished defense range around third base. Lowell has seemingly been involved in trade rumors nearly ever offseason he’s been with the Red Sox and could be a moving part if Boston lands one of its prized targets in the corner-infield/big-bat market.

• LHP Billy Wagner(notes) probably will be presented with offers by eight teams in the next week, according to a WEEI.com report from a conversation with Wagner’s agent, Bean Stringfellow. The 38-year-old reliever will no doubt be offered salary arbitration by the Red Sox, according to Stringfellow, because of his Type A free agent status and because Wagner still has interest in returning to Boston in a non-closing role. “Billy is absolutely, believe or not, open to going back to Boston,” Stringfellow said to WEEI.com. “If you asked me if he would be open to returning to Boston right after the season ended, I would say there was no chance. But he’s the one that brought it up to me. He shared some stories that gave him comfort there in Boston, that made him feel like he could come back there. It was one of the most positive experiences that he ever had.”

By The Numbers:   0—Spring training games between the Red Sox, who train in Fort Myers, Fla., and the Yankees, who hold their spring training camp in Tampa, during the 2010 Grapefruit League schedule.

Quote To Note:   “It’s the toughest market to be at third base and the toughest field, and you never heard people talk about him, so that was a huge compliment to him. Part of the reason, a big reason you never heard about him was because he did such a good job. He will take that and do the same thing as a bench coach.”—Manager Terry Francona, speaking about former third base coach DeMarlo Hale, who was promoted to bench coach when Brad Mills took the Astros’ managerial job with the Astros.

ROSTER REPORT

The Red Sox have some real issues that need to be addressed on their roster, but they don’t appear to have a lot of freedom for wholesale changes other than hoping for healthier, more productive seasons from Mike Lowell at third base and David Ortiz(notes) at designated hitter. The biggest challenge for the Sox next season figures to be in left field; Jason Bay(notes) took his 36 home runs, 119 RBIs and 103 runs to the free agent market.

Biggest Needs:   The Red Sox badly need to find another dynamic bat for the middle of their lineup that will help address the team’s inability to carry the offensive pace away from Fenway Park. A replacement for Jason Bay in left field becomes a major priority should the free agent sign elsewhere, and the Sox will also be in the market for a shortstop if they don’t re-sign Alex Gonzalez after turning down his $6 million team option.

Arrivals:   OF Jeremy Hermida(notes) (trade with Marlins), INF Tug Hulett(notes) (trade with Royals).

Departures:   LHP Hunter Jones(notes) (traded to Marlins), C George Kottaras(notes) (claimed off waivers by Brewers).

Free Agents:   OF Jason Bay, LHP Billy Wagner, SS Alex Gonzalez, OF Rocco Baldelli(notes), RHP Paul Byrd(notes), RHP Takashi Saito(notes), SS Nick Green.

The Red Sox declined the options on Saito and Gonzalez, but they still have interest in bringing Gonzalez back at less than the $6 million price tag on his option. Bay is the big-ticket free agent this winter, and the Sox have no ready-made solution for a slugging outfielder should he sign elsewhere. Wagner has indicated through his agent that he may be willing to return to Boston, but the Sox are only interested if he’s willing to accept a setup role.

Arbitration-eligible:   OF Brian Anderson(notes), RHP Manny Delcarmen(notes), OF Jeremy Hermida, 1B Casey Kotchman(notes), LHP Hideki Okajima(notes), RHP Jonathan Papelbon, RHP Ramon Ramirez.

Papelbon could net anywhere from $8 million to $10 million this winter. It’s expected that the Sox will offer arbitration to everyone on the list with the possible exception of Anderson.

In Limbo:   RHP Jonathan Papelbon was mentioned in trade rumors immediately following his blow-up in Game 3 of the AL Division Series, but it’s less about one playoff game and more about (1) his rising cost and (2) his potential on the trade market two years away from free agency. The fact is, the 28-year-old closer had to work that much harder for his 38 saves and 1.85 ERA this season than in past years. He could be traded if Boston could get a big-time bat or a young, top-of-the-line starting pitcher in return.

Medical Watch:  

RHP Tim Wakefield(notes) (back surgery in October 2009) expects to be ready for the start of spring training.

SS Nick Green (back surgery in November 2009) should be ready by spring training.

OF J.D. Drew(notes) (minor left shoulder surgery in November 2009) is expected to be healthy enough to play the outfield in spring training.