BOSTON -- So while the Yankees have just made it official that they're giving 36-year-old Derek Jeter $51 million over the next three years, the real buzz out of the American League East came Monday at Fenway Park, as the Red Sox introduced first baseman Adrian Gonzalez. Let's just say that got a few more headlines than tonight's Sabres-Bruins game and even got higher billing than the Patriots' trashing of the Jets.
Gonzalez is only signed through 2011 but the Sox certainly have the inside track on getting him to agree to an extension and they can save millions in luxury tax dollars by doing it after Opening Day. And let's be honest here: Gonzalez is a monster anyway and he's going to hit waaaaaaaay more at Fenway Park than he did at spacious Petco. He's the perfect left-handed wall-basher at first base and finally allows the Sox to get over the blow of losing Mark Teixeira to the Yankees two years ago.
The major action is down at the Winter Meetings in Florida -- and it is really heating up as the Yankees, Rangers and even the Nationals are in hot and heavy with Cliff Lee. Can the Nats really go seven years to Lee after their outrageous seven-year, $126-million deal with Jayson Werth? Stay tuned.
---Mike Harrington
(www.twitter.com/bnharrington)
