John Henry FINALLY Addresses The Mookie Betts Trade (and I Address My Future as a Red Sox Fan)

I still cannot believe the Boston Red Sox actually traded Markus Lynn "Mookie" Betts. 

I don't think it's going to truly set in for me until Opening Day. Of course I saw the pictures of him and David Price getting introduced as Dodgers, but until  Opening Day this still isn't real to me.

I have been incredibly vocal about my disdain for both this trade and upper-management/ownership throughout this entire process.
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I have to admit, I may have overreacted and said things that are quote "aggressive".  I may have even wished death upon John Henry multiple times. That may have been a bit extreme. Hand up (in a non threatening manner). I don't want him to actually die. The lines of trying to make a splash as a blogger-persona may have been blurred. I apologize for that.

That being said, this trade should not have had to happen. Plain and simple. I will never budge on that. The sad thing is, most knowledgeable Red Sox fans have been aware of this very possibility happening since 2017. Once Mookie turned down an 8-year 200 million dollar ($25 million AAV) deal it felt like writing was on the wall. 

After turning down the less than fair offer, Mookie responded by having one of the best individual seasons in MLB history. Further proving he's worth an all-time contract. He collected a Batting Title, All Star, Gold Glove, and Silver Slugger in 2018. Oh and he helped lead the Red Sox to an 108 win season (119 counting the World Series title run)

Now less than two years later, Mookie Betts is an L.A. Dodger.

Finally, John Henry addressed this franchise altering trade in a way that only the out of touch 70 year old could. PRed Sox strike again!

A Statement from #RedSox Principal Owner John Henry: pic.twitter.com/7q60LENAi8

— Red Sox (@RedSox) February 17, 2020

I have to be fair here.  There are some points that I actually agree with.

1. This trade sucks; especially for young fans. 

This is shittiest for them. Young fans care more, it's just how it goes. No 8 year old obsessed with Mookie Betts should have to deal with the harsh realities of capitalism and scumbag hire ups this early in life.  Have fun helping Kayleighe and Braxxtin read this tweet before bed, Mom and Dad; Mom and Mom; Dad and Dad; Dad and Mom, They and Mom. 

When the Red Sox traded Nomar I cried like a 22 year old whose first love cheated on them multiple times. It was devastating. I thought the Red Sox were making a huge mistake. I was wicked wrong. I was also wicked young; 12. The overwhelming majority of 12 year olds are morons and I fell into that. I did not know baseball like a say, 28 year old self-proclaimed genius does. Trading Nomar was a fantastic move and one that should be applauded as much as this one is bashed. Nomar was also battling injuries and 30. Mookie is regarded by many as the best player in baseball that isn’t named Mike Trout.  


2. It’s his responsibility to try justify this trade.

YOU’RE GOD DAMN RIGHT IT IS! (you did a bad job doing so!)

3. Free Agency has changed baseball.

​The era of one team superstars with no choice of leaving like Stan Musial and Ted Williams is over.....and has been for some time as Free Agency has been in baseball since the reserve clause, like Jimmy Hoffa, allegedly died in 1975

We know this is how the game works nowadays. There are multiple teams on most players’ baseball cards.

​There are also still plenty of examples of Hall of Famers that spent their entire career in one uniform; all who played the vast majority, if not their entire career, after 1975.... aka in the era of Free Agency.

Off the top of my head, no outside sources....George Brett, Mike Schmidt, Cal Ripken Jr, Derek Jeter, Chipper Jones, Tony Gwynn, Barry Larkin, Mo Rivera...okay now it's getting tough...omg how could I forget Kirby Puckett, Jim Rice, and Jeff Bagwell?



4. Clubs also have choices to make as well in this economic system


This isn't Jacoby Ellsbury...it's Mookie Betts. They are not even close to the same caliber of player. I can understand not wanting to go over a certain number...but when it comes to this type of talent you need to make exceptions. ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU'RE WILLING TO PAY SHIT BUMS.

Your club has made plenty of horrible decisions over the years, dating back to Carl Crawford, that led to this. No need to go any deeper in the financial history of the Red Sox; the attached blogs do plenty of that.

IMO this move is short sighted, just like baseball's video system where they took a bunch of money up front that actually hurt the game long term...unless this truly was some evil genius move to trade Mookie to help reset the luxury tax and get some pieces in an attempt to go after him in free agency (Yankees and Chapman in 2016). Should that be the case, ? 

Moving on from Mookie Betts is not a smart baseball decision. It hurts the team and sends a horrible message to everybody in the organization and those people who support it with their time and money.

This is not football with a salary cap and the "Patriot way"  of “moving on "a year too early, rather than a year too late”. You simply could sign Mookie. 

Unless Mookie Betts has a J.R. Richard type-tragedy, he’s going to be a Hall of Famer. He could have stayed in a Red Sox uniform like Ted and Yaz. Yes, they offered $300M over 10 and he countered with $420M over 12.

​The Boston Red Sox...the same team that Henry brags about their lavish, at times foolish spending in a way that reads in a bitchy break up text.

In terms of AAV (average annual value) we’re talking about $5,000,000 a year....


Those same Red Sox chose to trade him instead of countering, or opening contract talks again.


OVER FIVE MILLION DOLLARS A SEASON.


I LIED I AM GONNA BRING UP THE PAST... 72 FUCKING MILLION DOLLARS TO RUSNEY CASTILLO WHO WAS OUT OF BASEBALL!!! 


I mean what THE FUCK are we doing here?!!!!!?! As far as I’m concerned that’s all it comes down to; money. The Red Sox (John Henry) can kick rocks. Don’t insult us with this step-parent passive-agressive garbage. Which brings me to my fandom!


I have shot from the cuff this off-season regarding the Mookie trade, going as far as renouncing my fandom.

I don’t know if I’m ready to go that far yet. I feel like a hypocrite, but things are not always black and white. I feel like an abused partner who deep down still loves their significant other. Yes you want to leave, but it’s not always that easy. 

But you can put your foot down and I’m putting down mine. For YEARS I have put my own finances in unintelligent situations supporting this baseball team.  For what? Drunken memories and shirts that don't fit? I have put up with the, whole historic and beautiful ... in many ways...a dump ballpark. I’ll spend the $12/beer and $10.25 on hour old fries and 2 chicken fingers knowing it fuels elite talent in this PR conscious baseball machine. 

I will not spend a cent of my own money supporting the Boston Red Sox in 2020. That is FINAL.

A big part of me wants them to be horrible, but I still love the history of this team and a lot of players on the roster. I want them to do well but I really don’t want this move to end up looking good. Fuck John, Sam, and Tom. Call me petty. If you told me you could guarantee the Red Sox  win the World Series this year  I’d say no. We cannot reward this behavior. I hope more fans hope on this wave with me. If this is really a chess move to go after Mookie’s services in the off season I will write AT LEAST 5000 words praising John Henry and this front office. I may even eat crow’s eggs. 

I will gladly spend money I do not have enjoying Fenway Park and $15 bud lights if it means Mookie Betts is manning RF for the next decade. 


That is why my official stance on the 2020 Boston Red Sox is that of a trial separation.

I will creep from a distance. Of course I still care deep down. I've spent the majority of my life caring about this team more than actual family. Being a Red Sox fan was part of my DNA. Maybe too much. Fandom isn’t a personality. Perhaps this is the wake up that there's more to life than sports despite me loving sports more than life. (not really). I'm an idealist and I want things to work out. I want to go to Fenway with my friends, family and future ONS. I really am hoping you can show me you can change, or prove to me I am the one who’s wrong.

I’m a big enough man to admit my fault when it’s necessary. I really hate to see it come to this. Do you think I get pleasure of this? Do you think I want to leave? You’re giving me no choice! I’m not going to wear your gear or spend money supporting you in 2020. It really sucks because I have this fire Red Sox light-sweatshirt that finally fits and of course now I can't wear it. If you can show me you actually love me (sign Mookie this fall) I’ll come back with open arms.

P.S. That really was some all-time PRed Sox, panderfest garbage....wahhh we'll miss Mookies eyes and smile...here's the POS we hand picked to replace that sexy snarl. 

Double P.S.

This is and always will be about mismanaging the roster and payroll. Yes this team spends and I grateful the team I root for (of have rooted for) does that. But they have spent so poorly over the years it caused them to trade a man with a legitimate chance to be the greatest player in franchise history. You can use the "a draft pick" is not enough compensation argument all you want, but at the end of the day if you didn't let Cherington, and then Dumbo make bad moves...and give guys like Evo (who I like and did want back...just not at his crazy deal) gigantic contracts over a heartwarming performance..in a loss.

Ultra rare

TRIPLE P.S.


In 2020 I will be a Reds/Baseball fan. I love Trevor Bauer, Votto, Amir Johnson, that pitcher that plays the OF. I want to see them win the NL Central in 2020 because I'm a hashtag good friend. Hopefully I'll be back to Fenway with Mookie in 2021.