2011 Season Brings Record Payroll & Soaring Expectations

Softlaw was alone in saying, a year ago, that there was no chance of a trade for AGon. Softlaw was alone, this winter, in saying that, surgery or not, it was certain that the Padres would sell AGon and that it was likely it would be the Red Sox. Although no extension has been agreed to, as has been falsely reported, it is highly likely that an extension will be signed. This move brings in a good citizen and young superstar that the Red Sox simply had to trade for. It was the correct move and correct time. Last year, Softlaw said that Beltre was the correct move, on a short term contract, and he was. A year later, Softlaw said that AGon  was a winter must.

Crawford's not a superstar, but he was given a superstar contract that will end up embarrassing Theo Epstein. The line about speed players aging more slowly is propaganda to distract the readers away form this embarrassing contract.

The Red Sox offense is set for year to come, with AGon, but it had no need for Crawford. The 2011 hopes rest on the same two Texas fat men who were to blame for the short fall in 2010. Even with the injuries, if those two did their jobs, the Red Sox make the 2010 playoffs and had a chance with the suprise Giants.

Starting pitching will decide the hopes of the 2011 Red Sox. Let's hope Lackey and Beckett get out of the labor union mode contract year and do the jobs they are paid to do.

Red Sox Season Results Are The Repsonsibility of Beckett & Lackey

This 30 million dollar 2010 contract cost duo has been an abject failure for the first 4 months and change. With ERA's will over 4 and unmentionable, they were paid to do the jobs of top portion of the starting pitching rotation. If they had come close to doing their jobs, this 2010 Red Sox team would be in first place. The bad news is that Beckett and Lackey have been 2010 busts, to date. The good news is that if they do their jobs over the remaining starts that they have over the final 33 games of the season, the Red Sox will almost surely overtake the Yankees or Rays and make the post season. If Lackey and Beckett joing Buchholz and Lester as top end starter producers, the Red Sox would then have just as good a chance to win the championship as any other single team.

Role player fill-ins like MacDonald, Hall, Doubrant and Nava are inspirational stories, regardless of how 2010 ends up. After word of the latest core player injury, Hall coined the season rallying cry: "There is no breaking point!" These players cost the Red Sox next to nothing on the overpaid MLB scale, which makes the peformance of overpaid veterans like Beckett and Lackey that much more unacceptable!


I'm disgusted with Beckett and Lackey, and for good reason. They need to simply do the jobs they are paid to do! No excuses!