Red Sox have become a franchise where fat contracts go to die
By Rick McNair
Allen Craig
What could have been? Occasionally an article will appear on this site discussing the “if’s” of Red Sox history and Allen Craig is a classic example of just what can go wrong. Craig was just what you would want at Fenway Park – a line drive machine that could reach the magical 100 RBI and get somewhere around 20+ home runs a season.
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Craig was the real deal for his former team, the St. Louis Cardinals, who bought out three arbitration years and signed Craig to a five-year deal with an option for a sixth. The deal started in 2014 and would be $31 million for the non-option period. A worthy risk for a .300 hitting All-Star still only 28-years-old. The big question is just why a savvy organization like the Cardinals was willing to let Craig go? What happened so suddenly?
Was it injuries? Was it just a mental breakdown on the technique of hitting? Whatever it was the Cardinals had the wisdom to trade Craig to Boston after a poor start in 2014 and it only went downhill after that.
Craig’s ability deteriorated so rapidly that he easily cleared waivers and was sent packing for the minors. Craig’s downfall only accelerated in 2016 with extensive games missed over injuries. This season Craig is doing little to make any team interested in taking a risk and will undoubtedly play out the 2017 season as an $11 Million minor league player.