Monday Links: Hot stove heating up

If I was a betting man, I’d say that we’re in for a very active week on the MLB hot stove. With the General Managers meetings now in the rear view mirror, teams can use the information they gathered last week to begin to put their offseason plans into action. For the Red Sox, their plans may start moving forward as early as Monday or Tuesday, as the team welcomes free agent third baseman Pablo Sandoval to Boston. While no deal is imminent, the two sides have been linked for most of the offseason, due to the fact that Boston is in dire need for a left-handed hitting third baseman. Sandoval seems to have whittled his options down to two clubs; the Red Sox and the Giants. However, on Sunday night we learned that the San Diego Padres are making a push to sign the Venezuela native. While the Padres are in need of a third baseman, some believe that they only expressed interest in Sandoval to push the price higher for their National League West rivals in San Francisco. In the same line of thinking, it’s easy to assume that this could mean that Sandoval is honing in on a final decision. Could the Kung-fu Panda have a new home by weeks end? We’ll have to wait and see, but it seems like a likely possibility.

• Over the weekend, the Miami Marlins officially dashed the hopes of Red Sox fans dream of acquiring Giancarlo Stanton. While no official announcment has been handed down, reports indicate that the Marlins have signed the 24-year old slugger to a 13 year, $325M contract. Assuming Stanton signs the deal, he’ll become the highest paid player in the history of the sport, surpassing Alex Rodriguez’ $275M deal with New York. (Giancarlo Stanton nearing a record breaking $325 million extension with Marlins)

• As the Red Sox prepare to dive headlong into the market for free agent starter Jon Lester, they’re certain to be met with some heavy competition. Perhaps the most predictable team to prevent Boston from re-signing the southpaw is the Theo Epstein lead Chicago Cubs. Like the Red Sox, the Cubs have money to spend and could be juggernauts on the free agent market. (Red Sox battling with Esptein’s Cubs to sign Jon Lester)

• Despite recent reports, the Red Sox coaching staff holds no ill-will towards slugging outfielder Yoenis Cespedes. While it’s true that one Red Sox coach was frustrated that the 29-year old Cuban wouldn’t spend more time working on his defense, the notion that he’s “hated” is an exaggeration. (Cespedes not “hated” by Red Sox teammates and coaches)

• Ever since the Red Sox gutted their rotation during the trade deadline last season, fans and media alike have wondered how the team will reassemble their staff. Whether the team looks to the free agent market, the trade front, or internally, it’s obvious that Boston needs to make their rotation a top priority. Luckily for Ben Cherington, there are a ton of options to mull over this winter. (For Red Sox, rotation is main priority)

• It’s obvious that Pablo Sandoval’s girth is a huge (no pun intended) factor that the Red Sox will have to weigh (pun intended) this offseason. Like other teams, Boston’s interest is yielded by concerns over the 28-year old’s weight. Further complicating things is the fact that the MLB’s Collective Bargaining Agreement prevents teams from penalizing players for gaining weight. Therefore, Boston will need to get creative when writing insurance into a potential contract for the Panda. (Pablo Sandoval’s weight could add heavy risk)

• Twee of the day: Trade proposals are my favorite