ESPN.com's Buster Olney speculates in his blog that Brewers first baseman Prince Fielder could play be playing in Boston next season. The speculation is not out of the realm of possibility. The Red Sox coveted Padres first baseman Adrian Gonzalez this season, but talks never got serious. The Brewers are in dire need of pitching and could quite possibly land Clay Buchholz in a deal for Fielder.
Here is one problem that could arise from this deal. The Red Sox have Kevin Youkilis at first, Mike Lowell at third, and David Ortiz at DH. All three are under contract with salaries over 10 million dollars, making it very unlikely that any of them will be moved. Francona could juggle the four for three spots, with Youkilis playing both third and first next season. If they assumed a large portion of salary, they could try to sell Lowell to teams like the Twins, Angels, Astros, and Rangers, among others.
While the Red Sox are going to have a lot of money coming off the books, they must decide whether or not they can afford several impending free agents coming up. Victor Martinez, Josh Beckett, and if they acquire Fielder, would all be free agents after the 2010 season. The Red Sox also have Jason Bay, who is a free agent after this season, to lock up as well.
Long term, can the Red Sox afford to throw around all this money?