Ten free agents the Red Sox have to look at

While the amount of roster turnover that will occur before the 2012 season remains to be seen, the simple fact of the matter is that the Red Sox will need to make changes. And let’s forget the Albert Pujols or C.J. Wilson talk. With contracts expiring on several members of the team, Boston would do well to do more than just kick the tires on these 10 players who enter the offseason as free agents.

Carlos Beltran, outfield
The Red Sox are probably going to shy away from a big-name signing this offseason, but with a big gap in right field, the Red Sox could make an effort to sign him. After two bad seasons with the Mets in 2009 and 2010, he rebounded with a very strong 2011. He played primarily in right field and played well at the position. With J.D. Drew’s contract coming off the books, the Red Sox would be able to swallow the large contract he would command.

Johnny Damon, outfield
Yep, I said it. The Red Sox need strong veteran leadership and while he’s not outspoken, you can’t say that Damon doesn’t lead by example. At 37 years old, he can’t be relied on as an everyday player in the field, but he most likely could be had for reasonable dollars while serving as a part-time left fielder and DH. Clearly his best days are behind him, but with Jacoby Ellsbury and Dustin Pedroia at the top of the line up, he would not be expected to offer the offensive spark he did his first time around. Especially if the team doesn’t have to trot him out there and stretch him out in the field too much, he could be a valuable presence to have around young outfielders like Josh Reddick and Ryan Kalish. His .307 career batting average at Fenway Park doesn’t hurt either.

Mark Buerhle, starting pitcher
Buerhle is as his name would suggest – a hard-nosed, go-out-there-and-get-it-done kind of pitcher. Given the reports on the subpar attitude and cliquishness of the Red Sox pitching staff in 2011, it’s that kind of player that could help change the culture. Buerhle isn’t a guy who will strike out 15 batters, but he has never thrown fewer than 200 innings and had won at least 10 games in every season since 2001. He is considered one of the most consistent major league pitchers in the game right now and would most likely command somewhere around $16 million per year, so somewhere some payroll would most likely have to be shifted.

Joel Zumaya, relief pitcher
Zumaya is a guy who has been riddled with injuries over his short major league career, but with the amount of talent the right-handed fireballer has, it may be worth taking a flier on him if the dollars were right, and they certainly should be after he missed the entire 2011 season. When healthy, he features a fastball that lives in the 97-99 MPH range and his late and close statistics suggest a guy who can help solidify the back end of a bullpen. Major league hitters have a .218 batting average against him. If the price is right, why not?

Darren Oliver, relief pitcher
At 41 years old, Oliver may decide to quit while he’s ahead and hang ’em up, but the veteran journeyman has become one of the premier left-handed specialists in the game. The Red Sox have been lacking in quality left-handed relief for a few years now and a guy like Oliver, if used properly and not stretched too far, could have real value facing one or two batters in key spots. After floating from team to team and between starting and relieving for most of his career, Oliver has settled into the role and has had a sub-3.00 ERA in each of the last four seasons. Last year, left-handed batters hit just .227 with a .318 slugging percentage against him.

Michael Cuddyer, outfield
Cuddyer has been coveted by the Red Sox in the past and he always seems to be a name that pops up around the trade deadline. Now there’s an opening in the outfield. While his 32 home runs a couple of years ago was an aberration, but he’s still a productive player who will come at a reasonable price tag in comparison to other players the Red Sox have signed recently. He has experience playing all over the field and versatility is valued in the organization.

Bill Hall, utility
Hall and the Giants have a mutual option, but if the decision is made to move on, Hall could once again be a useful member of a winning team. Hall isn’t much of a regular, but it’s hard to forget that in 2010 he hit 18 home runs in limited duty for the Red Sox. The super utility man had a miserable 2011 as the starting second baseman for Houston before being released, which should keep his price tag low, so he’d be worth a flier.

Ryan Doumit, catcher
If Jason Varitek retires, the Red Sox will need a viable option at backup catcher. Ryan Lavarnway figures to be more of a DH than a true catcher and Boston’s other minor league prospects are still a ways away from being ready for the bigs. The Pirates have an option on Doumit, but the $7.25 million price tag is likely too rich for their taste. Doumit has had injury issues, but in a backup role similar to the workload Jason Varitek had last year, he could do well. In 77 games in 2011, he batted .301 with an .830 OPS while playing exclusively at catcher. He also has experience in the outfield, as the Pirates experimented with him there in an effort to keep him healthy.

Francisco Rodriguez, relief pitcher
Rodriguez isn’t the pitcher he was a few years ago, but at 30 years old, he is still very effective. While he most likely will look for an opportunity to close, he was absolutely lights out as a set up man for Milwaukee down the stretch and may be swayed by the chance to play for another playoff contender. With the Red Sox bullpen needing serious work, having a guy like Rodriguez that you can rely on along with Daniel Bard in the late innings the way Bobby Jenks was supposed to in 2011. Or if the Red Sox decide to try Bard as a starter as it is being rumored, he could fill that set up role.

Jonathan Papelbon, relief pitcher
Papelbon had arguably his best season as a Red Sox in 2011, save the tail end when nothing went the team’s way. Especially with Bard’s struggles down the stretch, it seems even more imperative that the Red Sox keep a known commodity in the ninth inning role. Papelbon will demand top dollar, but in a market for closers filled with a lot of question marks outside of Rodriguez and Heath Bell, the Red Sox would do well to hold on to what they have.