Red Sox trade for Adrian Gonzales

The Boston Red Sox have pulled their first big move of the off season by trading for San Diego Padres First Baseman Adrian Gonzales. It is a good move, if not a confusing one, but let us take a minute and look at the deal:

The Red Sox get 1B Adrian Gonzales
The San Diego Padres get three prospects and a player to be named. The three prospects are RHP Casey Kelly, 1B Anthony Rizzo, and OF Reymond Fuentes

Now it appears that Gonzales would like a new contract somewhere in the range of what Ryan Howard signed. Howard signed a five year 125 million dollar extension last April. Since Gonzales is just 30 years old locking him up for 4-5 years seems to be a very solid move. He is a career .284 hitter, whose power numbers could go way up in Fenway Park.

Of course this moves raises big questions about two other Red Sox. The first being David Ortiz. He would seem that the plan would be to use Gonzales at first and slide Kevin Youkilis either to third or to DH. That of course would leave Ortiz out of a job and if Youkilis can play third they could let Adrian Beltre go. It seems likely the Beltre is out leaving the status of Ortiz up in the air.

Make no mistake this is a solid move to shore up the middle of the Red Sox lineup. A power hitting left handed bat can put up huge numbers in Fenway Park, and he will have some solid protection before and after him. It is one of the better moves made this off season, and the contract demands seem pretty reasonable for the kind of numbers Gonzales could put up hitting balls over the Green Monster.