Also first 2 letters are ThWent to Yale I believe (for all the talk of him being smart and all)
Although to instantly argue with myself, that's not the kind of guy that BOS needs right now, they need someone not afraid to spend, spend and overspend in this winter's FA market and next winter too if needed. That Dombrowski guy would be perfect actually...David Stearns and Mike Elias were both assistant GMs in HOU before going to MIL and BAL, I'd look for someone on that tree. Sig Mejdal?
If I were Fuld, I'd honestly rather work for the Phils owner than the Sox ownership at this point. The lack of patience they've shown with their GMs and managers makes them a much less desirable group to work for.I wonder if DD scared off Fuld. I’m sure there’s a bit of bad blood with DD. DD is also 67 and might be handing over the keys to Fuld soon.
No one has been offered the job. This is a "robust" search, remember? Fuld and Gomes rejected the offer to be interviewed.I apologize for being lazy and not reading it but did Fuld reject the request to be interviewed or was he offered the job and he rejected it?
If Romero gets passed over again, should there be a legit worry that he moves onto another organization?
Yeah, agreed. Sign me up for some of this ASAP.I think the Breslow possibility is a bit "outside the box" in a good way. He is highly intelligent and knows the game from many perspectives. I like it.
Seems like as good a reason as any to fire him, to me.Just give it to Romero. He’s done everything the organization has asked of him for 20 years.
They should absolutely interview her, & if she's the best candidate they interview, she should absolutely get the job.The Red Sox have to make a push to pursue Kim Ng now that she is available - it was simply be a horrible look not to seriously consider a female candidate who is coming off of a run of leading a team back to playoff contention so that they can bring in a bunch of mostly white guys for interviews.
Which position, CBO or GM?Just give it to Romero. He’s done everything the organization has asked of him for 20 years. By all accounts he is very good at what he does and is well liked. He knows the farm system.
He interviewed in prior years and must have interviewed well for him to be a candidate and the interim GM. And he knows the manager.
A few contributing factors to this that I can see.But she took a team with a .517 winning % (.434 pythag) that got swept in the ALDS & had the #5 farm system into, 3 years later, a team with a .519 winning % (.463 pythag) that got swept in the Wild Card round & has the #26 farm system.
& was also determined by her current employer not to be worthy of a title promotion, & in fact they decided they wanted to demote her. Which as mentioned could be lol Marlins, but is a data point.
This seems like a bit of projection. What exactly are 1st tier candidates versus 2nd tier candidates? How do we know the difference? Because the media frames it that way?Nobody said nobody would want it.. But great it seems like now they might have moved on to a bunch of 2nd tier candidates.
2020 was such a weird year that Sixto was 3rd on the Marlins in IP & still was their #1 prospect when Ng took over.A few contributing factors to this that I can see.
- The career-altering shoulder injury to Sixto Sanchez, a #20 prospect when Ng was hired in Nov. 2020
- The dimming of one-time prospect Monte Harrison, a key part of the Yelich trade, who fell off Top 100 lists by 2021
- The meteoric rise and graduation of Eury Perez (and to lesser extents, Braxton Garrett and Trevor Rogers)
It could also be relevant that the NL East has been stacked the last few years, with two teams in particular spending over a billion on reinforcements. And beyond the bottom-five payroll in 2021-22, we don’t really know whether playing in a state with the highest amount of Covid cases and hospitalizations affected potential free agent signings (or anything else).
The major difference is that the Marlins draft HS pitching high, and the Sox do not. I don’t know how much that has to do with Ng. But it also makes for a more volatile prospect base, I’d say.
Of the names involved right now, I’d be happy with Ng, Click or Levine. Unhappy with Huntington.
Fair, and Huntington seemed a colossal improvement at the time over his predecessor Dave Littlefield. Those Cole/Archer deals really were rough though.2020 was such a weird year that Sixto was 3rd on the Marlins in IP & still was their #1 prospect when Ng took over.
Not sure that Eury has much to do with any of this. It looks like he was the Marlins #28 prospect when Ng took over. & none of those players were actually acquired by Ng.
My biggest pushback is with the narrative that she took some destitute franchise & turned out into a perennial playoff team. They appear to be in roughly the same position they were in when she took over & if they hadn't wildly overperformed their pythag this year, I'm not sure anyone would be pushing her as a candidate based on her body of work.
Not to say she wouldn't be great if given time to work her magic - just to say that this one season doesn't really show me much.
Agree that she's very likely to be better than Huntington & it seems like Huntington would be a really shaky hire... but when given enough rope, Huntington did put together a 3-year period where the team was 280-206 (.576) & was the GM for the team's only 4 winning seasons since '92.
In that 3-year run:
'13 - 27th in payroll
'14 - 27th in payroll
'15 - 25th in payroll
He was also an early adopter of analytics. The problem is, his last couple deals (Cole out/Archer in) were abominable & that was 10 years ago.
My issue with Huntington was that for the last half of his tenure, he really didn't do anything innovative or adapt the financial constraints he had. Earlier in his tenure he acquired a number of post-hype prospects (Andy LaRoche, Lastings Milledge, Jeff Clement) trying to get somebody to break out. There was a lot of draft spending (they spent a ton on the Gerrit Cole/Josh Bell draft class, which led to MLB implementing the draft pools), and as I mentioned previously, they were at the forefront of shifting. They shifted more than any other team in baseball at one point. They loved getting guys with good two-seam fastballs that could get groundballs, but the game changed quickly. Players wanted to hit the ball down. Four seamers up and sliders became the way to go, and the Pirates never adapted.Fair, and Huntington seemed a colossal improvement at the time over his predecessor Dave Littlefield. Those Cole/Archer deals really were rough though.
I’m with you on the caution on any savior narrative around Kim Ng. In general it’s hard to isolate any of these characters’ essential qualities, especially when they’re working under notorious owners like Bob Nutting and Bruce Sherman. Hard to hold any GM responsible when their decisions are dictated by these billionaire weirdo reactionaries more interested in owning a tax shelter than a team.
Oh stewardess, I speak Ale. He said that the FO's in great pain and he'd like to be tangentially reminded of Theo.Thale???
The only people that declined to interview that worry me a bit are Fuld and Gomes....but to your point, while I liked Fuld a lot as a candidate, I am not sure that he's that much better than Thad Levine.This seems like a bit of projection. What exactly are 1st tier candidates versus 2nd tier candidates? How do we know the difference? Because the media frames it that way?
If it's truly a "robust" and broad search, wouldn't all potential candidates be considered equally? No "first tier", no "second tier", no tiers at all? Front office personnel aren't exactly like ball players where they have a history of performance at various levels we can look at in order to rank them even somewhat objectively, and project their performance going forward. We don't know that Sam Fuld or Brandon Gomes is clearly better than Thad Levine or Kim Ng or whoever else. It's all guesswork and speculation. They'll hire the person they think is the best fit from among those that want the job. That's all they can do.
Jays exec James Click, the former Astros GM, is another being considered for the Red Sox top job
Is that a factor? Or is it a lateral move to an organization that is already half built by someone else?When I saw the Twins GM interviewing it was a big indication Falvey passed on interviewing, now seemingly confirmed. I think that more than anything speaks to how the league views this.
It was his dream job growing up.
Totally agree. It's a black box and people are in a rush to hang whatever label fits their POV on it. Without more info, it's easy to see ownership as aloof, or craven, or incompetent, or maybe Bloom hit the wall in his job and they are rushing in to fix it, spend aggressively etc. We are all entitled to see this how we want. But it would be nice if the usual media suspects didn't just exploit the uncertainty with a bunch of baseless shit-stirring.This seems like a bit of projection. What exactly are 1st tier candidates versus 2nd tier candidates? How do we know the difference? Because the media frames it that way?
If it's truly a "robust" and broad search, wouldn't all potential candidates be considered equally? No "first tier", no "second tier", no tiers at all? Front office personnel aren't exactly like ball players where they have a history of performance at various levels we can look at in order to rank them even somewhat objectively, and project their performance going forward. We don't know that Sam Fuld or Brandon Gomes is clearly better than Thad Levine or Kim Ng or whoever else. It's all guesswork and speculation. They'll hire the person they think is the best fit from among those that want the job. That's all they can do.
Great post.It's hard to know how team is positioning the role, right? If it is "Kennedy runs overall operation, Cora is the field manager, and we expect Romero to be a senior baseball guy, you're the connective tissue" that's a tougher sell for someone who already has full control or even a lot of autonomy.
If, on the other hand, it is "Kennedy runs business side and baseball ops is truly up to you. We think Romero and Cora are assets, and want your perspective on that, but ultimately the person we hire will decide who is in what role going forward" that's a pretty different thing.
I'm not sure we know beween those, really, though the sense of what I read is it is more towards the former - which would fit with those who currently have a senior role with autonomy not being interested. Whether that's a good or a bad thing for team going fowrard depends on how right they are about the others staying in place, seems to me.
Also, I imgaine I'm an outlier here, but I do not think Theo is 100% out of this picture....though specific role which would make sense for both sides is rather hard to peg. Kennedy and Thad Levine are longtime Theo guys, after all.
Internal: Ben Crockett, Raquel Ferreira, Mike Groopman, BOH, Gus Quattlebaum Mike Rickard, Eddie Romero, and Paul ToboniHere is a speculative list, based on conversations with industry sources, of potential candidates to replace former chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom and lead the Red Sox’ baseball operations department. Some are rumored but not confirmed to be interested in the job; others are rumored but not confirmed to be uninterested or unavailable.
This list will be updated when/if candidates are interviewed or removed from consideration.
https://www.cnbc.com/2021/09/02/mets-place-acting-gm-zack-scott-on-leave-following-drunken-driving-arrest.htmlScott, 44, was arrested at 4:30 a.m. Tuesday in White Plains, New York, in Westchester County. He had been found stopped in his 2018 Toyota. The baseball executive lives in the nearby suburb of Rye, New York.
In addition to the drunken driving charge, police cited Scott for allegedly “stopping/standing/parking on highway,” disobeying a traffic control device, and failing to notify the Department of Motor Vehicles about a change in address.
The Mets on Wednesday acknowledged the alleged drunken driving incident and said Scott would not travel with the team while the organization investigates the matter.
“We were surprised and deeply disappointed to learn this morning about an alleged DUI involving Zack Scott,” the Mets said on Twitter.
The Red Sox have had two GMs in the last five years and each was given an objective, for DD the objective was to win now. He did so and was canned. For Bloom the objective was build for the future though ownership said that he also needed to be competitive--I'm not sure when they told him that but it appears that he completed the first part of his job and failed at his second. So there seems to be some sort of manic energy running through ownership where goals change pretty quickly. Add to that a manager with a lot of power who seemingly got the last guy fired and appears to be the next guy (after you) in the GM seat. Also the front office seems pretty stacked with people who have been here since the Epstein administration (four GMs ago) and seem not to be in any hurry to leave or might not be fireable. Oh yeah, the fandom is either apathetic (the ownership wants you to win them back with BIG moves) or completely myopic about how the last administration went that they may hold a grudge against you.But it would be nice if the usual media suspects didn't just exploit the uncertainty with a bunch of baseless shit-stirring.
It's hard to know how team is positioning the role, right? If it is "Kennedy runs overall operation, Cora is the field manager, and we expect Romero to be a senior baseball guy, you're the connective tissue" that's a tougher sell for someone who already has full control or even a lot of autonomy.
If, on the other hand, it is "Kennedy runs business side and baseball ops is truly up to you. We think Romero and Cora are assets, and want your perspective on that, but ultimately the person we hire will decide who is in what role going forward" that's a pretty different thing.
I'm not sure we know beween those, really, though the sense of what I read is it is more towards the former - which would fit with those who currently have a senior role with autonomy not being interested. Whether that's a good or a bad thing for team going fowrard depends on how right they are about the others staying in place, seems to me.
Also, I imgaine I'm an outlier here, but I do not think Theo is 100% out of this picture....though specific role which would make sense for both sides is rather hard to peg. Kennedy and Thad Levine are longtime Theo guys, after all.
Two excellent posts.Great post.
I am guessing that they are trying to sell candidates on the latter...but I definitely wouldn't begrudge any candidate who looked at it and thought it was the former (and maybe even worse, tbh).
EDIT: I don't think Levine is a Theo guy though? I don't think they've worked together professionally since they've both been in the game
Probably in the minority here, but the two external candidates I really liked personally (and my opinion and $2 gets you a coffee at Dunks) and the internal candidate working "in tandem" with Cora that I wasn't really that opposed to as an outcome are all - ostensibly at least - still in play. So I'm feeling pretty good about where things stand right now.Internal: Ben Crockett, Raquel Ferreira, Mike Groopman, BOH, Gus Quattlebaum Mike Rickard, Eddie Romero, and Paul Toboni
External: Craig Breslow (Cubs assistant GM/director of pitching), Josh Byrnes (Dodgers senior VP of baseball ops), Mike Chernoff (Guardians GM), James Click (Blue Jays VP of baseball strategy), James Harris (Guardians assistant GM), Neal Huntington (Guardians special assistant to president of baseball ops), Matt Klentak (Brewers special assistant to the GM), Thad Levine (Twins GM), Sig Mejdal (Orioles assistant GM), Kim Ng (former Marlins GM), Eve Rosenbaum (Orioles assistant GM), and Zack Scott (former Mets interim GM).
https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/10/17/sports/red-sox-baseball-operations-search/?event=event25
She was an intern for the Red Sox for 18 months while in college, too!Any thoughts on Eve Rosenbaum? She came up with Elias in Houston in their international scouting/development department before coming with him to Baltimore. She's only 32 and was recently promoted to Assistant GM. Harvard graduate. Seems like a Theo-ish candidate, and what Baltimore has been able to do with limited resources and not-so-great ownership has been pretty impressive.
I would be curious. Hard to know the role of any particular person in these organizations, & if we're org grabbing I think I'd rather go with a bigger market org still, but seems like a fine person to interview & find out about.Any thoughts on Eve Rosenbaum? She came up with Elias in Houston in their international scouting/development department before coming with him to Baltimore. She's only 32 and was recently promoted to Assistant GM. Harvard graduate. Seems like a Theo-ish candidate, and what Baltimore has been able to do with limited resources and not-so-great ownership has been pretty impressive.
View: https://twitter.com/tylermilliken_/status/1714388581064568837Add Red Sox VP of Scouting and Player Development, Paul Toboni, to the list of interviewed candidates for the Red Sox front office openings, per
@alexspeier
From 2020-2022, he worked as the amateur scouting director and oversaw all 3 drafts.
Assistant GM Mike Groopman is also in the mix, per
@ChrisCotillo and @Sean_McAdam
She also worked in the Affairs department at Fenway for a year and a half (Town and Gown basically ithink) a dozen years ago and played softball on Harvard team I believe. D1 is D1. Bring her and Click together would seem like a good idea, perhaps?Any thoughts on Eve Rosenbaum? She came up with Elias in Houston in their international scouting/development department before coming with him to Baltimore. She's only 32 and was recently promoted to Assistant GM. Harvard graduate. Seems like a Theo-ish candidate, and what Baltimore has been able to do with limited resources and not-so-great ownership has been pretty impressive.
Why not Theo? Are Baltimore and Houston smaller markets than San Diego?I would be curious. Hard to know the role of any particular person in these organizations, & if we're org grabbing I think I'd rather go with a bigger market org still, but seems like a fine person to interview & find out about.
Young Jewish person from a successful small budget organization evinces Bloom tbh. Someone make her a Wiki.
Budget-wise Baltimore & Tampa are much smaller than San Diego was during Theo's years. They also just flat out weren't very good after '98...Why not Theo? Are Baltimore and Houston smaller markets than San Diego?
If Romero doesn't get the #1 slot, I would expect him to move up to the #2 slot. Obviously I could be wrong, but I don't see someone like Rosenblum being placed above Romero.She also worked in the Affairs department at Fenway for a year and a half (Town and Gown basically ithink) a dozen years ago and played softball on Harvard team I believe. D1 is D1. Bring her and Click together would seem like a good idea, perhaps?
I also kinda like the Psychology background for a front office position.
So she doesn't want to be promoted to a job where she'll be fired in 4 years? I'd be concerned if I were with the team for 20 years that taking the job leads directly to the door.
There's also stuff about Toboni in there including him being 33 & an important part of their recent drafting & development team.Multiple potential candidates have declined the chance to interview with Boston, including Phillies GM Sam Fuld, Dodgers GM Brandon Gomes, former Marlins boss and current MLB executive Michael Hill and former Rangers GM (and current Rays adviser) Jon Daniels all having said no.
There are no bad GM jobs. Just like there are no bad manager jobs.Does this sound like a great GM job to you? There is a lot of baggage that comes with this position. How is the media (???) at fault for any of this? This is the Red Sox taking an AK, flipping the safety off, pointing the barrel at their crotch and shooting themselves in the dick. Multiple times.