No, Dave Dombrowski didn’t pay too much for Chris Sale
COMMENTARY
If you’re among the minority that is currently bemoaning Dave Dombrowski’s monumental deal with the Chicago White Sox for stud lefty Chris Sale, may we remind you that Casey Kelly is a career 2-8 with a 6.39 ERA over parts of three major league seasons.
Related Links
Daniel Bard was listed third.
Not that any of this should define expectations for the likes of Yoan Moncada, Michael Kopech, Luis Alexander Basabe, and Victor Diaz, all headed to Chicago in exchange for Sale, considered by many one of the best left-handed starters in Major League Baseball. But those freaking out about the fact that Boston’s president of baseball operations is gutting the Red Sox’ farm system much in the same way he did with the Detroit Tigers, let’s consider this: Sale — a player whom many figured would take one of Mookie Betts, Eduardo Rodriguez, Andrew Benintendi, or Xander Bogaerts as part of a package that might also include Jackie Bradley Jr. and/or Blake Swihart in order to pry him from the White Sox — is coming to Boston with none of the above headed one time zone to the left.
OK, so it took the top prospect in baseball in Moncada, not to mention a 20-year-old flamethrower who was 4-1 with a 2.08 ERA for Lowell and Salem in 2016. And yes, Dombrowski has now sent valued prospects Anderson Espinoza, Manuel Margot, Mauricio Dubon, Josh Pennington, and Luis Basabe packing since he took over the operation two summers ago.
But Sale was still a steal.
Of course, the deal comes on the heels of Dombrowski sending Travis Shaw, Pennington, and Dubon to the Milwaukee Brewers Tuesday morning in exchange for reliever Tyler Thornburg, who had a 2.15 ERA last season over 67 innings pitched. He’ll join Carson Smith, coming off Tommy John surgery, in the back end of the bullpen, with the lingering fear that he might have elbow problems of his own.
Then again, if you can find a pitcher who wouldn’t come with elbow concerns, we’ll just remind you that Jamie Moyer is now 54 years old.
In inheriting a farm system built by Theo Epstein and Ben Cherington, Dombrowski hasn’t exactly shown restraint in surrendering the future in order to deliver another World Series title or two before the end of the decade. But while he was ceremoniously criticized last summer for giving up Espinoza for Drew Pomeranz, this despite the San Diego Padres withholding medical information in regards to the lefty, Sale was a guy that figured to cost more than even Moncada and Kopech. Particularly considering that the 27-year-old Sale, who has one year remaining on his five-year, $32.5 million contract, with a 2018 team option worth $12.5 million, and one in 2019 worth $13.5 million.
David Price will make $30 million in 2017, more than double Sale’s $12 million salary. They both have the same amount of playoff victories.
Moncada proved during last season’s call-up to the major league roster that at age 21 he wasn’t quite seasoned enough for the show, and Kopech, a guy who broke his hand punching out a roommate and was suspended for a performance-enhancing substance, might have more maturity to latch onto in order to take the next step.
Benintendi? Still here.
Betts? Still here.
Rafael Devers? Yup.
Swihart, Bogaerts, Bradley, Rodriguez, Jason Groome, Sam Travis, Brian Johnson. Coming to a Red Sox minor league facility near you.
Don’t expect the lot of them to seal a place in Dombrowski’s heart between now and next summer’s trading deadline. But the belief that the man has emptied the farm system in the matter of 48 hours during the Winter Meetings is a bit hyperbolic.
Maybe Kopech turns out to be the next Roger Clemens.
Or the next Casey Kelly.
Maybe Moncada turns out to be the next Jeff Bagwell.
Or the next Will Middlebrooks.
Those are the chances Dombrowski is willing to take, moves that his predecessor would have made only under a Clockwork Orange-style of duress.
Chris Sale, Cy Young Award winner Rick Porcello, Price, Rodriguez, and Pomeranz/Steven Wright/Clay Buchholz now round out the rotation, which means Dombrowski can turn around and perhaps deal off Buchholz and Pomeranz in exchange for the hitter the team needs in order to replace David Ortiz. Unless, the big guy sees the Sale news and think about maybe….
Sale is crazy good; 17-10 with a 3.34 ERA last season with the rebuilding White Sox, a career 74-50 with a 3.00 ERA, and 10.1 strikeouts per nine innings. His 4.9 WAR last season was just lower than Rick Porcello’s 5.0. (Justin Verlander led the American League among pitchers at 6.6. #byefelicia)
Sale may also be a bit crazy. You’ll remember him at the center of last year’s Edward Scissorhands incident, when the lefty shredded a throwback uniform to factory scrap heaps after he deemed the collared outfits unworthy to wear. (Joseph Abboud should now handle all Red Sox on-field retro events, just in case.)
But he’s also one of the best in the game, under a ridiculously team-friendly contract. It’s the biggest move the franchise has made for a starting pitcher since Pedro Martinez, who cost Tony Armas Jr. and Carl Pavano.
This is what the Red Sox wanted with Dombrowski, a guy in charge who wasn’t afraid to wheel and deal, even at the cost of the future, whatever that might be. He’s in every way the anti-Cherington, putting his stamp on the hot stove season.
Chris Sale is coming to the Red Sox, and he didn’t cost anything near what you expected he might.
This might be Casey Kelly’s year though. Who knows.
To comment, please create a screen name in your profile
To comment, please verify your email address
Conversation
This discussion has ended. Please join elsewhere on Boston.com