You know, I once had a house that I wanted to sell for a particular price. I learned that the market doesn't care about your opinion. If JDM is indeed getting irritated at the RS because they fail to realize his thoughts about self-worth, I wonder if the best path is to just move on. I wouldn't enter into a lengthy, expensive relationship with someone when they had already expressed that they are "fed-up" with me. Boston is a hard place for some dudes to play, it's not for everyone. Free agents often don't perform well the first year and we could probably field a pretty decent team of guys who tanked in Fenway in the last 15 years. The media and fan reaction to him would be blistering if he had a so-so year. As Jose notes, there other, probably less expensive and albeit less opportunistic upside, options.

That’s my concern with him. He’s setting himself up a bit where if he does sign with the Sox and doesn’t start raking right away he’s going to hear it. Big ticket free agents always have some heat if they don’t play well but he’s really putting himself up against it. Of course if he signs, says lots of nice things then hits like he’s capable all will be quickly forgotten.

If you want to go into "win now" mode, then you need the bat in the lineup. A case can be made that JDM is the man you want for that role. But I think that would mean the roster must break up in a couple of years. If you want to keep the players they have, then you really can't afford to spend on JDM because keeping the players they have is going to cost a lot.

I have a post going up in a few minutes on this subject.

It does seem, so far, that the Sox properly estimate their current leverage regarding JDM, and count me also happy with what appears to be their self-imposed price limit. And I think flexibility's key, as you note. There was tittering when I suggested that I was 'elated' about the Mitch Moreland signing, but would you feel quite as sanguine about the unplanned path without his cheap couple of WAR at 1B? I think his presence allows many more options vis-a-vis Hanley up to and including releasement.

In other news, how could the Sox have let Betts go to arbitration? It seems so out of touch, and out of line with their recent history.