Red Sox Rumors: David Ortiz, Roy Oswalt and the Veterans

We heard from several Red Sox outlets yesterday with bits of news and notes involving the club.  Boston continues to be included in the Roy Oswalt sweepstakes, though their level of interest in the right-hander remains unknown.  Outside of Oswalt, much of the news in Beantown surrounds a pair of veteran Sox and David Ortiz’s arbitration hearing.

Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington has said that an Oswalt signing is unlikely.  Still, because the market for the veteran starter remains murky as we near the start of Spring Training, Boston remains tied to Oswalt.

Nick Carfado of the Boston Globe wrote yesterday that the Red Sox may still be in the running for Oswalt, though they are more likely viewed as an alternative option for the 34-year-old if he is unable to reach an agreement with the Cardinals or Rangers.

The Boston Globe’s Scott Lauber doesn’t agree, as he’s heard from sources that there’s “no sense of progress” in talks between the Red Sox and Oswalt.

Beyond Oswalt, Cherington spoke with Carfado regarding Boston’s situation with veteran players Jason Varitek and Tim Wakefield.  Both would like to return to the Red Sox, though Boston has expressed little interest in bringing the pair back for another season.  Cherington told Carfado that, one way or another, the Varitek and Wakefield situations will be resolved by next week.

Finally there is David Ortiz and his pending contract.  As each day passes, it appears more and more likely that Papi and the Red Sox will have their cases heard.  Alex Speier of WEEI.com wrote an article yesterday examining how the arbitration hearing could shake out.

Ortiz said the other day that he would rather it not come to that, but he is leaving it up to his agents to deal with as he prepares for the upcoming season.  If it were up to Ortiz, he would ink a multi-year contract with the Red Sox.

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