1) I am disturbed by the fact that Scott Boras now represents the projected starting outfield—Ramirez, Drew, and Ellsbury, who hired him earlier this winter—as well as our franchise catcher, Jason Varitek, not to mention a handful of other players on the team. You might say that Boston’s “talent portfolio” is overinvested in Scott’s stock.

2) On further reflection, I am oddly cheered by Manny’s signing with Boras. I feel it makes it more likely, not less, that the Red Sox will pick up his option after this season (and after next season as well, when they have another $20 mill option). The only way I see thist *not* happening is if Manny turns in an even more disappointing performance than last year’s (which I really don’t think will happen). Some local scribes have been prattling on about this being a difficult decision for the Sox, but frankly, I don’t see the conundrum. If Andruw Jones can command $18 million per year, why wouldn’t you pay an extra two million dollars—chump change, in today’s MLB—for first-ballot Hall of Famer Manny Ramirez? If the Sox can count on Manny for about 130 games, at least 20 homers, and a high-.300s/low-.400s OBP for the next two years, it’s a no-brainer to re-up him. And when those two years are up, Manny will be 38. And there’s no such thing as a long-term deal when you’re 38. Not even if your agent is Scott Boras.

REPORT COMMENT