Red Sox Hire Chaim Bloom As Chief Baseball Officer

Harry Hooper

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They say a lot of things at pressers. I just find it hard to believe they're going to go out and hire a hot name (which is what most of the wishlist candidates brought up here would be) without giving them quite a bit of autonomy. Autonomy that would include structuring and staffing the scouting and development departments with at least some of their own hires.

Just not seeing how attractive the job will be to an up and coming exec if it's just coming in to oversee an already functioning operation without a lot of room to put one's own stamp on things.
Yes, feels like there's a whiff in the air of a pending announcement that after an exhaustive external search, Sam Kennedy now rules all at Fenway with his 4 deputies in baseball ops.

Addendum: Just saw that McAdam is expressing similar sentiments.
 
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BJBossman

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I think it would be disastrous (and hence I would be quite happy) if BOS doesn't hire a candidate from one of the organizations (LAD, HOU, TB, NYY) that has done a better job adapting to the current state of baseball. I said the day Dombrowski was fired that they should hire Chaim Bloom (and if that means some of the four internal candidates leave, I think that's ok although I am not so sure they will leave), I hope that doesn't happen as a Yankee fan but it should IMO.
I agree. None of these four are worth not going after these superior candidates.
 

Red(s)HawksFan

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I agree. None of these four are worth not going after these superior candidates.
And you know this how, exactly? You know without a shadow of a doubt that Eddie Romero can't possibly step up and do exactly what Bloom can do, and just as well?

I'm not campaigning for Romero or anyone in particular, but let's not pretend we know more than we do. Everyone was convinced the answer was Billy Beane back in 2002 (for good reason) but when that didn't work out, an unknown 28 year old was elevated from within the organization. He did a pretty good job.
 

BJBossman

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And you know this how, exactly? You know without a shadow of a doubt that Eddie Romero can't possibly step up and do exactly what Bloom can do, and just as well?

I'm not campaigning for Romero or anyone in particular, but let's not pretend we know more than we do. Everyone was convinced the answer was Billy Beane back in 2002 (for good reason) but when that didn't work out, an unknown 28 year old was elevated from within the organization. He did a pretty good job.
Beane was still the superior candidate.

So your point doesn't seem to fit here.

It's not saying that others couldn't work out. But they aren't the best candidates.
 

Savin Hillbilly

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The wrong side of the bridge....
Beane was still the superior candidate.
What exactly do you mean by this? Do you mean that all the information available at that time pointed to him being the superior candidate? And unless you're a Sox FO insider from 2002 posting incognito, how do you really know what information was available to those people at that time? (Never mind the other question, how do you define "superior," and how do we compare your definition with Henry & Co.'s?)

Or do you actually mean Beane would have done a better job? And if so, again, how do you know?
 

The_Powa_of_Seiji_Ozawa

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What exactly do you mean by this? Do you mean that all the information available at that time pointed to him being the superior candidate? And unless you're a Sox FO insider from 2002 posting incognito, how do you really know what information was available to those people at that time? (Never mind the other question, how do you define "superior," and how do we compare your definition with Henry & Co.'s?)

Or do you actually mean Beane would have done a better job? And if so, again, how do you know?
Well, after Beane declined the Red Sox job in 2002 he did go on to write Moneyball...
 

BJBossman

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What exactly do you mean by this? Do you mean that all the information available at that time pointed to him being the superior candidate? And unless you're a Sox FO insider from 2002 posting incognito, how do you really know what information was available to those people at that time? (Never mind the other question, how do you define "superior," and how do we compare your definition with Henry & Co.'s?)

Or do you actually mean Beane would have done a better job? And if so, again, how do you know?
the former.

no different than discussing Friedman or Hazen now
 

JimD

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Beane was still the superior candidate.

So your point doesn't seem to fit here.

It's not saying that others couldn't work out. But they aren't the best candidates.
To be a candidate, one has to want to come to Boston. Thus far, Epstein, Friedman and Falvey cannot be considered candidates. Still waiting on Bloom.

I'd personally rather stick with the Gang of Four if none of the top targets have interest - my bigger fear right now is that Henry & company end up dropping down into the second tier of less than stellar candidates because they are hung up on getting someone with 'experience'. I dread going online one morning and reading that Doug Melvin is coming in for an interview.
 

bosockboy

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To be a candidate, one has to want to come to Boston. Thus far, Epstein, Friedman and Falvey cannot be considered candidates. Still waiting on Bloom.

I'd personally rather stick with the Gang of Four if none of the top targets have interest - my bigger fear right now is that Henry & company end up dropping down into the second tier of less than stellar candidates because they are hung up on getting someone with 'experience'. I dread going online one morning and reading that Doug Melvin is coming in for an interview.
I hope they just go with Romero and be done with it. He’s earned the opportunity and I love that he has family connectivity to the 1980’s Sox.
 

Harry Hooper

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I believe at the presser they specifically used the phrase of “an experienced GM outside of the organization.”
By that criterion Cherrington would qualify, and an offseason roster re-work a la 2013 is probably what they have in mind. It's doubtful Ben would even take their calls
 

BJBossman

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To be a candidate, one has to want to come to Boston. Thus far, Epstein, Friedman and Falvey cannot be considered candidates. Still waiting on Bloom.

I'd personally rather stick with the Gang of Four if none of the top targets have interest - my bigger fear right now is that Henry & company end up dropping down into the second tier of less than stellar candidates because they are hung up on getting someone with 'experience'. I dread going online one morning and reading that Doug Melvin is coming in for an interview.
yes. But it sounds like they havent even gotten that far.

the franchise needs to gohard for the best man for the job and it settle for comfort zone hires.

It is a leverage battle as admitting a bunch of candidates already shot you down hurts your leverage. But if you hide it you can seem lazy or complacent
 

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TomBrunansky23

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Isn't there possibly a model where Kennedy and her are both team presidents - he on the business side and she on the baseball side, with Romero as GM making the day to day personnel decisions. She would oversee the entire operation: analytics, coaching, player development, etc. Romero would report directly to her ala Theo to Lucchino back in the day, without the baggage of Larry thinking he knew better than Theo on roster decisions and trades.
 

Tyrone Biggums

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Do you know Raquel and her background? Or OBP1's bona fides?
She's very qualified for the role. Its just an added bonus that the Sox get to become trailblazers in the world of equality. Hopefully if they hire her her pay is the same as other first time GMs.
 

nvalvo

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More baseball, less virtue signaling, please.
Ferreira has spent 20 years in the front office, some of it on the operations side, some on the player development side. It doesn't sound like they're moving in that direction, but she seems pretty qualified.

"Virtue signalling" certainly signals something, and... yikes.
 

BJBossman

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This is not an acceptable post. If you believe Ms. Ferreira is unqualified or would otherwise be a poor choice for the job, state your case. That’s how reasoned discussion works.

Let’s get back on topic, everyone.
the unacceptbale one is the ignorant personal attack above.

Truth being unacceptable is laughable
 

67YAZ

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I like the internal promotion or Taubman ideas the most because of the connections already developed between Cora and the existing front office and/or Taubman.

I think if Theo goes somewhere, it's Cleveland to try and put them over the top. Good team already, middle of the road farm system, good relationship with Francona, and a chance to end a third long World Series drought. He won't have a huge checkbook to work with, so there's probably some appeal there to show that he can do it without a big budget or a big market.
Taubman and the others in the Astros front office all had contract extensions announced a couple weeks ago. The Red Sox opening has quickly become for stats-savvy front office types what LA once was for NFL teams looking to get a new stadium...
 

oumbi

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the unacceptbale one is the ignorant personal attack above.

Truth being unacceptable is laughable
The post was neither personal nor ignorant as far as I can see. Please address the basic point - why did you post that Ms. Ferreira is unqualified for the job in your mind? Since you provided no evidence in your initial post it is fair to now ask you provide that evidence.

Thank you.
 

jon abbey

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The post was neither personal nor ignorant as far as I can see. Please address the basic point - why did you post that Ms. Ferreira is unqualified for the job in your mind? Since you provided no evidence in your initial post it is fair to now ask you provide that evidence.

Thank you.
He's already been banned (not by me), so he will not be answering your very reasonable question.
 

JimD

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Taubman and the others in the Astros front office all had contract extensions announced a couple weeks ago. The Red Sox opening has quickly become for stats-savvy front office types what LA once was for NFL teams looking to get a new stadium...
Taubman is still only an Assistant GM after the contract extension, so I believe he could still interview for the Sox job since it would in fact be a promotion. The fact that he didn't get elevated above the assistant GM level says to me that the extension may have been a preemptive move by the Astros and not necessarily Taubman using the Sox opening to his advantage - I would think he'd have gotten a better title if that had happened.

Anyways, Chaim Bloom still has to be the top target after Epstein and Friedman dropped out - if he was willing last offseason to go to the Mets and work for the Wilpons, I can't see where the current Red Sox situation would scare him off.
 

Ale Xander

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Anyways, Chaim Bloom still has to be the top target after Epstein and Friedman dropped out - if he was willing last offseason to go to the Mets and work for the Wilpons, I can't see where the current Red Sox situation would scare him off.
In Flushing, he's sort of protected by the Yankees shadow. In Fenway, there's no shadow.

I do agree that he's a top target now.
 

67YAZ

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Taubman is still only an Assistant GM after the contract extension, so I believe he could still interview for the Sox job since it would in fact be a promotion. The fact that he didn't get elevated above the assistant GM level says to me that the extension may have been a preemptive move by the Astros and not necessarily Taubman using the Sox opening to his advantage - I would think he'd have gotten a better title if that had happened.

Anyways, Chaim Bloom still has to be the top target after Epstein and Friedman dropped out - if he was willing last offseason to go to the Mets and work for the Wilpons, I can't see where the current Red Sox situation would scare him off.
Luhnow retains president & GM titles. Last year the ‘Stros lost 2 senior people from the baseball ops side, so this looks to me like a concerted effort to tie up all the key people by giving pay raises and redistributing responsibilities. And given Taubman’s quick rise and range of responsibilities over the past 7 years, I suspect he’s being groomed as their future GM when Luhnow relinquishes that title.

If Bloom is the target, how much longer can will this go on?
 

chawson

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If Bloom is the target, how much longer can will this go on?
It may have quietly already happened? It’s been nine days since the Rays were eliminated, and I strongly doubt the Sox will be without a GM the Monday after the World Series concludes. We’re halfway through a very short window, and I’m sure there’s pressure from MLB to not announce major FO hires in October.
 
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dano7594

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Anyways, Chaim Bloom still has to be the top target after Epstein and Friedman dropped out - if he was willing last offseason to go to the Mets and work for the Wilpons, I can't see where the current Red Sox situation would scare him off.
[/QUOTE]

Did I miss Theo dropping out?

Also Friedman announced on Monday I believe he would be signing his new contract in a few days, but that has not be announced.

I wonder with the Yankees being eliminated if Tim Naehring is a target?
 

Red(s)HawksFan

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Did I miss Theo dropping out?
Did I miss where he was anything other than a fantastical pipedream from posters here (and maybe a columnist or two filling space)?

Nearly a month ago, he categorically denied there was any truth to the rumors of him leaving Chicago for Boston. Nothing's changed since then.
 

67YAZ

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Yeah, but anything other than that?
The Cubs are on to a second interview with at least one managerial candidate and have made a few promotions and hires to better integrate analytics into on-field tactics and player development. If the Ricketts were going to fire Theo, they would have done so when they fired Maddon. And if Theo wanted to walk, he would have shortly after that.
 
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mauidano

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I read a great profile of her recently. I also remember reading reporting that she was instrumental in getting the Xander deal done earlier this year.
What great story! She has been a rock in the organization for 20 years, not many else can say they have been and worked their way up the organizational ladder through good times and bad. Ferreira is an incredible asset to the Red Sox in whatever capacity John Henry and ownership see for her. I noticed she wasn't really vying for the GM position but she should get a hard look regardless. She has earned it and well respected from players to ownership.
 

Tyrone Biggums

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Annnnd nevermind. Taunting three women over a domestic assault abuser is a sure fire way of torpedoing a future job.

https://www.si.com/mlb/2019/10/22/houston-astros-roberto-osuna-suspension
Disgusting. Team is coming out in his defense which is I guess expected. Its just a stupid stupid stupid move. Please don't go after this clown. Its a slap in the face to survivors everywhere. Regardless of the actual intent.

Anyways I'll take Bloom if its an external hire if its internal give it to Raquel. She was very key in the Boegarts contract and is a rising star. I would hope that Henry would pay her according to what her peers at her level are making. Otherwise the promotion is hollow.
 

Dustin the Wind

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67YAZ

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Taubman just signed an extension in Houston, so he’s their guy through and through.

Even the most benign explanation for this is that Taubman got drunk and yelled obnoxiously at reporters, which is unacceptable behavior for a professional. And there are plenty of plausible, darker possibilities.

Taubman needs to personally apologize. MLB needs to collaborate with external orga on a mandatory education program for front office and managerial staff. Use this as a spring board before something tragic happens.
 

BoSox Rule

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He’s the Assistant General Manager. If the allegations are true he should obviously be fired.
 

JimD

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For all of the reported ham-handed moves by Sox ownership over the years and the criticism of their habit of firing execs too soon after World Series triumphs, it is a significant point in their favor that one of the leaders of the Red Sox front office is Raquel Ferreira, who I believe is the highest-ranking woman in any MLB organization. There is no way they can even think of considering Taubman now - the blowback and bad publicity would be severe. I had been in favor of considering him given the success of Houston's baseball operations group in recent years - there is value in even just picking the brain of someone like that and gaining insight into the Astros mindset, IMO - but I certainly can't support him any more.
 

67YAZ

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Taubman “apologizes” with the stupid “if anyone was offended” approach. What more can be expected when his organization initially denied his behavior even occurred?

Taubman was seemingly been on track to become Astro’s GM sooner rather than later. Given that the team initially lied to try to protect him, I’m guessing that is still true. No doubt he’ll have other suitors again next fall when, in Hal Steinbrenner’s view, this should all be forgotten.
 

JimD

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That article is a great read (I had seen it on ESPN's front page but mistakenly thought it was behind the Insider paywall). If the team does end up not hiring a PoBO or GM to head Baseball Operations, it does seem that Ferreira's skill set would be ideal to be 'first among equals' in the Gang of Four.