Curt Schilling's comments during his weekly radio appearance on WEEI 850 AM that he wouldn't mind landing with the Rays next season have sparked interest all around.
The 40-year-old starter, who has yet to come to terms on a contract extension with the Red Sox, said he was merely keeping his options open.
He's compiled a short list of teams he'll begin correspondence with should his Red Sox career not pan out, and the Rays were mentioned.
"I love Tampa, I love the area, I love everything about it," he told WEEI on Tuesday. "Knowing that I'm probably going to spend one more year playing, if circumstances happen and things happen and they made some moves that were positive, I'd love nothing more than to finish my career working on a pitching staff where I know that there are young guys that are going to be positively impacted by me being around [after] I was gone.
"I enjoy that. I love working and talking and being around young pitchers."
Sox manager Terry Francona didn't have much to say in response to Schilling's comments.
"I didn't hear it myself. ... I heard about it third-hand, and that's a dangerous way to respond to something," Francona said. "As a blanket statement, I'd much rather just try to win games and let free agency come when it's supposed to."