Major League Baseball

Gonzo traded, now awaiting extension

Published Dec. 5, 2010 12:00 a.m. ET

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On. Off. On again. This time, for good.

The Boston Red Sox landed the first baseman they wanted.

Adrian Gonzalez will have to wait a while to get the money he deserves.

And the process behind it all was considerably less transparent than the BCS selection procedure.

Yes, one of the biggest trades in recent Red Sox history is equal parts blockbuster and brain-teaser. And the team's reputation for clever rule manipulation — remember the Schilling Clause? — remains very much intact.

Here’s what we know, according to multiple major league sources contacted by FOXSports.com:

1. Late last week, the Red Sox and San Diego Padres agreed to a trade that would send Gonzalez to Boston for four prospects: right-hander Casey Kelly, first baseman Anthony Rizzo, center fielder Reymond Fuentes and a player to be named later.

2. The commissioner’s office granted the Red Sox exclusive rights to negotiate an extension with Gonzalez. The deadline passed on Sunday afternoon — without a deal.

3. The sides had difficulty agreeing on years and dollars. Initially, the club offered $120 million over five years. Gonzalez’s agent, John Boggs, countered with a request of six years and $150 million.

4. On Sunday night, the trade was deemed complete.

You may have noticed the gap in chronology between point No. 3 and point No. 4. Believe me. I’m aware of it. It’s still not clear exactly how far talks have progressed between Gonzalez and the Red Sox, but one source said the parameters of a contract extension are in place — even if the exact numbers aren’t.

The source told FOXSports.com the contract won’t be worth more than $22 million per season — or stretch greater than seven years in duration. That equates to a limit of $154 million.

One wonders if Gonzalez’s surgically-repaired right shoulder was an issue in the negotiations. Gonzalez is supposed to be ready for spring training, but when discussing a nine-figure investment, phrases like “supposed to be” are generally frowned upon. Maybe the Red Sox want to see for themselves on the field in Ft. Myers.

The most plausible roadmap to an extension looks something like this:

The parties have a general idea of what it will take to get a deal done. They will restart talks during spring training and have a deal in place by Opening Day. It will be announced after the season’s first game — as was the case with Josh Beckett this year — so as to sizzle the books in a way that avoids the Major League Baseball luxury tax.

Regardless of the mechanism, the deal should get done. It’s highly unlikely the Red Sox will part with four prospects for one year of Gonzalez’s services — even at the bargain rate of $6.3 million.

Again, the Red Sox are very, very savvy. Let’s say they have an agreement in principle on a contract extension with Gonzalez. If they notify MLB and the players union of the new deal before Opening Day, it will count against their ledger for 2011 luxury tax purposes. If they wait, they give themselves additional time to reconfigure their 2012 payroll commitments so as to avoid the tax.

Is there risk in waiting? Sure there is — for both sides.

What if Gonzalez, the San Diego native, arrives at spring training and finds Red Sox Nation to be an oppressive constituency? The Red Sox would have given up prized prospects for one season of one player.

What if a hard-throwing, no-command Class-A pitcher hits Gonzalez on the wrist in spring training, sapping his strength for the entire season? Gonzalez's value could plummet, to the point that Boston decides to let him go in favor of Albert Pujols or Prince Fielder.

Perhaps Gonzalez will take out an insurance policy, in the same way a college junior would if he returns to school for one more season rather than enter the NFL Draft. (No matter a person’s wealth, turning down a nine-figure payday is enough to make a man very nervous.)

Also left unanswered: What effect, if any, did the Jayson Werth negotiations have on Sunday’s Gonzalez drama?

News of Werth’s contract with the Washington Nationals — a whopping seven years and $126 million — didn’t become public until late Sunday afternoon. By then, Gonzalez’s fate had been the subject of reportorial gymnastics for several hours.

But did Gonzalez — or the Red Sox — become aware of those numbers through the industry grapevine long before the Nationals made their stunning announcement? That is very possible. And if he learned that information in the course of his own negotiations, I assume Boggs would have responded like this: “Uh, Theo. My guy’s younger. My guy’s better. We need more money.”

In all, it was a fascinating Sunday at the winter meetings — which, by the way, don’t officially begin until Monday morning. It’s hard to imagine a more eventful run-up to baseball’s grand swap meet. The fact that Werth is off the board means the Red Sox could make a big push for Carl Crawford — or possibly sign Adrian Beltre and move Kevin Youkilis to left field.

Either way, they have their first baseman. Now they have to sign him. And maybe, when they get around to it, explain why all of this had to be so dramatic.

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