I really don't get you guys, especially the older ones like : Mr. Crunchy, a700 Hitter, One Red Seat ( only cause you agreed with them ), etc. We're not owned by Tom Yawkey, the Yawkey Trust, or a dot com. billionaire. We are owned by a partnership of successful business men. As such, they are going to run it as a business. This means establishing an operating budget, asset allocation, asset management, business plans, etc. The new owners, and then Theo came in to a dilapidated "band box", a depleted minor league ( especially in the lower levels ), over priced long term contracts, large deferred debt, and a record of finishing 2nd in the Eastern Division many years in a row.
So take a look at some of the things they have done. One of the assets is Fenway. Is there anyone that can say that they ( owners ) haven't made major improvements. They added ( without changing the look and feel of Fenway ) : additional field box seats, the Green Monster, the Budweiser Deck, the Pavilion, the EMC Club, the new concourse for the bleachers, the outside concourse on Yawkey Way, the new field and drainage system, the new players facilities ( batting cages, video room, medical ). The list goes on and on. For you that raise the argument that : "It's just to put more money in their pockets", you're totally wrong. They have to service this principal with interest, as well as paying escalating player salaries, real estate taxes, personnel payroll, payroll taxes, etc. Continuing this list would be wouldn't enforce this point and further. They have done this without public financing and in a non-supportive political environment.
I'll skip such assets as: media contracts, merchandising, and revenue sharing. But I will say that it was the current owners and management that significanty expanded our scouting, expenditures for draft choices, minor leagues support, even the DM facilitiy.
Major league roster players, as well as prospects, are also assets / liabilities ( if one considers bad contracts ). You can't responsibly run any business without constantly evaluating the cost and impact of acquiring any new asset or deleting a current one. Posts in this thread have ranged from bitching about trading prospects ( that turned became good ) and getting a stiff, not re-signing players ( Pedro, Damon ), to trades not made. I guess it's great to play Monday morning QB. I'm sure there are people bitching about Tek/ Lowe trade, Manny signing, and Papi. Let's see how Pedro and Damon hold up through the completion of thier contracts before making final judgement. As far as not making any moves go, that's a joke. There wasn't squat out there with regards to impact pitchers. Even the rumors had the Sox giving up 3 to 4 current roster players for one stud pitcher.That's not going to help us. There wasn't any teams that picked up pitching, with
the exception of the Yanks. But even that was a combination of salary dump and needs.
So I guess what I'm saying is this : the Sox have been in the Play-Offs the last 3 years, won a WS, improved facilities, improved scouting and minor league talent. All this while maintaining profitability and increasing net value. Anyone that has a better crystal ball and can tell in advance : who to draft, who won't get hurt, what a free agent will accept, and what other teams will accept in a trade, you have a very bright future,