An Altered Red Sox Team Looms After Early Exit

With veterans such as Jason Varitek, David Ortiz and Mike Lowell at or near the end of their contracts, Boston Red Sox followers expect change in the next year or so.

One day after the team's elimination from the playoffs in an AL Division Series, GM Theo Epstein indicated it could come sooner than that.

Epstein's end-of-season comments Monday didn't come across as a knee-jerk reaction to the embarrassing sweep by the Los Angeles Angels. But change is coming. The core group could return for one more year, he said. If it does, it'll probably be the last lap.

"It could go a number of different directions. I think we're always open to change," Epstein said. "Sometimes it's not the right free-agent market. Sometimes you end up with more status quo than you want. If that's the case, if we look back three or four months from now and say, 'Wow, there weren't major changes,' then I think next year will be perhaps the last year of this main group of players.

"It might be one more chance for this group to go out and win the whole thing. If we are able to make changes, maybe that transition ... will happen earlier than some people expect."

Certainly, the Red Sox have a core of players at or approaching their prime who are expected to be fixtures --Dustin Pedroia, Kevin Youkilis, Jon Lester, Jonathan Papelbon, Jacoby Ellsbury, Clay Buchholz.

Epstein hasn't ruled out re-signing free-agent-to-be Jason Bay, who lead the team with 36 home runs and 119 RBI his first full season at Fenway since arriving in the Manny Ramirez purge at the 2008 trading deadline. The sides are still talking, he said.

Varitek, who lost his starting job when Victor Martinez was acquired from Cleveland this summer, did not appear in the ALDS. While Epstein declined to address the team captain's status until he's had a chance to talk to him, the Red Sox are expected to decline his $5 million option for 2010. There is also a $3 million player option.

Midseason acquisitions reliever Billy Wagner and shortstop Alex Gonzalez could join Bay in free agency. Wagner has expressed a desire to return to the closer's role somewhere. Gonzalez is up, with a mutual $6 million option for 2010.

Ortiz, 34 next month, and Lowell, who will be 36 by next opening day, will be entering the final year of their contracts next year. Manager Terry Francona says he expects Lowell, who had hip surgery last offseason, to be better physically next year. Epstein made it clear Ortiz will have to be better at the plate.

"If he's going to be the DH on this team, we need him to be a force," the GM said of the slugger who rebounded to finish with 28 homers and 99 RBI after hitting .185 with one homer the first two months. "We're a different team when he is that force, so there will be conversations about what he thinks he needs to do to get back there."

Epstein also was blunt in his marching orders for pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka, who missed 107 games in two extended trips to the disabled list with a strained right shoulder. He wants him to report to spring training in "fantastic shape," both in overall conditioning and shoulder strength. "I see it as a necessity, not an option," he said.