Red Sox have fired GM Dave Dombrowski

[oldtimer]

After the elimination game (in fact, double elimination with Kelley's walking loss) , I looked at the 40 man roster looking for some glimmer of turnaround ability. 25 throwers are listed and very few give you a warm fuzzy feeling.

Eduardo leads the group in many ways(performance, age, cost, upside). Sale , Price and Eovaldi are question marks at this time . I'm surer they will report to ST with nothing but smiles and strong arms, but that may be their high water mark for the year.
Workman is workable , but a curveballer is not likely your closer . Porcello is gone based on his full 2019 results, and what new Sox GM will take a chance on an extension for him ? There is not another thrower on the list that makes you glad he is alive and well in Boston, with upside , including Matt Barnes, who could be a mid inning "hold" guy in a stronger bullpen. Same for Heath Hembree. Not one of the young Pawsox tryouts showed much ability to get the job done, they remain nameless.

Brasier, Walden, Brewer ,Cashner and Weber are fillers at best and liabilities at worst. Don't even start talking Johnson, Velazquez and Chacin as your answers to a 5th starting pitcher. The hell with Wright too.

If you look at position players , you will be counting on Chavis to break through as a more consistent hitter, can he do it ? Pearce and Pedroia are done. Lin is marginal, Centeno is 30 in November and not an upgrade from Leon who is not of much value. Sam Travis---wishful thinking. Marco Rodriguez, maybe a bench infielder. Gorkys Hernandez and Chris Owings , what are you smoking, I'll try some to lift the fog of doubt . Only Brock Holt has shown he can give you a lot of flexibility and can hit at times, but not a MLB minimum price.

When will, if ever, Benintendi show the results his potential indicates ? Jackie Bradley's string has played out and you can either pay a big premium for defense one more year, or try to move him or non-tender.

The 2020 Red Sox core remains the predictable group of Devers, Bogaerts, Martinez (won't opt out this year), and Vazquez. Mookie (?), I am saying that he will be moved for at least 2 or 3 guys who are the start of the rebuild. Betts has given no encouragement whatsoever that he would even prefer to stay in Boston unless the money is max-max. Get some useful pieces now , new GM.

This roster sucks for pitching and depth. It is a .500 team , with an enormous deadweight payroll unless Sale, Price, and Eovaldi find some magic .

DHern looks like a possible BP closer but needs to get consistent command. Dalbec is a possible 1st baseman, who has to cut down on the strikeouts. Chavis has some promise but also has to cut down on strikeouts. Chatham is a potential utility players (any infield position and possibly outfield) who is a linedrive contact hitter and may have some power but has to gain muscle. Duran is raw and is moving through the system quickly. He has excellent speed and could be another any position outfielder. Can he hit ML pitching? TBD. Then there are Houck and Mata as potential starters. That to me represents the low cost guys who have a shot at making the team next year. With the number of guys likely off the payroll and with our huge payroll commitment to iffy players, they may represent the best hope.

[Kimmi]

All signs point to the next GM being promoted from within.

Don't know who that would be, but that's the word on the street.

[vegasbob]

All signs point to the next GM being promoted from within.

Don't know who that would be, but that's the word on the street.

Today's internal promotions in the scouting department seem to reinforce that. If an outside GM was brought in, they would not have made these moves.

Frank Wren and Eddie Bane were moved out of the way, and probably are being given a minor share of the blame to supplement Dombrowski's for the state of the MiLB pipeline going dry, especially in pitching. The two edge sword is still the thrill of a record season and WS win in 2018 and the flop in 2019.

Keep in mind there will be only one big winner in 2019, so one of the Yankees, Astros, Dodgers who did play well in 2019 is going to be very disappointed to lose their last game of the season. A's , Indians, Braves , Cardinals might be happy just being there.

[Kimmi]

Today's internal promotions in the scouting department seem to reinforce that. If an outside GM was brought in, they would not have made these moves.

Frank Wren and Eddie Bane were moved out of the way, and probably are being given a minor share of the blame to supplement Dombrowski's for the state of the MiLB pipeline going dry, especially in pitching. The two edge sword is still the thrill of a record season and WS win in 2018 and the flop in 2019.

Keep in mind there will be only one big winner in 2109, so one of the Yankees, Astros, Dodgers who did play well in 2019 is going to be very disappointed to lose their last game of the season. A's , Indians, Braves , Cardinals might be happy just being there.

The internal promotions, along with the retaining of Cora seem to point in that direction. Also, I'm reading that outsiders might be of the opinion that the Red Sox are not the best team to work for, so it might be difficult to bring somebody in.

As far as this year's big winner goes, it is time for the "Anyone but the Yankees" mantra.

[vegasbob]

I have no fear that the Yankees will be among the last losers, if only to see the rationalizations from some commenters.

It may not have been a real internal coup at Fenway a couple weeks ago, but there's no doubt, given the internal promotions, that the working FO staff did not agree with DD and his guys approach to the roster. Looks like the younger fellows were listened to by John H. Of course, that makes La Russa's prior role and ongoing retention a little more difficult to perceive .

If getting someone to work for the Sox is a bit difficult they should check this board. Has to be 12-15 people who would jump at the GM job and probably do well !

[Larry Cook]

John Henry,

Please call Friedman in Los Angeles. Give him whatever he wants and secure him as our head of baseball operations!

[jacksonianmarch]

The dodgers have as deep a pocket as anyone. He’s not leaving LA

[Bellhorn04]

The dodgers have as deep a pocket as anyone. He’s not leaving LA

Money won't decide it. But maybe he's interested in a new challenge.

[jacksonianmarch]

Money won't decide it. But maybe he's interested in a new challenge.

You usually go for a new challenge after you reach the pinnacle with your current challenge.

[Bellhorn04]

You usually go for a new challenge after you reach the pinnacle with your current challenge.

Well, he hasn't signed a new contract yet for some reason. We shall see.

[Slasher9]

Well, he hasn't signed a new contract yet for some reason. We shall see.

friedman off the table. resiigned with dodgers.

[Slasher9]

oh boy:

we also are being told that ownership would like to be more involved in baseball ops, and that the analytics department will be calling all the shots. From this point forward, the Sox’ strategy will be all about precise spin rates, swing paths, and velocities supplied by Statcast. Game-planning will be directed by the analytics department

where in the world is DGale???

[notin]

oh boy:

we also are being told that ownership would like to be more involved in baseball ops, and that the analytics department will be calling all the shots. From this point forward, the Sox’ strategy will be all about precise spin rates, swing paths, and velocities supplied by Statcast. Game-planning will be directed by the analytics department

where in the world is DGale???

That puts them in the same boat as everyone else in MLB.

Baseball teams have always been driven by statistics. The stats they use might change, but the use of them is omnipresent throughout history.

This goes for other sports as well. Follow the NBA lately? Or the NFL?

[Slasher9]

That puts them in the same boat as everyone else in MLB.

Baseball teams have always been driven by statistics. The stats they use might change, but the use of them is omnipresent throughout history.

This goes for other sports as well. Follow the NBA lately? Or the NFL?

same boat as everyone else? ummm...no, no it doesnt.
calling ALL the shots.
driven by stats is one thing. all the shots is entirely different.

[Bellhorn04]

same boat as everyone else? ummm...no, no it doesnt.
calling ALL the shots.
driven by stats is one thing. all the shots is entirely different.

Let's keep in mind those are Shaughnessy's words, not an actual quote from the team.