Apocrypha

Well, leave it to the Red Sox to drag me out of my blogless cave and start writing again. I really should just turn this into a baseball blog...

Fortunately, I have woken from my slumber, done some handy research, and I come bearing some good news. Let's call it a 06 Red Sox gospel.

As we all know now, the loveable, shaveable idiot, (and I do mean idiot) is gone. He has left the warmth and unconditional love of Beantown for the cold and heartless confines of Death Valley. Ironically Bronze busts of the Mick and Joey D. will be watching J.D. closely from their seats behind the left center wall, and you know, at $1.5M Bernie will be watching from the bench, and waiting. No pressure, Johnny, and besidees, we all know how well you handle pressure.

On the bright side, here's something to think about.

First, let's look at Johnny Damon's core stats over the past 4 seasons with the Red Sox:
115.25 Runs
14 HR
.295 BA
.362 OBP
75 RBI

Certainly nothing to scoff at. Productive to say the least. However, we must remember that unlike some teams in baseball, the Red Sox do not have unlimited funds, and while the satisfaction of winning a year ago is still palatable, nobody wants the team to fall into years of mediocrity, and nobody wants to hear the name Offerman or anything like it ever again.

Here are some players currently on the team, and some of their numberrs over the past 4 years:

Jason Varitek
65 Runs
19 HR
.279 BA
.360 OBP
72 RBI
$8 Dollars

Production a little under that of Damon's, but probably better defense, captain of the team, respected clubhouse leader, and given his ability to improve pitchers by his pitch calling behind the plate, at $8M a year, 5 less than Damon's new contract, certainly what we might call a value.

Trot Nixon (using projected stats from an injury prone 2004 season)
72 Runs
21 HR
.288 BA
.367 OBP
79 RBI
$7.5M

Again, production less than that of Damon's, but at half the price, not really half the player. Not to mention, Trot is a year younger than Johnny. How about a nebie next

Mark Loretta (averages over last 3 season's with the Padres)
79 Runs
11 HR
.310 BA
.374 OBP
62 RBI
$2.75M

At more than 1/5th the price of Damon, you've got better BA, better OBP, and a steady second basemen defensively. Allow me a metaphor, if you will. You are driving cross country. If someone says you can buy a Mercedes with chrome rims, DVD monitors in the headrests, and all the luxuries you could imagine for only $100,000. Wouldn't you buy a premium Volkswagon, with almost the same luxuries as the Merc, for only $20,000? The fact of the matter is, you'll still get to California. And yes, Damon was popular. Perhaps a better "image" than Loretta, but when was the last time the Red Sox had trouble selling tickets.

Of course, no value comparison would be complete with looking at Papi. Not Tucker's dog, but the rather large Dominican fellow (I saw him up close in Baltimore last fall, he is enormous).

Papi (Ortiz, last 3 years in Boston)
97 R
40 HR
.296 BA
.382 OBP
129 RBI
$5.25M

If you were to suggest, that Ortiz's production is worth less than half of Damon's salary, you'd be crazy. Ok, he doesn't play defense. Let's say he played Damon caliber defense, and we add an extra $3M to his contract for that. We're still at only $8.25M, nowhere near $13M! Ortiz is not a value, he is close to a steal. Furthermore, if you haven't had the Papi club sandwich at D'angelos', than you have no right to suggest that Ortiz is not a "franchise player." I propose we make Papi's gap toothed visage the "face of the Red Sox." He also gives alot to charity, and that is awesome.

Finally, lets look at some other outfielders, and their salaries.
Carl Crawford, 24, $625,000
Jason Bay, 27, $355,000
Scot Podsednik, 29, $225,000
Vladimir Guerrero, 29, $12.5M
Ichiro Suzuki, 32, $12.5M
Andruw Jones, 28, $13M
Grady Sizemore, 23, $318,300
Carlos Beltran, 28, $11.5M

I encourage you to check out som of the stats on these players and compare them to Damon's. Granted some of these players are quite young, (all younger than Damon I will point out), and you might suggest that is why their contract is so low. That is part of the point. There is only one guarantee with Johnny Damon for the future, he will get older. Guys like Barry Bonds are rare, so rare in fact, that most of the world suspects he is on something. Damon is not getting younger, and in all likelyhood, is not getting better. Why invest a ton of money on something that may not last. It is no surprise that at the age of 32, Damon and Boras were looking for 5 years on their contract (in fact reports suggested that Boras even dared to ask for 7). The Yankees, to some extent, can afford the risk of offering $13M to Damon, and having him underperform. They are that wealthy. The Red Sox could have afforded it too, but in the end, you should look at where the Sox spend their money. Pitching. If recent history has proven anything, a good offense may get you into the playoffs, but good pitching wins the whole thing. The Red Sox have already acquired Josh Beckett, who will be a stud for quite some time. Papelbon has promise, and so does Hansen. The one thing that is remarkable about baseball, is that there are always Ryan Langerhans out there. There are always those players who will outperform their projections. Some may underperform, but if you are in the business of placing bets with your money, why go high stakes if there's a chance to find a diamond in the rough? There are no guarantees of performance in baseball, but I'd put my money in best bets, and I would never, ever, ever, overpay someone in the middle of their carreer, and certainly not for extended contracts. In baseball, and in the world, everyone always gets older.

Ironically, one sign of aging for poor[sic] old Johnny, will be premature baldness.