Players like Drew and Varitek are just getting too old I'm afraid. I don't dislike Drew, he just can't stay healthy any more. Tek is the Captain! But he struggled at the plate and really can't throw anyone out stealing anymore.
Lackey is just a big crybaby. Making faces when his teammates don't make plays, whatever he did to his wife. He's a loser.
Crawford? Sorry dude, you have to put up after coming over from a Division rival and signing that huge contract. And the way he performed in left field in the last few games...heck, might as well have Alfonso Soriano out there. At least he'll hit.
Now, are these horrible contracts by Epstein? Look at every team in the league. Certain guys are getting ridiculous contracts. Huge numbers and way too many years. If the player performs, then it's a good contract. If the player tanks, then it's a bad contract.
Take ARod for example. His contract in Texas was terrible for Texas. In New York, it's a great contract...well, depends on whether he's in the regular season or the post season!
The Red Sox became what they hated, the Evil Empire NYY that overpaid for stars. Drew made $10+ million per year and got very few hits that mattered.
They wrote bad contracts, probably bidding against themselves for Crawford ($142 million), a bust so far, with six years left. Lackey is a complete bust. Dice K was the luckiest RS pitcher in 50 years, until his luck ran out. He had unreal run support for two years.
They do have a lot of recent home grown success that was rare before Theo got there. The bad contracts were probably not all Theo's fault. There were (are) plenty of chefs in the kitchen with Larry Lucchino, Tom Warner and the owner John Henry.
There is a limited shelf life for GM's and field managers in Boston, with sooo much pressure to win. The town cares so much.
They wrote bad contracts, probably bidding against themselves for Crawford ($142 million), a bust so far, with six years left. Lackey is a complete bust. Dice K was the luckiest RS pitcher in 50 years, until his luck ran out. He had unreal run support for two years.
They do have a lot of recent home grown success that was rare before Theo got there. The bad contracts were probably not all Theo's fault. There were (are) plenty of chefs in the kitchen with Larry Lucchino, Tom Warner and the owner John Henry.
There is a limited shelf life for GM's and field managers in Boston, with sooo much pressure to win. The town cares so much.
MLB Network showed the top 5 payrolls today:
Yankees
Red Sox
Phillies
Angels
White Sox
I hate the argument that "evil big money teams" are the only ones who can win.
I'm going to start a nationwide boycott of these small market teams that are currently in the playoffs.
**** Milwaukee!!!
Yankees
Red Sox
Phillies
Angels
White Sox
I hate the argument that "evil big money teams" are the only ones who can win.
I'm going to start a nationwide boycott of these small market teams that are currently in the playoffs.
**** Milwaukee!!!
Big money keeps a team in the hunt from year to year (except the Mets). But any team with solid young talent and pitching can win it all in any given year.
The Rays ($40 million payroll this year) finished higher than the Red Sox three out of the last four years.
The more you pay them the less monetary incentive they have.
The more you pay them the less monetary incentive they have.
Marvin Miller (remember him) said the stupidest thing the owners ever did was allow multi year contracts. He said if he'd have been the owners advisor he would have told them to never offer anything beyond one year deals. It would have resulted in every player being a free agent every year.
Instead we have the system where the owners get young players at below market value and then make bad deals on veteran players that can really hammer teams. I believe a very high percentage of free agent contracts become bad deals in the later years. Especially on deals over three years.
Instead we have the system where the owners get young players at below market value and then make bad deals on veteran players that can really hammer teams. I believe a very high percentage of free agent contracts become bad deals in the later years. Especially on deals over three years.