Red Sox announce Dave Dombrowski is their new president of baseball operations.

[derekson]

Inevitable question--Does he fire Farrell given the recent cancer diagnosis?

 
I think with the cancer they could easily frame this as a transition in roles for Farrell to something he can do with the cancer treatment, like special assistant to the GM or something in player development. I don't think he'll be back as manager.

 

[Quintanariffic]

Cherington, and the rest of the Sox baseball ops staff that's loyal to him, will have a job in 2 nanoseconds.  
 
Dombrowski has a solid record, but mostly due to spending his way to success more than out-smarting anyone.  Would not be a fan of him paired with Wren when neither of them are true-believers in statistical analysis.  

 

[BornToRun]

Well this is shocking. Thanks for 2013 Ben and good luck in the future. It's a shame things didn't work out better but we'll always have that World Series win.

 

[vadertime]

I find it interesting how quietly this happened, especially with most of the local media saying it wasn't going to happen.

 

[derekson]

 
Am I insane for thinking Ben will have no problem finding a GM gig next year?

 
Yes.
 
3 last place finishes in 4 years with top 5 payrolls each season is not a resume that will have anyone banging down his door, even if the team won the WS in the year they did make the playoffs. He'll likely get an AGM position with the Cubs or Dodgers or something.

 

[Corsi]

Gordon Edes ‏@GordonEdes  1m1 minute ago
Dombrowski met with Henry, Werner, and Mike Gordon last week in Chicago, flew here for interview, accepted job on Sunday

 

[Quintanariffic]

 
I think with the cancer they could easily frame this as a transition in roles for Farrell to something he can do with the cancer treatment, like special assistant to the GM or something in player development. I don't think he'll be back as manager.

 aka The Tony Cloninger treatment

 

[Corsi]

Gordon Edes ‏@GordonEdes  31s31 seconds ago
Dombrowski said he plans to hire a GM. Plans to begin job tomorrow after press conference. Will not run bus. operations like he did in Det

 

[Tyrone Biggums]

So does this mean our farm system is now trade chips?

Not necessarily. I mean he generally doesn't touch the guys on the 25 man roster. I wouldn't mind him moving any of the pitchers on the roster besides Eduardo.

 

[Hendu for Kutch]

So does this mean our farm system is now trade chips?

 
I wonder about this too.  Dombrowski didn't hold on to many prospects in Detroit, if I'm remembering correctly.  Though I'm unsure if "win before the owner dies" was a top-down directive that he was following.

 

[LuckyBen]

I don't really care for Domrowski but I thought aside from the Beckett trade the Cherington era was bad. So long as Dombrowski doesn't trade the minor league talent it can only be better.

Not to mention that little World Series victory. For everything that Ben did right that year, twice as much went wrong. Thankful Nap sucked this year or we might've traded Shaw to Oakland where he would win a batting title or two.

 

[Harry Hooper]

I find it interesting how quietly this happened, especially with most of the local media saying it wasn't going to happen.

 
Big Sox news almost never comes from the local scribes.

 

[DJnVa]

Wow. I appreciate bold moves like this.
 
It appears that it will be a very interesting last few months and offseason.

 

[gammoseditor]

Cherington, and the rest of the Sox baseball ops staff that's loyal to him, will have a job in 2 nanoseconds.  
 
Dombrowski has a solid record, but mostly due to spending his way to success more than out-smarting anyone.  Would not be a fan of him paired with Wren when neither of them are true-believers in statistical analysis.  

 
I also feel Dombrowski built his record by beating up on crappy teams inside his own division.  The AL Central was pretty awful a lot of those years. 

 

[Pilgrim]

Dave D is a very poor constructor of bullpens and the bp is a major Sox weakness. I hope he and/or his GM do a better job going forward.

His bullpens in Detrot have been horrible, but its hard to know what to think.  
 
He built some of the best rotations of the era, but loses all ability to judge pitching when it comes to the bullpen?  Its weird.

 

[Mighty Joe Young]

Not to thrilled by Wren .. A quick overview:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Wren

Among other gaffes, He gave that hideous deal to Melvin (aka BJ) Upton. He seems like a very toolsy oriented executive. I can't really see Henry OKing a complete u-turn in philosophy.

 

[vadertime]

 
Big Sox news almost never comes from the local scribes.

 Oh, I know, but in the days after the Tigers let him go, most if not all the local scribes said he wasn't/wouldn't be considered.  And from the sound of it this came together in the last 48 or so hours if no media, even national, even having a sniff of it.  Usually rumors trickle out.

 

[DJnVa]

Not to thrilled by Wren .. A quick overview:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Wren

Among other gaffes, He gave that hideous deal to Melvin (aka BJ) Upton. He seems like a very toolsy oriented executive. I can't really see Henry OKing a complete u-turn in philosophy.

 
 
Well, Wren is one guy's guess. Let's see what happens.

 

[E5 Yaz]

What happens with Dipoto at this point?

 

[Corsi]

Scott Lauber ‏@ScottLauber  11s12 seconds ago
Dombrowski in statement: "There was no option that stood out as clearly as the chance to come to Boston and win with the #RedSox"

 

[johnnywayback]

I'm disappointed and concerned.
 
As much as Cherington's recent moves haven't worked out, I'm glad we didn't do what I think most people are imagining we could have done instead when they complain about it.  
 
In other words: I'm bummed Porcello has sucked; I'm glad we didn't pay for Lester or Scherzer.  I'm annoyed that Ramirez and Sandoval haven't lived up to expectations; I'm glad we're not going to be in the Justin Upton market.  I'm envious of the Rangers for getting Hamels; I'm glad we didn't trade Swihart or Betts for him.
 
If this is simply the ownership looking for better execution -- in terms of player evaluation and transactional creativity, if the latter is even a thing -- then, okay, I guess.  But I really hope this isn't presaging a wild swing away from the patient development model toward splashing the pot on expensive, aging veterans -- you know, the sort of thing Dombrowski and Wren are famous for doing.

 

[Auger34]

Not to thrilled by Wren .. A quick overview:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Wren

Among other gaffes, He gave that hideous deal to Melvin (aka BJ) Upton. He seems like a very toolsy oriented executive. I can't really see Henry OKing a complete u-turn in philosophy.

I completely agree with the last sentence. Have to imagine that Henry mandated that Sawdaye, Romero, and a few other saber metric oriented execs stay on. Just can't phathom a complete change in philosophy over night.
Plus there is such a clear weakness with this front office it would sort of be like throwing the baby out with the bath water to completely clean house

 

[Savin Hillbilly]

What happens with Dipoto at this point?

 
Interesting question. If hiring Dipoto was really Ben's move, as widely reported, then maybe he goes with Ben.

 

[Harry Hooper]

I completely agree with the last sentence. Have to imagine that Henry mandated that Sawadaye and a few other saber metric oriented execs stay on. Just can't phathom a complete change in philosophy over night

 
I believe Henry has always had great trust in Dombrowski. The extended Sox sale process by the Yawkey Trust and maybe potential Dombrowski-Lucchino friction is what kept him from being JWH's baseball guy from Day 1 in Boston.

 

[TheReal15]

What happens with Dipoto at this point?

 
One would hope he's got the inside track at the GM job. Presumably Henry has been thinking about this Dombrowski idea for a while. 

 

[staz]

I mean, that OD rotation... I guess there was no master plan beyond Clay/Porcello/Miley/Masterson/Kelly after all? Add the absolute disaster at 3B, and here we are.

 

[Rough Carrigan]

Fascinating move.  Dombrowski's a good choice.  But whatever good there is to choosing him will be negated if the choice for GM is bad.  Frank Wren had one year as GM in Baltimore in the hopeless years where Peter Angelos meddled more than the kids with Scooby Doo.  That's a mulligan.  His tenure with Atlanta is hard to really grade.  The strength of that organization seemed to be the drafting and player development but how much of that was him?

 

[Savin Hillbilly]

BTW, I had never actually looked at a picture of Dombrowski till tonight. Let the Mister Rogers era commence!

 

[WalletTrack]

 
He seems like a great fit for a team rebuilding a farm system and not spending money in free agency

Ben won't hurt for offers.
Good move. Manager change next-new President and GM=new Sox Manager.

 

[Sox and Rocks]

 
Interesting question. If hiring Dipoto was really Ben's move, as widely reported, then maybe he goes with Ben.

I have a hard time believing those reports. Cherrington deciding to bring in dipoto to look over his shoulder would be job suicide. I think the dipoto hire came from elsewhere and now there is an even better chance he stays

 

[rlsb]

50 years ago next month was the last time there was a general manager (Higgins) change during the season.  Edro didn't pitch a no-hitter today, though.  I hope this change will be as positive as that one was.

 

[DLew On Roids]

Cherington could probably walk into a scouting director job next year, but he's not going to be a shoo-in for a GM job by any means. OK, he's got a ring, but we aren't exactly talking about a guy with Brian Sabean's track record.

 

[grimshaw]

BTW, I had never actually looked at a picture of Dombrowski till tonight. Let the Mister Rogers era commence!

 

[DJnVa]

Ben won't hurt for offers.

 
He may.
 
He's going to go into his next GM interview and have to defend Sandoval/Hanley and this pitching rotation.

 

[snowmanny]

I think it's probably a good thing that Cherington is gone.  Despite Ras's focus on winning the 2016 WS, the real target should be making the playoffs in 2017-18.  Cherington would be under such pressure to win next year after two straight last-place finishes that I'd worry about more attempts at short-term fixes at the expense of these greater goals.

 

[patinorange]

 
He may.
 
He's going to go into his next GM interview and have to defend Sandoval/Hanley and this pitching rotation.

John Henry made me do it.

 

[brandonchristensen]

Thanks Ben. Without you, 2013 doesn't happen.
 
Sure, the other three years sucked, but most moves were defensible at the time, and most seasons the Sox were expected to be winners. 

 

[soxhop411]

 
I wonder about this too.  Dombrowski didn't hold on to many prospects in Detroit, if I'm remembering correctly.  Though I'm unsure if "win before the owner dies" was a top-down directive that he was following.

Good point.

 

[Auger34]

Thinking about it I have to agree with others here. I think this DiPoto move was pre emptive. Would be shocked if he is not the new GM

 

[AB in DC]

Let's put off the Frank Wren rumors for a little while and celebrate getting a good baseball guy in the front office.

 

[canderson]

Wow, I didn't expect this mid-summer.

I am no fan of DD and think his tenure in Detroit has been sketchy but like here we don't know what pressure the old man gave him. With him not being in daily ops what will that mean?

Thanks for 2013 Ben. Good luck in what I believe will be Chicago next year winning the WS.

 

[mauf]

I'm disappointed and concerned.
 
As much as Cherington's recent moves haven't worked out, I'm glad we didn't do what I think most people are imagining we could have done instead when they complain about it.  
 
In other words: I'm bummed Porcello has sucked; I'm glad we didn't pay for Lester or Scherzer.  I'm annoyed that Ramirez and Sandoval haven't lived up to expectations; I'm glad we're not going to be in the Justin Upton market.  I'm envious of the Rangers for getting Hamels; I'm glad we didn't trade Swihart or Betts for him.
 
If this is simply the ownership looking for better execution -- in terms of player evaluation and transactional creativity, if the latter is even a thing -- then, okay, I guess.  But I really hope this isn't presaging a wild swing away from the patient development model toward splashing the pot on expensive, aging veterans -- you know, the sort of thing Dombrowski and Wren are famous for doing.

Perhaps DD has a philosophy of his own, but above all, he has proven his mettle under three different owners, and more than that many ownership philosophies. He built the 1997 Marlins to win, then broke them up a year later; he presided over the Tigers' mid-2000s rebuild, then lavished money on free agents when his aging owner decided to GFIN.

 

[BornToRun]

Thanks Ben. Without you, 2013 doesn't happen.
 
Sure, the other three years sucked, but most moves were defensible at the time, and most seasons the Sox were expected to be winners. 

Quoted because this post gave me the warm fuzzies.

 

[Snoop Soxy Dogg]

I don't really care for Domrowski but I thought aside from the Beckett trade the Cherington era was bad. So long as Dombrowski doesn't trade the minor league talent it can only be better.

 
Uhh..this is kind of what Dombrowski does, isn't it? I mean, Detroit had the worst farm system in the majors, in Keith Law's rankings. Farm systems don't appear to have been a priority, so at least we'll get a lot to talk about when he starts shipping prospects out.
 
Not exactly jumping for excitement here. It's fair to say Cherington is leaving Dombrowski with an organization that for all its warts, is in a better position than what Dombrowski bequeathed to Avila in Detroit. He wouldn't have been my choice, but can't argue the fact that the chances of being competitive every year may be better, even if the farm system and the bullpen will not be.

 

[DJnVa]

John Henry made me do it.

 
"Oh, so all the bad moves were someone else's ideas and the good ones were yours? Or are you saying someone else made all the calls and you actually don't have a track record?"

 

[SoxLegacy]

I'm disappointed and concerned.
 
As much as Cherington's recent moves haven't worked out, I'm glad we didn't do what I think most people are imagining we could have done instead when they complain about it.  
 
In other words: I'm bummed Porcello has sucked; I'm glad we didn't pay for Lester or Scherzer.  I'm annoyed that Ramirez and Sandoval haven't lived up to expectations; I'm glad we're not going to be in the Justin Upton market.  I'm envious of the Rangers for getting Hamels; I'm glad we didn't trade Swihart or Betts for him.
 
If this is simply the ownership looking for better execution -- in terms of player evaluation and transactional creativity, if the latter is even a thing -- then, okay, I guess.  But I really hope this isn't presaging a wild swing away from the patient development model toward splashing the pot on expensive, aging veterans -- you know, the sort of thing Dombrowski and Wren are famous for doing.

I too am disappointed by the way the season has played out, and while Cherington did sign HanRam and Panda, and extended Porcello, their failures to produce on the field, those are their failures. Nobody on record thought Ramirez or Porcello would suck as bad as they did this season. Sandoval I thought was a good, but risky signing. I am not thrilled by Dombrowski--his bullpens in Detroit, the poor farm system, and some head-scratching contracts given out during his tenure, make me nervous. I hope I am wrong. And definitely no to Frank Wren as GM.

 

[Sampo Gida]

Can't say I am surprised Larry and now Ben are gone.  In business you just don't survive such an awful year like this.  Lost a lot of money for the team and put them in a hard position for the next couple of years.  Maybe some of the moves were just bad luck, but many of them had you shaking your head at the time they were made.  Rolling the dice is fine when you win, but when you lose on the bosses coin, you are going to pay. 
 
Not a fan of DD, he has made some questionable moves the past couple of years, but maybe they were forced on him by the owners mandate to win now.  Fresh start for him if JWH will let him write down some of the non-performing assets he has acquired.  

 

[FanSinceBoggs]

Cherington, and the rest of the Sox baseball ops staff that's loyal to him, will have a job in 2 nanoseconds.  
 
 

 
That's good to know--I was worried they would go on welfare.  A GM job for Cherington?  I highly doubt it, not anytime soon.  Too many asinine moves and wasted resources under his watch. 

 

[Snoop Soxy Dogg]

Thanks Ben. Without you, 2013 doesn't happen.
 
Sure, the other three years sucked, but most moves were defensible at the time, and most seasons the Sox were expected to be winners. 

 
Amen to that.

 

[Harry Hooper]

BTW, I had never actually looked at a picture of Dombrowski till tonight. Let the Mister Rogers era commence!

 
I was thinking of the guy who ran the general store on "The Waltons."