Here are few pieces of Boston Red Sox news from Rob Bradford of WEEI to think about during the All-Star break:

Adrian Gonzalez of the San Diego Padres won’t be dealt this summer because the Padres are surprisingly leading the National League West. However, he could be available this winter.

“If they [Red Sox] could get Gonzalez, that would solve everything,” said one baseball source. “And I think that’s their Plan A. But the way things are going that might be pie in the sky type of thinking.”

Gonzalez has an affordable $5.5 million team option for 2011 (his last year before he’s a free agent), so he won’t come cheap in regards to prospects.

Catcher Victor Martinez is a free after this season, and the Red Sox need to figure out whether to re-sign him or not. If they do re-sign, will he be their catcher, or will the Sox move him to first base and shift Kevin Youkilis to third? The Red Sox do not have anybody on the farm to take over the catching or corner-infield duties, so this position switch-a-roo leads into questions regarding Adrian Beltre.

Beltre, who’s having a mammoth year, has a player option for $5 million in 2011 (or $10 million if he hits 640 plate appearances). Given his All-Star status, he’ll void the guaranteed money and test the market for a longer-term deal. Do the Red Sox renegotiate a deal with Beltre and super-agent Scott Boras? If they re-sign Beltre, what does that mean for Youkilis and Martinez?

Now comes the $12.5 million team option question. What do you do with David Ortiz in 2011? He’s finally hitting, and he’s demanding a long-term contract. Last year’s market for designated hitters was not too good. Vladimir Guerrero signed a deal for $6.5 million with the Texas Rangers and has a $9 million mutual option for 2011. Hideki Matsui signed a one-year, $6 million deal with the Los Angeles Angels. Ortiz may be limited on his options if he tests the free agent market.

Getting back to the original point, if the Red Sox could acquire Adrian Gonzalez, then they would at least have the flexibility to play a number of players at DH, and they could have a little more stability in the middle of the order, but like the baseball source said earlier, it “might be pie in the sky type of thinking”. Then after all is said and done, they’ll have to go through the same headache again next season.