Boston Red Sox 2019 blame game season is about to begin
By Rick McNair
John Henry
When Dombrowski eventually retires or is fired he will possibly write his unabridged with no holds barred Kitty Kelly version of his Red Sox days. Just what transpired with senior management, meaning principal owner John Henry, regarding filling the holes? Did Dombrowski scream, shout epitaphs, and hold his breath to get Henry to recognize the pending nightmare?
The Red Sox have not shied away from spending money, often quite foolishly, and often equally solid in decision-making. A Pablo Sandoval can be counterbalanced with a J.D. Martinez. The Red Sox have thought nothing of tossing excessive amounts of Yen to get Daisuke Matsuzaka or hard currency for Yoan Moncada.
The Red Sox have finally accomplished one item to lead all of baseball in and that is payroll and they are not done yet. Supposedly, a healthy offer is on the table for Mookie Betts and no doubt Rafael Devers and Andrew Benintendi will be packaged in nice expensive contracts for the next six-pack of years. Then they are suddenly run by Scrooge McDuck?
The luxury tax was paramount in this decision-making if one believes various sources regarding the internal workings of the Red Sox. I have mixed emotions on that concept when a team tosses a $31 million penalty to sign Moncada, locks up Sale, locks up Bogaerts, and apparently is willing to pay Betts.
The Red Sox expanding payroll – is that a straw man argument? Could they have grabbed of Zack Grenkie or even Dallas Kuechel? Could they have re-signed Kimbrel for his lower rate? I have lingering doubts about the whole payroll issue since winning means big dollars in revenue from advertising to media to branding.
Does money solve the problems that befuddled the 2019 Red Sox? That is an unknown but what is known is doing little accomplished the same – little. This team needed a headliner and not Cashner who is a lounge act.
When you pay the ticket prices you expect value in return and the fans got a staff that was understudies and not stars. They needed help and by the help that is competent and well recognized in both talent and salary requirement. It is Henry’s money but it is also ours in when we put our fannies in the seats or buy from the official whatever of the Red Sox.
Next. Should Dustin Pedroia take a lesson from Andrew Luck?. dark
My finger – and not the middle one – is pointed directly at Henry who has funded four incredible championships and disappeared on funding a fifth. The truth is that the Yankees are on the rise and the Red Sox are heading toward a sunset. Unless the suddenly parsimonious Henry opens up, I give him a solid five.