Adrian Gonzalez to Boston?

It looks like a big fish -- who's not even a free agent -- is going to end up in Boston.

The Red Sox have been lusting after this guy for a long time, and it may be an early Christmas for fans in New England. From all indications, it seems that Adrian Gonzalez is going to a be a member of the Boston Red Sox.

That means, Oriole fans, we will not get him in any way shape or form at all.

From ESPN: The Boston Red Sox have agreed to a deal in principle to acquire slugging first baseman Adrian Gonzalez, sources told ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney on Saturday morning.

The Red Sox have received permission from Major League Baseball to negotiate with Gonzalez on a new contract, the sources said, and Gonzalez's physical examination, one of the last hurdles to the deal, could happen Saturday. The team already has flown in Gonzalez.

In exchange, the Padres would receive pitcher Casey Kelly, first baseman Anthony Rizzo and outfielder Reymond Fuentes, a baseball source told ESPNBoston.com's Gordon Edes.

Sources told Olney it's very possible the Gonzalez deal would mean the end of Adrian Beltre's time with the Red Sox, because although Kevin Youkilis could move to left field, Boston's preference probably would be to shift Youkilis to third base.

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The Red Sox have long coveted the 28-year-old Gonzalez. As far back as the 2009 trading deadline, the Red Sox made a pitch for Gonzalez, a three-time All-Star who last season finished fourth in balloting for the National League's Most Valuable Player.

The 6-foot-2, 225-pound left-handed hitter batted .298 with 31 home runs and 101 RBIs for the Padres last season. He finished fifth in the National League in on-base percentage (.393), ninth in slugging (.511) and led the league in hitting with runners in scoring position (.407).

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