Will Flemming isn't lying to you, but it looks like the Red Sox are

"The decline from a glorious peak is one of the most unsettling things in life, and sadly, the modern world is full of them. The deterioration of local town squares as small businesses shut down, the enfeeblement of loved ones as they age, the morning after a good buzz, and the uneasiness of daily life in a decaying empire are just some of the obstacles most of us have to navigate through on a rather relentless basis."

"But fear not! We have sports, the ultimate distraction that somehow not only allows us to temporarily escape the crushing reality, but also connects us all simultaneously. At their best, sports, and in particular baseball, provide such an uplifting and communal experience that they can force the surrounding hellscape to fade into the background, even if only for a few hours. ( I can attest firsthand that this magnificent dynamic is one of the reasons I'm alive today.)"

"Perhaps nowhere has this unsettling existence been on display more grotesquely than over the past week in Orlando at the Winter Meetings, where ownership and the front office allowed both Kyle Schwarber and Pete Alonso -by far the two biggest power bats on the free agent market in an offseason in which the Sox are desperate for power - to end up in the Mid Atlantic instead of New England. In a vacuum, that's not the end of the world. But against the progressively problematic backdrop of needs and empty promises, it's a font of exasperation."

Decline from former heights appears across many facets of life, from shuttered town squares to aging loved ones and failing public institutions. Sports offer communal uplift and temporary escape from surrounding problems, with baseball uniquely capable of making hardship recede for hours. The Red Sox have exhibited organizational deterioration in recent years despite improved on-field play over the past twelve months and near-term promise. The Winter Meetings in Orlando highlighted operational failures when ownership and the front office allowed top power free agents to sign elsewhere. The team’s lack of power is acute, with Trevor Story leading with only 25 home runs last year while rivals fielded multiple 25-plus homer hitters.

Read at Over the Monster