Red Sox News Links

Jason Bay talked to fans yesterday at WEEI, and says he's still planning to test the free agent market before signing a new deal with any team.

Jon Heyman of SI.com reported that the Red Sox offered Bay $15M during the season, but the length of the contract offer is unknown.

RJ Anderson of Fangraphs says 4 years, $60M is too much for Bay because Bay is "on the wrong side of 30" and because his defensive UZR numbers are very bad. There are lots of good comments on this post already, but the first guy summed up my thoughts best - Too many people are leaning on this UZR stat way too much. Is Bay a Gold Glover in left? No. But is Ellsbury the second worst center fielder in baseball? No. UZR is one defensive stat... it's not a reason to let your most productive player walk away.

Troy at Yawkey Way Academy takes close look at Clay Buchholz transformation with pitch F/X graphs. Here's "The Bottom Line:"

"I don't want to get ahead of myself, but when looking at 2009 pitcher around a 3.00 K/BB and a ground ball rate around 53% I saw one name, Felix Hernandez.I don't actually think he is going to be the next Felix Hernandez, but that gives you an idea how good his last eight starts were. More importantly, it helps drive home how important high groundball rates coupled with strikeouts and impeccable control really are, and how far they can take you."

The boys at Fire Brand of the AL take a close look at the Free Agent short stops available this offseason... if you're looking to get scared on Halloween, save this one for Saturday night. The choices are limited and Alex Gonzalez is at the top of the list... I say sign him and have Lowrie be the utility guy until one of the kids on the farm is ready... you?

MLB Trade Rumors has the skinny on Reynaldo Rodriguez. It was reported that the Royals signed him, but MLB confirmed that the Red Sox still possess the rights to the first baseman whom they acquired from the Yuma Scorpions of the independent Golden Baseball League earlier this month.