Chris CrockettRed Sox Stoke The Hot Stove Fire In A Big Way With Lackey Signing
December 15th 2009 13:55
First off, let me say, I LOVE this deal for the Red Sox. They just got a whole lot better for 2010 with the acquisition of John Lackey. This is the guy I wanted them to get all along for the simple fact of not having to give up any prospects like they would've had to for Roy Halladay. Is John Lackey an ace? No, but he is --one solid as all hell-- number two starter in the majors. Beckett-Lester-Lackey... Beckett-Lackey-Lester .....however you want to slice it, it's nasty. They still aren't where they have to be offensively, but this was a great signing.
Like I've said in the past, if you want to have the highest ticket prices in the game, there can be no 'bridge' years in Boston. If you want the opportunity to have a 'bridge' year, lower the ticket prices (and we all know that won't be happening). With that said, in comes Lackey for 5 years/ $85 million! I'm sure some people will be saying, 'wow, all that money for John Lackey, I mean.... I like him... but all that money?' YES. All that money! Why do you all care about what this team spends on talent? Look how much you have to pay if you want to take your kid to Fenway these days. I could give a rat's ass less what money they give these guys. Here's my only concern, if the Red Sox do in fact have a hard line budget like Larry Lucchino was saying the other day (and I'm sure they do), what does this mean for Josh Beckett's future? Do they know that he might want out of town after next season and it might be tough to keep him here? Beckett is in his contract year in 2010 and if you think he'll take ONE PENNY less than what the Sox just gave Lackey, you are sadly mistaken. My answer? Pay him too. It's one of the luxuries of being a Red Sox or Yankees fan. We must pay if we want to go (I'm fine watching them on NESN anyway) and they must pay for top notch talent in return.
Want to see some interesting numbers? Lackey is 31 years old with a 102-71 lifetime record and a 3.81 ERA(all while pitching in the offensively loaded American League). He also won Game 7 of the 2002 World Series for the Angels. Beckett will be 30 in May, and is 106-68 with a 3.79 ERA in his career, half of which was in the offensively inferior, National League. Would you have thought that the numbers of these two guys were that close in comparison? Makes me love the deal even more. People are already mentioning that Lackey has had some trouble pitching in Fenway Park over the past 5 years. Ever think that might have something to do with facing one of the best perennial offenses in baseball when he came in to pitch against Boston? Now he's on the other side and I liking it.
Chuck
~TCFB~
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