One Single Spring Training Photo Can Easily Break Red Sox Fans' Hearts

By Michael Hurley, CBS Boston

BOSTON (CBS) -- Has it been a great offseason for the Boston Red Sox? No, no it has not.

Has it been a good offseason for the Boston Red Sox? Well, no. Not even close.

Coming off an 84-win, third-place finish, the Red Sox traded away Mookie Betts and David Price, let Rick Porcello and Brock Holt depart via free agency, and have announced that Chris Sale will miss the start of the season due to an illness that delayed the start to his spring. In terms of additions, the Red Sox added Kevin Pillar, Alex Verdugo (though his bad back will delay the start to his season), Jose Peraza and Martin Perez.

So yeah, if you're into long-term planning, you probably don't have to worry about a duck boat parade delaying your commute down Boylston Street in November. The roads should be clear.

Red Sox fans surely understand this fate, that chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom was brought in to reset the organization from a financial and farm system standpoint, and that competing for a championship in 2020 is nnnnnnnnnnot going to happen. After experiencing the joy of four World Series titles since 2004, it becomes somewhat easier to accept a rebuilding year.

Still, there are certain things that only work to twist the knife. And this photo? Oh, boy. We hope you're sitting down.

That one's going to sting for a while.

That right there in one photograph is the best Red Sox player for the past five years, and also Mookie Betts.

We're joking! But the replies to the tweet were anything but comical. People were sad.

Clearly, Red Sox fans have seen better pictures of Betts and Brock.

Brock Holt, Mookie Betts, Andrew Benintendi (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
Brock Holt, Mookie Betts (Photo by Rich Gagnon/Getty Images)
J.D. Martinez, Mookie Betts and Brock Holt celebrate their ALDS win over the Yankees. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
Mookie Betts and Brock Holt (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images)

Just as clear: It's going to be a long baseball season in Boston.

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