Boston Red Sox: Drawbacks to Signing High Risk Players

The Boston Red Sox have been commended this offseason for being frugal while the New York Yankees were spending lavishly, but there was a reason why Boston’s acquisitions were labeled high risk/high reward.

There is a good chance they can fail.

Take outfielder Mark Kotsay for instance. Over his career he has been a very nice contributor for teams he has played for. He’s a gritty and versatile player, and in just his early 30s, he should continue to be for a while.

So how did the Red Sox sign him for just $1.5 million?

They apparently did because he needed back surgery. Re-signed on January 15, Kotsay waited only two weeks before telling the team how badly his back was really hurt.

He then underwent surgery on it. While the Red Sox are optimistic that he won’t be missing much time, back surgery isn’t something people come back easily from.

Rehab timetables are approximate and even downright wrong. Even once Kotsay does return, there is no guarantee that he will be able to put up the same numbers he has in the past.

Back injuries are nasty things—just ask Don Mattingly, David Wells, and Kevin Brown. All three were great players who, because of their backs, struggled with inconsistency late in their careers.

Now the Red Sox might have gotten a good deal when they signed Kotsay. He could still return and have a productive second half of the season. But really, who is holding their breath for that?

Sometimes high risk/high reward deals are about as good as signing New York Yankees pitcher Kei Igawa.