Red Sox Memories: Caveat Emptor for Chaim Bloom and free agents
By Rick McNair
Three Red Sox outfield mistakes
Sometimes you need an angel to rescue you from a financial abyss and the Dodgers did just that absorbing a large dose of the seven-year and $142M contract of Carl Crawford. Crawford was in his prime, five times stole 50+ bases, hit around .300, had great mid-range power, and had won a Gold Glove. A walking advertisement for some players just can’t play in Boston. It quickly failed with the combination of injuries, eroding skills, and personality. Crawford appeared as a moody and self-absorbed player.
When a manager pens the nickname Day-To-Day Drew it speaks volumes of the intensity of J.D. Drew who Boston signed for five years and $75M. Drew should have been Hall of Fame material, but whenever underachiever polls were taken Drew would be either first or close to it. Five years of “meh” baseball in right field. The complete opposite of Dwight Evans.
Sometimes you go way back for bad free agent signings and at least the money appears low ball thanks to time. The Red Sox signed Andre Dawson in 1992 for two years and $9M, but Dawson was 38-years-old playing on knees that were shot. A great player in the final stages of a HOF career playing on fumes. Dawson did hit 29 home runs in 196 games but his great speed was long gone. Being DH part-time saved further embarrassment in the outfield.