They want to position themselves as the organization that was completely blindsided by this deal and that they didn’t realize that everyone was available.

WHA WHA WHAT?!?!?!?!?!

Didn’t these dopes in Boston just do a deal with Los Angeles where they made EVERYONE AVAILABLE?

They get me crazy and it’s not even Ben’s fault. It’s not Larry. It’s John Henry. That guy just should not be running a baseball franchise. And I know he’ll look you square in the face and tell you that Lucchino runs the Red Sox, but he OWNS the team. HE is the one that has to take responsibility when players are available (or not) and they don’t get them when they really want to get them.

EVERYONE is available and they know that.

They, much like the Red Sox teams of the 1950s and 1960s, look old, uninformed, slow and uncompetitive.

Hello last place in 2013 say the Red Sox!

The Red Sox dumped an overpaid speed guy and yet less than four months later were trying to get another overpaid speed guy?

They dumped an ageing overpriced underachieving starting pitcher named Josh only to try to get another ageing under performing starting pitcher named Josh.

Have fun watching this circus unfold the next few years Red Sox fans.

This much we know.

The Marlins shipped up $163.75M in contracts.
Bautista is at $14M through 2015 with 2016 a $14M option
Buehrle is at $11M, $18M, $19M through 2015
Reyes is at $10M, $16M, and then $22M through 2017 with 2018 option
Johnson is at $13.75M and then FA
Buck is $6M
EE is $8M, $9M, $10M through 2015
Romero is $7.5M through 2015
Morrow is $8M through 2014

The Jays had a payroll of $75M in 2012. They have NEVER had a payroll above $100M. They Already have $80.5 committed in 2015! If they sign Johnson, he will command over $20M/yr, we’re over $100 now. Rasmus is FA in 2015, Janssen FA in 2014.

Who are they signing now? There’s not much room to fit them in on more than a 1 or 2 year deal. Who and how are they signing in 2014/2015 when they are loaded with expensive old players? Letting Josh Johnson walk?

If I’m a Jays fan I’m excited for the 2013 and 2014 seasons, then, unless they run into a ton of money, that window is shut and they are hamstrung by this deal.

Again, good luck.

That might have something to do with the fact they traded a bunch of good ones in a blockbuster that didn’t work out so well plus the fact that lots of their prospects, you know, make it to the MLB. I’m sure including Middlebrooks would have made the Sox’s offer more attractive but they sort of need him to start at 3B next year. Not to mention that all the solid finishes they’ve had until recently make it difficult to draft the top prospects.

You routinely make me embarrassed to be from the same country as you.

Remember how the Dodgers had the NL West locked up after getting Adrian & Beckett? Cherington got LA to actually take Crawford’s contract too. MLB should be drug testing the Dodgers owners and front office.

That maneuver alone buys Cherington the benefit of the doubt for a little while.

Slow and steady wins the race…….

And while Reyes/Beuhrle go up they’ll lose dead weight like Buck (6M) and Lind (5M). They’ll have to replace those spots, but neither guy is producing and they can use that money on players who will help them (or to account for part of the increased contracts).

The Jays are one of the few teams built to handle these contracts. And I doubt they’re done yet.

Because if there is an outfielder who can’t hit for power, they are going to be on him like Garfield on lasagna.

In fact, that is probably what happened….they called about Emilio and the Marlins said “For the same price you can have Johnson and Reyes too” and they said “NO!”

Personally this makes me happy, this was the type of move the Sox would have made a season or two ago and look where that got us…
We need to focus on beefing up the farm, developing our prospects, and maybe picking up some low risk/high reward starting pitching.

It would be negligent not mention that everyone ripping the Sox right now for not making this trade would be ripping them if they did do the deal!

Toronto should be good, but this window will be short. All these deals are backloaded.

Good luck.