Free agent reliever Keith Foulke was in Boston last night having dinner with Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein. Foulke, 31, has been the Red Sox' top target since the free agent bidding season began two weeks ago.
According to a source familiar with the pitcher's thinking, Foulke has essentially narrowed his choices to Boston or Oakland. The New York Mets, who recently hired former A's pitching coach Rick Peterson, are in need of a closer and also have been pursuing Foulke.
But as close as he is with Peterson, Foulke is reluctant to be part of a rebuilding effort in New York.
If the Sox should sign Foulke before Dec. 7, the deadline to offer free agents salary arbitration, they would forfeit a No. 1 pick in next June's draft as compensation.
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But because the A's are unafraid of going to arbitration with Foulke for a single season -- and Foulke isn't about to accept such an offer, given that there are multiple teams willing to give him multi-year deals -- the Sox figure they're going to lose a pick either way and are eager to solidify their bullpen.
Signing Foulke, who is looking for modest increase over his $6 million salary of a year ago and will likely command a three-year deal for approximately $19 million, would give the Sox the option to deal Scott Williamson , or move him to the role of set-up man.
Hale a legitimate candidate
Major League Baseball requires clubs to consider minority candidates for executive positions, and there's a widespread feeling that that's the only reason the Red Sox interviewed DeMarlo Hale yesterday for their vacant managerial job. But the Sox insist they consider Hale, a 42-year-old African-American who previously managed in their minor-league system, to be a serious contender for the post.
Hale, who spent last season on the Rangers' coaching staff, is the fourth person interviewed for the job, which opened when the Sox declined to exercise Grady Little's 2004 contract option. Dodgers coach Glenn Hoffman, A's coach Terry Francona and Angels coach Joe Maddon have also interviewed, with Francona considered to be the clear favorite. In fact, Curt Schilling's about-face regarding Boston -- he previously had said he would veto a trade to the Red Sox -- is rumored to be linked to assurances that Francona, his former manager in Philadelphia and someone he likes and respects, will be the next Sox skipper.
All of which would seem to make Hale's six-hour interview with Epstein yesterday at Fenway Park a mere formality. Both sides, however, say that's not the case.
"Not at all," said Epstein. "We had a very thorough interview (yesterday). We've been researching DeMarlo for a long time. A lot of work goes on behind the scenes before you ever get to the interview part of the process, and DeMarlo is legitimate. Talk to him for 10 minutes and you'll see he's a very legitimate candidate and deserves our thorough consideration."
"In talking with Theo, I feel very confident that I came here as a legitimate candidate," said Hale. "He heard my views and we talked very candidly about some things.
"Does it fit the criteria that Major League Baseball imposes? Yes. But I don't think that's going to be the factor of me getting this job. I think this organization is looking for someone to lead this team and get to that next point, which is the World Series."
Hale managed in the Sox' minor-league system for seven seasons (1993-99), and won a Minor League Manager of the Year award while with Double-A Trenton in '99. He left the Sox for the Texas organization in 2000, and has been a bench coach with the Rangers for the past two seasons.
"He did a lot of great things in this organization," said Epstein. "When you earn a reputation of that caliber . . . that means a lot. So we've done our follow-up research on him and we were very happy to have him in (yesterday) for an interview."
Hale said he did his own research about the Red Sox allowing him to interview for the manager's position. He spoke with baseball people around the league who know more about the situation in Boston and as a result feels he has a realistic chance of getting the job.
"You look at the candidates that they do have, and it's kind of a wide range," said Hale. "So I looked at that, and not so much that I'm a minority candidate. I'm just a candidate, and that's the approach I've got to take.
"For me to try to put that spin on it, I don't think the conversation would have been as well thought-out as me and Theo had (yesterday) morning."
