Don't say I didn't warn you -- what with the Red Sox fielding former Royals like Mike Aviles and Joey Gathright and the recent hiring of former Royals' pitching coach Bob McClure into a mystery role -- that former Royals General Manager Allard Baird's one-ringless-hand-to-rule-them-all presence would eventually turn a merry band of hobbits (and other middle infielders) into a magical collection of the Royals' 2000-2006 glory years. The poisonous infection seeps slowly, my friends, and only after you're staring down a lava pit of 100 losses will it hit you: Baird is the Dark Lord. RUN, you fools!

• Red Sox name Hazen, O’Halloran assistant GMs - BostonHerald.com
  "Among other moves, Allard Baird went from vice president of player personnel and professional scouting to vice president of player personnel, David Finley was promoted from special assistant to the general manager to director of player personnel and Zack Scott was promoted from assistant director of baseball operations to director of major league operations."
• Red Sox tried to get Blue Jays to reconsider on Farrell - Ken Rosenthal
  "The Sox, according to major-league sources, have had conversations with the Blue Jays about Farrell since the Jays’ policy shift, asking what it would take for them to reconsider their position."
• Alomar out as a candidate, Lamont to meet with ownership - The Providence Journal
  "Detroit Tigers bench coach Gene Lamont will meet with Red Sox ownership this week, the next step in the interview process. Toronto Blue Jays coach Torey Lovullo does not have a meeting with ownership scheduled but remains a candidate, Cherington said. Those two, along with former New York Mets manager and current ESPN analyst Bobby Valentine, who interviewed Monday, constitute the entire candidate pool at present."

• RED SOX - Free agent focus: Will David Ortiz remain in Boston? - DailyPitch
  "New GM Ben Cherington has gone on record and said that he hopes to re-sign Ortiz. If that falls through, the Orioles or Blue Jays could Option B. Orioles GM Dan Duquette met with Fern Cuza, Ortiz's agent. Duquette and Cuza have a history and worked together when Duquette was with the Red Sox and signed Pedro Martinez."
• Red Sox never made offer to closer Joe Nathan - WEEI
  "According to a major league source, the Red Sox talked to former Twins closer Joe Nathan but never made an offer to the right-hander before he agreed to a two-year, $14.5 million deal with the Rangers that includes a $9 million team option for 2014."