George Steinbrenner is scheduled to gather the major Yankee executives in Tampa on Monday with the idea of taking all the information culled by Brian Cashman at the GM meetings and in phone calls to teams and agents, and finalizing an offseason plan.
One key figure in those plans, Curt Schilling, could suddenly have his market expanded to include the Red Sox. During the GM meetings, Schilling had told the Diamondbacks the only two teams he would waive his no-trade clause and accept a deal to were the Phillies and Yankees.
However, there is speculation that, if Terry Francona is named Red Sox manager – and he is the clear favorite to get the job – Schilling might add Boston to the list.
Francona was Schilling’s manager in Philadelphia from 1997 until the veteran righty was traded to Arizona during the 2000 season, and Schilling is known to like Francona a great deal.
Schilling, who was drafted by the Red Sox in 1986 but never played with them, has previously said that, as a fly-ball pitcher, he has no desire to call Fenway Park home. Even if Schilling decides to change his mind, however, the possibility of his going to Boston is not great.
Red Sox officials inquired about Schilling earlier this offseason and felt Arizona was asking too much in return. Boston also had concerns about whether it could add his $12 million 2004 contract to the payroll, and was not anxious to meet Schilling’s likely trade demands of a three-year extension for a player who turned 37 this month.
The Yankees also have – to date – balked at Arizona’s trade requests, which included the Yanks taking the $2.4 million 2004 contract of Junior Spivey while giving up Nick Johnson, Alfonso Soriano and another prospect. There is an effort by several Yankee officials to convince Steinbrenner that providing the financially desperate Diamondbacks salary relief is enough that the Yanks should not have to give up Johnson or Soriano.
The Yanks want to re-sign Andy Pettitte, and then add another frontline starter, with Schilling, Montreal’s Javier Vazquez and free agent Bartolo Colon the main candidates.
On Monday in Tampa, Steinbrenner is expected to sort through those possibilities with his executives as well as determine how to proceed on free agents such as Gary Sheffield, Kaz Matsui and a long ledger of set-up relievers.