Boston Red Sox: Shut up about Mookie Betts

The Boston Red Sox had their chance to extend Mookie Betts. Now that he signed a long term extension with the Los Angeles Dodgers, the whining has begun.

Hope can be a many splendored thing, a promise of a better tomorrow and that everything will work out for the better. It is what the Boston Red Sox felt regarding Mookie Betts, even though he was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers as the enticement to take on David Price. He would do his time in Los Angeles, and when he entered free agency, would come back home to Boston.

At least those were the hopes. And those hopes were crushed when Betts signed a long term extension with the Dodgers, leaving Red Sox president Sam Kennedy “disappointed.”

To a degree, one can understand the disappointment. Betts had come through the Red Sox system and had developed into one of the best players in the game. It is always difficult seeing a player like that head elsewhere and then sign a long term deal.

But the Red Sox had to know this was coming. They had attempted to extend Betts previously, but their offer was far below what he would consider. From that point, he stated his intention to essentially go year to year through the arbitration process, rebuffing any further attempts by the organization to engage in extension discussions.

That was a part of why the Red Sox had put Betts on the trade block in the first place. Betts was slated to enter free agency after the 2020 season concluded. There was zero expectation that the Red Sox would be favored over any other team when Betts entered the market.

That is simply the reality of the situation. Betts had felt insulted previously, but the Red Sox refuse to admit that their desire to save a buck or two had alienated one of the best players in the game. Instead, they would rather state that they are “disappointed” that Betts refused to settle for less than his talents are worth.

The Boston Red Sox may be disappointed that Mookie Betts signed an extension with the Los Angeles Dodgers all they want. But the blame for that lays squarely upon their lowball extension offer from years ago.