Red Sox set to unveil new acquisitions!

Lackey, Cameron to be introduced Wednesday.


BOSTON -- The Red Sox have spent the past two days working out deals with a pair of free agents who could be key to their success in 2010. On Wednesday, the club will unveil right-hander John Lackey and outfielder Mike Cameron in separate news conferences at Fenway Park.


Cameron will meet the media first, at 11:30 a.m. ET, followed by Lackey at 1:30 p.m.

Lackey, one of the top right-handers in the American League during his eight seasons with the Angels, came to Boston on Monday for a physical and agreed to terms on a five-year contract worth a reported $82.5 million.

As for Cameron, who has agreed to terms on a two-year deal worth between $15 million and $16 million, he underwent a physical in Boston on Tuesday.

The Lackey move is particularly significant, in that it gives Boston what could arguably be the most formidable starting pitching trio in the AL. Jon Lester and Josh Beckett are also considered ace-caliber pitchers. The Sox also have a blossoming Clay Buchholz, right-hander Daisuke Matsuzaka and veteran knuckleballer Tim Wakefield.

The contract is the largest given to any free agent during general manager Theo Epstein's seven years at the helm. It also marks the only time Boston has given a five-year contract to a free-agent starting pitcher, with the exception of Matsuzaka. But Matsuzaka's case was different because the Red Sox needed to submit a blind posting bid of $51.1 million to the Seibu Lions just to earn negotiating rights.

Why such a lengthy commitment in Lackey? For starters, the Red Sox have apparently decided they'd be better off allocating big dollars to a top arm than a big bat in the mold of Jason Bay or Matt Holliday.

And in the 31-year-old Lackey, they have someone they can put behind, between or in front of Lester and Beckett.

Then there is Cameron, 36, who will help fill some of the void left by Bay in left field. An above-average defender throughout his career, Cameron could share time with Jeremy Hermida in left while also backing up Jacoby Ellsbury in center and J.D. Drew in right.

Cameron hit .250 with 24 homers and 70 RBIs in 2009 for the Brewers. He is a three-time Gold Glove Award winner, most recently in '06.

In 1,829 Major League games, Cameron has a .250 average with 265 homers, 926 RBIs and a .340 on-base percentage. He has played for the White Sox, Reds, Mariners, Mets, Padres and Brewers. He has hit 20-plus homers eight times.

Then there is Lackey, whom the Red Sox will count on to win big games.

As a rookie in 2002, Lackey was the winning pitcher in Game 7 of the World Series, allowing four hits and a run over five innings against the San Francisco Giants.

More recently, he stifled the team he will play for in 2010, holding the Red Sox scoreless over 7 1/3 innings in Game 1 of the '09 AL Division Series.

Lackey hails from Albilene, Texas. He was drafted by the Angels in the second round -- 68th overall -- of the 1999 First-Year Player Draft.

Over the years, Lackey has been known as much for his intensity as his nasty stuff. His final outing for the Angels was Game 5 of the 2009 AL Championship Series against the Yankees. Lifted by Mike Scioscia in mid-inning, Lackey angrily yelled at his manager, saying, "This is mine, this is mine."

As it turns out, the Angels went on to win that game, but they lost the series in six games.

For his career, Lackey is 102-71 with a 3.81 ERA. He has pitched in 234 games, all but one of them starts. Lackey's best season was 2007, when he went 19-9 with a 3.01 ERA and made the AL All-Star team. In '09, Lackey went 11-8 with a 3.83 ERA in 27 starts. Lackey has pitched 14 times in the postseason, 12 of them starts, going 3-4 with a 4.12 ERA.

Now that Lackey is close to being on board, Epstein can go about constructing the rest of his 2010 roster.

Earlier this month, Boston signed free-agent shortstop Marco Scutaro to a two-year deal that includes a mutual option for a third year.

What is left for Epstein? Part of that depends on if the proposed trade of third baseman Mike Lowell and cash to the Rangers for Minor League catcher Max Ramirez goes through. Texas is taking as much time as possible to review Lowell's medical records, checking the state of his surgically repaired right hip and a left thumb ailment that troubled the third baseman late last year. If that trade goes through, Epstein will ratchet it up in his search for another corner infielder. The Red Sox have the option of adding a third baseman or acquiring a first baseman and moving Kevin Youkilis across the diamond.

Third baseman Adrian Beltre, a free agent, has been one of the top names mentioned.

And it should also be noted that Lackey's addition gives the Red Sox six established starting pitchers, perhaps giving Epstein the opening to deal one of his pitchers for a big bat. Adrian Gonzalez is a name that continues to be bandied about the rumor mill, but it would take a substantial package to convince the Padres to trade their star slugging first baseman.

For now, though, Lackey and Cameron are in tow, giving the Red Sox another force in their rotation and a versatile presence in the outfield.