With continuing reports that
Dave Dombrowski is refusing to go beyond five years in his negotiations for
J.D. Martinez, his high-stakes poker game with
Uber-Agent Scott Boras has serious implications for the 2018 Red Sox. If the team is unable to secure an elite bat like Martinez, they will essentially be in the same power-shortage situation that characterized their 2017 season. Granted, they won won the AL East for the second consecutive year. But,
The Evil Ones are a boat-load better than they were last year and
David Ortiz is
still not walking through that door.
Mitch Moreland is a nice player, but he can't carry the offensive load.
Hanley Ramirez is—well—Hanley. Who knows which Hanley will show up in Spring Training? So, who is the
fearsome thumper in a J.D.-free lineup?
Mookie Betts?
Andrew Benintendi?
Xander Bogaerts?
Rafael Devers? Not bloody likely. Dombrowski is too smart to think his 2018 squad will go very far without a Martinez acquisition. The question is: will he lose the stare-down with Boras and accept the consequences? Stay tuned!
