BOSTON -- Boston Red Sox manager John Farrell would like to

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BOSTON -- Boston Red Sox manager John Farrell would like to keep the World Series champions together for another run at a title. Asics Outlet Store Online . And yet he knows thats unlikely to happen. "That was felt when we got off the duck boats, knowing this was one last chance to celebrate with a million people in the city," Farrell said Monday, two days after the teams victory parade and hours before the deadline to make qualifying offers to four free agents who were key to the teams title. "Hopefully well be able to retain all of them. The reality is that might not work out." One year after a midseason and off-season overhaul that turned a last-place team into World Series champs, the Red Sox began building for 2014 on Monday by making $14.1 million qualifying offers to free agents Jacoby Ellsbury, Mike Napoli and Stephen Drew. General manager Ben Cherington said the team decided not to make an offer to Jarrod Saltalamacchia, though he would like to re-sign the catcher. "Theres interest in every one of them," Cherington said. "I also think its unlikely that every one of them will be back. ... Were going to keep the conversation going with all of them, and also with alternatives, and see where the market shapes up. In a vacuum wed like to have all of them back." The Red Sox went from worst to first a year after dumping three of their biggest contracts -- Josh Beckett, Adrian Gonzalez and Carl Crawford -- on the Los Angeles Dodgers at a savings of about $261.7 million. Instead of making a big splash in free agency last off-season, they signed mid-market players like Napoli, Drew, Shane Victorino and Koji Uehara. Cherington said the lessons learned from their successes and failures wont be forgotten. "I think we have to go into this off-season with the same general mindset: to build a roster as deep as we can," he said. "The general philosophy would lead us toward a lot of the same things we were looking for last year." The oft-injured Ellsbury is expected to seek a long-term deal averaging $20 million or more. A year after missing more than half the season, he played in 134 games and batted .298 with nine homers, stealing 52 bases in 56 tries. "Jacobys a terrific player, as everyone knows. Of course we know were a better team when hes on the field than when hes not," Cherington said, adding that if they cannot sign him they would consider moving Victorino, who won a Gold Glove in left field, to centre field and looking for a corner outfielder. "That would be one possibility," Cherington said. "We recognize how good he was in right field, and how valuable his defence was in right field. Hes capable of doing it." Napoli and Drew might accept the qualifying offer or use it as the basis for negotiations on a multiyear contract. Saltalamacchia, who made $4.5 million this year, could still re-sign with the team at a lower salary. The Red Sox declined to make qualifying offers to infielder John McDonald and reliever Joel Hanrahan, who were not on the World Series roster. Also Monday, the team said outfielder Quintin Berry and infielder Brandon Snyder were sent outright to Triple-A Pawtucket and became free agents. Right-handers Andrew Bailey and Alex Wilson, outfielder Ryan Kalish and left-hander Andrew Miller were reinstated from the 60-day disabled list. "The game doesnt stop," Farrell said. "The baseball calendar doesnt stop just because we played to nearly Halloween." Complicating Napolis negotiations is a hip condition that prompted the team to back out of a $39 million, three-year deal that had been tentatively agreed to and instead sign him to a one-year contract for a guaranteed $5 million with performance bonuses -- which he eventually earned -- that brought him back to $13 million. "Mike Napoli played a lot this year and was a huge part of our team," Cherington said. "Were making a qualifying offer to him, so we obviously have interest in him returning on a one-year deal for $14.1 million. Hell have an opportunity to consider that." On other topics Monday: -- Koji Uehara, who inherited the closer job and was selected the AL championship series MVP, is the leading contender for the job in 2014. The Japanese right-hander, who will turn 39 in the first week of the season, is coming off a season in which he set career-highs with 73 appearances and 74 1-3 innings. "I think were completely comfortable starting next year with Koji as our closer," Farrell said. "He didnt leave here with any physical ailments. We went into this spring with the same thought, that we need to be careful with his age and his workload. And he exceeded everything." --Cherington is content heading into spring training with six candidates for the starting rotation: Jon Lester, Clay Buchholz, John Lackey, Jake Peavy, Felix Doubront and Ryan Dempster. "We could certainly envision a scenario where every one thats currently under contract is in Fort Myers. And in fact, at this point, thats what I would expect," Cherington said. "Well see what the off-season brings." --Second baseman Dustin Pedroia has not yet had surgery on a torn ligament in his left thumb. "As far as I know, theres been no date or site set for the surgery," Cherington said. "But it certainly looks like its headed in that direction." --Cherington said no other teams have asked for permission to interview Red Sox coaches for other jobs. Bench coach Torey Lovullo is reportedly a candidate for the managerial job with the Chicago Cubs, who are run by former Red Sox GM Theo Epstein. Buy Asics Shoes Cheap . Louis Blues have returned to the top spot in the TSN. Cheap Wholesale Asics . The Brazilian heads into Saturday afternoons race coming off a close runner-up finish to Ryan Hunter-Reay in the Indianapolis 500. http://www.cheapasics.net/ . Martin Reway and David Griger both recorded four points with a goal and three assists each. Mario Lunter, Daniel Gachulinec and Stanislav Horansky also scored for Slovakia (1-0). Dominik Kahun had both goals for Germany (0-2), who lost its opening match to Canada 7-2 on Thursday. PORTLAND, Ore. -- Given an opportunity to clinch a post-season berth, the Trail Blazers made the most if it. LaMarcus Aldridge had 25 points and 18 rebounds and Portland earned a playoff spot for the first time in three seasons with a 100-94 win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday night. Wesley Matthews added 21 points, Damian Lillard 20 and Nicolas Batum had 16 points and 12 rebounds for Portland (50-2 Cool

. The Blazers are in fifth place in the Western Conference with four games remaining. "Fifty wins is always a big honour in this league," Aldridge said. "Especially being in the West with so many good teams. Its definitely not something to take for granted. Guys are happy about it and were definitely happy to be locked into the playoffs." Memphis loss to San Antonio earlier in the evening cleared the way for Portland to clinch. It appeared the Trail Blazers might fumble the chance when New Orleans took a 10-point second quarter lead. But the Blazers blew past the Pelicans with a 25-6 third quarter run and never trailed again. Reserve Anthony Morrow scored 17 for New Orleans and Anthony Davis had 15 points on 6-of-18 shooting. New Orleans got within 97-94 with 35.9 seconds left when Morrow nailed a jumper, but Lillard scored on a driving layup and then made one of two free throws. "They made runs - thats what they do," said Morrow, who is averaging 19.4 points in his last seven games. "We know when this team is at home they are going to make runs, they are going to hit shots." Portland had won four in a row before running out of gas Friday and losing 109-93 in Phoenix. Clinching a playoff spot at home was an important step for a team that won just 33 games last season, but the Blazers werentt whooping it up in the locker room after the game. Asics Shoes Clearance Sale. "We were happy for about five minutes," Batum said. "But we have four more games and then the playoffs start." The Pelicans, last in the Southwest Division and out of the playoff race, have lost five straight games. Davis started the game despite back spasms that kept him out for long stretches of the past two games. He limited Aldridge to 6-of-16 shooting in the first half. "Hes just trying to do everything he can to help his team and tonight was no different," coach Monty Williams said. "Thats why we love him." Davis had 11 points in the first quarter, but the Pelicans went on a run with their All-Star on the bench in the second, going up 39-29 as reserve big men Al-Farouq Aminu and Alexis Ajinca combined for 10 points in a 14-4 run. Portland trailed 55-48 at the half. The Blazers picked up the pace in the third, as Aldridge regained his shot and Lillard, Matthews and Batum each scored in transition. Portland led 77-67 just before the end of the third. Several players scoffed at suggestions that the Blazers rest some starters with the playoffs in hand, and coach Terry Stotts indicated there were no plans to change focus. "Were not prepping for the playoffs," he said. "We want to keep going in the right direction." NOTES: Portlands last playoff appearance was in 2010-11, when the Blazers lost a first-round matchup to the Dallas Mavericks in six games. ... New Orleans G Eric Gordon missed his ninth straight game with knee tendinitis, and is not with the team after travelling to Los Angeles for a medical examination. . The Pelicans are 12-27 on the road this season. Their last win in Portland was in 2010. ' ' '