So, this proposed deal between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Boston Red Sox is pretty crazy, right? If you believe the rumors flying around Twitter right now, we're looking at one of the biggest trades ever made. The Dodgers have already claimed Adrian Gonzalez and Josh Beckett on waivers, and apparently they're working on a deal which would see them take left fielder Carl Crawford* to Los Angeles as well.
*Players on the disabled list can apparently be traded now!
But those are names. Let's talk about money, because all three are signed to rather large contracts, and the cash that could be involved in this is frankly frightening.
- Gonzalez, 30, is signed through 2018. Over the final six years of his deal, he's set to make $127 million.
- Beckett is on a significantly shorter contact -- he'll only get paid $31.5 million over the course of the new two seasons.
- And Carl Crawford will make $102 million between 2013 and 2017.
Add that all up and you get two hundred and sixty one million dollars. $261 million! And that's not even account for the pro-rated wages that the Dodgers would have to pay on their contracts this year, which will add about $13 million to that figure. If the Red Sox aren't sending significant cash (which would be ludicrous, but this whole thing is ludicrous, so bear with me), this would represent the biggest single-day financial outlay on players by a baseball team. Ever.
Oh, and John Morosi says the Dodgers are giving up prospects as well. Incredible.