Biggest Boston Red Sox Contracts in the last two decades – Part 1
The Boston Red Sox made a major move this season by signing on Carl Crawford for 7 years with a $142-million contract. The signing of this contract made Crawford the second highest out-fielder in Red Sox history. As a hitter, fielder and a base runner he
has done the Red Sox justice for almost a decade and if his future statistics are going to be anywhere near those he has previously accumulated, then for the Red Sox, this deal is worth every penny. Only time will tell whether this investment will reap rewards
or not but in the mean time let’s take a look at the biggest contracts in the Red Sox recent history and how they successful they turned out to be.
In 2006, Daisuke Matsuzaka was bought by the Red Sox after they out-bid quite a few teams and he was given $51-million as posting fee. Matsuzaka agreed to sign a six year contract which would pay him $52-million with the option to future years. After the
signing of the contract many stories emerged about his dominance in Japan and a pitch known as the Gyro ball created quite some hype. Was all the hype justified? He posted a 4.18 ERA and his average run was 4.40, along with that he always seems to have one
injury or the other. 2008 was a high point in his career when he went 18-3 with an ERA of 2.90 but he still struggled with control and posted a 1.32 WHIP. Given that, it’s quite possible that if the Red Sox office had the ability to turn back time they’d think
twice before spending $103-million on Matsuzaka.
John Lackey signed a five year contract with the Red Sox in 2009, for $82.5-million but sadly, since the first season he hasn’t been able to show any sort of potential or some hope of future statistics that may justify the amount spent on him. 2010 was a
very average year for him when he recorded 14-11 with a 4.40 ERA. His followers have defended him by saying that he was just getting adjusted in the first year and that the signs point to better result in the future. The good quality about Lackey is that he
possesses the demeanor a pitcher needs to survive in Boston. However he will have to pitch better and perform above average because the Red Sox didn’t pay him that much for average performances.
J. D. Drew became a member of the Red Sox in 2007 after signing a 5-year contract worth $70-million. Since then he has shown potential and has had many peaks. Drew is particularly remembered for the sixth game of the ALCS against the Cleveland Indians in
2007 where he delivered quite a grand slam. He also appeared as a Red Sox member on the All-Star game but something about his outlook points to him being unemotional, which makes the Red Sox question if he really cares? If he gets injured, Drew is one of the
players who’d choose to sit the game out instead of trying to get back in the field and it’s because of that, that the fans haven’t really warmed up to him.
Josh Beckett got his first extension with the Red Sox for a four year, $40-million contract with incentives in 2006. Beckett was one of the important players who led the Red Sox to their 2007 World Series Championship. Twice he has been in the All-Star in
Boston and was also the ALCS MVP. However he later signed on another four year deal till 2014 which would be paying him $68-million. It seems as if the signing of this contract was cursed because since then Beckett has had injuries throughout the season and
he posted a career worst of a 5.78 ERA. This contract isn’t turning out to be as successful as the first one and if things don’t work out the Red Sox would be with him till 2014. The upcoming 2011 season is a chance for Beckett to show the skills he displayed
in his earlier contract but for this health will have to get better so that he could be the pitcher he once was for Boston.
Continued in Part 2
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