Major League Baseball

Source: Window for Gonzalez extension shut

Published Dec. 3, 2010 12:00 a.m. ET

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The Red Sox's window for negotiating a long-term extension as part of a deal to acquire Padres first baseman Adrian Gonzalez has closed, according to a source.

The teams can still work out a trade for the slugger, however.

On Saturday, the Red Sox had reached an agreement on a trade for Gonzalez, major league sources said.

A major league source confirmed to FOXSports.com that the Padres would have received right-handed starter Casey Kelly, first baseman Anthony Rizzo and center fielder Reymond Fuentes — all prospects who have yet to debut in the major leagues. A separate source said there would have been a player to be named later, as well.

Major League Baseball had approved a negotiating window for the Red Sox to negotiate a contract extension with Gonzalez, according to a source.

With the extension, the Padres would likely have received a better package of prospects than if the Red Sox were gaining control of Gonzalez for only one year.

Gonzalez, 28, is set to earn $6.3 million in the final year of his current contract. He almost certainly is willing to sign an extension, one that might be patterned after Mark Teixeira’s eight-year, $180  million deal with the Yankees and make him one of the highest-paid players in the game. The Red Sox, however, generally prefer shorter deals.

The addition of Gonzalez would take the Red Sox out of the running for Adrian Beltre, making the Athletics and Angels the front-runners for the free-agent third baseman. Kevin Youkilis would move from first to third base.

The Sox, second in the majors in runs last season, still are involved in the bidding for free-agent outfielders Carl Crawford and Jayson Werth. The signing of either, along with the addition of Gonzalez, would give Boston arguably the top offense in baseball.

While the Cubs, too, badly wanted Gonzalez, the Red Sox held an advantage in the Gonzalez talks: Padres general manager Jed Hoyer previously was a top assistant to Red Sox GM Theo Epstein.

The trade of Gonzalez would be Hoyer’s biggest by far since becoming GM last offseason. He almost certainly would prefer to acquire players with whom he is familiar.

The Padres, by trading Gonzalez, would immediately lose any momentum they generated with their fan base by winning 90 games last season and missing the playoffs by just one game.

However, three of the Padres’ NL West rivals – the Giants, Dodgers and Rockies – have been active this offseason. The Padres might view their chances for next season as slim, rival executives say, increasing their desire to get the best possible return for Gonzalez.

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