Boston harbor

Red Sox trade for Reese, announce Burkett signing

Pokey Reese will be eligible for arbitration after earning $3.2 million in 2002. AP

BOSTON (AP) -- The Boston Red Sox kept revamping their roster, getting second baseman Pokey Reese from Colorado in a trade for catcher Scott Hatteberg and signing free agent pitcher John Burkett on Wednesday.

Reese was traded for the second time in two days. On Tuesday, the two-time Gold Glove winner was sent from the Cincinnati Reds with pitcher Dennys Reyes to the Rockies for pitchers Gabe White and Luke Hudson.

Burkett and Boston agreed on a two-year deal, the team said. The Red Sox recently got pitchers Darren Oliver from Texas and Dustin Hermanson from St. Louis.

Reese hit .224 with nine home runs, 40 RBIs and 25 stolen bases last season for the Reds.

Reese, 28, had his best season in 1999, when he hit .285 with 37 doubles, 10 home runs and 38 stolen bases. He won Gold Gloves in 1999 and 2000.

Red Sox general manager Dan Duquette, while acknowledging Reese's production slumped, said the trade adds speed to the offense and depth to its middle-infield defense.

Duquette said the trade for Reese, who has split between second base and shortstop, is not a sign that the return of shortstop Nomar Garciaparra, injured most of 2001, is in jeopardy.

"This doesn't say anything about Nomar. He's coming along fine and we expect he will be back," Duquette said.

Reese is a career .250 hitter in five seasons, and once was considered a key to the Reds' future.

Hatteberg, 32, played in 94 games last season, hitting .245 with three home runs and 25 RBIs.

With last year's trade for catcher Doug Mirabelli, the return of Jason Varitek from injury, and prospect Steve Lomasney's rise through the minors, the time had come to deal Hatteberg, Duquette said.

On Tuesday, Burkett's agent, Tommy Tanzer, said the right-hander had accepted a two-year, $11 million offer from Boston. At the time, the Red Sox said a deal had not been struck.

Burkett, 37, was 12-12 with a 3.04 ERA for the Atlanta Braves last season and made the NL All-Star team.

Burkett is 141-119 with a 4.23 ERA in 14 major league seasons with the Braves, Texas Rangers, Florida Marlins and San Francisco Giants.

"We like John Burkett's durability and leadership ability. The last couple of seasons he transformed himself into a complete pitcher," Duquette said.

Duquette also said the team had agreed to terms on a one-year, $5 million deal with first baseman Tony Clark, who was claimed off waivers from Detroit on Nov. 20. Terms were not disclosed.

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