I can give Henry all the credit for 2004-2018, but he has lost the plot. Maybe all the success has led him to believe that there isn't urgency to stay competitive? IDK. He wants a good team, but doesn't want to pay for it. Maybe it's time for him to focus on something else. Maybe sell his stake in FSG?
I agree with this wholeheartedly. The Sox have one of the largest FO's in baseball (maybe even the largest) and a lot of it is at the tippy top. I can see having a lot of voices down on the farm working with individual players, but the sheer amount of EVP's this org rolls out is staggering. Because of this, no matter what direction Crag wants to take the team, there is going to be a dissenting opinion from another higher up that will be leaked to the press. It is not an ideal workplace and it's not one where quick decisions are probably fostered.
If we look at years of control at the time of the trade, it would be Rubby De La Rosa. Loney was good the following season, but his contract was up after 2012.
Some players take a hometown discount. That is the only exception to the rule, but it's very, very rare. Tek, Nola, anyone else?
75M was just an example, it wasn't a specific amount for a specific purpose.