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Baseball Notes: Red Sox get Sandoval, Hanley Ramirez

The Red Sox are hoping to spend their way out of the AL East cellar with two big free agent signings.

The Red Sox are hoping to spend their way out of the AL East cellar with two big free agent signings.

The first team in major-league history to go from worst to first and back again has agreed to terms third baseman Pablo Sandoval, his agent confirmed Monday night. According to a baseball official with knowledge of the deal, Boston also agreed to a deal with Hanley Ramirez, who came up to the major leagues with the Red Sox. The Ramirez deal was expected to be finalized Tuesday.

The moves give the Red Sox a potent batting order that includes two of the last three World Series MVPs, Sandoval and David Ortiz. But they still have to replace the four starting pitchers they traded last summer.

Sandoval, 28, is a career .294 hitter who had 16 homers and 73 RBIs in the regular season this year and then hit .366 in the postseason while helping the Giants win their third World Series in five years. With his everyman body type and colorful nickname - Kung Fu Panda - the switch hitter was a fan favorite in the Bay Area.

"He has been with us through some of the greatest moments in San Francisco Giants history - including all three World Series championships," the Giants said in a statement. "His connection with Giants fans - young and old - is truly special, and he will be greatly missed. We wish him nothing but the best in Boston."

Ramirez was still a Boston prospect in 2005 when he was traded to the Florida Marlins in the deal that brought Josh Beckett and future World Series MVP Mike Lowell to Boston. The 30-year-old shortstop batted .300 with 13 homers and 71 RBIs for Los Angeles this year.

Seager signs in Seattle. The Seattle Mariners have reached an agreement with third baseman Kyle Seager on a seven year extension worth approximately $100 million. Seager, 27 posted career highs in home runs (25), RBIs (96), batting average (.268), slugging percentage (.454) and OPS (.788) in 2014. Seager also made his first All-Star team in 2014 and won a Gold Glove Award.

With Robinson Cano, starting pitcher Felix Hernandez, and Seager, the Mariners will have committed more than half a billion dollars to three players.

Hall of Fame ballot. Randy Johnson, Pedro Martinez and John Smoltz - a trio that combined for nine Cy Young awards - headline the 2015 Hall of Fame ballot.

The ballot includes 17 holdovers from previous elections - most notably Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Mike Piazza, and Craig Biggio - and 17 newcomers.

Players must receive 75 percent of the vote for election, with results announced Jan. 6.

Dodgers Manager Don Mattingly appears on the ballot for a 15th and final time. In addition to Johnson, Martinez and Smoltz, the newcomers on this year's ballot include Dodgers broadcaster and two-time batting champion Nomar Garciaparra, sluggers Carlos Delgado and Gary Sheffield, and two stars of the Angels' 2002 World Series championship team, closer Troy Percival and outfielder Darin Erstad.