Kudos To BenCher And The NOG For Big Deal

The New 'Mr. Bold'

While it will take a while to fully sink in, the blockbuster trade engineered by Ben Cherington on Friday is—without a doubt—a positive move for the Red Sox franchise. In one fell swoop, Boston has:

1.) unburdened itself of around a quarter of a billion dollars in iffy contract obligations;
2.) jettisoned two players (and maybe three) who were problematic to the team's culture;
3.) brought back at least two top quality pitching prospects and a serviceable first baseman.

By any measure, this is a franchise-altering deal—and Ben Cherington and the NOG need to be complemented for the boldness of their actions. They obviously heard the fan base and they acted. Now, to complete the transformation, they need to smartly use their new-found wealth and re-build this team into a championship-worthy entity.