Breaking Down the Contract Rumors with Rafael Devers and Xander Bogaerts
Am I a contract lawyer? No, but I got a B+ in Business Law my junior year. Do I work in the Red Sox front office? Also no, but I did apply to be (rejected because Chaim was worried I would steal his job by the deadline) AND I am coming off of consecutive fantasy football championships, so I am more than qualified here.
A lot has been flying around these last 2 days about the Red Sox contract negotiations with our two home grown infield cornerstones. First, Jeff Passan went on The Greg Hill Show and talked about the Devers contract situation:
In that interview, he stated that the Red Sox are over 100 million dollars apart with Devers. Passan has always proven to be a credible source for MLB, so I think this report is legitimate. I also don't find it super worrisome. When the number is that high, it is mostly about years in the deal, and I think the Red Sox will blink before Devers does. The other thing that Passan said in this interview is that the Devers situation is just like the Mookie Betts situation. Uhh, hey Passan, you talking pocket protector, no the fuck it isn't. What he completely neglected to mention is that the Red Sox were backed into a corner, and traded Betts to avoid being perpetually in Luxury Tax hell. We had so much money tied up in different guys that we could not give Betts a long term deal without mortgaging our future. Go take a look at what the Red Sox have for contracts now. Aside from Story, we have no real money tied up in any of our position players. So no, this is nothing like the Betts situation.
Next, we have the Bogaerts reports. As we all know, we have Xander Bogaerts under contract until 2024, but he has an opt-out after this year. Unless we get a deal done, he is using that opt out. And I want to make one thing clear: AS HE SHOULD. He took a hometown deal a couple years back. Now. he has Scott Borras, and he wants to get paid like a player of his caliber should. I will never begrudge a guy for wanting to get paid their worth. Here is what was reported late last night:
If that report is legit, I'm going to the nearest bar and ordering a bleach on the rocks. That is unforgivable on the Red Sox part. I have seen people on Twitter saying "That's how negotiations work" and "It's a lowball offer." That isnt a lowball offer, that is the Sox front office shitting into a box, sending it to Bogaerts, and calling it an extension. If this turns out to be accurate reporting, I fully expect Bogaerts to be dealt at the deadline. However, I don't buy this report. At all. The only source is a "Friend of Xander Bogaerts". I like my friends, but I would never expect them to accurately report anything about me based on how poorly they sell me to the ladies at Shenanigans every Friday night. I really hope the Red Sox would offer more than 90 mil over 4 years to the guy that helped bring in Story for 6 years 140 mil. I do think the sides are far apart on a deal, and that is based on Xander's recent tone when talking to the media. If you recall just before opening day, Xander was quoted saying the following: “I can’t do nothing about it right now, I’ve got a season coming up in front of me and I don’t want to put any of our teammates in that type of distraction. They don’t deserve it. We had time to get something done. It didn’t work out.” Man, stab me in the heart and slowly twist the knife a little more why don't ya. I am a little less confident in us getting a deal done with Bogaerts than Devers, especially after we brought in Story, but I am still tentatively hopeful.
Again, we have very little tied up in contracts next year. John Henry can afford to pay big to have our infield solidified over the next 6 years, and then surround them with either home-grown cheap talent, or 1 year journeyman contracts. But, all of this is speculation, and we won't truly know what is happening until these guys are locked up, or wearing a different uniform.
Enjoy the off day. Pay Devers. Pay Bogaerts.