BELTRE Declines Red Sox Option & Is A Free Agent...Curt Young Becomes New Boston Pitching Coach

Adrian Beltre has decided to decline Boston's option and become a free agent. Though Boston has exclusive negotiation rights until Saturday, the writing is on the wall. With the year he had last season, he will command pounds and pounds of cold hard cash. He deserves it, too. Here's Boston GM Theo Epstein on the upcoming free stove market...

"I think it will be an active market. Adrian is a really good player. He did an incredible job for us this year. It was everything we could have hoped for and more. The toughness that he showed, playing through some injuries, the consistency that he showed offensively and bringing his usual great defense to the table was really impressive. We're not the only one who saw that. Everyone else saw that, too. Free agency is a right that players work long and hard to get."

The Sox have until midnight Friday morning to pick up David Ortiz' $12.5 million player option. I think deep down in my heart that Papi wants to stay if he gets a multi-year contract. How about two years, Mr. Epstein? Once the World Series concluded, things start happening fast and furiously. Papi proved to everyone in 2010 that even after a slow start, he's still got "it." We need that "it" on the team. We need a lot of them.

Boston pitching coach supreme John Farrell is moving to Canada to become the manager of the Toronto Blue Jays. Before he headed north he and Red Sox skipper Terry Francona searched for his possible replacement and one name stood above all the others. He is former Oakland A's pitching coach Curt Young. Here's Curt..

“Knowing Terry, and the respect you have for him across the field, what a great job he does, it was definitely something that I could not pass on,’’ Young said.

And the skipper, Tito Francona...

“This is an exciting time for us. We really caught a break. We got a really good pitching coach.’’

Young spent parts of 23 seasons with Oakland — 12 as a player, four as a minor league coach, and seven as pitching coach. Oakland had the lowest earned run average in the American League (4.03) during his tenure, while allowing the lowest batting average (.257) and fewest home runs. This past season, Oakland had the lowest ERA in the AL (3.56) and led the league with 17 shutouts. So he's the real deal and will have plenty to work with. Let's hope his successful ways continue. The talent is there in Boston and he will provide the crucial guidance. Good luck, Curt. We lost a great one in Farrell and we know you can seamlessly take his place. Now if Beckett, Lackey and Matsuzaka can get their acts together and Buchholz and Lester continue their dominance over the rest of the league, the sky's the limit for the Boston Red Sox providing that the injury epidemic stays away, WAY AWAY.

Thanks for stopping by and don't forget to click on this post's title for more than 200 pictures from the SF Giants victory parade. I found them on the SF Chronicle website. You'll see so many happy people. Just click away. Have a great Thursday as we slide towards the weekend and as always, BE WELL. I'll see you soon.