Baseball | Marco Scutaro, Red Sox agree on 2-year contract

BOSTON — Marco Scutaro slipped on his new Boston Red Sox jersey to pose for cameras, then asked whether he should leave it on for the rest of the news conference.

"Sure. Go for it," general manager Theo Epstein told him.

One could excuse Scutaro if he was a bit tentative about slipping into a position that has seen little stability since 2004. Boston has churned through seven regular shortstops since trading Nomar Garciaparra, but Epstein thinks he has one that can solidify the position for at least the next two seasons.

"We identified Marco as the best free agent and the guy that would be the best fit for the ballclub," Epstein said. "We're getting a really good player who is finally getting his chance."

Scutaro and the Red Sox agreed to a contract that guarantees him $12.5 million over two seasons and $14 million over three seasons

He will get a $1 million signing bonus and $5 million salaries in 2010 and 2011. The team holds a $6 million option for 2012, and if it declines Scutaro could exercise a $3 million option or take a $1.5 million buyout.

If Scutaro is traded before the option is exercised, the option base would increase to $3.5 million.

Scutaro said he took a little less money to join the Red Sox, a big-market team with a chance to contend. He said another team offered more; he did not identify it.

"Since Day One, this was my first choice," Scutaro said. "We have a chance to win a championship. ... You get to a point where you want to live the experience. You want to be in the World Series. I think this is the perfect team."

The 34-year-old was a utility player with the New York Mets and Oakland Athletics before earning the starting job in Toronto in 2008 and posting a career year in '09 with a .282 average, 12 homers and 60 runs batted in. He missed the last two weeks of the season with a torn plantar fascia in his right heel.

Epstein sent assistant Allard Baird to Miami to work out Scutaro and make sure he wasn't suffering lingering effects of the injury. Scutaro said he has been doing a lot of baseball activity and "it's feeling great."

The Red Sox also have Jed Lowrie at shortstop, and he will have a chance to prove he is healthy and productive enough to serve as a backup or force his way into a trade. He was unable to do that last year, when he injured his wrist and went on the disabled list after five games.

That left Nick Green as the starter until the Red Sox went out and got Alex Gonzalez from the Reds for a second stint in Boston.

Gonzalez, who also played for the Red Sox in 2006, became a free agent last month and signed with the Blue Jays after Boston declined his $6 million option.

The Red Sox are still looking for someone to replace free agent Jason Bay in left field — or to sign the former Gonzaga standout again.

Notes

• Catcher Gregg Zaun, 38, and the Milwaukee Brewers have agreed to a $2.15 million, one-year contract.

Zaun gets a $500,000 signing bonus and a $1.4 million salary next season. His deal includes a $2.25 million team option for 2011 with a $250,000 buyout. He split last season with Baltimore and Tampa Bay, hitting a combined .260 with eight home runs and driving in 27 runs in 90 games. He made a total of 74 starts behind the plate, including 49 games with the Orioles.

Zaun has a career batting average of .251 with 86 homers and 432 RBI during 15 seasons.

• Right-hander Brad Penny and infielder Juan Uribe have turned down offers to return to the San Francisco Giants.

General manager Brian Sabean said the team made a one-year offer with incentives to Penny and a one-year offer with an option and buyout to Uribe, but both free agents declined.