Red Sox chairman: We have a lot of money to spend and are determined to reclaim 1st place
From worst to first, again?
The Boston Red Sox will attempt to pull off the unlikely turnaround for the second time in four years.
The 2013 World Series Champions appear destined for a last-place finish in the American League East this season, but Red Sox chairman Tom Werner says ownership is committed to not letting that happen again in 2015.
Werner joined The Dennis and Callahan Morning Show on Thursday, telling them the club is determined to be major players in the free agent market this winter.
From WEEI:
Last year, as we all know, was just a dream. This year is a nightmare. It’s been painful...The only thing I can take from it is we are determined to get back to being in first next year.
[...]
We know we have to add some front-line talent. We spent some time over the last few weeks talking about exactly what we can do to improve. I think that our trades at the end of July attacked the fact that we had a lack of offense...But we know we need some front-line pitching talent.
I wouldn’t say that we have limitless money, but we’ve got a lot of money to spend and we’re determined to go into the free agent market and improve the team.
Werner credits the blockbuster Los Angeles Dodgers trade in 2013 with creating significant financial flexibility for the club, money the team is poised to reinvest into starting pitching.
After moving Jon Lester (to Oakland) and John Lackey (to St. Louis) at the trade deadline, the Red Sox are left with sizable holes at the top of their rotation. Fortunately for them, this year's free agent class is loaded with elite - and sure to be high-priced - arms.
Zack Greinke's monster six-year, $159-million deal with the Dodgers figures to serve as a reference point for Lester and Detroit's Max Scherzer, making the Red Sox a possible landing point for either pitcher.
Here's a look at how the top free agent arms stack up against each other since 2012:
| PLAYER (AGE) | IP | ERA | K-BB% | fWAR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Max Scherzer (30) | 602.1 | 3.26 | 21.7 % | 16.1 |
| Jon Lester (30) | 618.1 | 3.71 | 14.1 % | 13.0 |
| James Shields (32) | 663.2 | 3.27 | 15.2 % | 11.7 |
Based on Werner's comments, it stands to reason the Red Sox could target two of the three pitchers, perhaps opting for a combination of Lester (hometown discount) and Big Game James Shields - currently property of the Kansas City Royals - whose contract demands should be arguably less than the other two given he'll be 33 years old by the start of next season.