Price Deal Lets Red Sox Keep Young Stars While Landing An Ace
BOSTON (CBS) -- The Red Sox made their seven-year, $217 million deal with ace David Price official on Friday, a move the team had to make to solidify the front of their rotation.
Yes, the money is outrageous. It's the richest deal ever given to a pitcher, and it goes against the philosophy the team had just two years ago when they were negotiating with Jon Lester. While they wouldn't do so back then, now it seems the Boston brass is OK with giving a pitcher over 30 a boatload of cash.
Taking all of that into consideration, Tony Massarotti is still a fan of the deal. Massarotti joined WBZ-TV's Dan Roche on Sunday night's edition of Sports Final, and said overpaying for Price let the Red Sox hang on to some of their budding young stars.
"There is no reason the Red Sox shouldn't be able to go after a player like this and develop their youth. I would rather have them do this than trade [Mookie] Betts or [Xander] Bogaerts in some deal for a pitcher who is younger," he said. "If you're telling me a [Chris] Sale or [Sonny] Gray is available and you can do it giving up Eduardo Rodriguez and Jackie Bradley Jr., great. Go do it. I just don't think that was realistic or possible, and this way you keep the prospects and get your ace."
Mazz is also a fan of the opt-out clause Price has after the first three years of his new deal.
"What it does is a couple of years in, Price will go into that third year and think, 'If I have a big year it might be another payday out there.' That helps the Red Sox too," he said. "If he opts out after three years, that's not a horrible scenario. It might be a very desirable scenario."
WATCH: Dan Roche Goes 1-on-1 With David Price
Rochie likes that Price has proven himself in the AL East, going 49-21 overall against the five teams over his career and 29-4 on the road against the division (not including his 35-29 record at Tropicana Field). And while Mazz is worried about Price's 2-7 record in the postseason, Boston needed a guy who can get them there in the first place.
"They have finished in last place three of the last four years -- can they get out of the basement before [we talk postseason baseball]?"
Watch the video above for their full thoughts on the Price deal, including some lingering criticism for the team for letting fumbling the Jon Lester negotiations two years ago. You can watch Sports Final every Sunday night on WBZ-TV at 11:35 p.m.!
