LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Super agent Scott Boras usually shows his face once a year at the baseball winter meetings. That day was Wednesday in Florida, where Boras held court, addressing several of his clients who remain free agents or are rumored to be on the trading block.
Of course, several of those clients are either in the Red Sox clubhouse or are candidates to join it. Here is his take on those with Boston connections, one way or another:
Adrian Beltre
Boras contends that there remains a "very busy market for Adrian" and that he is in "the middle of a lot of negotiations" regarding the soon-to-be-former Red Sox third baseman. Beltre was reportedly offered a five-year contract early in the offseason by Oakland, but nothing ever came out of Boras' camp in terms of a response. When asked if the offer was pulled back by the Athletics, as has been rumored, Boras said, "Offers are like curtains. There's opening and closing but they're still in the room."
So, perhaps the A's remain a possibility, but it's doubtful. Boras elaborated on the chances of that happening.
"We're open to discussions on all teams on Adrian," he said. "We've gone through a number of negotiations with a number of teams and there have been a lot of willing participants. We would tell a team if we are not interested and teams that we are. Certainly, Oakland is a team that he said he would be interested in looking at. We had meetings with their club so that's where we're at now."
So there you go. Boras added that geography was not important to Beltre, but the direction of a franchise and "the economics" were.
Magglio Ordonez
The veteran outfielder worked out with multiple teams in Florida on Wednesday, including Detroit and Boston. The Tigers are still very interested, according to Boras, in bringing back Ordonez, who suffered a broken foot last year.
"Magglio is a guy who has gotten a lot of interest from a lot of teams," Boras said. "He's a middle-of-the-order guy, has had a great batting average, a productive guy, he's a winner. So there's a lot of things about Magglio that he fits a broad base, a lot of teams. Once Jayson signed a lot of the teams interested in Jayson are now interested in Magglio."
Boras added that Ordonez is content playing either corner outfield position and is "100 percent."
Jacoby Ellsbury
Another Boras client, Ellsbury is working out in Arizona.
"He's doing great. He's working out, taking time. He went through a season where his ribs really were never fully healed and he attempted to come back a number of times," Boras said. "Now with the time being able to let his bones and fractures [heal] the only thing we have to concern ourselves with is we have to keep Jacoby away from Adrian Beltre.
"What I'm most concerned about is Jacoby's health is restored, that he's getting proper medical treatment, he's on the right conditioning path. So all that's done," Boras added. "Theo [Epstein] and I have been in communication throughout the summer with it so we're fine with that."
Carlos Beltran
Beltran is another guy that is "100 percent," according to Boras, since having knee surgery before last year began, Beltran has been rumored to be headed to Boston in a trade. Boras doesn't necessarily see that happening, and Beltran has a no-trade clause.
"His plan right now is to be a New York Met. … If any [trade scenarios] were brought to him, it would depend on the situation, but I would say certainly now that his expectation would be to be a New York met next year."
Manny Ramirez
Yet another Boras client coming off an injury (sports hernia) which required offseason surgery, Ramirez also is at full strength, according to his agent. He is seeking a deal with an American League team in order to serve as a designated hitter. There are "multiple teams" interested and Ramirez could get a one-year deal, but not without a little something extra.
"We're talking about a contract that will certainly have incentives," Boras said. "I think there are short-term contracts for players and there are short-term contracts for players with a history like Manny Ramirez."
Johnny Damon
One of the stars of the lobby of the Dolphin Hotel on Tuesday night, Damon is in town looking for a job. Boras said Damon wants to join a winning team. When asked if that could be Boston, he skirted the issue a bit.
"Johnny is open to playing on a winning team and definitely wants to be a part of an organization that has a chance to do something," Boras said. "I think any club he feels has a chance to win he would be interested."
