Spring Break
Red Sox Make Grave Error In Losing Epstein
Andy Silva
Issue date: 11/2/05 Section: Sports
When John Henry, Tom Werner and Larry Lucchino took over the Boston Red Sox in 2002 it seemed as though they had learned from the mistakes of Red Sox past. However, the departure of General Manager Theo Epstein suggests otherwise and casts an ominous cloud over a team that should be expected to contend again in 2006.
The hiring of Epstein in 2003 was an unusual move for the Red Sox - it was progessive, forward looking and outside of the box. This new ownership group saw what direction the sport was heading and they were on the ground floor, hiring a young executive who was a believer in the Bill James philosophy of playing baseball. People initially questioned whether this young man, not even in his 30s at the time of his hiring, was ready for the pressure of being the general manager of the Boston Red Sox, however, Epstein proved then doubters wrong.
As with anyone, Epstein had successes and failures. The idea of going with a closer by committee at the beginning of 2003 was a mistake. Signing Byung-Hyun Kim to a ludicrous two-year contract after he had a meltdown in the 2003 playoffs - which included flipping off Fenway Park - and had shown himself to be ineffective in every role the Red Sox placed him in and was not great either. And Edgar Renteria certainly didn't play like a $10 million a year player last season (although I still am holding out hope he can return to his all-star form).
However, for every mistake Epstein also made a move of sheer brilliance. He found little known, or in some cases little cared about, players and signed them for small money and got big results. Most notable among these players is David Ortiz, who has had perhaps the biggest impact on the Red Sox since his arrival in 2003. But Ortiz isn't the only player who falls under this category. Epstein also signed Bill Mueller (who won a batting title in 2003), John Olerud and David Wells (who ended up as one of the team's top pitchers in 2005) and acquired players like Dave Roberts and Tony Graffanino in trades. Heck, even Kevin Millar was a worthwhile signing for two of his three years with the team. Epstein was even able to convince Curt Schiling to accept a trade to a team many thought he would never consider joining.
The hiring of Epstein in 2003 was an unusual move for the Red Sox - it was progessive, forward looking and outside of the box. This new ownership group saw what direction the sport was heading and they were on the ground floor, hiring a young executive who was a believer in the Bill James philosophy of playing baseball. People initially questioned whether this young man, not even in his 30s at the time of his hiring, was ready for the pressure of being the general manager of the Boston Red Sox, however, Epstein proved then doubters wrong.
As with anyone, Epstein had successes and failures. The idea of going with a closer by committee at the beginning of 2003 was a mistake. Signing Byung-Hyun Kim to a ludicrous two-year contract after he had a meltdown in the 2003 playoffs - which included flipping off Fenway Park - and had shown himself to be ineffective in every role the Red Sox placed him in and was not great either. And Edgar Renteria certainly didn't play like a $10 million a year player last season (although I still am holding out hope he can return to his all-star form).
However, for every mistake Epstein also made a move of sheer brilliance. He found little known, or in some cases little cared about, players and signed them for small money and got big results. Most notable among these players is David Ortiz, who has had perhaps the biggest impact on the Red Sox since his arrival in 2003. But Ortiz isn't the only player who falls under this category. Epstein also signed Bill Mueller (who won a batting title in 2003), John Olerud and David Wells (who ended up as one of the team's top pitchers in 2005) and acquired players like Dave Roberts and Tony Graffanino in trades. Heck, even Kevin Millar was a worthwhile signing for two of his three years with the team. Epstein was even able to convince Curt Schiling to accept a trade to a team many thought he would never consider joining.