For Chaim Bloom's Red Sox, it could be worse
By Rick McNair
Where fat contracts go to die
Sometimes, you do more with less, and other times, you do less with more, and it starts with a "pick em," in this instance, I will begin with A.J. Preller and the San Diego Padres as a starter only because I have a certain animosity for Preller.
Preller's track record on trades is mystifying, but let's start with his ethics or lack of ethics that still resonates with Red Sox fans. The Red Sox made a deal to bring Drew Pomeranz to Boston in July 2016. Preller was less than open about medical issues, resulting in a 30-day suspension for Preller.
I will bypass the trades throughout Preller's tenure, but it becomes a litany of youth for players whose youth is a memory or soon will be. There are exceptions, such as Juan Soto, a youthful slugger with a considerable upside. Soto has hit, but it will eventually cost the Pads a substantial contract. As with any GM, there are good, bad, and indifferent deals.
Substantial is just what the SD payroll is. At this point in baseball, the luxury tax bill is over $31 million. As a Red Sox fan, I will toss in a case in point. Preller signed Xander Bogaerts to a short-term deal - wait. What? They signed X-Man for 11 years and $280 million! Bogaerts will collect his salary, social security, and a baseball pension before this deal expires (sarcasm meter off). Bloom and Henry get points for avoiding that deal.
If a free agent is signing for big bucks, players and their agents have Preller on speed dial. The Padres' rap sheet is loaded with pricy talent, and the roster appears to be an excellent puzzle where the pieces must fit and don't. At least they beat the Dodgers a few years back, but otherwise, money doesn't buy baseball happiness.
Bloom has avoided the fiscal craziness of the Padres so far avoiding piling up long term deals that seem to just not work out for SD. Maybe they possibly will in the future, but for spending like a 16-year-old with daddy's AMEX Black Card we bring you to the next in "what were they thinking?"