What Pedro Martinez said about Red Sox’ lack of spending this offseason
"I think we need to find a balance between good players.”
The frustration felt due to the Red Sox’ largely quiet offseason has not just been limited to a fanbase hoping to avoid a fourth last-place finish in five seasons.
Both current and past Red Sox players have vented about Boston’s hesitancy to dole out hefty contracts this winter.
Dustin Pedroia reportedly FaceTimed into a dinner with Alex Cora and team executives earlier this year to remind them that several marquee free agents were still available on the marker. Boston’s top slugger in Rafael Devers even acknowledged last month that Boston’s roster could still use more reinforcements.
“I know what we needed last year. I know what we need this year,” Devers explained via a team translator at the team’s spring training facility. “A lot of teams need a lot of players, a lot of additions. I can’t control what they do. I just can control what I do, just to go out there each day to give my 100 percent and try to be the best version of myself and help the team to win.”
The state of Boston’s starting rotation took another sizable hit this week when its top free-agent signing in Lucas Giolito reportedly suffered a torn UCL and flexor strain. He will miss the start of the 2024 season, but could be sidelined for the entire year.
Proven starters like Jordan Montgomery and Blake Snell still remain out on the market at this stage of spring training. But so far, there’s been little traction in terms of Boston doling out a hefty contract before the start of the regular season.
Speaking on MassLive’s “Fenway Rundown” podcast with Sean McAdam, Red Sox legend Pedro Martinez was asked to give his thoughts on Boston’s tight spending this offseason.
“I think the fans know it. It hasn’t panned out for us to go after the stars,” Martinez said. “I think we haven’t had the success we expected. Yes, we did taste a little bit of what we invested in some of the players, but some of us also understand that we have been burned by going out there and getting the big guys and the big names and then getting rid of our minor league system — which was No. 1 when we first started here.
“And ever since, we haven’t been able to recoup and, and when the stars go down, well, we don’t have anything to bring up. I think we need to find a balance between good players.”
Martinez’s comments hold some validity, especially when it comes to free-agent misfires like Carl Crawford and Pablo Sandoval. Still, plenty of that ire felt by Red Sox fans has revolved around Boston’s inability to retain homegrown star talent, such as Mookie Betts and Xander Bogaerts.
And even though Boston might have shirked at the prospect of doling out a $700 million contract to a megastar like Shohei Ohtani, the Red Sox do have the fiscal capabilities to add necessary star talent when it’s available.
With prospects like Marcelo Mayer, Kyle Teel, and Roman Anthony establishing themselves as the next wave of young talent in Boston’s farm system — coupled with the strides made by youngsters like Brayan Bello and Triston Casas in the big leagues — Martinez believes the Red Sox are setting down a sustainable foundation for the future.
“I think we need to have some of the young talent that we have to take the opportunity to prove what they can do and make them comfortable, make them understand that they have responsibility,” Martinez said. “Even though Boston loves them because they’re homegrown kids and Boston wants them to be successful, they have to also understand that they have to perform for Boston because Boston is really aware when you’re hustling and when you’re not, especially when you come from the farm system here, which they eyeball every single day.
“So I think we have to invest a little bit more in our organization. … And instead of going and spending a lot of huge amount of money on different free agents that are not gonna love Boston, that will never adjust to Boston and will never probably be able to do it in Boston,” he added. “Mostly because of the media and the scrutiny that goes around and the demand that Boston has because Boston is the most loyal fan base. But they are demanding, and they want the ownership to do those things.”
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