Major League Baseball

Red Sox have 'a lot of money to spend' next year, top exec says

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 3:56 p.m. ET

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Tom Werner isn't promising the Boston Red Sox will be back in World Series contention next season. But he does promise they will try.

Admitting that young players like Xander Bogaerts have not blossomed as quickly as anticipated, while others like Mookie Betts and Brock Holt have exceeded expectations, Werner said the Red Sox plan to be aggressive this offseason.

Boston added outfielders Rusney Castillo and Yoenis Cespedes this summer, and the team isn't done.

"I wouldn't say that we have limitless money, but we've got a lot of money to spend and we're determined to go into the free-agent market and improve the team," the Red Sox chairman said on WEEI's "Dennis & Callahan" on Thursday morning. "Last year, as we all know, was just a dream,"  Werner added. "This year is a nightmare."

Werner also still has ideas on how to speed up the game, which is losing television viewers, particularly among younger demographics. Saying "the game needs to modernize," he advocated a "pitch clock" and prohibiting hitters from stepping out of the batter's box between pitches.

Of course, no sports personality can hold an interview this week without being asked about the ongoing drama involving Ray Rice and NFL commissioner Roger Goodell. Werner, for his part, said NFL fans are already demanding transparency.

"In any business, whether it's sports business or any business, you have to have transparency," Werner said. "Your fans, your customers demand it. Somebody's got to get to the bottom of this, right? There's no substitute for just being honest, telling the truth. If somebody made a mistake, they should admit to it.

"There are no winners here. I guess, if there's any winner at all, it's at least some exposure for people to sort of (understand) if there's domestic violence that you know about or that you see, you have to address it. So maybe something good will come from it. But regarding the way that it's been handled, it certainly has been botched."

More from NESN:

Steven Wright giving Red Sox a lot to think about for 2015 season

Clay Buchholz offering hope for 2015

Brock Holt could carve out significant role with Red Sox next season

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