This week marked the second occasion over the offseason that a player elected to re-sign with the Red Sox for less than his market value. The first instance was shortly after Boston won the World Series when Curt Schilling agreed to a one-year deal at a base salary of $8 million plus several millions more in incentives. As Schilling said, and I agree, he could have easily signed for $15 million on the open market, and probably double that in a two-year deal. The second instance was when third baseman Mike Lowell signed for three years at $37.5 million.
Much like Schilling, Lowell left an extra year on the table, as well as millions more. Most notably, the Phillies were apparently offering four years at $50 million, and I’m guessing other teams would have been in the same ballpark. In contrast, the Yankees gave A-Rod the largest deal in baseball history, are about to make Mariano Rivera the highest paid closer in the game, and gave Jorge Posada a fat contract. While I had no problem with what the Yanks gave Posada (there aren’t any other sufficient catchers on the market), and approve of the A-Rod deal, I can’t believe they’re giving so much to an aging, less effective closer in Rivera.
The Yankees desperately want to win but their players won’t have the cost come out of their pockets. Rivera and Posada were always said to be “true Yankees,” but even they’re out to get paid. So if the Yanks are trying to get to where the Red Sox are, how come it’s the New York players cashing in on fat deals instead of the other way around? I suppose the easy answer is because the Yanks will pay it, which is a fair point. But I’m still left to ask the question: what makes the Red Sox so likable that players are taking paycuts to remain with the team? I’m not sure what the answer is, and I’m not sure whether or not there’s a right or wrong answer. I’m just pleased that we’re beginning to see more examples of players choosing comfort and familiarity (Kenny Rogers, Tom Glavine, Schilling, Lowell), over fatter contracts.
