Paying Papi

There’s been some discussion lately about the future of David Ortiz with the Boston Red Sox. Should the Sox sign him? Should the Sox sign him to a two-year deal? How much should the Sox pay him? Do the Sox overpay him as a thank you for past performance? Those are a lot of questions. Thankfully, there is an easy answer.

Give the man a blank contract, and ask him to fill in the numbers that he thinks are fair.

Here’s the problem for the 2013 Red Sox. They don’t have any talent. Ok. They have Ellsbury. That’s it. (And, no, I don’t count Quotes as talented.) So, if the Sox don’t sign Ortiz, they’ll have Ellsbury leading off, and then have eight other guys hitting behind him. Not only will that be dreadful to watch, it won’t be very productive. They need another bat in the line-up. That shouldn’t even be a question. So, should that bat be David Ortiz?

Well, I think a fair question is, whom else did you have in mind? Which player is going to come in, play DH, and give you the numbers Ortiz will give you? Mike Napoli? There’s a reason Ortiz was the lone Red Sox all-star in 2012. He’s the best option.

So, if Ortiz is the best available, why isn’t it an easy signing? Because of money?

It’s not about the money.

People are always concerned about overpaying. You can’t overpay for talent. It’s that simple. And, you need talent on your team.

I know someone who won’t overpay for anything. He has a number in his head for what something is worth, and won’t pay more than that. If a car is priced more than his figure, he doesn’t buy it. If a furnace is priced more than his figure, he keeps looking. If a store charges more for a candy bar than he thinks it’s worth, he moves on. And, it’s worked. He hasn’t overpaid for anything. He certainly has money, and flexibility. You know what he doesn’t have? A new car, a working furnace, or a candy bar. Is that what the Sox want? Lots of flexibility, but no talent? Just to stop from overpaying? The only way “overpaying” hurts you is if it prevents you from signing a better player. With all this wonderful flexibility the Sox now have, that shouldn’t be a problem at all.

Sure, some people are saying. For one year, bring him back. But, they can’t sign him for two! Why not? Are you planning on having more stars in 2014? Will he be holding back the development of the next great DH? What’s the fear behind the second year? That he’ll be hurt? Yeah, that’s a risk. That’s the beauty of the newfound flexibility…isn’t it? That’s what I’m told it is. So, take a flier on a known star. We know he can play. We know he can play in Boston. Even 27-year olds can get hurt and miss most of a season. Sometimes you just need to take a calculated risk. Plus, the team needs something on the field worth watching.

Signing Papi should be a no-brainer.