Agent Scott Boras on extension talks between Red Sox, CF Jacoby Ellsbury

After a breakout 2011 season, in which he finished second in American League MVP voting, conventional wisdom holds that Boston Red Sox centerfielder Jacoby Ellsbury will break the bank when he hits free agency after the 2013 season. Having superagent Scott Boras in his corner certainly supports that argument.

On Wednesday, Boras told Rob Bradford of WEEI.com that he has had no discussions with Boston general manager Ben Cherington regarding a multi-year extension for Ellsbury, only one-year deals that would preclude arbitration.

Moreover, Boras said that Los Angeles Dodgers centerfielder Matt Kemp's eight-year, $160 million extension would not be a fair measuring stick for Ellsbury's value. (Of course, what would you expect Boras to say?)

"The Matt Kemp contract is not a free-agent contract. It's not a barometer that has a great deal of relevance other than it's what players get who are not free agents and are really talented. So when you look at the free-agent markets and you look at those types of contracts you can understand there is always a big disparity between a free-agent contract and a contract that is signed before the player is a free agent."