01:00 AM EST on Saturday, November 19, 2005

BY SEAN McADAM
Journal Sports Writer

BOSTON -- After scheduling second interviews with Jim Bowden and Jim Beattie Thursday, the Red Sox added a new name to their general manager search list yesterday. David Wilder, the director of player development with the Chicago White Sox, will be interviewed today at Fenway Park.

Wilder will meet with chairman Tom Werner, president and CEO Larry Lucchino and special advisor Bill Lajoie.

Prior to joining the White Sox, Wilder served as director of scouting and player development for the Atlanta Braves, was the farm director and assistant GM of the Chicago Cubs and a vice president of player personnel with the Milwaukee Brewers.

Wilder, who is African-American, is the first minority candidate to interivew with the Red Sox. Previously, the Sox interviewed Minnesota's Wayne Krivsky, Atlanta's Dayton Moore, Bowden and Beattie. Major League Baseball strongly encourages teams to interview minority candidates for managerial and GM openings.

"A couple of days ago, I was in Arizona and I got a call from the Red Sox gauging the interest I would have," said Wilder last night. "I'm very much interested. It's very exciting (to be interviewed). For someone in my seat right now, it's a dream come true to interview. I'm happy to be involved in the process. It's going to be fun."

Assessing the Red Sox personnel, Wilder said: "They're in a great situation -- they've got some young players (close to contributing) and a really good major-league club. It's an ideal situation."

Last month, Wilder interviewed for the GM position that went to Josh Byrnes in Arizona. Two years ago, he interviewed for GM openings in Seattle and Baltimore.

"Each team is different (when it comes to interviewing)," Wilder said. "We're just going to talk baseball and philsophies and see if they mesh."

Exploring the possibilities

With Lajoie at the helm, serving as the de facto general manager until a permanent executive can be hired, the Sox have contacted the agents representing, among others, pitchers B.J. Ryan and A.J. Burnett.

Burnett may attract some five-year offers from interested clubs, but it's doubtful the Sox would go to a fifth year for a pitcher whose career mark is a game under .500.

Ryan's bargaining position, meanwhile, may be helped by reports that Billy Wagner, another free-agent lefty closer, may get a four-year offer from the New York Mets. Ryan, too, visited with the Mets yesterday.

The Sox have also made contact with the agents for Johnny Damon and Bill Mueller, though the club expects Mueller to seek a multiyear deal elsewhere. The Sox, in turn, figure to have Kevin Youkilis as their regular third baseman.

Six added to roster

With an eye toward the Rule V Draft next month at the winter meetings, the Sox added six players to their 40-man roster.

The players added were right-hander Jesus Delgado, right-hander Harvey Garcia, left-hander Jon Lester, outfielder Brandon Moss, outfielder David Murphy and right-hander David Pauley.

The Sox also released Gabe Kapler from the 40-man roster, leaving them with 37 players on the roster.

Kapler suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon late in the season and underwent surgery. The outfielder, who began last season in Japan, fully expects to be ready for spring training and the Sox believe he could be.

But to protect themselves, the Sox will bring him back on a minor-leaguue deal, while making good on the $850,000 Kapler had coming to him on a guaranteed contract.

The minor-league deal also means that Kapler can't rejoin the major league team until May 15.

Delgado was 7-3 with two saves and a 3.50 E.R.A. in 33 relief appearances last season for Single-A Greenville. Delgado has been pitching in the Arizona Fall League.

Garcia, 21, also pitched at Greenville and went 3-5 with six saves and a 2.01 E.R.A. in 32 relief appearances.

Lester, 21, was a Double-A Eastern League all-star and was named Red Sox minor league pitcher of the year after leading the league with a 2.61 E.R.A. and 163 strikeouts. He was 11-6 at Portland and limited opponents to a .215 batting average in 26 starts.

Moss, 22, was a mid-season Eastern League All-Star and completed his campaign with a career-high 16 home runs, while batting .268 with 61 RBI.

Murphy, Boston's first pick in 2003, batted .275 with 14 homers and 75 RBI in 135 games for Portland. Murphy, 24, recently played for the Peoria Saguaros of the Arizona Fall League, batting .319 with 3 homers, 9 RBI and 20 runs scored in 24 games.

Pauley, 22, went 9-7 with a 3.81 E.R.A. in 27 starts for Portland after coming over from San Diego last December.