Red Sox Add Bobby Jenks and Others to 'Pen, Projected Payroll Outpaces Yankees' (For Now)

According to ESPN's Buster Olney, (on Twitter) the Red Sox have signed former Chicago White Sox closer, Bobby Jenks, to a two-year $12 million dollar contract. After Jenks' relatively disappointing season, where he posted a 4.44 ERA, the White Sox decided to non-tender the reliever in November.

Bobby Jenks, a former All-Star, is one of a trip of high-profile Red Sox acquisitions this month. The Red Sox added perennial American League and National League MVP candidates, Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez earlier in December, during the winter meetings.

The Red Sox have also made a number of smaller transactions this offseason. They've handed new contracts to veteran main-stays, Jason Varitek and David Ortiz, and have added a number of veteran pitchers. Earlier today it was reported that the team would re-sign former Detroit Tigers' top prospect Andrew Miller, and was preparing to sign free agent pitcher Matt Albers.

With the recent, expensive acquistions of Gonzalez, Crawford, and Jenks combined with new contracts for veterans like Jason Varitek and David Ortiz, the Red Sox may have passed the Yankees' projected 2011 payroll-- for the time being.