It's All Relative

I just finished reading an interesting article by Tim Kurkjian from a 1992 Sports Illustrated archive. It's an examination of Ryne Sandberg's then record $7 million-a-year salary. How things have changed. As we all know, the Sox just signed another middle infielder, Marco Scutaro, with no where near Sandberg's pedigree for the same price per season. He won't be anywhere near the highest paid player on the team. Oddly, Scutaro and Sandberg were around the same age at the signing of both deals.

Sox to Sign Scutaro

Well it seems the great Pedroia to short stop debut will end before it ever really gets to begin. The Sox seem to have locked up shortstop Marco Scutaro for the next two seasons. Details are few but there may also be a third year option on top of the first two years.

It also means that the Sox will lose a first round draft pick after gaining one when Billy Wagner signed a one-year deal with the Braves.

If I wasn't a Yankee fan I wouldn't be too concerned with the Sox picking up a 34-year old short stop who is coming off a career year. The situation wreaks of a player cashing in on one final deal. But as a Yankee fan I have seen Scutaro beat my team on one too many occasions where he had no business being the hero.

I hope Scutaro fellows the normal career path of a 34-year old short stop, but part of me knows he is just one of those guys who shows up against your team regardless of how he is playing or at what stage of his career he is in.