DownSwinging.com

I just started following Bob Nightingale on twitter half an hour ago. Good timing because he just posted that the Red Sox are about to acquire catcher Victor Martinez from the Indians. Not surprising considering that Halladay and Gonzalez were looking like they weren’t going to happen. Obviously I’ll add updates as they come in.

2:27 p.m. Peter Gammons has said that talks have “heated up” and that a deal is close.

2:29 p.m. MLB.com’s Jonathan Mayo says that Nick Hagadone will be a part of the Victor Martinez to Boston deal via twitter

2:31 p.m. FOX says that Clay Buchholz and Daniel Bard are not a part of this deal. Sounds good for the Red Sox if you ask me. Updates coming in very quickly.

2:37 p.m. Buster Olney has confirmed that Martinez is heading to Boston and that Buchholz and Bard are not part of the trade. Jonathan Mayo now adds Justin Masterson (as well as Hagadone) to the players Boston is sending.

2:42 p.m. Mayo now adds that the deal isn’t done yet, Red Sox may send more players

2:48 p.m. Rumors suggest that the Mets may be the third team involved, and will receive Adam LaRoche as part of the trade. Completely unconfirmed however.

2:54 p.m. NY Baseball Digest and MetsBlog are sources for LaRoche rumor. Maybe not a three-way deal, just Red Sox flipping LaRoche to Mets because he is no longer needed (after getting Martinez).

2:59 p.m. SI’s Jon Heyman says Braves are interested in LaRoche

3:02 p.m. Bob Nightengale says Victor Martinez deal is done. Hagadone and Masterson are the two pitchers sent to Cleveland.

3:15 p.m. MLB Network says pitcher Bryan Price is the third player going to Cleveland in the deal.

3:20 p.m. Yahoo’s Gordon Edes reports that Adam LaRoche has been traded to the Atlanta Braves

3:26 p.m. Looks like the Red Sox are getting Casey Kotchman in return for LaRoche, who they will immediately flip to someone else…probably.

3:35 p.m. Looks like Kotchman may not be being flipped after all.

3:41 p.m. Red Sox are going to keep Casey Kotchman because they like him as a bench player. Sort of strange, but I guess it kind of makes sense. According to Ian Brown, Ortiz just yelled in the clubhouse: “I was just falling in love with LaRoche.”

3:51 p.m. Ian Browne says LaRoche is in Francona’s office. Door is closed.

4:01 p.m. According to Ian Browne: “Some tears were shed,” –Masterson.

4:36 p.m. Red Sox made a last second attempt at Halladay, but the deal fell apart because Red Sox would not give up Buchholz and Bard.