UPDATE (12/4/2010 @ 5:50p.m.): Ken Rosenthal reports that the Red Sox negotiating window expires at 2:00 p.m. tomorrow. Word is that he's looking for a 7-8 year deal worth $20-23M per season, which is similar to what the Yankees gave Teixeira two years ago. I'd be shocked if this didn't get done.
4:45 p.m.: The package for Gonzalez has been confirmed. The Padres will get pitcher Casey Kelly, first baseman Anthony Rizzo, outfielder Raymond Fuentes, and a player to be named later.
Not a bad haul for A-Gon. I'm pretty high on Kelly. He's a potential ace or number two starter with great stuff. He's only 21, and he'll probably continue to improve. Rizzo has Mark Grace written all over him. That's nice, but he's not someone I want starting first base. Fuentes is a speedy centerfielder, but he strikes out way too much for my liking.
9:00 p.m.: ESPN Boston reports the Padres have agreed in principle to trade for All-Star first baseman Adrian Gonzalez. No word on who the Red Sox are trading away, but minor league prospects Casey Kelly and Anthony Rizzo are expected to be the centerpieces of the deal. Adrian Gonzalez is expected to be in Boston today for a physical. Assuming he passes his physical, the trade should become official. Major League Baseball has approved a negotiating window for the Red Sox to work out a long-term extension with Gonzalez.
Acquiring Gonzalez does a few things for the Red Sox: (1) he gives them a solid, reliable middle of the order power bat; (2) this moves Youkilis across the diamond from first to third; (3) gives the Red Sox an opportunity to focus their attention on signing Crawford; and (4) effectively ends Beltre's tenure in Boston. It will be interesting to see how this trade affects Beltre's contract prospects going forward.
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