Red Sox Sign Carl Crawford, Put Pressure on Yankees

Red Sox Sign Carl Crawford, Put Pressure on Yankees
by Ryan Kelley
12/08/10
2:27am


On Wednesday night the Red Sox signed free agent All-Star outfielder Carl Crawford to a near record-breaking seven-year, $142 million dollar contract.

Throughout the recent winter meetings, it seemed that Red Sox General Manager, Theo Epstein, had been too busy, already working on acquiring Adrian Gonzalez from the Padres, to be close to a second blockbuster deal. In fact, the Red Sox visible interest in Crawford was most defined by media reports that Crawford’s price tag—enlarged by the Nationals’ big-money signing of outfielder Jason Werth—was too gaudy for the team’s taste. Clearly, the team wasn't intimidated by adding another big contract to their 2011 payroll, and they handed one baseball's richest contracts to Crawford.

Theo Epstein's Plan to Sign Crawford

This move shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise to those who follow recent business in the American League East, though. Apparent in his array of transactions last offseason, Epstein was planning to make a run a big-money outfielder this year. The move seems even more natural after a disappointing 2010 season. Interestingly enough, the deal should also push New York Yankees' General Manager, Brian Cashman, into an even more difficult position this offseason.

The Red Sox waited out the winter meetings last offseason and ended their 2009-2010 offseason with only short-term signings. There was some speculation that the team had signed veteran centerfielder Mike Cameron to keep an outfield spot warm for Crawford, and that the Padres’ All-Star first baseman Adrian Gonzalez would be one of the team’s targets moving forward.

Fast-forward through a relatively disappointing season where the team finished third in the American League East, and the Red Sox have taken the spotlight once again. Adding Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez to a lineup that already includes Dustin Pedroia, Kevin Youkilis, David Ortiz and Jacoby Ellsbury has made the Sox the favorite to win the American League Pennant in 2011.

Carl Crawford, still just 29 years old, is already a four time All-Star, and is baseball’s active leader in triples, range factor (per game) for a left fielder and is second in stolen bases. An asset on both sides of the ball, the speedy outfielder added both a Gold Glove and Silver Slugger to his resume this off-season.

Boston Has Forced the Yankees into a Difficult Position

However, Crawford fits the Red Sox preferences in one more important way. His addition means more than just an increase in production—it also forces the team’s rival, and primary competition, the New York Yankees, in to a very undesirable position in regard to their own, expensive, offseason negotiations.

The Red Sox lineup will now feature 5 left-handed batters—all in key, run-producing positions. Crawford (two-hitter), along with (lead-off man) Jacoby Ellsbury, (clean-up hitter) Adrian Gonzalez, (number-six hitter) David Ortiz, and (number-seven hitter) JD Drew all show considerable platoon-splits, with Crawford, Ortiz and Drew having the most difficulty with lefties.

With the Yankees already in hot pursuit for left-handed ace pitcher Cliff Lee, recently offering him a record-breaking 6-year $140 million dollar contract, the Red Sox have pushed the Yankees’ hand even further; forcing them to offer Lee a 7th year and even more money. Now that the Yankees’ lineup is suddenly out-gunned by their rival, the team is obviously even more desperate to help their starting rotation. Because the Red Sox, have such a left-handed batting order, the Yankees will have no choice but to pursue another star lefty-- Cliff Lee-- to join C.C. Sabathia in the rotation. By this same thinking, the Red Sox have given veteran lefty Andy Pettitte even more leverage in his contract negotiations with the Yankees.

Up until this point, the Yankees had already been in desperate need of left-handed pitchers. Boone Logan and Neil Cotts, both unreliable options, are the team’s lone lefty relievers who have major league experience. Depending on the outcome of the Lee and Pettitte contract negotiations, the Yankees could be more inclined to pursue expensive lefty relievers like Scott Downs and Pedro Feliciano.

So, in a sense, the Red Sox used Crawford as a gambit. They handed him a massive contract in hopes of receiving All-Star level production, and in hopes of forcing the Yankees into drowning their flexibility with an even more massive payroll. At the very least, Crawford’s contract has made Cliff Lee wealthier, and has made Yankees GM Brian Cashman sweat.