NASHVILLE -- Traditionally, the Red Sox have preferred to wait out the free agent market somewhat, maintaining that some of the best bargains are available only after an initial rush of signings.
This winter, the Red Sox are apparently in more of a hurry.
Having opened the Winter Meetings Monday by signing first basemancatcher Mike Napoli to a three-year, 39 million deal, the Sox followed that up by giving a deal with the same exact same terms to outfielder Shane Victorino Tuesday afternoon.
"(Waiting) probably would have been risky for us this year," said GM Ben Cherington, "just because we had more to do."
Now, they have less to accomplish.
The signing of Victorino solidifies the Red Sox' outfield situation. Jonny Gomes, signed last month, will play left with some help from Ryan Kalish with Jacoby Ellsbury handling center and Victorino and right.
General manager Ben Cherington wouldn't confirm the deal when meeting with reporters late Tuesday afternoon, but acknowledged the Sox were negotiating with an outfielder. Two other sources with knowledge of the talks, however, confirmed the deal was done.
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Victorino, 32, spent most of his career with the Philadelphia Phillies, for whom he played from 2005 until last summer, when he was dealt to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
In nine major league seasons, Victorino has a slash line of .275.341.430 for a career OPS of .770. A switch-hitter, he's a .301 career hitter from the right side, with an .881 OPS. Batting lefthanded, he's hit .267 with a career OPS of .732.
Victorino has also been an exceptionally efficient baserunner, with 201 stolen bases in 244 attempts, a success rate of 82 percent. Victorino stole 39 bases last season with the Phillies and Dodgers and has 30 or more steals in three of the last six seasons.
Without mentioning Victorino by name, Cherington spoke of the advantages of having a player more accustomed to playing center field handling right field.
In his career, Victorino has made 907 starts -- the vast majority (722) of which have come in center, with 129 starts in right and 56 starts in left.
"In our ballpark," said Cherington, "we'd like to have someone who's played a lot of center, if we can. If you've played a lot of center field, there may be a little bit of an adjustment. But you can figure out right field in Fenway.
Victorino provides some protection for the Sox should the team either be unable or unwilling to sign Jacoby Ellsbury, who's eligible for free agency after 2013. The Sox could move Victorino to center in 2014 if Jackie Bradley Jr., Ellsbury's presumed heir in center, isn't ready.
"Generally," said Cherington, "everything we're trying to do this off-season has some short- and long-term reasons and hopefully fits into a two- to three-year plan with some guys we think we have coming and on the rise."
In that way, Victorino fits into another pattern this off-season in that he's flexible enough to handle a number of different positions. Napoli can catch and play first base, giving the Sox additional options.
"I think we've learned a lesson from the lack of protection in different areas and depth in different areas," said Cherington. "I guess it's a little bit of a page out of the Patriots' book, having guys who can cover different things. It's important. Seems to me that the teams who get the six-month season and can afford the real droughts, tend to be the ones that have a bunch of guys who can cover different spots. Inevitably, you're going to have guys out.
"That has been something we've talked about a lot."
The Cleveland Indians offered Victorino a four-year, 44 million deal, but Victorino chose the Red Sox for one fewer year at 2 million more per season.
The Sox' strategy -- in addition to striking quickly -- has been to limit the team's exposure on long-term deals, with a willingness to spend more for a shorter contract.
"It's been a preference to try to keep the deal shorter," said Cherington, "and in order to that, use a little bit of our flexibility to get that accomplished. We've really been trying to keep as many guaranteed years as possible within a certain range of age, trying to keep guys as close to the prime years as possible. That's been a focus. We've been focused on sort of short- to medium-term deals and there happen to be, I think, a number of fits for the team this winter that fit into that category."
The signing of Victorino would seem to rule out a return to the Sox for Cody Ross, though Cherington said the team would prefer to add another outfielder before spring training.
That outfielder, however, is likely to be an extra outfielder and not a regular.
"I wouldn't rule out adding (an outfielder) to the mix," said Cherington, "depending on what's available."