The financial flexibility flag waves proudly.
As the Rays take on the Dodgers in the Andrew Friedman Bowl -- also known as this year's World Series -- the future and all that Mookie Money that is for the Red Sox to spend is all that the local professional baseball team has to hang its hat. (For a complete recap of the Dodgers' Game 7 win over the Braves, click here.)
Get past this final round of 2020 baseball games and everything is supposed to take a turn for the better. Five days after that final out there will be signings, trades and even maybe a conversation with a former Red Sox manager to become the current Red Sox manager.
But until then, brace yourself. The images being relayed from Globe Life Park will be uncomfortable for those who yearn for the return of 2018.
Why? Well ...
Mookie Betts
It's time to understand Betts is gone. And he will be forever. That dynamic player that is running all over the place on the national stage is likely heading into the Hall of Fame as a Dodger. Deal with it.
But the more you are reminded of how good this player is the more you have to wonder if this had to happen.
If they just prioritized Betts a bit more -- whether via not committing to another contract, or going heavier in on the offer the outfielder -- maybe this whole quest to cut payroll might not have been the be-all, end-all.
All of those arms
To win in the postseason you still have to have your top-of-the-rotation starters. There is something about knowing that for at least the first five or six innings you will either be in the mix or have gotten the upper-hand.
The Red Sox potentially have those guys in Eduardo Rodriguez, Chris Sale and maybe Nathan Eovaldi. (Although that group doesn't offer the kind of certainty that the key guys for the Dodgers or Rays do.) But it's the rest of the pitching staff that is the difference-maker.
Chaim Bloom talks about the importance of depth all the time. Really what it mean is finding a wave of above-average arms who can routinely get you through those last 5-7 innings in the postseason when needed. The Red Sox don't have that luxury right now. These two teams do.
Brusdar Graterol
This brings us to Graterol, the perfect example of a pitcher Dave Roberts can bring in at any point in any game and feel like domination is around the corner. He is also the pitcher the Red Sox chose not to take in the Mookie Betts deal due to medical concerns.
Could Graterol hold up as the starter the Red Sox were hoping to get? Maybe not. But who cares. As we sit here, this guy will be one of the most unique talents performing in the World Series. That would seem to be something that might fit in nicely on future Red Sox teams.
The Rays Way
Some might look at this a positive, with Bloom potentially bringing over the same blueprint to Boston. But the reality of this situation is that you have a team that has the third-lowest payroll in Major League Baseball making the team with the third-highest payroll in Major League Baseball (Red Sox) jealously looking on from afar.
Now, the same can be said for the Astros (the 4th-highest payroll) and others. But the fact that the Red Sox could have fit three Betts into their payroll if riding with the current Rays' roster -- instead of some really wasted resources -- has to be frustrating.
Also, knowing the patience and time it might take to duplicate a reasonable facsimile of this way of thinking isn't exactly going to make the "Let's go get Trevor Bauer" crowd feel all tingly inside.
Joe Kelly's son
Tell me you aren't jealous of not being on the receiving end of Knox Kelly's pep talks ...