In a strongly worded piece, Evan Drellich of NBC Sports hammers the Red Sox ownership for being too strict regarding the luxury tax threshold. According to Drellich, many in Boston believed that Edwin Encarnacion would be the replacement for franchise icon David Ortiz. Instead, the Indians got him on a contract that many consider to be a bargain. Meanwhile the Red Sox finished 27th of 30 major league teams in total home runs, and 20th in wOBA. That hasn’t changed in the postseason, as they’ve been outscored by the surging Astros 16-4 so far in the ALDS. Now the Red Sox are in an 0-2 hole heading back to Boston for Game 3, and their offense faces a daunting task in trying to defeat Houston in three straight games. “The Sox’ greatest stumble this year might have been over a pile of cash,” Drellich writes. The article provides a harsh criticism of the Red Sox ownership and is certainly an interesting read.
More from around the AL…
- The Baseball America Twitter account took us back in time this morning by tweeting out an article J.J. Cooper wrote about the Royals back in 2011. With Eric Hosmer, Lorenzo Cain and Mike Moustakas all set to hit free agency (among others), it’s fair to wonder whether Kansas City’s window of contention has closed, so it’s certainly fun to take a nostalgic look back at BA’s assessment of a farm system that was stacked with so much talent. The Royals, of course, ended up going to the World Series in both 2014 and 2015, coming away with a title in the latter year.
- Twins center fielder Byron Buxton left the Wild Card game early with an injury that was initially described as “upper back tightness”. But according to Mike Berardino of the Pioneer Press, Buxton was trying to play through a cracked rib. Berardino’s source tells him that the injury is unlikely to affect Buxton’s offseason training program. Buxton hit .300/.347/.546 with 11 homers and 13 stolen bases in the second half, and is under team control through the 2021 season.
- The seven-year, $161MM contract given to Chris Davis has been disappointing for Orioles fans so far, Rich Dubroff of pressboxonline.com writes. Indeed, Davis missed significant time in 2017 with an oblique strain and was barely above replacement level when he was in the lineup. Dubroff points out some absolutely horrific stats, such as Davis’ 42.8% strikeout rate and that he went 1-for-53 after reaching an 0-2 count, striking out in 42 of those at-bats. A resurgent Davis would certainly be helpful to a Baltimore club that plans to contend next year, so the O’s will surely be hoping he can return something closer to his 2013 and 2015 production.
Chris Davis was a terrible contract the day it was signed
That’s another reason why he don’t like handing out big contacts. Makes sense i mean everytime they do the player never plays up to expectations
I’m certainly not a baseball expert, but who in the hell didn’t see that Davis contract being bad? Other than that senile Angelos
I like going back to old articles and seeing the comments. Oh man there is so many bad takes on the one where he re-signs.
Easy for writers to criticize ownership about money, but the luxury tax threshold is there for a reason. And it seems to be working.
There was also a draft pick to be lost. Plus the Sox got under the threshold this year to reset it setting themselves up better in the years where they need to extend the young guys. I still agree with the choice not to sign him.
True, but they haven’t even tried to extend the young guys. It’s frustrating to watch.
We don’t know that.
It will happen. The B team isn’t going anywhere.
Hey Nate-maybe they could have signed EE and then vanished a few players to Pawtucket to get under the luxury tax. That’s the MO that they have used in the past.
Coupled with their Apple Watch strategy John Henry and company commonly break rules to get the ends to justify the means. In this case it seems like he was cheaping out, ala Wilpon.
The Phillies are wealthier than the Red Sox, as are the Mets. Imagine the money Fred Wilpon and John Middleton are looting from their fan bases.
Another pointless substance less comment by stanky… how’s your mom’s basement?
Sox made the right move, EE would not have changed anything in this series. Plus, he might be injured now.
Evan is a moron on the Baseball Show. EMBARRASSING….
Agreed, besides, getting throttled by a hot team right now in the Astros would not have been offset much by one guy being paid a ton of money IMO, unless Boston has been leaving a ton of guys on base? If not, then instead of, what, 16-4, it would have been 16-6?7?8?
It is so easy for writers to look back and say Encarnacion was a ‘bargain’ at 20 mil a season.
I say ponder this, the Red Sox still won their division even though they were not tops in all offensive categories. The playoffs are typically about getting timely hitting and good pitching more than clobbering the ball. The Astros are just in a groove hit now, and Im sure playing in Houston during these games did not hurt them either. Sometimes, just sometimes, there is a better team that is on a run and nothing other teams can do can matter.. It is a bit surprising to see Sale roughed up that badly though.
Hey nrd-the Sox just got by, winning the division by what, two games? This was the team that you’all claimed was the WS champs back in spring training.
Take just a couple of games where Farrell milked Sale to pitch deeper into games than he should and you might have finished in 2nd place.
And Sale’s overuse was evident the past 6 weeks of the season when he alternated good and terrible performances. That he was
Completely out of gas this week is proof positive.
The Chris Davis contract is an example of why not having a salary cap is great. That contract is going to cripple the team. Textbook example of a franchise beating itself.
I think it’s funny that Boston goes after its team at 0-2. No loyalty. Terrible fan base.
We have a critical media. When you win ten championships in 17 years, you begin to expect a lot.
I know, and it’s a shame bc Boston has been such a successful sports town.
I think it’s completely shameful to publish that type of article in the middle of the series. It’s click bait.
If the series was 1-1, would it have changed anything?
The Houston sports media (which I generally ignore) is all about trading the farm every year. I’m not for that. However, they would never rip the team in the middle of a postseason series.
It’s as if the writer wants a sweep.
Obviously you’re not familiar with Boston. We’re on our teams all year long, especially the Red Sox and Patriots.
We scoff at the luxury tax because for the most part, the fan base can’t stand the out of touch ownership of the Red Sox. And when you pay some of highest ticket prices in baseball to go to that sardine can of a ballpark, you don’t expect your team to be cheap, especially after spending what they did on Pablo Sandoval.
Exactly. Here’s a team that crams us together, charges extraordinary ticket prices, has a huge TV contract, and yet complains about extending players, signing Lester, going after Encarnacion, etc. It is annoying.
The choice is yours Brad. The Sox are too cheap to make it into a world class facility like the cubs, or drop the sentimentality and favor forward thinking to invest in the franchise.
For all of the “but the monster is so cool” are the fans sitting behind you with their knees in your neck.
Hey DL: to describe John Henry and co’s spending policy more accurately.
At times they love to piss $$$ away. Take Pablo, Hanley and Price as three examples of irrational behavior.
I’d rather see ownership spend and make mistakes on guys they feel are great fits, than to worry about the tax implications.
Sandoval was a huge FA mistake. But the bigger mistake was Dombrowski thinking that all of a sudden Pablo was a changed man after his two poor years in Boston (the second year not playing at all).
That’s funny. Sox are giving up 8 runs a game but sure let’s blame DH production for their losses.
That is right. Pitching and defense win championships. This is why the Red Sox have won the AL East these past two years, and 3 out of the past 5 seasons. The 2017 playoffs are tilting towards Houston for lack of pitching on the Red Sox part, nothing more.
This is beyond stupid.
Have you watched the games? If so then you are psychotic. Hitting is dominating the best pitching in MLB.
That’s a fact. Deal with it.
If you can’t hit, you can’t win.
That comes with age. The team is incredibly young.
Sox have comeback in the past, never give up, and sign JD Martinez please.
Where would they play Martinez? Outfields full unless they sell low on Bradley and DH is locked up
Hanley or JDM plays 1B, the other DHs
That’s interesting because I don’ believe Martinez has ever played first base.
That would make for a very interesting defensive infield, especially with Devers throwing over from third.
I guess your theory is to hell with defense. Isn’t Hanley’s below average play at first last year a good enough lesson, you want to replicate it with Martinez an outfielder by trade?
Ans, who says that Martinez would ever sign with a team that planned to play him at least 50% of the time at DH?
The Astros are simply a better team. Red Sox have no chance
And the Indians are better than the Astros….
We will see…I think that series could go either way
Gonna be hard for any team to top the Astros. This may be the year they finally win.
Justin Verlander-Upton will be the reason they win it all this year. World Series MVP?
So it was good for them to pass on Encarnacion but they should sign arguably another DH in JD Martinez for what looks like possibly twice as long as EE and twice the cash?
Sox are toast. They desperately need some power next season. The “smallball” theory doesn’t work consistently enough and their pitching has been greatly disappointing.
Sox pitching is excellent.]
The Astros lineup is better by a lot.
In contrast the Nationals are toast, just as I said they would be after watching them swing against the Phillies in the last series. The Nationals lineup was the best in MLB back in April and June, but they are pathetic right now.
Every starter who has been whacked early in the postseason would have shut down the Nats without breaking a sweat.
Agreed. I think after last year- management saw guys like Mookie and Hanley, both coming off 30+ HR seasons… as being the power guys in the middle of the lineup. Bradley hit 25 as well, Bogaerts 20 I think. Many guys simply had down seasons this year….. and still they took the division. The pitching has been greatly disappointing in these TWO games – but for the most part they are the reason the Sox even made it this far.
I believe the Red Sox brass simply underestimated the loss of Ortiz on offense.
Ortiz was the best hitter in the Red Sox last season and by far the most respected. He changed the game and allowed the other hitters around him to get better pitches, in other words, he made the offense better with just his presence in the lineup. I really don’t think it is coincidence that the Red Sox hitters are having a far worse year this year then essentially the same offense as the year before with the exception of Ortiz.
I could be wrong and every offensive player on the Red Sox has below average years and they will all bounce back next year I guess only time will tell. I do know they went from the best offense in baseball the year before to middling at best this year and the only real difference was no Big Papi.
Agree Bruin, just saying the seasons that Hanley, Mookie and others had contributed to that.
On that same note, the biggest mistake Dombrowski made last offseason was thinking Sandoval could return to 2014 form, when he showed absolutely nothing to give that impression. Not trading Travis Shaw… a guy who could’ve moved to 1B with a Devers callup, and maybe management isn’t looking for another middle of the order bat this offseason.
This year is no different than last year.
We had Ortiz last year and still got swept in the first round.
No difference our pitching still sucks.
And, don’t forget team defense…
Except with Ortiz there offense was the best in baseball and carried them.
This year there pitching was really good and carried the offense.
The teams just got there different ways so they are very different teams.
The one common denominator both teams looked spent at the end of the season.
Look at the bright side, if they get swept maybe they will fire Farrell. That’s what I’m hoping for anyway
Same. That’s the only silver lining to it all. Maybe the next manager will take it easy on Chris Sale in September when it’s known that Chris Sale gets burned out at the end of the year.
I’m pretty sure 90 percent of the fan base wants him gone.
Yep, Farrell has not pitched well or hit well in the postseason.. oh wait… This Red Sox team is young, and Houston is hot right now. The fact that despite lack of bats and no poppy that the Red Sox made the postseason is a pretty good feat IMO.
In your mind, who realistically replaces Farrell?
A sock puppet.
Should have been Lovullo, but the Sox felt guilty about Farrel’s health. Butterfield would probably be okay. Believe it or not, Ausmus would be better than Farrell.
Orioles not going to be able to sign Machado because of Chris Davis lol
They wouldn’t be able to sign machado anyways.
They have a legit shot of re-signing him. But either way the future success of the club does not hinge on whether he signs.
The amazing thing about the Davis contract is there were no other teams who were willing to pay Davis any where near $161 MM. Angelos supposedly liked Davis. If I also remember correctly, most Oriole fans were happy about the deal.
Yes we were. And as bad as it looks right now, there’s still a chance to turn it around.
Lots of money invested in that Davis fellow… What is the current for American workers 10-12 dollars an hours… Just a gross compare…
Yes, because it makes a lot of sense to compare the salary of someone who works at McDonald’s with that of a MLB player. Talk about a “gross compare,” get real.
^^^ gotta agree with this. A good team serves 3 million people a season over 80ish games. No McDonalds can say that. And McDonalds “players” don’t have to travel to work.
That being said… No one is worth that kind of money but… apples and oranges.
Cracked ribs are more of a pain in the ass than anything. I slipped on a marble staircase in the rain in San Francisco on New Year’s Eve in 2002 and bounced down two stories on my rib cage and couldn’t sneeze or cough without being in immense pain for months.
What happened to the contract proposal to Davis of about $15.5 M? How and why did it go higher.
Chris Davis is like most bad contracts paying a player for previous years that you know they will not come close to duplicating. Not many players have a better season over 30. Never understand why any GM would sign a player for a contract more than 5 years when always at the end of the contract its wasted money.
Simply because they can afford it. Cheap young stars. Expensive old stars. Put them together and it balances out both the roster and payroll without trading anybody for anybody.
The money they spent in the last 3 years of the deal could be way better spent retaining Machado who has defense unlike Davis. Spin it any way you want but a over paid player with 6 more years reduce your spending in the future.
At his strikeout rate this season, had Davis played 160 games, he would have whiffed 243 times. That about sums it up.
I never understood how Davis got that contract and Nelson Cruz had to take a discount in Seattle. Never ever pay that much for a 1B / DH. Even Votto is over paid.
Votto isn’t overpaid.
Ditto. Don’t forget to include Miguel Cabrera!
Cruz didn’t take a discount in Seattle. The Orioles offered the same per year but would not add a 4th year.
Chris Davis is a less exciting version of Travis Hafner. Terrible contract.
PRONK!!
Jeesh that’s a really poor comparison.
KC better be careful IMO, talk of signing all of these guys nearly past their primes to competitive contracts may just make them look like the Tigers this year or the White Sox in previous years: overpaid guys not worth their salaries so you cannot even trade them when you realize you need to rebuild and get prospects..
The Red Sox stumble is over a pile of cash…lol. So what was the stumble last year? The stumble is they don’t have players who know how to excel when the stakes are higher.
I think you meant “daunting”, not “vaunting”.
“The Sox really have nothing to brag about.
“Now the Red Sox are in an 0-2 hole heading back to Boston for Game 3, and their offense faces a vaunting task in trying to defeat Houston in three straight games.”
I think it would be fun if Crush decided to screw with the pitchers minds by adopting a Rod Carew type batting style. He’s so strong that all those singles and doubles would turn into home runs. Would love to see him choke up on the bat And slap hits to opposite field whenever he has 2 strikes
Owe what a moron Peter Angelos is. He insisted on getting Davis back. Scott Boras bent Angelo over and played him for the fool he is! Haha he bid against himself and he bid more years amd multi millions more.
Davis and Boras had overplayed their hand and had nowhere to go and that dummy Angelos still got played. He is the dumbest owner in sports and It the 0’s are screwed on this contract because of him.
Could not have happened to a dumber idiot then Angelos!
If Davis cannot rebound to at least close to his 2015 numbers, the next 5 seasons are going to be horrific for my O’s.
Go back and read what the Boston press had to say after game 3 of the ALCS in 2004. Or game 2 of the ALCS in 2013. They have a history of wanting to be the first to bury teams . The fact is that the Astros and Indians won more than 100 and are the favorites. In Baseball the favorites don’t always win but it isn’t a surprise when the favorite wins.
The media has a hard time wrapping themselves around the idea that the Sawx and Yanks not being the favorites.
O’s will find themselves counting down the days until Davis’ contract expiration just as they did with Jimenez. Davis will be untradeable for the duration, and his enormous albatross contract will limit Baltimore’s flexibility for the next 5 years.