Sigh.
I get it. I do. Sports is a business. I remember watching Clemens and Boggs leave, and Mo Vaughn and Nomar and Ray Bourque and Curtis Martin. Probably Tom Brady before long. We root for laundry.
But this sucks.
Mookie Betts was going to be Our Next Guy. With Pedro and Papi and Pierce gone and Brady going, Mookie was going to be our franchise superstar for the next decade of Boston sports. A four-time all-star with four gold gloves and three silver sluggers in just five+ seasons in the majors, Mookie was a homegrown Red Sock with talent and charisma to spare. He played with a Griffeyesque joy and Pedroiaesque intensity and Bradshawesque hairline. In 2018 he became the only player in MLB history to win the MVP, World Series, batting title, gold glove, and silver slugger award all in the same season.
Sigh.
Mookie Betts was one of the three best offensive players in baseball. All five tools plus leadership and character. He's my boys' favorite player, the guy they actually watch when he's at the plate. Hell, the guy has bowled three perfect games.
And because limp Red Sox owner John Henry cares more about English soccer than Boston baseball, he's gone. Is he worth what he was asking for? What do I care? It's not my money. Well, it kind of is - Trump raised my taxes so he could cut them for guys like you, and you can't crack open your bottomless wallet for Mookie frickin' Betts? When you have a generational talent who's younger now than Ortiz was when his Red Sox career started, you pay the man and sell a few more sponsorship patches on the jerseys of your stupid Liverpool footie club.
2020 is 36 days old and it already sucks. If this were a PlayStation game, we'd hit the reset button. As it is, we're left to watch Bill Belichick try to prove a point with some crappy journeyman under center and Mookie win titles in Los Angeles.
Sigh.