Red Sox keep 'door open' for Cody Ross

Cody Ross is seeking a relatively large contract after one of the best years of his career, but Boston Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington said that the "door will remain open" for the outfielder to return to the Red Sox.

Ross hit over his career average at .267 and nearly had a career high in home runs with 22. Coming off that season, the 31-year-old is seeking a larger deal than the Sox are likely willing to give him: Buster Olney reports that he is looking for a three-year, $25 million after earning only $3 million on a one-year deal with Boston last year. However, Cherington said that he will continue talking to the free agent.

"Going back to last fall when I first talked to Cody about coming here, the goal obviously was to do well as a team, but part of the goal was to put him in a better position. I felt it could put him in a better position by coming here and performing in this ballpark. The good news is that it did. That's to his credit. He's in a good position now. It makes it tougher to sign him. We'll keep the door open. We'll keep talking. At the same time, we've got to consider alternatives, too."

Ross would provide a solid option at one of the corner outfield spots, but there seem to be a variety of bigger issues on the Red Sox's plate, including a variety of infield positions with no real options currently within the organization.