SB Nation's Red Sox blog Over the Monster thinks the Adrian Beltre signing is great on two accounts -- it's cheap and it's short:
This is obviously a sign that Beltre wants to prove he can hit -- at the least. He'll come to the Red Sox for a year and try to make his big pay day for after the 2010 season. If he struggles, he can take the easy cash and give another season to the Red Sox.
I really love this deal. It's short and cheap. I can't decide which I like better of those two. This keeps the Red Sox's options very open down the line, depending what opens up.
The Red Sox will reportedly continue to try to shop Mike Lowell, who failed a physical in December when the Sox tried to trade the veteran to the Texas Rangers. If Lowell isn't traded, he most likely will play off the bench, some third base, getting some at-bats as a designated hitter and try his hand as a first baseman.