The Boston Red Sox had luck last year with a short-term flyer on Cody Ross, a right-handed-hitting outfielder who made a career of destroying left-handed pitchers. Now they're going back to that template, closing in on a two-year deal with former Athletics outfielder Jonny Gomes.

Gomes will turn 32 on Thanksgiving, and just had his best season since finishing third in Rookie of the Year voting in 2004. After hitting .209/.325/.389 for two teams in 2011, he bounced back with a .262/.377/.491 line for the A's, hitting 18 home runs in 279 at-bats. He received the bulk of those at-bats against left-handers (196 plate appearances against LHP, 137 against RHP), hitting .299/.413/.561 off southpaws, close to his .284/.382/.512 career line against them.

The move likely pushes Ross out of the picture for the Red Sox, as he was looking for a three-year deal, which was probably never going to happen.