Ramirez

The Red Sox’ offseason quest to improve their offense apparently involved more than pursuing free agent first baseman Mark Teixiera.

SI.com reported yesterday that the Red Sox also approached the Marlins about reacquiring shortstop Hanley Ramirez, who started his career in the Boston organization and has blossomed into a star in Florida. But the talks went nowhere, and SI.com says there’s “very little chance” they will be revived.

The Marlins were interested in Jacoby Ellsbury and Clay Buccholz as part of a package for Ramirez, who batted .301 last season with 33 home runs, 67 RBI, a .400 on-base percentage and a .540 slugging percentage. Ramirez, who turned 25 last week, has hit .282, .332 and .301 in his three seasons as a regular in Florida, with 79 homers and 207 RBI.

Ramirez signed a six-year, $70-million contract last May that gets more lucrative in its final years. He will only earn $5.5 million next year and $7 million in 2010, so the cost-conscious Marlins have no financial incentive to trade him yet. In addition, the team is attempting to win public financing for a new stadium and there would no doubt be a political backlash if they traded their best player.

Ramirez was part of the package the Red Sox sent to Florida in November 2005 for Josh Beckett and Mike Lowell. His defense at shortstop has been erratic and many scouts think the Marlins eventually will shift him to the outfield. SI.com reported the Red Sox would have shifted Ramirez to center field if they’d completed the trade.