First it was Billy Wagner, whom the Braves lured away on Wednesday with a one-year, $7 million contract with a vesting option for 2011 at $6.75 million. Then, a day later, Atlanta zeroed in on another prized Sox arm — Takashi Saito — signing him to a one-year deal for $3 million.
Between the two of them, theres seven All-Star selections and nearly 500 saves skipping town. And while the Red Sox have plenty of money to throw around as they search for replacement seventh- and eighth-inning arms, their offseason just got a whole lot tougher nonetheless. All-Star relievers don't grow on trees.
The Red Sox still have Jonathan Papelbon to close things out and Daniel Bard will headline a strong group of middle relievers that will also include Ramon Ramirez and Manny Delcarmen. However, one still has to wonder whether letting two of their best bullpen arms leave town without a fight may have been a mistake on the part of Boston general manager Theo Epstein.
As for Wagner, there probably wasn't much Epstein could do. The lefty wanted to lock up a closing job at all costs, and the Red Sox weren't willing to offer him one — not with Papelbon handling ninth-inning duties at Fenway Park. It wasn't about money, it wasn't about winning a ring — it was about saves.
But with Saito, the Red Sox had a chance and they let it slip away.
When the Red Sox first signed Saito this past January, they hammered out a one-year contract with a team option for 2010. And after Saito cranked out 55.2 quality innings with an ERA of 2.43 and 52 strikeouts, it seemed a foregone conclusion that the Red Sox would want to keep him around. But when the Red Sox declined their option, it became a difficult position.
They still had the chance to re-sign him but by letting Saito fall to the open market, they sent may have sent the message that they didn't value his services. Saito was nearly pushed out and compelled to look elsewhere and he found an offer in Atlanta that he couldn't refuse.
A few months from now, the Red Sox might regret not pushing harder to keep Saito around. He was one of the most reliable arms in Terry Francona's bullpen last season and it won't be easy to see him in another uniform in 2010.
They'll have to make do without him. Papelbon and Bard will come back better than ever, and their supporting cast will survive. But when injuries, slumps and the like take their toll over the dog days of summer, the Red Sox will wish they had one extra arm.
The Red Sox know as well as anyone — it's the little things that win championships. It's not just about heavy hitters and ace starters. Winning teams have good defenders, smart base runners, and yes, reliable seventh-inning relievers.
Amid all the hype over Jason Bay and John Lackey, the Red Sox run the risk of losing sight of all those little things. Letting Takashi Saito slip away is a red flag but the offseason is still young, and the Red Sox have time to prove that the little guys still matter.