Craig Breslow's mission for Red Sox looks to be full of pitfalls
It’s not too early to start cutting through all the pomp and circumstance that are certain to accompany Thursday’s press conference at Fenway Park.
Craig Breslow has a complicated path ahead of him. Withdrawn owner, perhaps the most powerful manager in the game, underwhelming product at the big-league level. American League East rivals more than 20 games ahead, potential free-agent targets requiring significant risk to sign, a steep learning curve as a first-time chief baseball officer.
Does that sound like an appealing job description? It’s certainly bleaker — and, arguably, more realistic — than what was laid out by club president and CEO Sam Kennedy during a press conference in September. Boston isn’t currently a place where bravado seems appropriate.
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Chaim Bloom made sure that what remained of the club’s overall morale was sucked away as October dawned. His four years in charge included three last-place finishes, a remade roster sorely lacking in star power and a fanbase that ultimately rejected his vision by staying away in droves. That the course he plotted was ever endorsed by John Henry leaves serious lingering questions about when the Red Sox will resume acting like the rich, powerful industry leader they’re supposed to be.
“After the 2018 World Series, we sought to build a future that would avoid the ups and downs normally associated with winning,” Henry said, an overdue nod to the disastrous pivot the club made from big-market bully to ongoing confusion. “That plainly hasn’t happened.”
Sacrificing present ambition for future gain was supposed to be the smarter course of action. Building through the farm system was adopted as the preferred way to consistently win. The Diamondbacks and Rangers have both bucked those philosophies to within four victories of a championship while Henry spoke only via prepared statement and Bloom was shown the exit door.
Spend a minute on a deeper look at the two journeys to the upcoming World Series. Arizona’s playoff odds were less than 48% on July 31 before adding Paul Sewald, Tommy Pham and Jace Peterson via trade — the resulting mix was enough to outlast Philadelphia in a pair of road elimination matchups. Texas lost 102 games in 2021 and rebuilt quickly through bold trades and free agency — the Rangers used just four homegrown players while dismissing Houston in Game 7.
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Breslow, as someone who captured a ring in two stints as a left-handed reliever in Boston and grew up adjacent to the market in Connecticut, would seem unlikely to deflate Boston hopes by ever describing the club as underdogs. That was a low moment under Bloom that can’t ever be repeated — the architect of a failure allowed to draw some clumsy parallel with clubs who have nothing approaching any recent level of Red Sox contention or success. Bloom’s former franchise in Tampa Bay was put in its proper postseason place yet again when it was swept by Texas, and it is incumbent upon Breslow to similarly relegate the Rays and others to nonfactors.
The Red Sox had difficulty filling this position. That the official search took less time than the one leading to Bloom is a worthless detail. Boston staggered through a series of public denials — area natives Sam Fuld and Brandon Gomes were a pair of seemingly realistic targets who opted to sting the club through backchannels — before finally arriving at Breslow, who helped oversee pitching development and was personally tabbed by Theo Epstein before joining the front office with the Chicago Cubs.
“I know firsthand how special winning in Boston is, and I look forward to once again experiencing that passion and success with our fans,” Breslow said in a statement.
Bloom’s response to coming two games from the World Series in 2021 was to strategically retreat. His tepid approach, rigid philosophy and underwhelming trade deadline performances seemed to suggest the latitude that comes with a decade-long project or more. There should never be such luxury when presiding over the Red Sox — Breslow won’t be unfamiliar with that truth.
But Bloom’s firing did carry with it another instance of turnover that’s come to define recent years in Boston’s front office. Dave Dombrowski inherited Ben Cherington’s solid foundation, maximized it into a championship in 2018 and was gone in less than 11 months. Bloom revamped a farm system that was never Dombrowski’s main focus, delivered a faint hint of October success and was also removed after a similar term.
Want an extended shelf life in baseball management? It would seem taking calls from Henry, Kennedy or other long-tenured Red Sox executives would be unwise. Contending with Alex Cora in the dugout also invites some potential pitfalls — a strong tactician with a clear ability to communicate in the clubhouse, but someone unafraid to publicly chide his superiors in the organization when the 26-man roster isn’t up to standard.
We’ll hear the usual optimism at that morning event next week, and we should. The start of something new invites a natural level of excitement and should be given time to succeed or otherwise. But make no mistake — Breslow’s challenge feels every bit as difficult as Bloom’s before him, and the potential answers could be more difficult to find.
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This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Craig Breslow's task as the new Red Sox boss looks to be full of pitfalls
