So much for the talk of the Red Sox not making a big splash at baseball's winter meetings and staying away from long-term contracts.
According to CBSSports.com's Jon Heyman, the Red Sox could become a player for the biggest name on the free agent market, outfielder Josh Hamilton.
In an interview with Jim Bowden and Jim Duquette on SiriusXM radio, Red Sox CEO Larry Lucchino wouldn't rule out a pursuit of Hamilton. The winter meetings begin Monday in Nashville.
One rival general manager told Heyman: "Boston wants to do something big and it wouldn't shock me if they became players for Josh Hamilton.''
The Red Sox do have money to spend after last summer's deal that shipped Josh Beckett, Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez, and their big money,long-term deals to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
There had been speculation that the Red Sox's parting with those contracts would make them reluctant to commit to more long-term deals going forward. And Hamilton, 31, does bring with him a history of off-the-field problems.
They are actively pursuing Hamilton's former Texas Rangers teammate, free agent catcherfirst baseman Mike Napoli, but are said to be unwilling to go to a fourth year on his contract.