Are the Red Sox Shopping Or Being Shopped in Filene’s Basement?
By Bill Smith
For the unlettered and unwashed, a quick history lesson in Boston retailing is necessary, to put this post in context. Pay attention. You will be tested. The rest of you, the cognoscenti, please indulge your lessers as they, for one shining moment, are elevated to that enlightened position, heretofore held by you alone. While the groundlings are brought up to speed you may quietly discuss, among yourselves, the validity of the theory that Shakespeare was too provincial to have authored all of those plays.
In 1909, Edward Filene, son of Filine’s Department Store’s owner, came up with an idea to move excess merchandise. He would take overruns andstale goods, items that were not selling, and using the basement of his father’s store as his arena, reduce the price of the goods, to get rid of them. While not the first, this shop in the basement was one of the first “bargain basements” . His main selling point, his hook, was to put the date the merchandise came to the basement on the price tag, and the longer the item stayed, the cheaper it got, up to 75% off. After that, it would go to charity. Filine’s Basement, because of Filene’s automatic price reduction, became a huge success, ultimately opening in several states. Of late, the new economic times have claimed Filene’s Basement as a casualty and the death rattle loons menacingly on the horizon. It’s history
It appears that the Boston Red Sox management, so far this off season, hopes that Mr. Filene’s automatic price reduction applies to baseball players up for grabs, either by trade or free agency. To date, the word from those who must be obeyed, is that the purse strings are taut and no major free agents will be pursued, and while major trades are not completely off the table, there are none projected. This was my point in my post “Lean Years Ahead for the Red Sox?”; Peter Abraham and Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe have also alluded to the Red Sox’s self imposed penury.
In some aspects this might good sense, after last years huge expenditures on unproducing free agents, Carl Crawford and John Lackey. Crawford, it is hoped, will live up to his Rays Days. To date, communication with the new Manager seems to be the main problem. Read a post by my collegue, Derek Stykalo, Madagan Speaks with Crawford. Still no Bobby V. This is another instance in which Bobby V’s unvarnished criticism of an active player, in thie case Crawford, has come back to haunt him. (Someone please tell me the age limit on pouting.) Lackey is out for the season, for which we burn offerings of thanks, but his price tag is substantial as he sits around and scowls during rehab. While the Filene theory might work sometimes, it doesn’t help here to repair major damage.
The main problem to address, as it has been since memory of man runneth not to the contrary,is pitching. Specialized pitching, over the years, has evolved into extreme importance in the scheme of things. You have openers or starters who are supposed to stay in the game for six or seven innings; then the setup man handles the eighth and if the score of the game makes a save possible, the closer comes in. I do not mean to neglect the mid range relievers who come in with this ideal format is destroyed. In fact, they comprise most of the bullpen. Right now, however today, the closer gets all the attention.
As y0u know, a good closer is like the cowboy who runs the bad guy out of town. He throws hard and, if successful, makes short work of the last three outs. He is cocky, usually big and cool under pressure. The most effective closer playing now is the Yankees, Mariano Rivera. He only throws one pitch and it’s deadly. He’s been doing it for a long time. Boston had a pretty good closer itself in Jonathan Papelbon. Big, strong, fastball close to 100 mph and the confidence of a brain surgeon. He had built a popular persona, with his dramatic Drop Kick Murphys’ Shipping up to Boston music blaring as he exited the bullpen, the fist bump with the fat, old policeman guarding the gate, his intimidating glare and dramatic delivery. Pap, as he was affectionately rknown, became a free agent at the end of last season, the most disastrous season in Red Sox history. The historic collapse, in no small part, was due to the failure of Pap to deliver. To the point, as closer, he blew the lead in the ninth inning of the last game, which knocked the Sox out of the playoffs. HIs value, for reasons more learned than me, however, remained high in the industry.
For several reasons, in spite of Pap’s popularity locally, toward the end of the season, the word was that he was not going to be resigned. At the end of the season, there were a lot of key personnel changes and Papelbon, with no apparent no dialogue with the Red Sox, signed with the Phillies. quickly, even before the new manager was named. This did not appear to concern management, which made no counter move to keep him. But now, the Sox have a closer to replace. There is Daniel Bard, who had been the set up man. He can throw in excess of 100 mph, and when he’s on, he’s deadly. When it became obvious the closer would have to be replaced, Bard was to be the annointed one.
Then as part of the previously mentioned personnel changes, a new manager, Bobby Valentine came into the mix, and while he was a late hire under the circumstances, he was bristling with ideas to right the rudderless ship; he met with Bard and management and now, Bard is to be placed in rotation as a starter. Imagine the pitching rotation as a piece of string in the wind. If it is anchored, it stays put, otherwise it goes out of control. The decision to make Bard the closer, secured one end of the string, giving some stability, but when he is removed, the string’s only support is removed, causing chaos. So, who is the closer, now? We have Bobby Jenks, on our roster, who lives under a bridge in the off season. He was injured most of last season, but the season before, his record as spotty at best. His brightest spot was as the closer for the then World Champion Chicago White Sox. Common sense dictates that no eggs should be put in his basket.
As you can imagine, a good closer, like a good man, is hard to find. Papelbon got $50,000,000.00 over four years from the Phillies, so they don’t come cheap. The Red Sox, who had a respectable candidate in Bard for a closer, now want him in a new heretofore untried capacity creating the unstable situation we just talked about. Those who must be obeyed have, so far, eliminated Bard, a known commodity, as closer, but by announcing there was not going to be any more money to spend on free agents, they painted themselves in the proverbial corner . They removed the obvious closer, have to acquire a new one, but refuse to show them the money. Enter the Filene’s Basement mentality Let’s wait until the price goes down.
On the market currently are two good closers, Ryan Madson and Andrew Bailey. Madson was the Phillies’ closer last season and apparently all concerned had agreed on a $44,000,000.00 four year contract . The status quo would be maintained. Then Papelbon became available; for reasons not made entirely clear, the Phillies deep sixed the Madson’s contract and signed Papelbon using Madson’s money, in part. Madson’s agent, the legendary Scott Boras made no public outcry so one must assume the Phillies’ actions were within the bounds of the law. One has to also assume that Madson and Boras, having been spurned publicly, are not in the mood for bargaining . You don’t embarrass Boras publicly, without severe blowback. Another Boras client, Matt Garza of the Chicago Cubs is a first rate pitcher, I think, has been traded to the Rangers, but that is not definite yet. The Rangers lost C.J. Wilson, and show a strong interest in Garza. Other teams, such as the Red Sox, could jump in there, but like a classy call girl, he don’t come cheap. He is not a closer, however. If we got Garza, Bard could return to closer, and the issue is resolved. That, unfortunately, while logical, is a remote option.
Andrew Bailey, presently a closer with the Oakland Athletics is being shopped around for a trade. He would be a fine addition but, again, he’s not free. He comes with a contract in place that the Red Sox must deal with, and will be asked to give up players. The rules of Baseball trades, in spots, are so arcane and mystifying, they appear to have been written by Talmudic scholars on peyote. Suffice it to say, that if we acquire Bailey, it will hit our bottom line pretty hard, with lots of pieces on the board being moved. This does not fit with management’s tight fist.
So, those who must be obeyed appear uninterested now, waiting for the price to come down, like brides to be at Filene’ s Basement. The longer they wait, the cheaper the merchandise will be. I hope I am not the one to break the news to that august tribunal , that boat no longer floats. There is no assured price reduction; to the contrary it may rise. Ironically, announced frugality does not mean lack of funds. There’s plenty of the money; but they also have other newly acquired toys, expensive toys, in Liverpool and NASCAR. Funds needed here are being diverted to the new ventures.
In the current scenario, the Red Sox have three choices. Stay the course, save money and field a team of mediocrity; open the purse, round your rotation and bull pen with quality, not leftovers and the third choice dovetails with Number 1. Those who must be obeyed want to keep the payroll low to make it attractive to prospective buyers. Those potential buyers may also follow the Filene’s philosophy, this time with a valid foundation. Keep depreciating the team and the sales price more attractive. Can Mark Cuban far away?
Red Sox Nation’s fate is in the hands of uncaring despots who are bored with their baseball toy and could give a hoot as to the fans, the team or the sport. If it feels good, do it. It’s awful having the fate of our precious Red Sox placed in jeopardy by the caprice of the uncaring. As Gloucester said in King Lear, “As flies to wanton boys are we to the gods. They kill us for their sport.” Red Sox Nation is the fly. We can only hope something new and shiny diverts the gods attention, so we can avoid the dreaded swatter.
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