The idea of hating DD is just one person's invention. Many may dislike the way he ran the payroll up with underperforming long term contracts. In addition, many are also exasperated with the dismantling of the minors. That's a different thing than hating DD. Most have moved on from DD to a discussion of what can be done to make the team more competitive in the long term.
I think Alex Verdugo is going to be a stud, not as good as Mookie, but 300 million dollars + cheaper for 5 years. I firmly believe unless the Sox gave Mookie similar money (they weren't going to) he was going to leave Boston. You can't fall in love with these guys and it would be bad business to invest close to 1/2 a billion dollars when the offense is not your problem.
The trade will look even better if Downs turns into your everyday 2nd baseman. Not sure he's ready yet so maybe they can get a Cesar Hernandez on a 1-year deal?
In hindsight, I wonder what the market for Mookie Betts would have looked like this year if stayed with Boston? Team budgets are tight and people are afraid of making long-term commitments but at the same time, he would be the clear-cut top FA in the market.
The only thing that would have lost Mookie Money this year would be the Covid Market. Still, there's just no way to tell how a big market team might have responded. A team like TB needs to cut back in a covid world where NY or LA can just blink.
Unfortunately, there is not a marquee FA to give us a template to go on. If there was, and the market is depressed, then you could argue a guy would take a one year deal and jump back in the waters next year.
The one thing Mookie would have going for him is he would clearly be the best FA in the market (by a lot) and his value would be sky high right now. I suspect if he opted to sign a contract this offseason and Covid truly did drive the price down he still gets over 300 million.
Sox 4 Ever
Championships since purchase by John Henry group: Red Sox 4 Yankees 1
The Red Sox are 8-1 in their last 9 postseason games against the Yankees.
"Fans have become more entitled than anything. So they're starting to question our motives for the game, or how we approach the game. The ones that do question -- like who are you? Just shut up and watch the game tonight." --Kevin Durant on players' lack of effort in regular season games.