| 03 December 2009
2:20pm: MLB.com's Mark Bowman says the deal will be announced during a 4:30pm ET press conference at turner Field. 1:16pm: Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com reports that free agent reliever Takashi Saito is close to signing a one year deal worth $3MM with the Braves.The Braves have quickly signed two former Red Sox relievers, first Blly Wagner, who will close for the Braves and now Saito who could be the primary set-up man in Atlanta.
Earlier today we heard that the Braves expected former closers Rafael Soriano and Mike Gonzalez to refuse an arbitration deal and they did not waste any time replacing them.
Wagner got $7M from the Braves, a figure the Red Sox would not have paid, but Saito is reportedly set to make $3M with Atlanta... a deal that is eerily similar to the contract that Alex Gonzalez signed with Toronto after the Sox did not pick up his $6M option.
Most of us did not expect to see Wagner or Saito back in 2010, but Red Sox Nation is getting frustrated by the silence coming from 4 Yawkey Way right now. The loss of Gonzalez has forced the Sox to consider moving Dustin Pedroia to short and now Theo will need to replace two key relievers from the 2009 squad.
In an odd twist of fate, the Sox could simply swap RPs with the Braves and sign Soriano and/or Gonzalez... a move that would make the bullpen younger and potentially less expensive... but the Sox also need to sign a left fielder and a shortstop.
Bottom Line: Sox fans will be clamoring for a splash once Epstein arrives at the Winter Meetings next week. We may not see a trade for Roy Halladay or Adrain Gonzalez... but an RP would be nice.
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