Boston sends dependable backup catcher Doug Mirabelli to San Diego in exchange for sure-handed and solid-hitting second baseman Mark Loretta.

01:00 AM EST on Thursday, December 8, 2005

BY SEAN McADAM
Journal Sports Writer

DALLAS -- When the Red Sox arrived here, it was their intent to find quality trades for bothsManny Ramirezsand David Wells. Having come up empty on both fronts to date, the Red Sox at least know that they won't be going home empty handed.

Last night, they finalized their second trade of the off-season -- and first of the winter meetings -- when they shipped catchersDoug Mirabellisto the San Diego Padres in exchange for second baseman Mark Loretta.

"This is one of the steadiest infielders in the game," said Red Sox special adviser Bill Lajoie, who worked in Milwaukee's front office when Loretta played for the Brewers. "He does all the things a smart player does. Defensively, he has very sure hands and turns an excellent double play with average range."

Loretta, 34, is expected to hit second in the Boston batting order, assuming the Sox retain outfielder and leadoff hitter Johnny Damon.

"He's a solid, solid hitter," said Red Sox executive Craig Shipley. "You could use him in a lot of different places (in the lineup). He works the count, hits to all fields and sees a lot of pitches."

A lifetime .301 hitter, Loretta batted .280 with three homers and 38 RBI last year for the Padres, although he missed a third of the season with a thumb injury. The previous season, Loretta enjoyed the best yeear of his 11 major league seasons, hitting .335 with 16 homers, 47 doubles, 76 RBI and 108 runs scored. He was chosen as a N.L. All-Star and presented the Silver Slugger Award at his position.

"Like anything else," said Loretta in a conference call with reporters last night, "you have little bit of mixed emotions when you find out you've been traded. I think, on the one hand, you feel some disappointment about leaving a place where you feel very comfortable and had some success and (where) you make your home. That's an initial shock. But on the flip side, I'm extremely excited to go to a place like Boston. I couldn't think of a team that has more tradition, more desire to win, and a fantastic fan base. From a professional standpoint, I couldn't be happier to go to Boston and be a part of the Red Sox."

Loretta, who has played only in smaller markets over the course of his career, spoke to former Sox outfielder Dave Roberts about the transition.

"I expect this to be a completely different experience than I've had in my career," Loretta said.

He added that his thumb has healed completely from surgery last summer and that he expects to have a season more like the ones he had in 2003 (.314-13-72) and 2004 than last year.

He'll replace Tony Graffanino, who became the Sox' starting second baseman in July after being obtained in a deal with Kansas City. The Red Sox offered Graffanino salary arbitration yesterday, but he's expected to sign elsewhere for a multi-year deal.

The Sox had questions about prospect Dustin Pedroia's readiness for 2006, and Loretta gives them a proven commodity in the infield while buying Pedroia additional time to develop.

"There's really no rush (with Pedroia)," said Shipley. "You can rarely hurt a player by having him stay a little longer in the minor leagues."

In dealing Mirabelli, the Sox lose a popular player in the clubhouse from the last 4 1/2 seasons. Mirabelli was particularly popular with Tim Wakefield, with whom he teamed as the knuckeballer's regular catcher.

In San Diego, Mirabelli will battle Miguel Olivo for playing time.

Breaking up the Mirabelli-Wakefield combination was a concern for the Sox, since it provided Wakefield with a certain comfort level.

"That's been addressed," said Lajoie. "We've talked to Wakefield and asked, 'Who would you suggest we try to acquire?' "

"A lot of thinking went into that," echoed Shipley. "(Having a relationship with his receiver) is a very important thing to (Wakefield)."

The deal represents a boost of just over $2 million in payroll for the Sox. Mirabelli had one year remaining at $1.5 million, while Loretta is on the final year of a deal that will pay him $3.75 million.

Even as the Sox concluded the Loretta-Mirabelli deal, they continued to work on another. Beginning Tuesday night, the Sox had discussions with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays and Atlanta Braves on a three-way deal that would have sentsEdgar Renteriasto Atlanta, third-base prospect Andy Marte to Tampa and shortstop Julio Lugo to Boston.

But dealing with the Devil Rays proved problematic for both the Braves and Red Sox, and last night there existed the possibility that the Sox and Braves could cut a deal without Tampa's involvement, swapping Marte for Renteria.

Renteria, who signed a four-year, $40-million deal last December, was a disappointment in his first season with the Sox, hitting .276 with eight homers and 70 RBI while committing a league-leading 30 errors. The Sox believe that the 30-year-old infielder could continue to slow down physically and seem intent on cutting their losses.

Marte, a native of Cuba, is a highly-regarded prospect who could replace Hanley Ramirez -- dealt in the trade for Josh Beckett -- as the Red Sox' most valuable young position player. The Sox could then turn elsewhere for a one-year shortstop fix (free agent Alex Gonzalez, Mets infielder Kaz Matsui) before seeing if Pedroia can handle the position in 2007.