Boston Red Sox: Could Josh Hamilton Be in Boston's Outfield in 2013?

The free agent class of 2013 will easily be one of the most exciting of the past decade for several reasons. The main reason is because Josh Hamilton sits atop that list.

Hamilton, currently on pace to make history after an incredible start to the 2012, will be eligible to negotiate with whomever he wants and will most certainly earn one of the biggest contracts we've ever seen.

How much do you give a 31-year old who's hitting .402/.455/.866 with 18 home runs and 44 RBI in just 32 games into the season? The answer is a lot but what's going to be more intriguing will be who's going to give it to him.

Yahoo! Sports' Jeff Passan took a look at who has the best odds at signing the slugger, giving Boston a fair shot at him. 

Passan, like many, have given the hometown Texas Rangers the best chance at getting Hamilton to agree to a contract. The Rangers, of course, have the ability to negotiate during the season and lock him up before he even hits free agency.

The Boston Red Sox currently have the seventh best odds at signing Hamilton at 20/1, according to Passan.

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"In 2013, the Red Sox will spend $75.66 million on four players. In 2014, they will spend $75.91 million on the same four players: Adrian Gonzalez, Carl Crawford, Josh Beckett and John Lackey. And consider they need room to lock up Dustin Pedroia and Jon Lester long-term, the only chance is if they take money earmarked for Jacoby Ellsbury and spend it on Hamilton."

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The issue lies above. Boston will not have a ton of money to spend if they plan on signing both Lester and Pedroia to extensions. Signing Hamilton to a deal will also come at possibly a biggest cost. That being Ellsbury.

The Boston outfield in 2013 could end up being Carl Crawford, Jacoby Ellsbury, and Josh Hamilton, but in 2014 it would look very different. They would no longer have Ellsbury under contract and would probably need to find an every right fielder.

Some attractive outfielders that are currently set to become free agents in 2014 include Hunter Pence, Shin-Soo Choo, Adam Jones and Boston's own Ryan Sweeney.

The money will be there. The question is what Boston will decide what to do with it; spend it on extending Jacoby Ellsbury or try to sign Josh Hamilton to a blockbuster deal.