Why was Mookie traded, exactly?

[jacksonianmarch]

If the 2021 team is over .500, the 'cliff' was a 60 game tank job in a pandemic.

 

You won’t be, don’t worry

[Bellhorn04]

You won’t be, don’t worry

 

OK Oracle.

[jad]

https://www.boston.com/sports/boston-red-sox/2021/03/16/mookie-betts-red-sox-gq-mlb?s_campaign=bcom%3Asocialflow%3Afacebook&fbclid=IwAR2z6Fw8fkoz24GoPCeeNHmVmCqaCtkzGsBiKJRgqhBLT8M74uOn8Nkengo

 

Not sure I buy the 'Boston owes me nothing; I owe Boston nothing' statement. But he's certainly right that that's the way this particular business is run by those with the most power. Not sure it's good for the popularity of the sport to have the owners and commissioner adopt this attitude, express it publicly and thus encourage players to do so as well. If I hear a musician say stuff like this, I won't go to their concerts or buy their music.

[Bellhorn04]

https://www.boston.com/sports/boston-red-sox/2021/03/16/mookie-betts-red-sox-gq-mlb?s_campaign=bcom%3Asocialflow%3Afacebook&fbclid=IwAR2z6Fw8fkoz24GoPCeeNHmVmCqaCtkzGsBiKJRgqhBLT8M74uOn8Nkengo

 

Not sure I buy the 'Boston owes me nothing; I owe Boston nothing' statement. But he's certainly right that that's the way this particular business is run by those with the most power. Not sure it's good for the popularity of the sport to have the owners and commissioner adopt this attitude, express it publicly and thus encourage players to do so as well. If I hear a musician say stuff like this, I won't go to their concerts or buy their music.

 

No new information from Mookie. Just as well. Like I've said before, he's a smart cookie.

[Bellhorn04]

https://www.boston.com/sports/boston-red-sox/2021/03/16/mookie-betts-red-sox-gq-mlb?s_campaign=bcom%3Asocialflow%3Afacebook&fbclid=IwAR2z6Fw8fkoz24GoPCeeNHmVmCqaCtkzGsBiKJRgqhBLT8M74uOn8Nkengo

 

Not sure I buy the 'Boston owes me nothing; I owe Boston nothing' statement. But he's certainly right that that's the way this particular business is run by those with the most power. Not sure it's good for the popularity of the sport to have the owners and commissioner adopt this attitude, express it publicly and thus encourage players to do so as well. If I hear a musician say stuff like this, I won't go to their concerts or buy their music.

 

Pro sports are a cold-hearted business from top to bottom. The fans are generally the most cold-hearted of all. They want the players to perform and if the players don't perform for any reason, the fans crucify them.

[mvp 78]

No new information from Mookie. Just as well. Like I've said before, he's a smart cookie.

 

Smarter than people on here who said he was foolish not to take the Sox’s offer.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Smarter than people on here who said he was foolish not to take the Sox’s offer.

 

More major leaguers than people here have left Boston and then returned after retirement... they have either realized there was no better buzz (baseball-wise) or they were paid by the team to catch a buzz with old teammates at PR reunions.

[jad]

Pro sports are a cold-hearted business from top to bottom. The fans are generally the most cold-hearted of all. They want the players to perform and if the players don't perform for any reason, the fans crucify them.

 

Well, some do and some don't. When I have a player I like, I support him no matter how well he plays, and I'll follow them even if they get traded. I may get disappointed, but I don't boo them. And when there's a player I don't like, I'd razz them even if they win the MVP. (But I think that kind of attitude is getting rarer and rarer, in large part due to the attitudes of GMs and owners.)

[mvp 78]

@BillShaikin

Most popular jerseys, based on sales in MLB's online store since end of 2020 World Series:

 

1. Mookie Betts

 

2. Cody Bellinger

 

3. Fernando Tatis Jr.

 

4. Bryce Harper

 

5. Clayton Kershaw

 

6. Aaron Judge

 

7. Ronald Acuña Jr.

 

8. Francisco Lindor

 

9. Kiké Hernández

 

10. Mike Trout

[mvp 78]

@BillShaikin

Most popular jerseys, based on sales in MLB's online store since end of 2020 World Series:

 

1. Mookie Betts

 

2. Cody Bellinger

 

3. Fernando Tatis Jr.

 

4. Bryce Harper

 

5. Clayton Kershaw

 

6. Aaron Judge

 

7. Ronald Acuña Jr.

 

8. Francisco Lindor

 

9. Kiké Hernández

 

10. Mike Trout

 

@ChrisCotillo

Hernández called this "mind-blowing" ... "I don't know how that happened."

[mvp 78]

@redsoxstats

Paraphrasing Henry with @SoxBooth: In 2018 we knew we could be in trouble. By the middle of 2019 it was clear we overplayed our hand going for it. You can do that from time to time with a strong farm system, ours was in very bad shape. Early in 2019 we knew we were in trouble.

 

So they knew of salary issues going back to 2018, but decided to overspend after 2018 anyway?

 

Well, then you f***ed up!

[moonslav59]

@redsoxstats

Paraphrasing Henry with @SoxBooth: In 2018 we knew we could be in trouble. By the middle of 2019 it was clear we overplayed our hand going for it. You can do that from time to time with a strong farm system, ours was in very bad shape. Early in 2019 we knew we were in trouble.

 

So they knew of salary issues going back to 2018, but decided to overspend after 2018 anyway?

 

Well, then you f***ed up!

 

They wanted to make sure, as much as one can in a "crap shoot" playoff system.

 

Yes, it was overkill. We won a ring, so it was worth it.

 

Now, we pay the price.

[mvp 78]

They wanted to make sure, as much as one can in a "crap shoot" playoff system.

 

Yes, it was overkill. We won a ring, so it was worth it.

 

Now, we pay the price.

 

The overkill was the 2018-19 offseason.

[Bellhorn04]

The overkill was the 2018-19 offseason.

 

That would be Eovaldi, Sale and Bogey.

 

But they also let Kimbrel go and signed nothing in the way of relievers.

 

I think there's a lot more to it than that. It was an accumulation of things that bloated the payroll. Even a guy 'under control' like Mookie was suddenly quite expensive. Not that he wasn't worth it and more. But it has gotten really difficult to be a good team for long without the payroll mushrooming. Look at the Dodgers this year.

[notin]

@redsoxstats

Paraphrasing Henry with @SoxBooth: In 2018 we knew we could be in trouble. By the middle of 2019 it was clear we overplayed our hand going for it. You can do that from time to time with a strong farm system, ours was in very bad shape. Early in 2019 we knew we were in trouble.

 

So they knew of salary issues going back to 2018, but decided to overspend after 2018 anyway?

 

Well, then you f***ed up!

 

But that’s what fans wanted.

 

I didn’t like some of the deals made after 2018 - Eovaldi in particular. But were they supposed to blow up the roster right after winning? We’re not the Marlins...

[mvp 78]

But that’s what fans wanted.

 

I didn’t like some of the deals made after 2018 - Eovaldi in particular. But were they supposed to blow up the roster right after winning? We’re not the Marlins...

 

They are supposed to re-sign their best player.

[jad]

They are supposed to re-sign their best player.

 

THAT'S what all RS fans wanted.

[notin]

They are supposed to re-sign their best player.

 

Been saying it since 2015 when they brought in Price...

[Bellhorn04]

THAT'S what all RS fans wanted.

 

Not all, actually. There were some posters here who didn't want to give him the mega-contract.

 

I wasn't one of them.

[Bellhorn04]

Been saying it since 2015 when they brought in Price...

 

If it was all about wasted money and luxury tax, the seeds of destruction were sowed sooner than that, with $256 million flushed on Pablo/Hanley/Rusney.

[Bellhorn04]

The Mets and Lindor showed how one of these negotiations is supposed to go when both parties want to get it done.

 

And frankly, Lindor did a lot better than Mookie compared to his value.

[moonslav59]

If it was all about wasted money and luxury tax, the seeds of destruction were sowed sooner than that, with $256 million flushed on Pablo/Hanley/Rusney.

 

I'm fine with learning the lesson that mega deals should be thought about, long and hard.

 

The JD deal was strange.It seemed we were the only ones bidding on a long term deal (with opt outs).

I don't consider the Eovaldi deal all that large or long, but it did hurt our chances at spending large on Betts.

The Bogey extension also hurt our chances at keeping Betts, but it was an underpay in the grand scheme of things. Plus, there's an opt out that may very well keep the deal short.

The Sale extension was a gamble, too, but the deal signed reflected the health risks.

The Pablo, HRam and Rusney deals hurts us badly, and in some ways forced the all out DD plan, but the HRam deal was really not all that bad. His injury ruined it. The Risney deal was a gamble- much like Dice-K and Moncada, and it ended up being a big bust.

 

What really sucks, is that when we finally choose to wake up and smell the coffee, we choose Betts as the poster boy for a new era of fiscal responsibility. BETTS! The best overall player Boston has seen in a long long time, perhaps ever!

 

[Bellhorn04]

I'm fine with learning the lesson that mega deals should be thought about, long and hard.

 

The JD deal was strange.It seemed we were the only ones bidding on a long term deal (with opt outs).

I don't consider the Eovaldi deal all that large or long, but it did hurt our chances at spending large on Betts.

The Bogey extension also hurt our chances at keeping Betts, but it was an underpay in the grand scheme of things. Plus, there's an opt out that may very well keep the deal short.

The Sale extension was a gamble, too, but the deal signed reflected the health risks.

 

It appears to me that in the 2018-2019 offseason they went to Betts first. When that fell through they went to Sale and Bogey. The Sale and Bogey extensions came together right at the end of that offseason.

 

I guess the puzzle will always be why they didn't make a bigger offer to Betts. $300 mill wasn't an insult by any means, but it wasn't what you'd call a strong opening offer.

[moonslav59]

It appears to me that in the 2018-2019 offseason they went to Betts first. When that fell through they went to Sale and Bogey. The Sale and Bogey extensions came together right at the end of that offseason.

 

I guess the puzzle will always be why they didn't make a bigger offer to Betts. $300 mill wasn't an insult by any means, but it wasn't what you'd call a strong opening offer.

 

It is a wonder.

 

I'm thinking maybe Betts's counter offer just blew them away, and they didn't even bother to make a counter offer, which I think they should have, ifonly to appease the fan base, who was still ticked off over the Lester scenario.

 

The fact that Betts took a COVID discount with the Dodgers makes it harder to swallow, but at the time of the offer, I think we all know, Betts would have said no had the Sox offered what he ended up taking with LA. That alone, makes it hard to know what we could have-should have done, and what Betts would have done, even if we had done more or much more.

 

I was firmly in the camp of signing Betts to what it would take, within reason. He's a once in a generation (or more) player, but I've come to see the logic in not tying up 15-20% of your player spending budget in one player for 10+ years.

 

I still wish we had him, but that's a lot of money to spend elsewhere. We better spend it wisely.

[notin]

If it was all about wasted money and luxury tax, the seeds of destruction were sowed sooner than that, with $256 million flushed on Pablo/Hanley/Rusney.

 

It was. But the guy who signed those deals was gone before Price came on board and Betts became an obvious star...

[Kimmi]

@redsoxstats

Paraphrasing Henry with @SoxBooth: In 2018 we knew we could be in trouble. By the middle of 2019 it was clear we overplayed our hand going for it. You can do that from time to time with a strong farm system, ours was in very bad shape. Early in 2019 we knew we were in trouble.

 

Some of us have been saying this since the beginning of time.

[Kimmi]

The overkill was the 2018-19 offseason.

 

No, the overkill was in the first two years that Dombrowski was with the team.

[Kimmi]

THAT'S what all RS fans wanted.

 

Not all Red Sox fans.

[moonslav59]

The overkill was the 2018-19 offseason.

 

What, with the Eovaldi signing?

 

It started as soon as DD came aboard, but again, I'm glad we got to witness 2018.

[dgalehouse]

Simply put , Mookie was traded because John Henry decided that the spending was becoming too much and he opted to start cutting back a bit and draw the line. . Basically , Mookie became too expensive for the budget.