John Henry checked in on the haters after opening his Red Sox checkbook for Alex Bregman

The Boston Red Sox signed Alex Bregman on Wednesday night sparking celebrations in Beantown. No one's celebration came with quite as much aura as team owner John Henry.

Henry isn't always the most popular figure in Boston. Red Sox fans watch teams like the Yankees, Mets and Dodgers spend big money every offseason while their ownership always seems reluctant to give the financial green light. The Red Sox payroll hovers around the league average. Meanwhile, their biggest competition have payrolls nearly and literally double.

Making it all worse, the Sox are often linked to the biggest names on the free agent market. They just rarely win those bidding wars. So if ever there was a time to break out a nice cigar, this was it.

Henry did just that, as shown by an Instagram post from his wife.

John Henry may ooze wealthy, but he doesn't often ooze aura. He found the right moment on Wednesday.

John Henry nailed the Alex Bregman signing

Hey, when fans get mad at you for not spending and then you approve a $40 million per year contract, you get to do a bit of strutting.

Fans gave the owner his flowers this time around.

Henry's Fenway Sports Group has tried to replicate a "money ball" approach rather than throw money at trying to win a championship. The problem with "money ball" is that when it works you look like a genius. When it doesn't, you don't look committed to winning.

The Red Sox have won World Series in 2004, 2007, 2013 and 2018 during Henry's tenure as principle owner. The current championship drought of six seasons is the longest stretch under this ownership group without lifting the ultimate trophy at the end of the season. It's not just that. Boston hasn't won the AL East since their last World Series title in 2018.

Signing Bregman could be a sign that ownership is getting serious about competing at the top levels again.