With 45 games left to play, and a day off to ponder the next month and half of Boston baseball, it's time to take stock. By any measure, the 2014 edition of the Red Sox is a disaster. To feature a payroll of $162,041,568 ($47,063,488
above the MLB average) and to enter the middle of August dead last and 15 games out of first place is inexcusable. They are playing .444 baseball and their current chances to make the postseason are 0.009%. This, less than a year after capturing a World Series title.
Shame on the ownership group,
shame on
Ben Cherington and most importantly,
shame on the players. The most loyal and knowledgeable fan base in baseball—who also happen to pay the highest
ticket prices in baseball—have been subjected to nothing short of baseball dreck. And worse, the owners
know they have a Mulligan this year because of 2013. Assuming they miss the postseason this year,
they will have skipped October in four of the last five years. This is excellence? But, the
Pink Hats and the beer guzzlers will just keep on moving the turnstiles—making
John Henry even richer. Is it any wonder that many suspect the NOG of shedding payroll to make the team more valuable for an inevitable sale—
a sale that will double their initial investment? We knew Henry was a ruthless commodities speculator—we just didn't know our fandom was the commodity. Even with the three titles, it makes us look like suckers. Open your wallets and keep singing
Sweet Caroline.
