Kansas City was 12th among 14 AL teams in runs last season and added power last month, obtaining first baseman Mike Jacobs from Florida. The switch-hitting Crisp gives the Royals speed at the top of the lineup and a superb defender in center field who has World Series experience.

The 29-year-old was the subject of trade rumors for much of last season following the emergence of rookie Jacoby Ellsbury. The two split time in center, with Crisp hitting .283 with seven homers and 41 RBIs in 98 games. He also stole 20 bases in 27 attempts, the third straight season he’s reached the 20-steal mark. Ellsbury hit .280 with nine homers and 47 RBIs last season, proving to the Red Sox that he’s ready to be an everyday player. Boston also gains financial savings by trading Crisp, who’s due to make $5.75 million next season in a deal that includes an $8 million club option for 2010 with a $500,000 buyout.

The Royals got Ramirez, a 27-year-old righty, in a trade with Colorado before last season. They were so impressed with his stuff that they projected him to be their closer. With a fastball that reaches the mid-90s mph, Ramirez is a power pitcher who seems suited for the late innings. He was one of the primary setup men for closer Joakim Soria and flourished in that spot, going 3-2 with a 2.64 ERA and 70 strikeouts in 71 2/3 innings.

Ramirez figures to play a setup role for closer Jonathan Papelbon and could send Justin Masterson back to the rotation, where he feels more comfortable.

Boston traded for Crisp after his breakout season — .333, 15 homers, 69 RBIs — with Cleveland in 2005. But a broken finger derailed Crisp’s first year in Boston and Epstein said his offense never fully recovered.

Crisp has always been a superb fielder and picked up his offense the last half of 2008, hitting .315. He also hit .417 (10-for-24) in the playoffs, driving in the tying run in the eighth inning to complete Boston’s comeback from a 7-0 deficit in Game 5 of the AL championship series against Tampa Bay.

Epstein said the Red Sox hope to replace Crisp with a right-handed fourth outfielder who can play center. He probably will look outside the organization.

Crisp is expected to be the starter in center and Jose Guillen, the highest-paid player in franchise history, is locked in at right. That means Kansas City will have to find a way to get enough playing time for David DeJesus and Mark Teahen.

The loss of Ramirez also creates a hole in the middle of the bullpen that will likely need to be filled from outside the organization.

“Guillen and Hillman are not on speaking terms, they don’t talk,” said the source. “Guillen is definitely not happy, he’s not comfortable and he would do anything he can in economic terms to ease his way out of Kansas City.”

When Guillen signed with Kansas City he knew the team wouldn’t be a contender in 2008, but he was promised that moves would be made to build a winning team in 2009, said the source. The 32-year-old is leading the Royals with 14 home runs and 69 RBIs, but he has been nursing a groin injury that kept him out of the lineup on Sunday against the Tampa Bay Rays.

Guillen’s bat could help a number of teams in the race for the postseason, but Kansas City has not shown any interest in trading him. The source said Guillen is ready to defer his salary for 2009 and 2010 if it helps increase his value on the trading block.

Tomko’s contact calls for an additional $1.5 million in performance bonuses.

In his worst stretch since breaking into the majors with Cincinnati in 1997, Tomko was 2-11 with a 5.80 ERA last year for Los Angels. After being designated for assignment, he signed with San Diego and was 2-1 with a 4.61 ERA as the Padres competed for a playoff berth. Changes he made in style and delivery at the urging of the Dodgers led to his problems.

Tomko is 93-92 with a 4.62 ERA for six major league teams in 11 seasons and is among just three pitchers since 2005 with 115 appearances and 60 starts. Miguel Batista and Brett Myers are the others.

The White Sox plan to talk with Sisco to decide if he wants to remain in the bullpen – where he might help immediately – or try to be a starter, which could mean he’d go to Triple-A.

Gload batted .327 with three home runs and 18 RBI in 77 games with the White Sox in 2006. Gload, a left-handed batter, hit .308 with 10 homers and 67 RBIs over three seasons as a backup for the White Sox. He’s also been with the Chicago Cubs and Colorado.

Dotel has a 37-31 record and a 3.75 ERA in eight seasons with the New York Mets, Houston Astros, Oakland Athletics and Yankees. He saved a career-high 36 games in 2004 with the Astros and A’s.

Meche pitched to an 11-8 record and a 4.48 ERA in 32 starts for the Mariners last season.

Burgos has impressive stuff, but he’s been erratic. He struck out 72 batters and walked 37 in 73 1-3 innings last season, his second in the big leagues. His fastball reaches 95-100 mph.

Stairs, 38, was hitting .261 with eight homers and 32 RBI for the Royals this season. He’s a career .266 hitter with 215 homers for Montreal, Boston, the Chicago Cubs, Pittsburgh, Oakland, Milwaukee and Kansas City.

Diaz, a right-hander, is 2-0 with four saves this season while pitching primarily in relief for Double-A Frisco and Triple-A Oklahoma.

Perez is in the second year of a three-year, $24 million contract and in his sixth season with the Dodgers. He had made just one start since mid-May, had been used only twice since June 28 and is 4-4 with a 6.83 ERA.

Dessens returns for a second stint with the Dodgers, having appeared in 28 games for them last season, including seven starts. He had a 3.56 ERA in 65 2-3 innings. In 2004, the 35-year-old pitcher was 1-0 with a 3.20 ERA in 12 games following an August trade to the Dodgers from Arizona. This season, Dessens had a 4.50 ERA in 43 games for the Royals.