Boras: No talks of multi-year Ellsbury deal

Scott Boras -- who is in town to announce the signing of his client and Red Sox first-round pick Devin Marrero -- told WEEI.com Wednesday that he has had no discussions with Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington regarding a multi-year extension for outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury. Ellsbury would be eligible become a free agent following the 2013 season.

"We've only had the traditional discussions of one-year contracts," Boras explained. "Ben and I will certainly begin contract discussions at year's end because we have to. We have at minimum a one-year contract to discuss. We're going to play through the season. Ben's operating his team and I'm signing draft picks, operating my team."

Former Red Sox GM Theo Epstein told WEEI last July that the Red Sox had previously attempted to lock Ellsbury up to a multi-year deal, saying to the Dennis and Callahan Show: "It is not a secret that we have sat down and tried in the past and tried to lock Jacoby up in the past, and we will sit down in the future and try and do it again at the appropriate time. He is somebody that we have believed in as a core, young member in the organization that we look to keep around. We have certain organizational standards that have to be met, and we have worked hard to keep those standards with Pedroia and Youkilis and Lester. So we'd love to one day announce that Jacoby will be with this organization for a long time and this is where he should be and we see him as a core guy."

Boras explained that while some might compare Matt Kemp's extension -- which was signed last November and will pay the Dodgers' outfielder $160 million over eight years -- it isn't fair to match-up the two.

"The Matt Kemp contract is not a free agent contract. It's not a barometer that has a great deal of relevance other than it's what players get who are not free agents and are really talented," Boras said. "So when you look at the free agent markets and you look at those types of contracts you can understand there is always a big disparity between a free agent contract and a contract that is signed before the player is a free agent."

Also of note was Boras revealing that a "couple of teams" had inquired about J.D. Drew's status during this season. Having recently spoke to the former Sox outfielder, the agent was left with the impression that Drew has no intention of continuing his playing career.

"I think he's very happy in what he's doing, raising his children and enjoying his life on the farm," he said. "I've got no indication from him a desire to return. But then again I haven't addressed the issue with him, if he's done anything formally."

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