Late Wednesday night, when much of the country had stopped paying attention for the evening, Carl Crawford signed with the Red Sox. The seven-year, $142 million contract is the largest ever for an outfielder and the ninth-largest all-time overall, and it gives the Red Sox their second giant boost of the week after trading for Adrian Gonzalez on Sunday.
Carl Crawford Contract With Red Sox May Have Big Implications
Crawford’s contract, though, doesn’t only mean something to Boston. It also means something to New York and Anaheim. The Yankees had met with Crawford and his agent during the Winter Meetings and likely considered the outfielder a fallback option in the event that they’re unable to sign Cliff Lee. With Crawford now gone and Zack Greinke unlikely to accept a trade to New York, one wonders what Plan B might be now. This could spur the Yankees to make an even bigger Lee offer than they’ve already made.
Meanwhile, the Angels considered Crawford their top offseason priority, and earlier Wednesday front office executives were said to be highly confident that Crawford would sign. Now, they’re left with lots of money but no player, and odds are good that they turn their attention to signing Adrian Beltre instead. The Angels could use a third baseman, and while Beltre isn’t quite of Crawford’s caliber, he is an excellent everyday player who should excel for many more years.
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