The best thing the Red Sox have done all season

The Boston Red Sox have finally acknowledged what everyone else in the world had already figured out months ago – there was something wrong with their team and the only way to fix it was by unloading some dead weight and some large salaries.

The Red Sox and Dodgers agreed to a blockbuster 9-player trade last Saturday (August 25th). The Dodgers acquired first baseman Adrian Gonzalez, right hander Josh Beckett, left fielder Carl Crawford, and infielder Nick Punto.

In exchange, the Red Sox received first baseman James Loney, right hander Rubby De La Rosa, pitching prospect Allen Webster, outfielder Jerry Sands and infielder Ivan De Jesus Jr. Boston will also send the Dodgers $12 million.
Hoping to boost their playoff hopes, the Dodgers really needed a star first baseman like Gonzalez…..however, by acquiring him they also had to take some underperforming and overpaid stars which will ultimately help Boston shed over $250 in salaries through 2018. Um, thank you Dodgers!?

Gonzalez is signed through 2018, Crawford until 2017 and Beckett and Punto until 2014. In one fell swoop, the Red Sox exercised their three highest-paid players and can now rebuild a team that hasn’t won a playoff game since 2008.
In addition to getting rid of an enormous financial burden, the Red Sox got first baseman James Loney, pitcher Allen Webster, infielder Ivan DeJesus Jr., pitcher Rubby De La Rosa and outfielder Jerry Sands.

The only player with real Major League experience they got back was Loney, a washed up first baseman who will be a free agent at the end of the year….but somehow; amazingly, it was still a brilliant move.

Not only did the Red Sox unload overvalued players, but they got rid of players who didn’t care about the games or respect their manager. I only wish they would have sent over Valentine as well.

This is a huge win for fans (like myself)….who just a week earlier, were not feeling so great about where the organization was headed. A team that was going to finish under .500, miss the playoffs, be burdened with horrible contracts, no free money, a very questionable starting rotation and no real trade chips.

Yes, Gonzalez is going to be a big loss for the Sox, but they can get an adequate replacement at first base and now afford to fill some other big needs.

Somehow, the Red Sox only had to give the Dodgers $12 million in order to make it fair? Apparently, Magic Johnson is a better basketball player than negotiator.

The Red Sox found a perfect trade partner in the Dodgers. A team who is under new ownership, that is in contention to make the playoffs and desperately wants to show their fans that they’re willing to spend the money to fill their needs.
It was the perfect out that the Red Sox needed to win their fans back and put this ugly season behind them.

All season long, it’s felt like everyone in the Red Sox organization had simply pretended that everything was as fine…..That all this bickering between players and coaches was made up by the media and that all of their woes were due to some poorly-timed injuries.

By making this trade, the Red Sox finally acknowledged that they messed up the last few years. They acknowledged that everything isn’t perfect and they decided that they couldn’t lie to their fan base anymore.

So thank you Dodgers for making a horrible season a more bearable. It’s nice to have a little bit of hope again.
Anyone wanna bet that the $150 million that Boston just got back isn’t blown within the first few days of November?
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Week 1 NFL Football Picks
Here we go again….Let see if I can better this year.
Game of the Week
Steelers @ Broncos | Winner: Steelers
Upsets of the Week:
Bills @ Jets | Winner: Bills
Panthers @ Buccaneers – Buccaneers
Locks of the Week:
Dolphins @ Texans | Winner: Texans
Eagles @ Browns | Winner: Eagles
The Rest
Cowboys @ Giants – Giants
Jaguars @ Vikings – Vikings
Colts @ Bears – Bears
Patriots @ Titans – Patriots
Rams @ Lions – Lions
Redskins @ Saints – Saints
Falcons @ Chiefs – Falcons
49ers @ Packers – Packers
Seahawks @ Cardinals – Seahawks
Bengals @ Ravens – Ravens
Chargers @ Raiders – Raiders

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