Red Sox keep Martinez, give Wakefield new deal

The Boston Red Sox exercised their $7.7 million option on Victor Martinez and declined options on Jason Varitek and Alex Gonzalez on Monday.

Boston also agreed to a $5 million, two-year contract with 43-year-old knuckleball pitcher Tim Wakefield, replacing a perpetual $4 million annual club option.

The moves on the options were expected after Boston obtained Martinez from the Cleveland Indians on July 31 and he replaced Varitek as the starting catcher. The club option for Varitek was worth $5 million, but he can stay with the team if he exercises his $3 million player option.

The Red Sox also could try to keep Gonzalez at shortstop for less than the $6 million option. He receives a $500,000 buyout.

Top prospect freed on bail

Angel Villalona, a top baseball prospect for the San Francisco Giants, has been freed on bond after the family of the man he is accused of killing asked a judge in the Dominican Republic to drop the case.

Villalona would have spent two months in jail while attorneys prepared the case.

Prosecutor Jose Antonio Polanco told The Associated Press that he still intends to prosecute the 19-year-old first baseman, who was signed by the Giants in 2006 and received a $2.1 million signing bonus.

Short hops

Assailants who kidnapped the mother of former major league pitcher Victor Zambrano in Venezuela only decided to take her after they found little of value during a burglary, police in Caracas said Monday. Kidnappers have yet to contact the 56-year-old Elizabeth Mendez Zambrano’s relatives to ask for ransom, Romero said. … Joe Torre’s entire coaching staff will be back with the Los Angeles Dodgers next season. …The Tampa Bay Rays exercised their $10 million option on All-Star Carl Crawford. The team on Monday also declined $2 million options on left-handed reliever Brian Shouse and backup catcher Gregg Zaun. … The Mike Cameron era in center field for the Milwaukee Brewers ended Monday when the 15-year veteran filed for free agency. Four other Brewers filed for free agency, including outfielders Frank Catalanotto and Corey Patterson, catcher Jason Kendall and second baseman Felipe Lopez. … The Dodgers declined a $2.2 million club option on pitcher Will Ohman for next season. The left-hander gets a $200,000 buyout and filed for free agency Monday. … The Detroit Tigers named former infielder Tom Brookens as the team’s first base, outfield and baserunning coach.