Marlins trade Hermida to Red Sox

By STEVEN WINE,

MIAMI (AP) The Florida Marlins are big on players who outperform their contract, which is why outfielder Jeremy Hermida is bound for Boston.

The Red Sox acquired the former first-round draft choice Thursday for left-handers Hunter Jones and Jose Alvarez.

Hermida was the 11th overall pick in 2002 but has yet to fulfill his projected potential. He was among Florida's best-paid players this year at $2.25 million but hit only .259 with 13 home runs and 47 RBIs in 129 games.

"When you acquire a player, sometimes you acquire them because you think there's a chance that with a change of scenery they'll reach their potential," Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein said. "Things never really came together for him in the big leagues. That's not uncommon for young players. He's about to turn 26, coming into his prime. ...

"It may not happen; it may not happen with us," Epstein added. "Certainly we liked him a lot as an amateur and throughout his minor league career, so from those factors it was a reasonable deal."

A starter since 2006 for Florida, Hermida is a career .265 hitter with 57 homers.

"He had a lot of opportunity here," general manager Larry Beinfest said. "Given his talent level, I think the expectation was for more. Hopefully he'll realize it elsewhere."

The trade was the sort the Marlins often make, paring payroll while adding pitching.

Jones is expected to compete for a bullpen spot in spring training. He had a 9.24 ERA in 11 relief appearances for the Red Sox. A Florida native who pitched for Florida State, he went 4-3 with a 4.25 ERA in 36 games for Triple-A Pawtucket in 2009.

Alvarez went 9-4 in Class A this year with a 2.26 ERA in 12 starts and 14 relief appearances. The 20-year-old Venezuelan had 16 walks and 74 strikeouts in 107.2 innings

"Really good numbers," Beinfest said. "He's a strike thrower and he's a winner, and we like that."

Alvarez has a 3.21 ERA in four minor league seasons.

Also, Florida declined its $2.6 million option on first baseman-outfielder Ross Gload, who then filed for free agency along with right-hander Brendan Donnelly. Gload hit .261 with six homers and 30 RBIs in 230 at-bats this year after he was acquired from Kansas City.

AP sports Writer Jimmy Golen contributed to this report.

Updated November 5, 2009