Reader DM: Red Sox Fan Is Looking For A New Team, Wants To Hop On White Sox Bandwagon

I got this message late last night but as soon as I read it I pulled a Robin Williams in Good Will Hunting and fell into a deep, peaceful sleep.  

Let's walk it back for a moment first though.  This guy - a Red Sox fan - is pissed off at the Red Sox for dealing the face of their franchise, Mookie Betts.  Rational take.  I was livid when the Sox traded Chris Sale, though I knew it was necessary and was more than happy with his return when it went down.

But at the same time, Sale wasn't dealt for financial reasons.  He was dealt because of the White Sox ineptitude to build a winner in the years they controlled him.  Just couldn't build around him enough which is disgusting in and of itself.  But Betts? Betts, by all accounts, was dealt solely because of the money problems Dave Dombrowski bestowed upon them.  

Carrabis broke down this dynamic very well yesterday.  To the dude who DM'd me - read his blog.  It's business on both sides.  Nobody is to blame other than Dave Dombrowski for butchering the Red Sox payroll.  Betts was hitting free agency and looking to get paid.  The Red Sox, with their current money issues, can't pay him.  

But to call John Henry cheap?  Yeah, I don't buy that from Red Sox fans.  Here are MLB's top 2019 payrolls:

Yeah.... I don't know how an owner or organization can be considered "cheap" when they're a year removed from trotting out the most expensive team in the game while also consistently being top 3 or 5 in payroll.  That just doesn't compute.

And to the dude in my DMs - there are a LOT of things to like about the White Sox.  Not often is it the product on the field, though that is drastically changing starting in 2020.  Take a look at the hype video, the young talent is crazy.

Oh and the food is fantastic, the stadium is great and you can tailgate.  It's a ton of fun on a Summer Saturday.  

BUT and this is a MASSIVE but... I got some real bad news for you, guy.  If you're looking for an organization that is going to spend a billion dollars on any given player, the White Sox are NOT for you.  Bailing on your Red Sox fandom because they're hellbent on getting below the luxury tax and then rooting for a team that has never dropped $100MM on a single player will be quite the juxtaposition for you.  That said Betts is going to play RF on the South Side of Chicago in 2021 amirite?

We're currently taking applications to jump on the bandwagon, and the White Sox WILL be in play for Betts next winter, but if you're hellbent on cheering for a team that continually trots out some ungodly expensive roster, this fandom ain't for you.  

That said - it's still awesome to me that Cubs and Red Sox fans are freaking the fuck out over the current construction of their rosters while Sox fans are more or less happy as a clam.  What a world we live in. 

PS - no there are no shitheads on the Sox.  Awesome group of dudes.