[quote author=surly link=topic=42639.msg1218190#msg1218190 date=1289747119]
I don't think this article is entirely accurate. If you want to use their management of the Red Sox as a benchmark:
1) They just gave a 1 year extension to 35 year-old David Ortiz ($12.5 million) - a player who ostensibly plays one position (DH). It would be like us giving an over-the-hill striker from our glory days a contract to come off the bench every game in the 70th minute.
2) They have shied away from keeping players with 'personal problems'. Most notably, Manny Ramirez (who had motivation issues and his head shoved squarely up his arse).
3) They are second in the MLB in spending (
http://espn.go.com/mlb/team/salaries/_/name/bos/boston-red-sox). Oakland - a real 'money ball' team - is 27th on that list. A good example of how they don't follow the 'money ball' principle is Daisuke Matsuzaka (
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daisuke_Matsuzaka), for whom they spent $51,111,111.11 to outbid teams like the Texas Rangers, New York Mets, and New York Yankees just to win the rights to sign him to a contract. And he was 26 years old at the time and hadn't played a game outside of Japan.
I think there are a lot of untruths about NESV floating around right now, and I think people have to chill out and let them do for us what they've done to the Red Sox - which is turn them into a perennial league challenger that's financially secure and with a fantastic youth system.
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Good post, Surly. Hope you're right.