Three Red Sox deals that had to be made and one that must
By Rick McNair
Red Sox management lust is difficult for me to comprehend in that certain players become shiny keys that they must have. The fascination with Julio Lugo is one and that with hitting machine Adrian Gonzalez is another. The Red Sox finally resolved the itch with a massive trade that brought Gonzalez to Boston.
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On the surface, this deal was perfect and the two-year results demonstrated Gonzalez’s competency with his wondrous and productive left-handed swing. Gonzalez was not just a hitter as his multiple Gold Glove Awards show his noted defensive acumen. What happened?
Gonzalez’s trade was essentially a trade and sign deal and that was a seven-year and $154 million commitment. Historically, it is best summarized in a previous BSI story by Sean Penney and the final resolution was a fortuitous partner in the Los Angeles Dodgers who absorbed another Red Sox mistake in Carl Crawford with a deal that sheds payroll and misery of Josh Beckett, Crawford, and Gonzalez.
What you wish for often has unintended consequences, especially when you are statistically blinded. A team construct often goes beyond traditional and metric statistical evaluation and Gonzalez becomes a warning to others.
The Dodgers got just what the Red Sox did and that was four relatively productive seasons from Gonzalez before the noted complainer extraordinaire finishes off his career with the New York Mets. For the Red Sox, this deal had to be made as did the quick demise of manager Bobby Valentine.