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The young arms have nothing to do with Damon. The fact is they didn't think Damon was worth the money he got - not in the short-term, and certainly not in the long-term. Just because it would come off the books around the time when some of the young guys are up for contracts doesn't mean anything - the point is Damon, they thought, was going to be a financial albatross around their neck in the final 2 years of his deal.
Obviously the RedSox think they have a certain amount of money to work with so money given to Damon might affect the future contracts of the young arms. My point about the RedSox is that having Damon under contract for 4 (or 5 years) is worth it if he gives you two or three years of Damon-esque play as long as it doesn't affect the future contracts of their young arms. That's why I feel the RedSox got too cute with their money. They opted to let a guy ( who was the catalyst for the offense and a fan favorite) go for a little bit of money that wouldn't have affected the contracts of Papelbon, Lester, Hansen and Delcarmen. So Damon (allegedly, since Epstein and Co. do not have a crystal ball to see the future) isn't quite the player he was for the last year or two of his contract? Having him this year and next would make this team better. The same goes with Pedro. Granted Pedro might have been more difficult to sign...but I would wager that the 05 and 06 Sox would have been a better team with him......instead of stiffs like Clement and Beckett.
Exactly...... give Pedro the money that Wells, Clement, Beckett received and have him pitch until his arm falls off. By then, Lester, Papelbon, Delcarmen and Hansen should arrive.
I know what you're saying - that it doesn't really "matter" that you have to give Damon big money in years that he will be not the same player as long as that money is free in time for the "young arms". What I'm saying to you is just because you don't have to spend money on those young arms doesn't mean spending it on 2 dead years with Damon is a good way to spend it. The Red Sox feel that that money can be better allocated then overpaying an aging guy like Damon or Pedro.And saying that the money is better spent on Pedro than Wells and Clement is obviously true NOW, but that is hindsight. I agree that when you let a guy like Pedro walk, you sure as hell better spend the money he leaves behind on something good to replace him. The Red Sox chose poorly - THAT's the problem - not that they let Pedro walk, but that they didn't spend the money effectively. If Clement came here and put it all together and managed a 3.50 in the American League (like he's capabale of with the stuff he's got) and won 18-20 games playing behind one of the best offenses in the game, then there wouldn't be a lot of Pedro talk.
The second part is only the problem because Pedro is such a difficult pitcher to replace. They didn't evaluate it correctly and let the wrong guy walk.You act like the two parts are not related when they absolutely are.
it's like when people say "it's not the tax cuts, it's the spending."it's both
The Yankees have had their share of big losses as well. Sheffield, Matsui, Cano for a while, etc. I don't think that you can use this as a legitimate excuse. Especially since they've had Manny and Ortiz for most of the year until after the 5 game sweep.
The Yankees' injuries at starting pitcher last year (2005) were downright absurd (they had exactly 2 pitchers start more than 17 games), and they still won the division.
Maybe you missed the 'not saying that that's a legitmate excuse' part dumb###
So, does this means the Jays still have a chance?
When only some of the above list were out the Sox were in first place. With almost ALL of the above list out the Sox have gone what, 8-20 in August? Manny has been banged up much of the season but played anyway. Ortiz has missed the least amount of games but probably had the biggest single impact when he's been out. Again, you need to win some games no matter who is out, but with 3 OF, a MVP caliber DH, SS, C, 4 starting pitchers (basically anyone after Schilling and Beckett), and your closer to start the season all out--playing even .500 ball is unlikely. That's almost half the roster out at the same time. True, the Yanks had Shef, Matsui, Cano, and Pavano out (I'm leaving out Dotel as he was hurt to begin with) but that's not the quantity of players out as the Sox have had.
Perhaps this was in the contract Theo Epstein signed with the devil.
They probably shouldn't have lost all 5 of those to the Yankees if they wanted to win the division.
