Here is what Theo Epstein said in an interview on August 20th of 2006 after his team was completely embarrassed by the Yankees during a 5-game series sweep that later became known as the Boston Massacre II:
Epstein said the Sox never could be an uberteam, code for a team with no weaknesses, the type of team that if any player goes down, there's a great player to replace him.
In other words, the Yankees.
``I think they achieve it sometimes," Epstein said. ``They do. Look around the diamond, they have some of the best players in the game, some of the highest-paid players in the game. They've also done a good job of producing a couple of good young players for no money, so I don't think they're a one-trick pony by any stretch of the imagination.
``I don't think we do things exactly the same way, and that's by design. [GM Brian Cashman] has got a great plan, and we have a plan. For instance, I do think we're in a position competing directly with them with less resources to have to keep one eye on the future. We can't do certain things that on paper would look good without thinking about the ramifications on future payroll, on future construction, etc. That's the reality. We've operated the same way since Day 1 of the offseason following the 2002 season," he said.
The Sox were unable to absorb the $27 million it would have taken to bring Bobby Abreu aboard. The Yankees were able to secure the player without blinking an eye.
``Yeah, conceivably that's an example where we didn't have the resources to take on his salary this year or next year, but we have tremendous resources, don't get me wrong," Epstein said. ``We have fantastic resources; that's just not something we can do with a [luxury tax hit] of $20 million-plus dollars. That's not something we can do. To upgrade in right field is not worth it to us because we have to spread that money around to execute our plan and build the '07 team."
So much for not having the "tremendous resources" to compete with his arch-rivals.
I wonder what excuse he will have for Red Sox Nation next season after the Yankees win their 10th straight AL East title.
Keep in mind that the Red Sox $51.1M bid just to TALK to Matsuzaka was less than $1M it would have taken to keep their rock star icon, Johnny Damon, for another four seasons in a Red Sox uniform.
It was 11 months ago and during the Great Depression in Red Sox Nation when Damon signed with the Yankees for 4 yrs at $52M.