NASHVILLE, Tenn. – It took until about 9:30 a.m. Monday for the Red Sox to set the tone for this year’s baseball winter meetings, coming to an agreement with free agent Mike Napoli.

Three days later, the Sox are heading home still the talk of the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Hotel, and the baseball world.

True, Wednesday – really the final day of the meetings (except for Thursday morning’s Rule 5 Draft, which the Red Sox aren’t expected to partake in due to 40-man roster restraints) – there was no three-year, $39 million deal like the ones handed out to both Napoli and Shane Victorino the two previous days. But that didn’t mean Ben Cherington and Crew had drifted into the offseason shadows.

There was a source confirming the Red Sox’ continued interest in free agent shortstop Stephen Drew.

Another source suggested free agent pitcher Ryan Dempster was still in the Red Sox’ cross-hairs.

The “Jacoby Ellsbury is on the block” buzz also continued throughout the halls of the monstrous hotel, although Cherington did his best to slow down such a theory when meeting with the Boston media.

"You answer the phone and take the calls and listen to ideas. Our expectation is Jacoby will be here and be our center fielder," said Cherington. "[Dealing Ellsbury] is not our intent. We're expecting Jacoby to have a really good year in 2013 and be a huge part of what we're doing."

Ellsbury’s agent, Scott Boras, also did nothing to accelerate the rumors.

“I do what Jacoby Ellsbury tells me to do,” Boras said when meeting with the media Wednesday. “And I think Jacoby is at this point focused on playing in Boston and seeing where things go after this year. I’m sure Ben and I will be talking about his contract here in January, and until we’re told otherwise, that’s the focus of it.”

And, of course, there was some more Josh Hamilton scuttlebutt.

Sources confirm that Hamilton met with both Cherington and Red Sox manager John Farrell off-site Monday. And while the get-together took place prior to the Sox filling another one of their outfield spots with the Victorino signing, the team continues to be interested in the offseason’s most prized commodity at the right price.

If Hamilton’s market remained within the three-year range, the conversation regarding the Red Sox could get very real. The Sox are winning head-to-head financial battles left and right, these days, as long as it remains about annual average salary, and not duration of the deal.

The problem for the Red Sox regarding Hamilton has always been the likelihood that some team’s desperation leads it to the uncomfortable level of four or five years. That scenario was becoming more and more likely, with reports coming out of Seattle late Wednesday night that the Mariners were “very close” to getting a deal done. Texas is also looming, with Rangers president Nolan Ryan not ruling out signing both pitcher Zack Greinke (whom his team have seemingly become a favorite for) and Hamilton.

If Hamilton ever did slide to the Sox, the motivation to deal Ellsbury would increase significantly. It would also potentially alter the team’s view of targeting any high-priced free agents in the next few years, especially a much-improved starting pitching market next offseason.

(For reference sake, WEEI.com’s Alex Speier currently projects the Red Sox’ payroll at approximately $138 million in each of the next two seasons based on their current commitments.)

With no Hamilton, the plan seems a bit clearer: 1. Hold onto Ellsbury (unless sweetheart deal comes along); 2. See where the starting pitching market continues to fall; 3. Define the last piece of the outfield puzzle (along with what kind of versatility they can acquire to help fill in at first base).

Cherington talked about the pitching market never quite gaining the steam some thought it might at the outset of the meetings, with the Dan Haren one-year agreement with the Angels serving as the only true potential difference-maker. And while the Red Sox did have some interest in Joe Blanton, the righty’s deal with the Angels certainly hasn’t thrown the Sox for too much of a loop.

Greinke, Anibal Sanchez, Edwin Jackson and Kyle Lohse are trending toward getting the kind of yearly-commitment the Red Sox aren’t willing to dive into  (although teams like the Dodgers certainly are). But there are names like Brandon McCarthy, Francisco Liriano and Dempster that remain intriguing (albeit each somewhat flawed in their own ways).

As for that other outfielder, Nick Swisher would appear to be the best fit – a switch-hitter who can also play first base. But there figures to be enough interest in the 32-year-old (Indians, Phillies, Mariners) that a Red Sox’ offer might fall short. Too many years, too much money (while costing a draft pick), and not enough of a need.

Perhaps the best bargain may wind up being Cody Ross, who might jump back in with the Sox without a three-year deal if the annual average for a two-year contract is bumped up a bit. 

No draft pick would nee to be surrendered for signing Ross. And even though he would add another right-handed bat to an already righty-heavy roster, a successful pursuit of the left-handed-hitting Drew could ease that anxiety.

Oh, and in case you’re wondering, if his physical goes as planned, Napoli will be bookending this winter meetings week with an introductory press conference Friday.