Red Sox Trade Marco Scutaro To Rockies For Clayton Mortensen

According to Alex Speier, it was all about the Competitive Balance Tax (CBT) ... also known as the luxury tax. The actual math is sort of complicated and Speier’s a mensch for going through all of it, but here’s the nut:

It’s an amazingly curious move by both organizations. But the Red Sox and Giants have reached their payroll limits for the offseason. There’s no creme brûlée after the gourmet dinner that few others can afford. There are a couple of loose Altoids in the back of the glove box if you’re desperate. Go nuts.

The Red Sox and Giants had to back away, palms up, loudly proclaiming that they needed to put their wallets back in their pants. If you go by the the research that’s available, there’s a huge benefit to an extra win for a team between 80 and 90 wins. They’re probably going to be pretty danged close to a playoff spot, which means that they’ll be close to the extra revenue that a playoff berth brings.