Jack Clark, Red Sox Are Close to Agreement

San Diego Padre first baseman Jack Clark, a new-look free agent, is expected to agree to a three-year contract with the Boston Red Sox today that would be worth about $9.3 million.

Tom Reich, Clark’s agent, and Lou Gorman, Red Sox general manager, have another meeting scheduled this afternoon in Boston. Clark said he believes an accord will be reached.

“He (Reich) didn’t say that we have a done deal,” Clark said from his Danville, Calif., home, “but he said he’s real positive we’ll get things done. And Tom usually doesn’t say that unless we’re very close.”

The stumbling block in the negotiations was the Red Sox’s reluctance to guarantee the third year of the contract, but the Red Sox acceded Friday to Clark’s demands. The Padres’ last offer to Clark was for one year at $2.5 million.