GM Review: Red Sox $$$

Despite being lauded more frequently for their high payroll, the New York Yankees weren’t the big spenders in the 2006 off-season. It was the Boston Red Sox, who spent upwards of $200M on three players, who were the real buyers.

Well, the Red Sox brought out the big bucks, let’s bring out the charcoal and gill ‘em.

We start with the most money in Daisuke Matsuzaka for $51.1M posting fee and a 6-year, $52M deal.

I love the move and wish the Yankees would’ve done it (This Yankee season would’ve been very different with Dice-K and I can’t stop thinking about it). Dice-K has posted a 41.2 VORP (12th of AL SPs), 117 ERA+ and an 8.88 K/9 in his first year. Plus, he’s 26 and we haven’t seen the best of him yet (signs of domination in June with a 1.59 ERA, 5.82 H/9 and 11.11 K/9 for the month).

Sure the $51.1M posting fee is a ton, but to get an ace pitcher going into his prime for under $9M annually is unheard of now. The starting pitching market is so bad that Ted Lilly (Career ERA+ of 102) got $40M this off-season and Johan Santana is demanding at least $20M annually and he might get it.

Did this take a lot of money? Undoubtedly, yes.

Will it be worth it when it’s all said and done? I think so because it’s usually smarter to get guys going into their prime years (One of the best contracts in baseball: Cleveland with Victor Martinez, 5-year $15.5M with ’10 option $7M) than it is to get guys already done with their prime years (The Barry Zito Deal).

That was the good, here is the bad: J

.D. Drew 5-year $70M (laughs)

This is one of the worst contracts in baseball today. Here is my list of the top 5 contracts signed last off-season that I wouldn’t want on my team:

1 – Barry Zito (7-year, $126M)

2 – Drew (5-year, $70M)

3 – Juan Pierre (5-year, $44M)

4 – Gary Matthews Jr. (5-year, $50M)

5 – Julio Lugo (4-year, $36M)

Anyway, the Red Sox were mocked by multiple fan bases for this signing because of Drew’s track record of not caring about baseball. As a GM, it makes no sense to commit $70M to a player who gets hurt all the time and doesn’t care.

Here is what Red Sox GM Theo Epstein said at the time of the trade:

"For a long time, we've talked about having a center fielder in right field," he said. "J.D. Drew's a really good defensive player. Having him in right will help our outfield defense. In one player, we could address two areas of weakness."

Drew currently ranks 6th out of 11 AL RFs in RZR, a measure of defense that takes range into account. So, he’s just a middle of the pack fielder and not a “really good defensive player” like Epstein said.

More Theo:

"Certain times, you want to bring someone in not to be the [primary] guy," the GM said, noting that with Ortiz and catcher Jason Varitek, Drew does not need to be a clubhouse leader. "Virtually every player is a collection of strengths and weaknesses. We wouldn't make a move like this if we didn't feel like the player could perform in the role that we have earmarked for him."

First, who gives $70M to a guy “not to be the [primary] guy?” Then again, who give $70M to a guy who has only played 135 games four times and failed his physical?

Second, how’s this for “performing in the role?” Drew ranks last among AL RFs in VORP with 2.2, carries a .251 EqA and a 1.2 WARP1. Plus, he hasn’t even been seriously hurt yet, just the usual nagging day-to-day stuff this year. Plus, there are four years left on this deal after ’07.

One fairly irrelevant, but still funny, stat line: Drew is 1-for-29 with 1 BB, 9 SO, 3 GIDP at Yankee Stadium this year.

He’s awful and that contract is an atrocity.

Here's what Red Sox Nation thinks of him.

Alright, now on to Julio Lugo 4-year, $36M

Overall, Lugo had a pretty good ’06 season. But, after being traded to the Dodgers, Lugo had an absolutely disastrous finish as he VORP-ed -10.3 over his last 164 Pas.

That was just a preview of this year as Lugo is 3rd to last in VORP for AL SSs with 2.4, is posting a .224 EqA and has a WARP1 of 0.3.

He’s been very bad and there are three more years left, I don’t see this ending in anything other than a mistake signing. I think Theo has a thing for past-their-prime Shortstops and big money, long term contracts. First Edgar Rentaria, who he was lucky enough to trade away, and now Lugo.

Theo Epstein is a pretty good General Manager. He brought the Red Sox their first World Series win since 1908 and he is cemented in their history for that. But, the heat is always on in Boston and essentially blowing $96M on Drew and Lugo is not good for his job security. At the end of the deal, Dice-K will look like a great signing and that is a feather in Theo’s cap.

So, he blew $96M and did pretty good with $103.1M. I guess he’s batting .500.