Late Wednesday night, the Boston Red Sox agreed to a monster seven-year, $142 million deal with free agent Carl Crawford. On Saturday -- the same day single game tickets went on sale -- the team officially introduced their new outfielder.
"They seemed really sincere about it," Crawford said. "[Epstein] told me about how I could play with the players that they have here, that I really think are great players, and just the whole thing about how we can win and how he said I could help this team immediately.
Crawford added that his six-year old son "is a closet Boston fan."
When I told him I was coming to Boston, he was more excited than me. And that's when I knew I had made the right decision. ... The feeling feels so good that you couldn't pass that up."
With Saturday's introduction also came details of Crawford's contract, a deal that reportedly the Angels matched in both years and money. Here's how it breaks down over the next seven years, from the Boston Globe (via the AP):
Yearly salaries:
2011: $14 million
2012: $19.5 million
2013: $20 million
2014: $20.25 million
2015: $20.5 million
2016: $20.75 million
2017: $21 million
Signing bonus: $6 million. $1 million payable on Jan. 10 and $1 million payments on May 1, June 1, July 1, Aug. 1 and Sept. 1.
Awards bonuses
All-Star team: $50,000
Gold Glove, Sliver Slugger or World Series MVP: $100,000 each
ALCS MVP: $75,000
MVP voting: $200,000 for 1st, $125,000 for second, $100,000 for third, $75,000 for fourth, $50,000 for fifth
No-trade rights: The player can select two teams and the Red Sox one that he can't be traded to. The Red Sox have selected the Yankees.