Though it is kind of odd that they're so concerned with an overpay or bad contract with Lester and at the same time taking kind of a flyer on Craig. Here's a guy whose performance went through the floor this year and about whom there are rumblings that his former team, not a bunch of nitwits, thinks he may have a career impacting injury.
Said differently, the Sox are OK paying Craig $31 mm when it's at least possible he's going to be a shadow of his former self, yet they're likely going to draw a line with Lester at somewhere near, say, $120 MM when if they would agree to $150 mm, they'd probably get it done.
I get that these are different situations. I get that it's not a simple linear equation. I get that there is precedent involved. Pitcher versus OFer. Other distinctions abound.
Still, the willingness to give someone like Victorino $39 mm, when the entire world screamed "overpay," take a chance on Craig coming back to health and, if they don't get Lester, sign someone of lesser talent a large contract to be the supposed Ace of the staff seems inconsistent with their solemn discipline with Lester.