Can't believe I'm even responding to one of das's posts, but the Sox were 4th in payroll this season. The top 3?
NYY
NYM
Cubs
Mets and the Cubs both failed to make the playoffs spectacularly.
Yankees made the playoffs, however, they should when they spend half of the total dollars spent on free agent contracts this past offseason. $450 million of the roughly $900 million spent this offseason on new contracts.
The Sox won 95 games. They made the playoffs. I don't know what more you want from them. They exceeded my expectations this past offseason, for sure.
If they stand pat AGAIN, however, next year will be a different story.