I’m not going to waste your time recapping anything because if you’re reading this you probably already know: The Sox lost.

It’s been quite awhile since a Red Sox team, or any team, pulled a regular season collapse as appalling as this year’s team, and there’s really no excuse for it. No amount of analysis or condemnation is going to make up for the fact that this Sox team found a way to squander a perfectly healthy 9 game lead heading into September. Nothing will atone for the fact that Crawford and Lackey were a complete waste of money this year. Nothing will account for the reason that Francona decided to stick with players playing terribly simply because of their salaries. And worst of all, nothing will make up for the fact that we put the burden on the players we have the most faith in, and they let us down.

For most Sox fans, it’s just a trip back in time, back before 2004 when this was commonplace. When every year we watched the “evil empire” move on, while we hoped that our guys could do it next year. But this isn’t like all those times because we lost to the Yankees at their game. We paid for our talent and got shafted, and the most depressing part is that in doing so, somewhere along the line, we created an atmosphere that’s going to cost us players.

My biggest disappointment in this season is that it cost us what could have been our greatest prospect since Teddy Ballgame. When Jacoby Ellsbury looks back on this year, on Lackey becoming a clubhouse cancer, on Crawford whining about how hard it is to play here in his online diary, on the local media absolutely hounding the team for a lackluster start, what kind of decision do you think he’ll be leaning toward? Can you really blame if he decides to pack his bags and head back to the West where he spent his childhood and starred for Oregon State?

Simply put, Ellsbury put together an MVP-caliber season, and quite possibly the greatest achievement by a Native American athlete since Jim Thorpe’s accomplishments in the early 20th century. He proved that his 5-tool repertoire was for real, and that he’s a much more complete player than any of the bigger-named (and much higher paid) athletes on the Red Sox roster. Even despite that costly dropped ball from a few days ago, Ellsbury’s season was a breakthrough in every possible way, and he deserves some top-notch accolades for his play on the field. Unfortunately, though, while Ellsbury put up monster numbers this season, he also gave Sox management a taste of what they should have been holding out for, where the real money should be going.

Just look at how the Sox have spent money on big-name prospects in the past few years.

Carl Crawford and Lackey might have been extreme disappointments, but they are only the latest in a long list. Bobby Jenks, Marco Scutaro, Mike Cameron, J.D. Drew, Daisuke Matsuzaka, Julio Lugo, Edgar Renteria, and Matt Clement are just a few of the horrible names that Red Sox management has spent millions on, and to what end?

Now look at the players who have come out of our system and been re-signed: Dustin Pedroia, Kevin Youkilis, Jon Lester, Jonathan Papelbon, Daniel Bard, Clay Buchholz, Jason Varitek, and Josh Reddick.

Okay, maybe Reddick still hasn’t proven he can be consistent for a full season, and you may not like Daniel Bard for his end of season dive. But everyone else on this latter list has not only contributed to a Red Sox championship but been an integral part. And while you may think Reddick and Bard are unproven, they still put up far better numbers than Cameron and Jenks, two veteran guys who collectively cost the Sox over $13 million this year alone.

So when Ellsbury calls up his agent (the dreaded money-hungry Scott Boras) its likely the two aren’t going to be talking about staying with the Red Sox. And because of this season I can’t say I blame him for trying to head closer to home (so long as he doesn’t sign with the Yankees).

After all, the Sox have so much money invested in Carl Crawford, its unlikely they’ll foot the bill for Ellsbury, even if he is only coming into his prime and shows the promise of being a perennial all-star. Nor would I expect him to  stay in a clubhouse where people are always questioning team heroes like David Ortiz, while John Lackey, Carl Crawford and J.D. Drew get a lion’s share of the money for doing a lamb’s share of the work.

Disgraceful showing all around.