By mentioning that his team would be at full throttle and very active in the free agent market, the president of the Boston Red Sox, Tom Werner, put a lot of pressure on the shoulders of his new architect, Craig Breslow.
By the same token, Werner set the bar very high and indirectly touched the heartstrings of the team's supporters, who have seen the administration and their favorites tread water for several seasons.
Last season, the team finished last in the highly competitive American East Division.
If the trend continues, the team will reduce its payroll for a second consecutive season, which is contrary to the philosophy of an organization seeking to surpass itself in an increasingly competitive market.
Chaim Bloom's successor does not appear to have more room to maneuver than his predecessor, as his winter shopping has so far resulted in Chris Sale being replaced by Lucas Giolito and Alex Verdugo by Tyler O'Neill, in more than having reduced the current payroll. He also added Vaughn Grissom.
The market is not dry and there are still very good elements still available you might say, but what are the limits that Breslow cannot exceed in his role as new boss of baseball operations?
By mentioning that the Red Sox will be in all the files and by not giving the tools to really get there to his colleague, Tom Werner made the task very difficult for Craig Breslow and we should not blame the latter.
It seems that Breslow will have to work under the same conditions as Chaim Bloom, who we remember, traded Mookie Betts to the Dodgers and failed (did he really try?) to retain Xander Bogaerts in Boston.
Sox management doesn't seem to have a plan that works, other than saving money while hoping to compete with other teams within their division.
Faced with this somewhat confusing situation, the team's supporters will have no other choice than to lower their expectations and hope for a miracle. That miracle could be the signing of one or a few big names still available or a 2024 roster that performs beyond expectations.
If I were them, I would bet on the second option.
Let's hope that a wind of change blows through Fenway Park and that the team manages to stand out in one way or another because Red Sox fans deserve better than what's happening right now.
Tom Werner must give Craig Breslow ammunition so that he can orchestrate a plan worthy of the name and be able to give the fans who support this organization from generation to generation.
