The difference is beans. Not the kind that Boston is famous for baking, but the kind CPAs are famous for counting.

The Boston Red Sox are coming to town, not in the least bit unexpectedly since their sister company bought the Salem Avalanche just 10 months ago. But they are coming and already talk is of "resources." Corporate-speak for beans, coins, cash.

The Red Sox and Fenway Sports Group, owner of the Avalanche since December 2007, have "resources" and the two officially joined forces Friday, signing a two-year player development contract that means the Red Sox will move their high-A level minor-league players to Salem.

"It's the final piece in the puzzle," said Salem general manager John Katz, who has run the team under three different ownership groups for the past three years. "Obviously Fenway Sports Group has been tremendous for us because they have the resources. But with the Red Sox bringing in their players, this makes the whole thing whole."

The Red Sox have been in the league and the Roanoke Valley before, but there has been a bit a of a shift in the organization's minor-league philosophy since it went 128-151 in two seasons with the Wilmington Blue Rocks in 2004-05 and had to spend the past two seasons with their high-A affiliate a continent away from the rest of their minor-league organization.

"There's been an increase in resources in the scouting side," Red Sox Director of Player Development Mike Hazen said in a phone interview Friday. "Over the last three or four years, we've invested considerable resources in the draft and in international signs."

It also coincides with general manager Theo Epstein luring amateur scouting director Jason McLeod from the San Diego Padres and putting him in charge of the drafts beginning in 2005.

"You can see it in the depth of those drafts," Hazen said.

The Red Sox may belly up to the bar when big-name free agents are on tap at the major-league level, but on the whole, "we don't want to buy players either, we want to develop them," Hazen said.

Clay Buchholz and Jacoby Ellsbury were first rounders in that 2005 draft, evidence Hazen said, not only of the quality of the Red Sox system but of their philosophy of bringing in talented players and moving them up quickly.

"With the 2008 draft, it doesn't need to be two years before the people in Salem are going to see them," Hazen said.

Daniel Bard, a first-round pick in 2006, made his first appearance in high-A Lancaster this season.

One prospect Hazen wasn't shy about was manager Chad Epperson, who has been the California League's manager of the year for two years in a row while guiding the JetHawks to two straight playoff appearances.

He also managed the Blue Rocks in 2006.

Hazen said Epperson, 36, will manage the Salem team.

"We are very happy with the job Chad's done," Hazen said.

The Red Sox are also happy to be back.

Boston minor leaguers have been in the Roanoke Valley as far back as 1943. The Red Sox were the major-league affiliate of the Roanoke Red Sox, and later RoSox, in the Piedmont League from 1943-53. Hall of Famer Heinie Manush managed the team in 1943, followed for three seasons by Eddie Popowski, who became a third- and first-base coach for the Boston club in the 1960s and '70s.

Boston has had an affiliate in the Carolina League for most of the league's 54-year history, missing only four seasons from 1953 through 1994, and winning five league championships.

After an 11-season hiatus, they returned to the league as the affiliate of the Wilmington (Del.) Blue Rocks but lasted just two years.

This PDC is also for two years, but both Katz and Hazen brushed off the short-term nature of the contract citing the familial relationship between Fenway Sports Group and the Red Sox.

Mike Dee, president of FSG and chief operating officer of the Red Sox, said when the sale was announced that one of the reasons for buying the Avalanche was to get the Red Sox's affiliate back in the Carolina League.

"We're back in the league; we're here for the long haul," Dee said at the time.

Hazen said the league's location -- in the Eastern U.S. -- was its No. 1 selling point. No. 2 is the "tremendous challenge" of playing in an eight-team league. Players see each other often and have to learn to adjust as the season progresses or have their weaknesses exposed.

"It's a more challenging environment," Hazen said. "To go from the 14-team South Atlantic League to the eight-team league, it's a whole new game. It's unique."

Red Sox minor-league affiliates

LEVEL TEAM LOCATION

AAA Pawtucket Red Sox Pawtucket, R.I.

AA Portland Sea Dogs Portland, Maine

*High-A Salem Avalanche Salem

Low-A Greenville Drive Greenville, S.C.

Short-season A Lowell Spinners Lowell, Mass.

Rookie (international) DSL Red Sox Boca Chica, Dominican Repulic

Rookie (U.S.) GCL Red Sox Fort Myers, Florida

*The Red Sox were affiliated with the Lancaster Jethawks in the high-A California League the last two seasons.

Carolina League

Frederick (Md.) Baltimore Orioles

Wilmington (Del.) Kansas City Royals

Potomac Washington Nationals

Lynchburg Pittsburgh Pirates

Salem Boston Red Sox

Winston-Salem Chicago White Sox

Kinston (N.C.) Cleveland Indians

Myrtle Beach (S.C.) Atlanta Braves

2008 Minor league rankings

MAJOR LEAGUE TEAM RECORD WINNING PERCENTAGE

1. New York Yankees 485-348 .582

2. San Francisco Giants 434-330 .568

3. Los Angeles Angels 423-342 .553

4. Texas Rangers 457-376 .549

5. Boston Red Sox 416-344 .547

Other teams of interest

9. Washington Nationals 432-405 .516

14. Cleveland Indians 389-375 .509

16. Atlanta Braves 377-375 .501

17. Chicago White Sox 415-417 .499

21. Kansas City Royals 395-432 .478

24. Baltimore Orioles 390-437 .472

28. Pittsburgh Pirates 384-447 .462

30. Houston Astros 335-504 .399

Red Sox in the Carolina League

Boston's affiliate in Winston-Salem won Carolina League championships in 1964, '70, '73, '76 and '79.

CITY YEARS RECORD PERCENTAGE

Wilmington (Del.) 2005-06 128-151 .459

Lynchburg 1988-94 457-509 .473

Winston-Salem (N.C.) 1961-84 1,693-1,644 .507

Raleigh (N.C.) 1958-60 211-190 .526

Greensboro (N.C.) 1953-57 366-344 .515

Durham (N.C.) 1945-46 154-126 .550

Red Sox prospects who may make their way to Salem in 2009 or 2010

Che-Hsuan Lin, OF, Taiwan, Greenville, 2008 Red Sox minor-league defensive player of the year

Casey Kelly, SS, P, Lowell, first-round draft pick in 2008

Michael Almanzar, 3B, Greenville, FA 2007

Ryan Westmoreland, OF, GCL, fifth round 2008

Oscar Tejeda, 3B, Greenville

Will Middlebrooks, 3B, Lowell, fifth round 2007

Kyle Weiland, RP, Lowell, third round 2008

Pete Hissey, OF, Lowell, fourth round 2008

Bryan Price, SP, Lowell, first round (compensation) 2008

Stolmy Pimentel, SP, Lowell, NY-Penn League all-star

Derrik Gibson, IF, Lowell, ss, second round 2008

Brock Huntzinger, SP, Greenville, third round 2007

Stephan Fife, RP, Lowell, third round 2008

Mitch Dening, Australia, OF, Lowell, NY-Penn League all-star