Red Sox offer salary arbitration to 2, decline 7
BOSTON -- The Boston Red Sox have offered salary arbitration to free agent catcher Jason Varitek and righthanded pitcher Paul Byrd.
General Manager Theo Epstein also announced Monday that the Red Sox declined arbitration with its seven other free agents: pitchers Bartolo Colon, Curt Schilling and Mike Timlin, catcher David Ross, infielders Sean Casey and Alex Cora, and outfielder Mark Kotsay.
Free agents have until Sunday to accept arbitration offers.
If Type A free agent Varitek does not accept arbitration and signs with other team, the Red Sox will receive two compensatory picks in the 2009 amateur draft. Byrd, a Type B free agent, would net Boston one compensatory pick.
(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
