75 million in 2010 and 11 million in 2011

The financially struggling Reds need to shed payroll and are apparently willing to part with second baseman Brandon Phillips. Phillips' contract calls for a guaranteed $17.75 million over the next two seasons, making him too expensive for the Reds. But he is an affordable option for the Red Sox, with a contract that will pay him $6.75 million in 2010 and $11 million in 2011. There is also a $12 million club option in 2012, with a $1 million buyout. The 28-year-old hit .276 with 20 homers and 98 RBI this year, obviously very appealing numbers. And the guy can play defense too, winning the Gold Glove in 2008 Thirty-four-year-old Placido Polanco is another option. A two-time Gold Glove winner with Detroit (2007, 2009), Polanco is a career .303/.348/.414 hitter, and over the last three seasons he has scored an average of 92 runs.

At this stage of his career, Polanco would represent yet another affordable, short-term option to the Red Sox, especially since he wasn't offered arbitration by Detroit. Eleven-year veteran Ronnie Belliard is one more option for the Red Sox. Though he will be 35 at the start of next season, Belliard is an excellent defensive player and a career .275/.339/.418 hitter. Like Hudson, the Dodgers did not offer Belliard arbitration.His last contract only paid him $3.5 million over two years, making him an easily affordable option to the Red Sox That said, he is a long shot. Miguel Tejada wasn't given arbitration by the Astros, significantly lifting his appeal. At 35, he might accept a two-year offer from the Red Sox to play short in 2010, then move to third in 2011 when Mike Lowell's contract is up.

Though his power has diminished greatly, Tejada is still an offensive force, batting .313 with 199 hits last season. Players such as Khalil Greene and Adam Everett aren't very enticing, and Marco Scutaro was offered arbitration by the Blue Jays, lessening his appeal. Orlando Cabrera is a bit of a long shot to fill the gap for the Red Sox. Now 35, Cabrera led all shortstops with 25 errors last season, while hitting 284/.316/.389. Aside from his defensive shortcomings, Cabrera's low OBP doesn't fit the profile the Red Sox favor Cabrera has diminishing leverage as a free agent.

Considering the dearth of quality shortstops available, it's easy to understand why the Red Sox are considering a variety of second basemen instead. Having their incumbent second baseman so willing and able to move to shortstop may ultimately provide much better options to the club this offseason.. In a statement, Eni (ENI.MI), Italy's dominant gas operator,said supplies from Russia through the TAG pipeline weresignificantly reduced as of 2400 GMT (1 a.m local Wednesday). On Tuesday an Eni spokesman said gas supplies through theTAG pipeline on Tuesday had been reduced by 90 percent. An industry ministry spokesman said on Wednesday that Italyhas started tapping gas stockpiles after supplies of Russian gasto Italy touched new lows. Italy's Stogit, the Eni-owned company that manages about 98percent of Italian gas storage facilities, had working gasstorage capacity on Nov 1 last year of 8.4 billion cubic metres(bcm). On its web site Stogit said working gas reserves at 0500 GMTon Tuesday were 6.684 bcm Italy also has strategic gas reserves of around 5.1 bcm.