Red Sox ownership receiving a firestorm of criticism (and its deserved)
The Boston Red Sox are lost and are stumbling around seeking to find their way. The problem is, their way isn’t obvious either to them or anyone else for that matter.
The Red Sox are dumpster diving and the result will likely be garbage yet again.
The absentee ownership of the venerable Red Sox has abdicated their responsibility to do what any baseball fan anywhere feels is their responsibility. That is, pay for and deliver a championship-quality team every season. After all, that’s what big-market and big-money teams do. Until they don’t. And the Red Sox don’t.
The latest move, not re-signing Xander Bogaerts, has raised a firestorm of criticism of the Sox ownership (aka custodians) and their Chief Baseball Officer Chaim Bloom.
While this space doesn’t necessarily think the Bogaerts move was so deleterious, the fact is the team’s overall modus operandi is deficient and flawed to an excess. Let’s explore why.
The Boston Red Sox have lost their way
The absentee ownership of the Boston Red Sox evidently isn’t paying any attention to their team’s off-season moves. They must be pandering to the needs of their other major franchise, the Liverpool Reds Football team in England more than the red hose in Boston.
Whatever their reason, they aren’t around, aren’t seen, and seemingly aren’t very interested in spending big to better their MLB franchise, the Red Sox. They should be, it ain’t good.
Whether they are aware or not, their storied franchise is going to Hades in a handbasket, so to speak. They stink. If that opinion isn’t enough to convince these people, then the fact they have finished dead last in the American League East in two of the past three seasons should.
Hello, anyone home, huh? Evidently not. Both before and after a wonderfully Cinderella-like, unanticipated, and unexpectedly great 2021 season, this outfit retreated to its norm of futility again in 2022. In 2020, they also finished bottom last in the American League East.
So in two of the three years following the absolutely shameful sacking of Dave Dombrowski, who led the Red Sox not only to three straight AL East Divisional titles, a first, and also won a World Series in 2018 they have finished last in the Division.
Hallelujah for such great ownership decision-making. The reason for sacking Dombrowski was allegedly that he depleted the farm system. Wink, wink.
The real reason was they didn’t want to diminish their already monstrous revenues by spending money on ballplayers who actually could play the game. The scapegoat conveniently was Dombro, who had a down season riddled with injuries in 2019. Out he went.
The Boston Red Sox need a change of ownership
Now, in the 2022 offseason, as in 2021, the team’s Chief Baseball Officer Chaim Bloom is proceeding to spend lots of money but in the wrong places. Instead of buying top-quality players at top money, he unloads millions on questionable signings who some think are hardly worth the money.
Bloom had a brilliant 2021 off-season and trade deadline. First, he let weak bat Jackie Bradley Jr. go in free agency. Thank you. He also brought in Hunter Renfroe who was great and Kike Hernandez who was a revelation.
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Then at the trade deadline, in came the perfect fit, Kyle Schwarber. The result was an ALCS series appearance. Brilliant. Then he regressed and undid the best of the 2021 offseason.
He traded Renfroe for the aforementioned Bradley. That flopped as expected. And in an even worse move, he allowed Schwarber to sign with Philadelphia for which he proceeded to lead the National League in home runs.
As the Big O, Glen Ordway was wont to say on WEEI radio: “How’d that work out for ‘ya?” The answer was, not so good. So here we are in the 2022 offseason and Bloom continues to mystify with his moves.
Next. MLB Rumors: How Red Sox can make up for losing Xander Bogaerts. dark
Spend big money on old arms. Check. Spend very big on a foreign payer who knowledgeable observers say is worth half the money. Check. Lose an All-Star starter. Check. And, waffle on the signing or trading of their best player, Rafael Devers. Check.
The Boston Red Sox are lost. The once proud and fearful franchise is a shell of its former self. It all adds up to one thing, a change in ownership and management is required.
This conglomerate has retreated to its norm of incompetence, It’s time to sell. Make your billions and please leave the club to qualified owners and administrators. It’s the least you can do for the fans who’ve made you billions, in spite of yourself.