Red Sox Would Be Foolish To Let Beltre Go

Fox Sports' Jon Paul Morosi thinks the Red Sox would be foolish not to chase third baseman (and former Dodger) Adrian Beltre:

But the top priority should be keeping one of their own: Adrian Beltre.

Beltre is a free agent again, after making good on one of the wisest one-year deals (for both player and team) in recent memory. He didn’t join the Red Sox until January but was absolutely their best all-around player in 2010.

On the team with an All-Star disabled list, Beltre was the leader in games played. He batted a team-high .321. He finished with more home runs (28) and RBIs (102) than he had in any season since 2004. He played magnificent defense.

His agent, Scott Boras, has built an empire on contract years like this.

And that is sort of the point: The Red Sox are going to spend big on someone, because, much like the Yankees after 2008, ego will compel them to ensure that they do not miss the playoffs in consecutive seasons. So why not give those millions to a player who (a) can handle playing in Boston and (b) wears out The Wall? [...]

Of course, there are whispers that Beltre is headed to a team on the West Coast, because (a) his wife is from there and (b) he owns a home there. I haven’t heard this much talk about baseball geography since Jason Bay, the Seattle-area resident who was destined to sign with the Mariners, Angels or Giants for precisely the same reasons. Lest we forget, he’s a Met.

When it comes to Adrian Beltre, the Red Sox have the money and the need. Their first move of the offseason should be the obvious one.

Well, the Dodgers have the need, though likely not the money. Even still, I can keep dreaming for Beltre as the answer to our big question mark at third base for 2011. Come on, Dodgers: BRING BACK BELTRE!

photo swiped from a boston.com article earlier this year