Haunted by their exes?
Former Sox figures looking out for own at team’s expense
There should be a saying that goes, “If you can’t find a Red Sox or New England connection in baseball, you’re just not trying.”
With Ivy League executives from Harvard, Dartmouth and Yale flooding front offices, that adage holds true more than ever. At this week’s annual Winter Meetings in Orlando, Fla., an abundant supply of area natives and former Sox employees holding jobs with the 29 other teams and in related fields will ply their talents in the service of Major League Baseball’s $10 billion industry.
And if their efforts to sweeten their own roost happens to foil the Red Sox at the same time, the team will try not to take it personally. A rundown:
• Dan Duquette: The Orioles GM hasn’t conducted a significant trade with his former ballclub since swapping Eduardo Rodriguez for Andrew Miller in 2014. Somewhat ironically, Duquette (of Dalton, Wahconah Regional High and Amherst College) is trying to get Baltimore back into the American League East game by finding an elite starting pitcher. Will he also consider trading Manny Machado, one of next year’s top free agents, to do so? We’ll keep an eye on that plot line while looking to catch a glimpse of ex-Red Soxers now in Baltimore’s player development staff: John Wasdin, Jeff Manto, Ramon Martinez and Kent Qualls.
• Theo Epstein: The Brookline native and former Red Sox GM hardly needs an introduction. He and his posse of former Sox — GM Jed Hoyer, Jason McLeod, Louis Eljaua, Peter Chase, David Ross and Darnell McDonald — could decide to trade Kyle Schwarber, and if so the Red Sox should get all up in Epstein’s face. The Cubs plucked from the Red Sox coaching staff this offseason, hiring hitting coach
Chili Davis and third base coach Brian Butterfield.
• Mike Hazen and Torey Lovullo: Hazen, Dave Dombrowski’s first GM with the Sox, and Lovullo, the manager who got away, are off and running after Year 1 success of their GM-manager tandem. Like the Red Sox, the D-backs (and exRed Sox hitting coach Dave Magadan) need to fill the hole that will be left behind with free agent J.D. Martinez’ departure. Arizona’s suite is filled with those who know the Red Sox well:
Jared Porter, Amiel Sawdaye, Craig Shipley, Burke Badenhop and Luke Wrenn.
• Alan Nero: The Providence native and Springfield College graduate heads up the Octagon sports agency’s baseball division. They have had bigger winters in terms of marquee free agents, but perhaps a client of Nero’s, Oakland’s Khris Davis, comes up in trade talks.
• David Forst: Oakland’s GM went to Harvard, so on this list he goes. The A’s should not be in a hurry to trade Davis, who is still two years from free agency, but they are aware they have one of the more unheralded, proven sluggers in the game. If the Sox are asking about Jose Abreu in a trade, they should also be talking to Forst about Davis.
• Ben Cherington: The New Hampshire native and former Red Sox GM, whom Dombrowski should be sending weekly thank-you notes, is Toronto’s VP of baseball operations. With third baseman Josh Donaldson one year away from free agency, Dombrowski not shy about trading within the division and the Blue Jays possibly up for sale, the Sox owe Cherington a call to see what their plans are with Donaldson. Jim Beattie, a Blue Jays scout from Portland, Maine, who attended Dartmouth, interviewed for the Red Sox GM opening after Epstein left in a gorilla suit and will forever be hailed as the Montreal GM who traded Pedro Martinez to the Red Sox 20 years ago.
• Jerry Dipoto: Seattle’s general manager is off to another whirlwind start with the Mariners, trading for former Red Sox closer Tom Gordon’s son Dee from Derek Jeter’s Marlins. Dipoto was hired by Dombrowski to help him in his first offseason here, plus Dipoto was a Red Sox scout in 2004.
• Terry Francona: The former Red Sox manager stocked his coaching staff with ex-Red Sox beyond his favorite sidekick, bench coach Brad Mills — pitching coach Carl Willis, assistant hitting coach Victor Rodriguez and former Sox pitcher Scott Atchison as bullpen coach.
Let’s look for more
Maybe Roger Clemens, a special assistant to GM Jeff Luhnow, will join the Astros’ contingent of champions to boost the ex-Red Sox ranks at the meetings. Sure to be on hand for Houston are media relations VP Gene Dias, from Hanson and UMass, as well as Dighton’s Chris Peixoto. Tom Koch-Weser, an associate scout for the Red Sox 20 years ago, works for Houston and Luhnow’s assistant GM, Mike Elias, pitched and studied at Yale.
That other Texas team, the Rangers, will bring their communications czar John Blake, who with great glee oversaw the Daisuke Matsuzaka era with the Red Sox. Also with the Rangers is Joe Januszewski, a top business executive who handled a similar role with the Red Sox.
David Chadd, assistant GM of the Tigers, used to head the Red Sox draft and executive Tom Moore started off working for the Red Sox under Duquette. Detroit also employs Dave Littlefield of Portland, Maine, with bachelor’s and master’s degrees from UMass, where he also was an assistant baseball coach.
New Angels hitting coach Eric Hinske won a ring with the Red Sox in 2007 and the guy who hired him, GM Billy Eppler, went to UConn, Hinske’s assistant hitting coach,
Paul Sorrento, never appeared in the Boston Herald during his playing career in the ’90’s without “Peabody’s” in front of his name.
The Marlins have Medford’s Mike Pagliarulo as their hitting coach and former Red Sox pitching coach Juan Nieves holds that job in Miami, where former Red Sox media relations chief Glenn Geffner sits behind the radio mike.
Ruben Amaro joined the Mets as first base coach, and Gary Disarcina (Malden, UMass) is the bench coach. Worcester’s J.P. Ricciardi works in the Mets’ front office, and so does Francona’s son Nick.
The Phillies have a strong Boston connection with GM Matt Klentak of Medfield, Xaverian Brothers and Dartmouth, and ex-Red Sox outfielder
Gabe Kapler fresh in the manager’s seat. And never forget Andy Abad, their outfield and baserunning coordinator.
Derek Falvey, the Twins’ baseball head, grew up in Lynn and played baseball at Trinity College.
The Nationals have Derek Lilliquist and Tim Bogar in the dugout, with ex-third base coach Mike Cubbage a special assistant to GM Mike Rizzo, a former Red Sox scout.
Colorado GM Jeff Bridich and Milwaukee GM
David Stearns each went to Harvard, and Pittsburgh GM Neal Huntington started off in Amerst, N.H., played baseball at Amherst College and also picked up a master’s at UMass. Their coaching staff has former Red Sox Dave Jauss, Euclides Rojas and Alex Cora’s brother Joey at third base. There are more, too. This week they’ll reunite in Orlando, where the fortunes of the Red Sox will be the least of their concerns.