Alex Bregman is a Valentine's day gift from John Henry and the Red Sox

John Henry gave Red Sox fans a surprise, early Valentine's Day gift late Wednesday night just before they laid their heads down to sleep.

It was much needed to reignite the flame that had been flickering in the romance between fans and owner. Doubts have been creeping in, for some time now, about Henry's love for his fanbase. The relationship had become stale. Both sides have begun taking the other side for granted. When the flowers begin to bloom in the Spring, both sides knew the other would be there. Fans would show up at Fenway Park for Opening Day. Many would keep going to the park all season long and continue to buy Red Sox merchandise no matter if the team finished last in the division three out of the last five years, like they have.

Things were great in the beginning of the relationship when John Henry and Red Sox fans first locked eyes in 2001. After the honeymoon period, Henry did for Sox fans what no other suitor had done for them in 86 years. He gave them four World Series rings. And who doesn't love jewelry, right?

As in any relationship, though, you need to keep working, diligently, to keep the relationship fresh and vibrant. Rings are great, but the last one came in 2018.

Henry's eye has wandered since. He has seemed disinterested. He hasn't been spending nearly as much time at Fenway. His interests seemed more geared towards soccer, NASCAR, hockey, and publishing. You could almost hear Red Sox fans waving their arms and saying:

John, John, John! Over here!

Sure, the Red Sox made the playoffs in 2021, but that felt like one of those last ditch, forced vacation getaways to try to salvage a marriage. Both parties knew it was fake and that any good vibes from that improbable playoff run wouldn't last.

After three more years of complacency, Red Sox fans were beginning to question the relationship. Henry wasn't spending money on the team like he used to. There were no more shiney gifts like Manny Ramirez and Chris Sale. Getting Adrian Gonzalez and Carl Crawford, at the time, was like being gifted Ferraris. Those cars, quickly, broke down or got totalled, but it was the thought that count.

In recent years, fans have had to settle for boxes of chocolate every offseason. It was Hunter Renfroe, Adam Duvall, and Tyler O'Neill. Sometimes they would get scented candles. Boston would get recycled players that no one else wanted – players like Corey Kluber, James Paxton, Michael Wacha, and Garrett Richards.

To make matters worse, Henry took some shiney toys away from Red Sox fans. He traded Mookie Betts and didn't re-sign Xander Bogaerts. Red Sox fans were left empty-handed.

The relationship has been on the rocks for some time now. Fans have had enough. NESN viewership has been down. The team was boring. Who would want to spend three hours on a nice summer night sitting in front of a TV watching this lackluster product?

Fewer and fewer people were going to the games. Remember when Fenway was vibrant and had a sold-out streak that spanned almost a decade? Those days were long gone. Now you could buy a ticket from someone on the streets for even cheaper than it would be to buy a movie ticket.

The near 25-year relationship with 75-year-old John Henry, seemingly, had run its course. Fans were talking about wanting a breakup. Maybe it was time for John Henry to sell the team.

Henry appeared to try and save the relationship by trying real hard to give Sox fans Juan Soto for Christmas. That would have been nice, but it proved to be just a tease.

Henry gave Sox fans a scented candle when he signed Aroldis Chapman. Chapman and his 103 m.p.h fastball was once must-see baseball, but he is older and much less effective. Like a gifted candle, he has bounced from team to team in recent years.

Henry did, however, give Sox fans much better gifts than he has given them in recent years by signing Walker Buehler and trading for Garrett Crochet. Maybe the Red Sox would be a little more competitive this year. Red Sox fans would have to be satisfied with that, or so they thought.

Then, this week, out of nowhere, John Henry showed up at the doorstep with a cigar in his mouth. "Surprise! Baby, I'm back," he proclaimed.

The Red Sox signed Alex Bregman to a three-year, $120 million contract this week. It was, precisely, what the Red Sox were missing. It is what the Red Sox needed, on so many levels.

The Red Sox needed a right-handed bat they could insert in the middle of the lineup between Jarren Duran, Rafael Devers, Triston Casas, and Wilyer Abreu.

The Red Sox needed the defense Bregman can provide. He won a Gold Glove just last year. Boston's defense finished 29th in errors committed last year.

The Red Sox needed a second baseman. Despite Bregman winning his Gold Glove playing third base, it makes sense for the Red Sox to convert him to second base. He played shortstop in college, but was projected by some, like Harold Reynolds, to be a second baseman in the major leagues when he was drafted. Bregman will be a huge upgrade over someone like David Hamilton.

The Red Sox needed leadership in the clubhouse. This team has been without a leader since David Ortiz retired. Rafael Devers is the best player on the Red Sox, but he is not a vocal leader. Bregman has been a part of two World Series championship teams.

Sox infielder Abraham Toro, who played with Bregman in Houston, told MassLive's Sean McGuire, "He's just a great leader. I don't think nobody likes baseball more than that guy. He's always thinking about baseball and always talking about hitting, and he's a good guy to have around."

Most importantly, the Red Sox franchise needed a spark. Bregman may be a blow torch rather than just a spark. In all the above ways, Bregman is a much better fit for the Red Sox than Juan Soto and his $700 million contract would have ever been here.

Don't get me wrong, I am not putting Bregman in the category of Manny Ramirez or Jim Rice. He turns 31 next month. His last great year was in 2019 when he hit 41 home runs and drove in 112 while walking a MLB-best 119 times and having an OPS of 1.015. That was also before the Astros were caught sign-stealing. He hasn't really come close to duplicating those numbers since.

But playing in Fenway Park should help him get back to getting close to those numbers. He still has a great eye at the plate, even if he isn't being told, beforehand, what pitch is coming. He makes contact. He has never struck out over 100 times in a season, which is remarkable for a power hitter like him. I think it is fair to expect 25 home runs, 40 doubles, 100 RBI, 100 runs scored, and a .280 average, at least, from Bregman this year. For $40 million per year, he better put up those numbers, at bare minimum.

He is also extremely durable. You can put his name in Sharpie on the lineup card every night. He has played over 145 games in every non-COVID year of his career. That is more than can be said for his projected double-play partner, Trevor Story.

If Story can stay healthy, and that is a big if, the Sox defense up the middle will be far better. A full season of Story at shortstop will be far better than having to watch Pablo Reyes and David Hamilton bobbling balls all last year. Watching Bregman at second base will be far easier on the eyes (and the heart) than having watched Emmanuel Valdez, Nick Sogard, and Jamie Westbrook there all of last summer.

The Red Sox had already become borderline playoff contenders when they bolstered their starting rotation this offseason. That guaranteed them of playing meaningful games in August and maybe September. The signing of Bregman sets the target much higher and should guarantee them of playing meaningful games in September and, possibly, late into October.

So, thank you, John Henry for the shiny Porsche. I can't wait to see where it takes us. By the way, your card is in the mail.